The economy of happiness.

Summary Our societies have made happiness a new idea, a constitutional principle, almost a duty. The happiness of the individual has become the supreme objective of political choices. But can we measure something as subjective and impalpable as happiness? For the past thirty years, economists have tried to meet this challenge. They have taken the gamble of measuring happiness as it is felt and declared by individuals themselves. Their investigation focuses on the role of wealth. Does money make people happy? Does growth make people happier? If not, should we opt for degrowth or at least measure well-being beyond GDP? This fascinating field of research allows us to understand why France, an objectively rich country, suffers from such a "happiness deficit".