An idyll with cracks: a survey on the Swiss state of mind


Switzerland is a country whose inhabitants are generally very satisfied. But there are some worrying cracks in this idyll.



In this election year, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (the parent company of SWI swissinfo.ch) wanted to find out how the people of Switzerland and the Swiss Abroad are feeling and what issues worry them. 

The survey shows that people are basically satisfied: A total of 61% of the respondents said they are doing “well to very well”. Only 5% described themselves as “not satisfied”.

Work does not seem to be the most important factor in feeling fulfilled, even though it occupies most of the time in everyday life. Asked what it would take for them to be even happier, most of the respondents said they would like to spend more time outdoors, to have more money, and spend more time with their family.

But there is also a Switzerland where things are not so rosy. Just under a third of respondents said their financial situation is "rather or very" stressful. This is particularly evident in Italian- and Romansh-speaking parts of the country. A fifth of all respondents say they “always or often” feel lonely. And a third feel that the other residents of the country do not share their values. This is particularly common among people with the lowest incomes and among younger people.

According to the survey, the issues that have been the main talking points so far in this federal election year are getting little attention from the general population. Of those surveyed, 61% consider "woke" and "gender" to be pseudo-issues. Immigration and neutrality are only somewhere in the middle of the list of issues that people are concerned about. The situation is a bit different when it comes to climate change. Of those surveyed, 69% see it as a major problem.

A clear majority of respondents identify strongly with Switzerland. No less than 76% even say that it is the best country in the world to live in. But what exactly makes it Swiss? For a majority, it is not that important whether one was born in Switzerland or which religion they identify with.

It is much more important to respect the local institutions and laws or to speak a national language. Direct democracy is a factor that unites the population more than anything else: 98% “fully or somewhat agree” that it is central to Swiss identity.  

On the other hand, the respondents were far less positive about their elected representatives. Only 4% were fully convinced that Swiss politicians can be trusted to act in the interests of voters. If one includes those who think this is "rather" the case, it is still less than the majority, at 48%. 

In addition, 81% think that lobbyists have too much influence in politics. On the other hand, nearly two-thirds express support for the militia political system, which is also considered a central element of Swiss identity.

An idyll with cracks

The view of Switzerland from the outside suggests a happy nation, as the SRG survey shows. But is that real happiness or just imagination? And what does it take to lead a fulfilled life? Two happiness researchers provide answers.

In Switzerland - rich, safe and idyllic - people should be particularly happy. In fact, just under two-thirds of Swiss people are also satisfied with their lives. Most of those surveyed by SRG and the gfs.Bern research institute very often feel happy, calm, fulfilled and loved.

Switzerland is also in a good position worldwide, ranking eighth in this year's "World Happiness Report" published by the UN. This means that it loses four ranks compared with the previous year, but it still leads the World Satisfaction Index with other Nordic countries. The comparison of countries, but also other surveys that ask about people's satisfaction, are a tried and tested means by which researchers measure the abstract feeling of happiness.

But this approach is difficult: self-perception can be quite different. "In Switzerland, people feel they have to be happy," says economist and happiness researcher Mathias Binswanger. "People give positive answers when you ask them about their happiness." In France or Italy, for example, the culture is different and people like to complain. These countries would therefore also often score worse in comparisons of average happiness.

The so-called "social desirability bias" therefore seems to be particularly pronounced in Switzerland, in line with the motto: "We have everything, so we must be happy.

We learn how to function well in business, but we learn little about how to live a good life.

Under this general assumption, however, we would constantly look at what was not perfect and ask ourselves - by comparing ourselves with others - how we can become even better. As a result, we don't see enough where important happiness factors are lost, for example in social life, Binswanger says.

Yet it is precisely the moment of connection that is a central building block for a fulfilled life, says Bernese psychologist and happiness researcher Bernhard Sollberger. "The prime example is social relationships. Good, trusting, balanced, even intimate social relationships are especially important."

At the same time, connectedness could also be extended to the profession. "Someone who is pursuing their vocation will feel more attachment to what they are doing than someone who is simply doing their job for the good pay."

About half of the differences in happiness between people can be traced back to genes.

The SRG study, on the other hand, shows that the general level of happiness in Switzerland is more dependent on private life: While 66 percent of respondents are satisfied with their private lives, only 37 percent are satisfied with their professional lives. "Many Swiss people, as well as people in other countries, spend a large part of their lives in a job that brings money but little joy," Binswanger says.

However, some Swiss people also struggle with loneliness in their private lives. According to the study, we spend an average of five hours a day talking to no one. Just under one-fifth of respondents feel lonely in everyday life. According to happiness researchers, the feeling of loneliness in particular makes people unhappy.

