The Happiness Policy Handbook: How to Make Happiness and Well-Being the Purpose of Your Government

Build a better society through happiness policy

Thomas Jefferson said that "the purpose of government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness." Yet only now, 270 years later, is the happiness of citizens starting to be taken seriously as the purpose of government.

While happiness science is advancing rapidly, and governments and organizations are creating indices for measuring happiness, there is little practical information on how to create policy to advance happiness.

Drawing from a deep well of expertise and experience, The Happiness Policy Handbook is the first step-by-step guide for integrating happiness into government policy at all levels. Coverage includes:

• A concise background on happiness science, indices and indicators, and happiness in public policy
• Tools for formulating happiness policy and integrating happiness into administrative functions
• A concept menu of happiness policies
• Communicating happiness policy objectives to media and engaging with the community
• A happiness policy screening tool for evaluating the happiness contribution of any policy
• Policy perspectives from seasoned experts across sectors.

The Happiness Policy Handbook is the essential resource for policymakers and professionals working to integrate happiness and well-being into governmental processes and institutions.

Laura Musikanski is Executive Director of the Happiness Alliance, the first nonprofit in the world providing resources, knowledge, and tools -- including the Happiness Index -- for integrating happiness into governments and institutions. She is author of Sustainability Decoded and How to Account for Sustainability. She lives in Seattle, WA.

Rhonda Phillips has conducted hands-on research with policy makers, community organizers, and in academia for over 30 years, and is the author or editor of 25 books. She is the Dean of Purdue Honors College and past president of the International Quality-of-Life Studies. She lives in West Lafayette, IN.

Jean Crowder served as a member of parliament (MP) in the Canadian government between 2004-2015, and has extensive experience as a policymaker. She worked for Human Resources Development Canada, the British Columbia Ministry of Skills Training and Labour, and was a human resources consultant and manager at Malaspina University College. Crowder is a Happiness Alliance board member and lives in Duncan, BC.