Measuring Happiness

Measuring Happiness
From political speeches to glowing prime-time television series, the idea that our "happiness" can be enhanced using public policy is more fashionable than ever.

But is it really plausible and useful to measure human well-being using numbers?

Professors Paul Ormerod and Richard Layard have been arguing, through the pages of Prospect magazine, about the extent to which governments can monitor and enhance our happiness.

We bring them together in the studio to debate the issues with presenter Tim Harford.