"In countries like Switzerland, older people in particular become lonely. There is no developed culture of coexistence," says Binswanger. "We learn how to function well in business here, but we learn very little about how to live a good life."

Young people also suffer from loneliness. A recent study by the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute showed that although young people in Switzerland often have more friendships than older people, they still feel lonely. One reason is certainly social media, says psychologist Sollberger. "I have 5,000 friends on Facebook, but I'm close to maybe only two."

One fact about the happy life, on the other hand, is indisputable: "Around half of the differences in happiness between people can be traced back to genes," says Sollberger. Illnesses and mental disorders often have an inherited component and have an enormous influence on a happy life.

So how much is one's own happiness in one's own hands? Sollberger mentions the field of epigenetics, that is, genes may or may not be expressed as a function of our behavior. "This is possible, for example, by means of eating habits, exercise or meditation - that's some good news."

But the question is also whether we are capable of perceiving the potential for change, says happiness researcher Binswanger: "It's always easier to blame your own unhappiness on circumstances or others than to say, 'I have to do something myself now.

Especially in times of crisis, one's comfort zone must be broken through. Sollberger analyzed the behavior of the Swiss during the Corona pandemic. He observed that people were more satisfied when they were less preoccupied with negative emotions and more pragmatic in their approach.

There is probably hardly a country where people have lived in stability and prosperity for such a long time.

Posttraumatic growth refers to the phenomenon that after a drastic negative experience such as the pandemic, not only psychological and social impairments but also personal development can follow. The pandemic would certainly have opened some people's eyes to what constitutes an attractive life and what does not, Binswanger also believes.

However, global crises tend to be the exception in Switzerland. "Stability, of course, is an important contributor to happiness," Binswanger says. Many Swiss people have enough money to live on, don't have to worry about going to war and can escape to an intact nature to compensate. "There is probably hardly a country where people have lived in stability and prosperity for so long," Binswanger says. "We rarely make ourselves aware of that."

The question remains, is money really happier? Money ensures daily survival, says Binswanger. "With little wealth, I have more to worry about." But an interesting observation in highly developed countries such as Switzerland, Western Europe, the U.S., Japan and Australia, he said, is that people's average sense of happiness there does not increase further with an even higher gross domestic product per capita.

"A materialistic way of thinking is not conducive to happiness," Sollberger also confirms. In Erich Fromm's well-known work "Haben oder Sein" (To Have or To Be), the social psychologist showed as early as 1976 how man "as a servant of the economic system" wants to have more and more, thereby alienating himself from himself and becoming ill and unhappy as a result. Fromm contrasts this with the existence of man. People who define themselves by their being rather than by possessions are more peaceful and happier, he said.  

When it comes to the question of happiness, one can hardly avoid the great questions of humanity. Nor is it due to a certain schizophrenic thinking that Binswanger accuses the Swiss population of: "On the one hand, the Swiss think they have done better than others. On the other hand, there is a panic fear of missing the boat."

Perhaps it is precisely this ambivalence that is a driving force for happiness in Switzerland.

What makes Switzerland happy?

Alain Berset: "In the end, the most important thing is happiness"

Claire Micallef

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The Swiss population is overwhelmingly happy: that's the main conclusion of a major survey carried out by the gfs.bern institute on behalf of SSR. "Frankly, we can't complain too much in Switzerland," comments Swiss President Alain Berset. But he doesn't forget the people who are having a hard time.

This rather flattering picture revealed by the survey comes as no surprise to the President of the Confederation. "Overall, especially if you look at what's happening elsewhere in the world, we can't complain too much," he told RTS. But all is not rosy," he moderates. "There's a huge diversity in the population, there are always problems to be solved, there are people who have difficulties and it's towards them that we need to be very attentive."

And are you happy, Mr. President? Yes, and even happier with the freedom that awaits me", confesses the Socialist minister, who will be leaving his post at the end of the year. Considered the most popular and influential member of the Federal Council, and presented as an extremely ambitious politician, Alain Berset assures us: "power can make you proud, but it doesn't make you happy". For him, happiness lies elsewhere. "It's much more personal. But in the end, it's still the most important thing."

At a time when most people say they are happier at home than at work, Alain Berset insists on a balance between private and professional life. "You can also find fulfillment in professional activities. There are also social ties and emotions," he says. Far from dispelling the myth of the hard-working Swiss, the apparent disenchantment of a large proportion of those surveyed with their jobs may also be explained by inflation, suspects the Fribourg native. "Costs are rising all over the place and this can create a certain amount of stress in the population."

