The Happiness Index

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First of all, I’d like to start with why I have chosen this particular topic. I think that the Happiness Index is the only adequate criteria which reflects the overall circumstances of the country. If citizens are satisfied with the basic infrastructure provided by the government, that means that this country is moving in a right direction. Nowadays, modern Russia experiences certain difficulties due to the quite aggressive political situation worldwide. Economic sanctions, the unprecedental level of currency rate, visa issues can not but affect the life of ordinary Russian people. But despite all these difficulties, some of the recent polls show that people are pretty happy with the government and overall situation in the country, and the…show more content…
The Happy Planet Index is a combined index, which measures achievement of countries and regions with respect to their ability to provide its residents with a happy life. Calculated by the method of British research center New Economic Foundation together with the environmental organization Friends of the Earth, humanitarian organization World Development Movement, and a group of independent international experts, who use in their work, along with analysis, statistical data of national institutions and international organizations. The index is issued once in two or three years. The world happiness index takes into account three indicators (impact of man on nature, life expectancy and life satisfaction). Bright green color means that all the indicators are optimal; light green - two indicators optimal, one indicator is of the average value; yellow means that one indicator is optimal, two indicators are average; yellow-orange color - all indicators are average, orange color-countries with at least one low indicator and red depicts countries that have more than two indicators that are…show more content…
However, this factor already plays a smaller role than before. The number of those who call poverty a cause of unhappiness, decreased from 22% to 15%. In the second place in the list of reasons for unhappiness is disease and old age (10%). Other respondents also mentioned the lack of good jobs (6%), loneliness (5%), poor housing (4%), alarming situation in the country, fatigue and conflict in the family, lack of opportunities to create a family (2%). 1% of the respondents pointed out many problems, such as lack of confidence in the future, the price increase (1%). Similar polls were published in August last year. Then the main criteria of the happiness of the respondents was mostly their family welfare (28%) and health and family issues (14%). At the same time, sociologists have asked Russian people, where, in their opinion, the happiest people live. 8% answered that in Russia, 7% expressed the opinion that most happy people live in Moscow, another 2% mentioned St. Petersburg. And the rest mainly mentioned the USA and European

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