Bridging the Gap: Overcoming Data Difficulties During 40 Years of Measuring Well-Being in The Netherlands

For more than 40 years the Netherlands Institute for Social Research|SCP has studied the quality of life of the Dutch population. A characteristic element of that research is the use of time series. However, maintaining a time series over such a long period is not easy. All manner of problems arise, such as indicators no longer being relevant (who still has a black and white television?) or the changing importance that is attached to particular topics (sport is more important today than it was in 1974). The method of data collection can also change. In this article we take the perspective of a specific measurement to look at the changes that have taken place over the last 40 years and how those changes have been accommodated. We do this using the SCP Life Situation Index, which measures the objective quality of life of Dutch citizens. The conclusion is that it is possible to construct a long-term time series, but that it is not always possible to interpret changes from year to year: the perspective has to focus primarily on long-term developments.     

The Social Indicators Movement at 50: Onwards in Unity or Divided?

Before we can move forward with new topics in quality of life research, it would be useful to settle a number of issues that have been a source of debate over the last 50 years. Broadly speaking, this leads to seven principles for measuring and describing quality of life: the central focus is on people; quality of life is about more than just economics; a full measurement must incorporate both objective and subjective indicators; quality of life incorporates several dimensions; the outcome must be viewed separately from the determinants; there must be attention for distribution and difference; the domains can be combined into an index (though this is not essential). The main debate is perhaps about whether or not there should be an index. An index is necessary if we wish to give social indicators the same status as economic indicators have through GDP. In my view, that is desirable. Once these principles are established, the agenda for future social indicators research can be shaped using a model-based approach incorporating several recommendations from Land and Michalos.     

Social Indicators and Living Conditions in the Netherlands

The Dutch Social en Cultural Planning Office(SCP) monitors social changes and socialservices, evaluates social policies, givesinformation about expected developments in thefuture and gives recommendations for furtherpolicy. Key issues are the assessment ofeconomic, demographic and social changes andthe influence of these factors on the socialand living conditions of the population. TheSCP uses social and economic indicators toexamine these developments. Besidesresearching specific themes (such as socialexclusion, the consequences of long-termunemployment, the social position of theelderly and use, costs and productivity ofsocial services) the SCP has developed anoverall monitoring tool for the livingconditions: the living conditions index (LCI).Nowadays the index is composed of indicatorswhich reflect conditions in eight areas:housing, health, consumer durables, leisureactivity, sport activity, socialparticipation, mobility and holiday. In thefuture, the SCP will attempt to develop aconceptual model that will link the livingconditions index to other social indices likelivability (housing and level of services),poverty and socioeconomic deprivation.     

Quality of Life and Living Conditions in the Netherlands

Social Indicators Research - The four planning offices in the Netherlands form a network which coversall areas of government. This network matches with the policy-structurein Dutch administration....     

Steering Towards Happiness in The Netherlands

As in many other countries, the economic crisis is being felt in the Netherlands. Is that a good moment for a government to develop a policy to increase happiness? Is it actually possible to raise the level of happiness in the Netherlands? The Dutch are after all already happy, and the objective quality of life in the Netherlands is also high, so there would seem to be little scope for making them even happier. It is also questionable whether the government should be playing the role of a ‘happiness machine’, which seeks to promote individual happiness, or whether it would do better to act as a ‘misfortune mitigator’ which seeks to minimise the negative elements in people’s lives. In this article we attempt to answer these questions on the basis of Dutch initiatives designed to promote happiness in the areas of municipal policy, welfare, health care, work and education. We come to the conclusion that happiness policy is already deeply embedded in Dutch society. The Dutch government is indeed a happiness machine. It could act rather more as a misfortune mitigator, given the gains to be made at the bottom of the ‘happiness ladder’, in particular. Mental resilience emerges in all initiatives as an important factor in increasing happiness. Programmes to boost mental resilience can be started as early as primary school.