Alain Berset is also delighted that the Covid-19 pandemic is no longer a concern in Switzerland, as the survey shows. "In fact, it doesn't bother me much anymore either," he laughs. "The pandemic was a brutal, terrible ordeal (...) We lived through a situation in which the uncertainty and insecurity that came with the pandemic created a great deal of tension, irritation and frustration, which were sometimes expressed brutally", recalls the Minister of Health. For him, the most important thing today is to enable everyone to reintegrate into society and strengthen social ties. "That's something that's not over yet, and is still keeping us busy," he concedes.

Faced with future challenges, the risk of withdrawal

Although the Swiss have a great deal of confidence in the Swiss state, institutions and economic model, a large proportion of them are concerned about future generations, notes the survey. Switzerland and the world are indeed facing enormous stakes and challenges," says Alain Berset, "but for him, the greatest risk is for the country to give in to fear and turn in on itself. "If we go down that road, we're going to get stunted and shrivel up. That would be a disaster," warns the Federal Councillor.

"It's precisely at the most difficult times that we need to have courage and a desire for the future. That's where we have to make a commitment, not just for the next few weeks, but for the next few years, the next few decades," he asserts. And the President of the Confederation recalls that this year marks the 175th anniversary of the Federal Constitution of 1848, "an innovative, forward-looking, extremely powerful text" which, however, "appeared at a time of great tension", at the end of a civil war. "We need the same courage today," concludes Alain Berset.

Interview with Alain Berset

The general population is satisfied with their lives, but there are also concerns, as a major SBC survey shows.

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The majority of Swiss people are satisfied with their lives. This is shown by one of the largest surveys ever conducted in Switzerland, commissioned by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). 61% said they felt good or very good, only 5% said they were dissatisfied.

Talking to people in different regions of Switzerland, a lot of satisfaction and different reasons to be happy are named: from family to climate, from work to weather. While the reasons for happiness vary, the common feeling is that one cannot complain about one's life.

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Special news of August 23, 2023: The concerns of the Swiss population

However, the survey also reveals downsides, especially with regard to the financial situation and the number of people who feel lonely.

There are similar fears among the population, especially about the rising cost of living. Elderly people are concerned about the future of their children and are generally worried about natural disasters and climate change.

Finally, a certain distrust of politics emerges from both the survey and the interviews.

Swiss between happiness and worries

Swiss happiness: reality or illusion?

Do you like going for a run? Or do you find running too boring and you prefer niche sports like bossaball? Whatever your preference, if you engage in physical activities at least once a week, you are like the majority of the Swiss population. This – and why it's worthwhile being a Swiss Abroad – are some of the many interesting results of a new opinion survey by the gfs.bern research institute.

The survey "How are you, Switzerland?" was conducted by gfs.bern on behalf of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) and is one of the largest opinion polls ever carried out in Switzerland. In April and May 2023, 57,778 Swiss living in Switzerland and abroad clicked through more than 300 questions on topics such as personal well-being, politics and living costs. How often do you change your bedding? Do you trust politicians in Switzerland? And have you ever been discriminated against because of your gender? These are three examples from the broad catalogue of questions.

Two-thirds of the Swiss (living in Switzerland and abroad) consider themselves Swiss. Not surprisingly, the Swiss Abroad are more likely to believe that living in Switzerland is not a prerequisite for identifying with the country. Nevertheless, half of them consider Switzerland the best country to live in. Even though a third of them do not consider Swiss citizenship to be essential, for a large proportion of the Swiss Abroad it is an important part of their identity.

The Swiss Abroad say their leisure activities and friends are significant in their daily lives. Setting aside around 4.5 hours per day, they are the frontrunners in these two areas, ahead of the retired and the divorced. Living abroad as a Swiss citizen can even have a positive effect on your health, as the survey shows. They claim to feel less anxious, more rested, calmer and less depressed.

This image of the more relaxed Swiss Abroad is reinforced by the fact that, compared to the Swiss living in Switzerland, they are less likely to say that they are preoccupied in everyday life by their job, appearance or by an urge to optimise themselves, for example.

Whether this correlates with the Swiss Abroad tending to change the bed linen every week is an open question. However, they tend to neglect the biannual window cleaning, just like their fellow citizens living in Switzerland – albeit less often. Regarding physical exercise, the Swiss Abroad are more likely to skip out on weekly sports, even though 64% do exercise at least once a week.

Regarding the federal elections in autumn, it can be said that most Swiss Abroad are confident that they can exercise their political rights (79%). However, this figure is lower than that of the Swiss living in Switzerland (91%). Swiss citizens living abroad are less likely to doubt that Swiss politicians will be held accountable for their misconduct and have greater trust in economic  representatives. They seem, however, to be less positive about their fellow citizens: The level of trust is significantly lower than among Swiss living in Switzerland.

