Polly Toynbee: Happiness GDP

Posted by admin on Monday, February 8, 2021

Polly Toynbee Money Quote saying Is it possible to measure happiness the way we measure economic performance? Polly Toynbee said:
 

 

“Could a government dare to set out with happiness as its goal? Now that there are accepted scientific proofs, it would be easy to audit the progress of national happiness annually, just as we monitor money and GDP” — Polly Toynbee

 

 

In this quote, Polly Toynbee seems to be advocating for governments to prioritize citizens’ well-being and happiness rather than solely focusing on economic indicators like GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and monetary policy. By asking if a government could dare to pursue happiness as its goal, and monitoring national happiness annually as GDP is tracked, Toynbee implies well-being should be a central metric of policy success.

The quote conveys Toynbee’s perspective that given scientific understanding of happiness, governments could and should place greater emphasis on improving people’s quality of life and mental health through social programs in addition to growing the economy. Overall, she appears to argue for a more holistic approach that considers societal welfare, not just financial outputs, as governments define and measure progress.