Is being a rich country equivalent to being a happy country?

[Indiescribe]

Is being a rich country equivalent to being a happy country? I think this point is debatable. In a recent survey Denmark was voted as the most happiest country in the world. And that despite having one of the highest suicide rates in the world too. That's paradoxical isn't it!

What makes for a happy country? Is prosperity linked to it? Please give your views, perhaps sharing your country's 'Happiness Quotient' here.

[justjoy]

I thought the interesting part of this was the comment, "you're no better than anyone else." Perhaps that helps determine an individual's/country's happiness. I certainly would doubt it's determined by how rich the country is. Thanks for the article. It's very interesting.

[Serenity]

I don't think being rich necessarily equates to happiness, whether it's in relation to countries or individuals.

Look at the US. Rich, undeniably - but happy? Just ask one of those aging ill people living hand to mouth how happy they feel about there not being free healthcare in place. Ask someone living on the breadline that earns too much to get welfare but can't afford hundreds a month in health insurance so has none.

A wise man once said we should judge a man by how he treats a person who can do absolutely nothing for him. I think a country should be judged in the same way- by how they look after the poorest and most vulnerable in their society.

[Gloria]

great post! you are welcome Serenity!

[Indiescribe]

Yes, Serenity your comments are quite valid. Happiness and pleasure can be found in the simplest of things and this what is demonstrated by the people of Denmark too. Here in India, today I see majority of the youth running after money and wealth...living on a culture of credit. For what? Stress, high B.P and and an unhappy married life. In our march towards progress and prosperity we have stopped to 'stop and smell the roses'!

[AliRafi]

Denmark is the most happy country YET has most suicides? Are you sure your Results are not messed ? LOL, This seems very weird, Can you tell me from where you have gathered this information?

[keeper]

I don’t think that being a rich country will make that country happier because happiness cannot be bought by money. Happiness can only be attained if you have a peace of heart and I think that most rich country doesn’t have this.

common sense tells me that money is not happiness..

[Indiescribe]

Money is definitely not the sources of happiness but it should be their in comfortable amounts. You don't need to be rich but if you are secure financially then that goes a long way in generating happiness because it reduces unwanted stress, one of the primary causes of unhappiness.

[keeper]

The Philippine has also the record for one of the happiest people because we often smile even if we are in deep financial trouble. I think that this just proves that being rich doesn’t really mean that you will be happy.

[master]

Money brings temporary happiness.So being rich doesn't mean that being happy. Happiness comes from different activities or from different things,not only from money. Happiness can't be purchased by money from the market.

[Ztonatz]

Let's face it a big percentage of a rich country is equivalent to happy people. But there are still aspects that a part of their country/place is unhappy too.
A certain country is not perfect of all the good things they would want but inspite the fact of loneliness reasons is that they have the reason to be happy too.That's Life!

[Gloria]

Originally Posted by Ztonatz

Let's face it a big percentage of a rich country is equivalent to happy people. But there are still aspects that a part of their country/place is unhappy too.
A certain country is not perfect of all the good things they would want but inspite the fact of loneliness reasons is that they have the reason to be happy too.That's Life!

great! you are welcome Ztonatz!

[Kofi]

I don't think that being a rich country necessarily means being a happy country. I am from Ghana in West Africa. Ghana is not rich but I can tell you that Ghana is the happiest country in Africa. there is no doubt that South Africa is the richest country in Africa but Ghanaians work in their little farms to feed themselves. we do not fight and we do not kill. we are democratic and we hate blood. South Africa was there when Ghana got the nickname " Gateway to Africa" why because we are the most peaceful and the happiest country in Africa.

[cristlegirl]

I would have to agree, I live in the united states and trust me we are not a very happy country even if we do have money!

I'm a collage student and one of my classes involves learning about different cultures and countries. I think different cultures have different ideas of happiness and therefor money does not always equal happiness in these cultures. I hope that makes sense!

[skats]

A country might be rich but that doesn't mean that the people who live there are rich. The US is considered rich but most of us live from pay check to pay check and now with the economy close to crashing no one is happy.

It would help me out a lot to have more money. I might not be rich then but I would be a little happier because I would have one less problem.

[Gloria]

Originally Posted by skats

A country might be rich but that doesn't mean that the people who live there are rich. The US is considered rich but most of us live from pay check to pay check and now with the economy close to crashing no one is happy.

It would help me out a lot to have more money. I might not be rich then but I would be a little happier because I would have one less problem.

yes skats!.. you are right.. you are welcome!

[dheeruyadav]

there is no cor relation between rich and happy. In similar way if you are living in rich country it does not mean you will be happy.

When you scan rich countries microscopically, you will find that people in rich country are on same platform as their poor counterparts.

