Development that Brings Happiness

Development that brings happiness see human beings as assets. The economic aspect is not the only parameter of people's happiness.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Hundreds of residents relaxing enjoying the afternoon atmosphere at Gelora Bung Karno City Forest (GBK), Jakarta, Saturday (18/3/2023). The GBK City Forest is one of the favorite public spaces for residents in Jakarta and its surroundings to have recreation with their families.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Countries in the world are competing in the pursuit of economic growth to improve the welfare of their citizens. However, the amount of income, good education, and high-quality health services do not necessarily make the public happy. The people’s happiness is influenced by many things, not just the economy.

Director of the University of Indonesia’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Economic and Business(IASEB), Turro S. Wongkaren, said in Jakarta on Sunday (19/3/2023) that it was not easy to link economic development and happiness. Moreover, happiness meant something different for each person, not to mention that people do not adopt the same values and philosophy of life.

"Those who experience economical losses can be happier than those who are economically successful," he said.

The incompatibility between increased incomes and increased happiness among people has been observed by United States economist Richard Easterlin, who created the Easterlin paradox in 1974. An increase in people's income at a certain point does indeed increase happiness. However, when incomes continue to rise, the people’s happiness does not increase.

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This was also illustrated in the Indonesian Happiness Index 2021. Provinces with a high Human Development Index (HDI) actually had a relatively low happiness value. Conversely, provinces that were considered poorer, lacked education, and had low life expectancy were actually happier.

Therefore, the United Nations initiated in 2013 International Happiness Day, which is celebrated every 20 March, today. This occasion is intended to remind countries that a nation’s progress is measured not only by an increase in economic income or growth, but also the welfare and happiness of their citizens.

A life of health and peace, i.e. no war or conflict, was more important in making people happy.

Even though it causes a paradox, many countries still focus on economic development to make their citizens happy. This effort is also not wrong, because the US, Britain, Germany and Italy’s experiences in 1820-2009, which were studied by Daniel Sgroi and Eugenio Proto from England, showed that improvements in the economy and increased incomes made people happy.

However, it turns out there are other things that can make people happy, even happier. As The Economist stated on 16 Oct. 2019, a life of health and peace, i.e. no war or conflict, was more important in making people happy. Increasing the life expectancy by one year can increase a country’s gross domestic income (GDP) 4.3 percent. However, one year of war can reduce GDP by 30 percent.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Commuterline KRL train passengers, the majority of whom are workers in both the formal and informal sectors, leave Sudirman Station, Jakarta, Wednesday (4/1/2022).

Meanwhile, the head of Jakarta Tarumanagara University’s Center for Guidance and Psychology Consultation, Meiske Yunithree Suparman, said that in addition to health and personal conditions, aspects such as demographic structure, social life, culture, and religion or belief could also affect the people’s happiness.

"Democratization, a harmonious and strong family, to the freedom of information that increases self-confidence and self-appreciation can be a positive institution that can affect happiness," she said.

Do not let high HDI value be used as a pretext to cover the low happiness of citizens.

Nurhadi, a lecturer in welfare theory in the Social Development and Welfare doctoral program at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, said that even though poverty and happiness were different, neither needed to be contested. The ideal development was what could pursue material aspects by suppressing poverty as much as possible to realize the nonmaterial aspect, namely happiness.

"Do not let high HDI value be used as a pretext to cover the low happiness of citizens, and vice versa," he said. The HDI, which was used to measure human quality, and the happiness index needed to be achieved together.

Collective

According to Turro, in line with the national objectives contained in the fourth paragraph of the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution, the Indonesian people are to achieve collective happiness, not individual happiness, as in the US or other Western countries.

However, collective happiness is vulnerable to manipulation by elite or market interests. But according to Nurhadi, it was actually a challenge to foster individual awareness about the true meaning of happiness.

Developing happiness also did not happen overnight, and was often not in harmony with the five-year political period. Various basic and strategic things needed to be prepared, such as infrastructure, reduction of tengkes (stunting), and character development.

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Public happiness is also greatly influenced by the sociopolitical situation. The low corruption perception index, stagnation in the democratic index, and the low gender development index can diminish the happiness of citizens. Social division and the politicization of religion only raises mutual suspicion, which can ultimately reduce the people’s happiness.

Amidst the discourse between economic development and happiness, according to Meiske, everyone can be happy, whatever the condition. "Happiness is not determined by others’ [scope] and standards of happiness," she added.

In the policy perspective, development that brings happiness must look at human beings as assets that are developed continuously, are facilitated in their lives, improved in their quality, and can continue to offer positive values for the next generation. If this proceeds, various aspects of positive development will be established to create a prosperous and happy society.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.