All these explanations are plausible and insightful in analyzing the paradox in China. However, one factor that is not normally stressed is politics: whether the quality of government influences people’s happiness and whether the implementation and enforcement provide more satisfaction to the general public are open to interpretation. Derek Bok illustrates how political factors impact happiness in the United States and discusses potential policies that can be implemented to promote happiness through his The Politics of Happiness (2010). He reveals that the happiest, if also the most prosperous, countries have been successful democracies for more than 80 years, and public disaffection towards the government strongly impacts levels of satisfaction.
