We’re unhappy nation
TAFTER THOUGHTS GUESSTIWBRIYITAER
HIS week the Sustainable Development Solutions Network published the 2023 happiness report and Eswatini ranked 121 out of 141 countries in terms of happiness. Finland is ranked as the world’s happiest country. This week we shall try and find the link between happiness and economic performance; we will also try to contextualise the concept of happiness with observed events in Eswatini.
According to Happiness Alliance, 2014c, the Happiness Index measures life satisfaction, the feeling of happiness and other happiness domains vis-à-vis psychological well-being, health, time balance, community, social support, education, arts and culture, environment, governance, material well-being, and work. Alternatively it can be defined as a comprehensive survey instrument that assesses happiness, well-being and aspects of sustainability and resilience.
Happiness, economic growth relationship
Happiness varies directly with income both among and within nations, but over time the long-term growth rates of happiness and income are not significantly related. There is a common view that economic growth is going to make our lives better. Simply put, as poor countries improve their gross domestic product (GDP), their national happiness also increases sharply. But when richer countries increase their GDP, then happiness levels are barely affected. Eswatini is a middle income country and ,hence we stand to benefit from balanced economic growth and the happiness of our people. We are at the early stages of growth with diminished happiness.
Happiness Eswatini, growth Eswatini
Given Eswatini’s poor ranking in the world happiness report, it is not surprising since we are also ranked in the Top 10 of most unequal countries in the world with a Gini coefficient (a measure of income distribution) of 51.5 per cent, meaning the richest 20 per cent in Eswatini share a larger proportion of the income and wealth of the kingdom compared to other percentiles in the wealth quintiles. The country contends with high rates of poverty, with 59 per cent of the population living below the poverty line. The current spate of inflation has put much pressure on the household sector; the increases in interest rates compound the pressure that middle class and poor households have to contend with. Also, the lack of growth prospects results in a dwindling working class. Unemployment is also at record highs, particularly for the youth. These dynamics ought to be low for a middle income country if the income and the wealth of the country were balanced in distribution. A balanced distribution of the income and wealth of the country ought to improve the levels of contentment in people and probably lead to higher rates of growth.
Contentment low levels’ impact
Presently Eswatini is faced with a spate of social problems that have culminated in the current social unrest we are witnessing. Back in the 70s and 80s, when the economy was prosperous, our people were content, unemployment was low and poverty was relatively low. Upon acceptance into tertiary institutions a liSwati was guaranteed a government scholarship and the health system was functional. This level of happiness made people look away from issues that are now thorny in the discourse of Eswatini. Once people are unhappy they will always find something or someone to blame for their misfortunes. Usually people place the blame on government and the leadership of the day for their misfortunes, which is what we are seeing on the ground. It is, therefore, imperative for the country’s leadership to consider the happiness dimension in planning the economy to ensure that stability is restored in the country. Bringing to mind countries with high and unevenly distributed wealth, but with relatively happy people, the Gini coefficient of the USA is 49 per cent, signalling high levels of inequality, Saudi Arabia with a coefficient of 54 per cent. However, because the people have basic access to social services, jobs and functioning public systems, the uneven distribution of the income and wealth of these nations does not affect the levels of happiness adversely. What all people need is the bare basic to ensure fundamental functionings and capabilities. The bare minimum to lead a dignified life is an environment conducive enough to permit for such a life.
Micro level unhappiness impacts
Low levels of happiness result in poor social capital, this shows in the breakdown in social support at community levels. Back in the day, there were no illegitimate children in Eswatini and there were no orphans, purely because we were rich in social capital. We had a strong family unit and a strong community, which assisted one another to shoulder economic shocks. We are now in an on his own era, and this has been apparent during the COVID-19 era. Ideally in times of pandemics and upheavals, communities with a high social capital bend together to assist one another to shoulder the shock. The overall impact of an economic shock was shouldered by the whole community limiting the impact on each individual household. It is incumbent on government to make strategic investments to boost the happiness of our people, this will restore stability and progress.