[Oasis]

Rich men are not necessarily happy men. The same goes for countries. A country can be rich with a lot of precious natural resources and a good economy but if the government is bad, the citizens can't benefit from the wealth. Even if the citizens are all rich there are still other things that affect the happiness of a country. For example crime rates, safety, health, unity, and culture.

[dannyzs]

Hmm

I don't really think being rich will make a happier country, or a happier person at that.

From what I see, that happy people are those who have less. When a person has less than others, they seem to appreciate the good things in life. The rich people / countries seem to take more things for granted...

My opinion =]

[Oasis]

Originally Posted by dannyzs

Hmm

I don't really think being rich will make a happier country, or a happier person at that.

From what I see, that happy people are those who have less. When a person has less than others, they seem to appreciate the good things in life. The rich people / countries seem to take more things for granted...

My opinion =]

Rich people do want more in life. They are not satisfied with the smallest good things like good food and a comfortable home. Poor people on the other hand appreciate those small things more. As humans I think we always want more, no matter how much we already have. If we learn to accept what we have got, we will be happier. It doesn't matter if your country is rich or poor.

[brsonrr]

Happiness has nothing to do with wealth. The riches are the people who has a lot in their mind. They use their minds more frequently and their lives are full of stress and headaches, Social insecurities. They can not spend time with their family members. They are always feared of their childrens getting spoiled. So there are two sides of coins. Welath is material and temporary happiness which is artificial.

[MattChow]

Yup, a country doesn't have to be rich in order to be happy. Its just really the state of contentment that the people is in. When all the residents of that certain country is contented with what they have and what their country has done for them, then that makes them happy people. It's the same with the individual human beings, if one is contented with what he has, he is happy with his life. But if he desires more and won't be able to achieve it, that's the start of unhappiness.

[oo1987]

I don't believe the wealth of a country dictates the happiness of the people, particularly because it does not dictate the wealth of the people. So many of us are struggling, families ending up on the streets, people living without heat during the winter.

I think a lot of the world looks at us and asks "What are they complaining about?" We actually have more problems then you might think, and it's becoming more and more obvious as the economic crisis is hitting it's peak.

[Walker]

Being a rich country does not necessarily mean that it is also the happiest country.

Rather than the quantum of money, it is the well spreading of the money that might decide its true happiness.

If the money is concentrated between very few and the majority of the public are struggling...how can you describe that nation to be happy?

A wealth universally and equally spread out between majority of the citizens would definitely be a sign of country's prosperity and thereby its happiness.

Regards,

Walker

[Marth]

We are the country with the most debt & also the most depression. You eventually need money to live & the amount of debt in our lives is the main cause of stress & can lead to suicide, heart attacks, severe oppression. Maybe being rich doesn't lead to happiness, but being in debt definitely leads to severe depression & stress.

[Aztek]

I know that when you said "happy country" you mean happy citizens of the country. Citizens are usually happy when they are rich. But a country can be very rich and still has poor citizens. It depends on how the nation's wealth is managed by the leaders.

Money is not what making you happy. Money is only one of many things that can improve quality of life. Health for example is much more important than money. Besides, happiness is a feeling so it's hard to see whether those rich people from rich countries are happier than some tribes in Africa.

[jackcool]

Indeed happiness has nothing to do with wealth. In our country most people live on hand to mouth everyday. The father goes around town and look for any opportunity to earn so he can feed his family, while the mother looks after their kids. When I say kids I meant it literally, because most of the poorest of the poor have more if not plentiful kids than the middle class citizens. Plenty in the since that they on average 7 to 10 and sometimes 15 offspring. But judging from their lives you can say that they're happy of their state even if they have nothing. They only have their family because they do not have their own homes. They squat any free space they could find. Its pitiful but they're happy. So its not money that makes the world go round.

[jyo10]

I don't think the prosperity of people can be directly linked to happiness. The philosophies and the culture passed on to people down the ages is, to an extent, responsible for how happy the people of a country are. It can't be denied that remaining happy even under trying circumstances is what many of us endeavor to work towards, while there are even those who feel they would come face-to-face with happiness once they get rich, only to discover that they were in fact pursuing a mirage.

[crowhit]

Originally Posted by Indiescribe

Is being a rich country equivalent to being a happy country? I think this point is debatable. In a recent survey Denmark was voted as the most happiest country in the world. And that despite having one of the highest suicide rates in the world too. That's paradoxical isn't it!

What makes for a happy country? Is prosperity linked to it? Please give your views, perhaps sharing your country's 'Happiness Quotient' here.

It can be both ways. A rich country can buy various resources for its people and keep them happy.

OR a rich country will only concentrate on earning more money and in time will forget about its people and their welfare.