Alternative Health Blog

John Lennon would like it. Give peace a chance and you might just be happier than most of the world. That is the message of new survey directed by Ronald Inglehart, a political scientist at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research.

The World Values Survey, conducted regularly by a global network of political scientists and involving 350,000 respondents, named Denmark at the happiest country. Inglehart said the European nation’s happiness derives from democracy, social equity and a “peaceful atmosphere.”

Something tells me the television news is less dreary, too.

Not surprisingly, Zimbabwe, the African nation ripped apart by political and social struggles punctuated by violence, graded out as the least happy country. If you are wondering, the U.S. finished 16th happiest despite being the weathliest.

On the plus side, Inglehart reports that happiness by country and the world overall has increased in 45 of 52 nations in the last three decades.

Other countries ranking in the top 10 of happiness: Puerto Rico, Colombia, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Switzerland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Canada and Sweden.

There might be some surprises in there, but Inglehart said peace and democracy are important pillars of a society’s happiness. He also put in a positive word about the U.S.

"Though by no means the happiest country in the world, from a global perspective the United States looks pretty good," Inglehart said in an interview with Reuters. "The country is not only prosperous; it ranks relatively high in gender equality, tolerance of ethnic and social diversity and has high levels of political freedom."

Bob Condor blogs for Alternative Health Journal every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.