Happiness report: Why it has raised eyebrows in India
The World Happiness Report 2024, a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and WHR’s Editorial Board, is out. Mint evaluates its metrics to explain why it may not be the final word on
The happiness equation
The ranking looks at six variables, including per capita GDP, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and corruption.
1 How has India fared in the happiness report?
India is ranked 126 out of 143 nations surveyed. The ranking, based on an individual’s own assessment rather than any index, looks at six variables, including per capita gross domestic product (GDP), social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and corruption. India fared poorly on most parameters. While the rank in 2024 is same as the previous year, it has slipped in its performance between 2006-10 survey period and 2021-23. None of the Asian countries have done well. Singapore, ranked 30, is the happiest nation in Asia. China is ranked 60. Afghanistan is the unhappiest country in the world.
2 Which are the world’s happiest nations?
Finns are the happiest people in the world. For the seventh successive year, Finland has topped the ranking. In fact, Nordic nations, including Denmark, Iceland and Sweden, apart from Finland, continued to dominate this ranking, bagging the top four of the five spots. Israel has come fifth, followed by Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Australia. Canada was ranked 15 and the UK at 20. For the first time, the US fell out of the top 20 ranking and was placed at 23, while Costa Rica and Kuwait entered the top 20 ranking. Germany and France came at 24 and 27, respectively.
3 What makes Finns happiest people in the world?
Finns are happy because they do not link happiness to financial prosperity, instead, develop a strong bond with nature and have well-kept work-life balance. It also has robust welfare system with free education and healthcare. Trust in government institutions is high and corruption is minimal. The society, thus, operates with a sense of trust, freedom and autonomy.
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Does happiness vary with age?
It does. The young (below 30 years of age) are a lot happier in eastern Europe, especially in Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro. For instance, the young in Croatia are 66 places higher than the old (60 years and above). Older generation still bear the scars of war and genocide that followed in the early 1990s after the break-up of erstwhile Yugoslavia. In the US and Canada, the young are a lot unhappier than the old and the gap is wide—50 places or more. In India, the old are marginally happier than the young.
5 Why did the ranking raise many eyebrows?
The ranking outcome has been questioned by many for being out of touch with reality. Argentina, which is in recession and battling inflation of 160% is ranked 48. Iran, where human rights abuses are common, and freedom of expression is curtailed is ranked 100. Palestine, which, hobbled by years of conflict and destruction, survives on foreign aid is at 103, while Pakistan, a nation in political and economic crisis is ranked 108 —all ranked way above India. Also, none of the populous nations are seen as happy in the ranking.