SREĆA KAO CILJ DEMOKRATIJE
HAPPINESS AS AN AIM OF DEMOCRACY

Summary/Abstract: In this paper I will consider relation between political environment and happiness, advocating the view according to which democracy represents a form of social life that positively affects the happiness of citizens. The subject of my research will be the analysis of basic psychological assumptions about happiness, the influence of society and the cultural environment on the subjective feeling of happiness, as well as arguments that could support a democratic system as the most optimal for creating a harmonious and happy society. I will focus in particular on the question of whether individualist and collectivist societies equally provide people with the basic conditions for a quality and happy life. I will approach the research methodologically in two ways. First, I will address these issues from a theoretical perspective, taking into account contemporary psychological doctrines about happiness and the arguments of political philosophy that consider the relationship between happiness and social circumstances. Secondly, I will try to compare all theoretical assumptions with the conducted empirical research. I will try to defend the assumption that democratic environments create better conditions for personal satisfaction and happiness of people, concluding that the happiness of citizens, through the promotion of freedom, autonomy and equality, in a sense is one of the direct goals of democracy, which gives it a great advantage over undemocratic societies, both in theoretical terms and in terms of the results of empirical research.

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