LONDON — The question is topical because economists and other experts are increasingly doubting whether existing policies, such as steps to increase economic growth, really add to people's welfare and contentment.
In fact many surveys suggest the opposite — that as societies get richer it is unhappiness, rather than happiness, that spreads as consumers have bigger incomes and spend more.
So the argument goes that enlightened governments should put less emphasis on dubious measures like gross national product and on maximizing national income, and instead do more to make people generally happier.