More money, less fun

05 May 2006

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According to a survey conducted by the BBC, this year, Britons, on the whole are richer than they were in the 1950s. But that doesn't mean they're happier.

Poll was conducted as part of a BBC series on Happiness, and was the same as one conducted in 1957.

It found that despite the fact that we're three times better off, now, wer're less happy than we were. 57% of respondents on the 1957 poll said that they were ‘very happy’ compared with just 36% today.

In fact it supports the well-documented theory that once above the bread line, happiness levels do not increase with wealth. Almost every developed country has shown that happiness levels have remained static, despite dramatic increases in wealth.

According to The London School of Economics, happiness does not increase based on income, once basic needs have been met – currently this level is around £8’000 per year.

The study of 1,001 people in Britain found 56 percent of those asked were "fairly happy," five percent "fairly unhappy" and three percent "very unhappy" and eighty-one percent said the government should have the public's happiness as a priority.

Almost half of those questioned pointed to relationships as the most important factor in finding happiness, with good health coming second.

Switzerland was found to be happiest country, followed by Denmark, Sweden, Ireland and the U.S, with Britain coming eighth.

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