As for climate change, a clear majority of all respondents state that it is man-made and that there is an immediate need for action. The Swiss Abroad feel more strongly that Switzerland has a responsibility to do something about climate change, but they are also more confident that Switzerland will succeed at a political level. Differences are also evident in the willingness to take action for the climate. While the Swiss Abroad find it more difficult than the Swiss at home to do without their single-family home  (37% do not want to do without at all), the willingness abroad is greater to reduce heating, do without oil and gas heating or to partially do without cars  with combustion engines.

Swiss Abroad, how are you doing?

A "living democracy" needs dissatisfied citizens, says political scientist Marc Bühlmann

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An extensive survey, commissioned by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), looked at the mood of Swiss residents in the first quarter of 2023. Marc Bühlmann, political scientist and guest on RTS's La Matinale, emphasized how Swiss happiness influences the country's political life.

The survey results show that only 5% of Swiss residents say they are unhappy. This comes as no surprise to Marc Bühlmann, since Switzerland is "still one of the happiest countries on earth", compared to other nations.

However, in the opinion survey conducted by gfs.bern on behalf of SBC, working life is viewed more negatively. The director of the Swiss Political Year, a benchmark publication analysing Swiss political life, points out that beyond "personal happiness", the probability of being able to "achieve" what you want is more complex in the world of work than in the private or political sphere.

Unlike employment, the subjects of debate do not undermine the general satisfaction of the Swiss. People don't worry about climate change or war every day, like political parties and the media do. Their role is to "point out things that aren't going so well" in order to "reflect on these issues", Marc Bühlmann emphasizes.

To generate change, a "living democracy" requires dissatisfied citizens with the ability or the will to change something. The political scientist points out that there are many divergent interests today, but that it's difficult to bring about change in Switzerland.

Those who wish to do so have to prove to other happy, "conservative" individuals - who have no ideological sense, but who want to keep what they already have - that there is a problem.

Can this inertia collide with the current issues facing Switzerland, including the climate crisis? Marc Bühlmann points out that the narrative of the need to act has been a "mainstay of politics" since the sixties and seventies, and "illico presto" changes are more the fruit of dictatorships.

Individuals, depending on their position on the political spectrum, don't necessarily agree when a party demands an emergency solution to a specific problem," says the specialist.

The Swiss political system therefore remains stable, partly thanks to the general level of happiness. Discourses and debates are generated peacefully, notably with the tool of direct democracy, and changes are slow in coming. The satisfaction rate is also reflected in the low turnout - around 50% - at federal elections.

The University of Berne political scientist is cautious about the veracity of the results of the SBC poll. People who are more distrustful of science and the media, people who are "half-satisfied", don't take part in these surveys. Despite the large number of participants, it is therefore difficult to be truly representative of the population living in Switzerland.

The upside of dissatisfied citizens

Find out where you stand

How can it be defined? Why are some countries happier than others? Analysis of one of the most desirable conditions for human beings.

How can the happiness of a nation and its people be calculated? The World Happiness Report, sponsored by the United Nations, has been using a number of parameters for the past ten years, such as: social support, income, health, freedom, generosity and absence of corruption. The survey is conducted among a sample of people aged 15 and older who have to answer questions on a scale from zero to ten, with zero being the worst result and ten the best.

In general, it was found that despite the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, levels of kindness and listening to others are higher than before Covid.

On Monday March 20, World Happiness Day, these statistics were presented. For the sixth year in a row, Finland leads the ranking, followed by Denmark and Iceland. Switzerland is in eighth place, four places lower than a year ago. The "Nordic" dominance is broken by Israel, which is in fourth place, leaving the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway behind.

Thus, the Northern European countries shine in this ranking, reflecting the image of a solid, rich and generous, healthy and democratic society. Last on the list are Lebanon and Afghanistan, the former confronted by an unprecedented economic crisis and the latter torn war and controlled by the Taliban regime.

But is everything so straightforward? The case of Iceland

For many, happiness is a feeling that involves too many variables to be squeezed into a single pattern. Take Iceland, the third-placed country, for example. According to a recent study by the Organisation for Cooperation and Development (OECD), the consumption of antidepressants is highest here compared to the rest of Europe, with this consumption doubling on average in all European countries over the last 20 years. In the land of volcanoes and geysers, 153 tablets are consumed per day per thousand inhabitants.

But there are other factors to consider. The OECD analysts themselves point out that this increase is due to the improved possibilities of disease diagnosis, the availability of treatments and the development of guidelines.

As we move further and further into the topic of calculating happiness, we find that with each step, new scenarios, new content, open up. Let's look at another aspect, climate, for example. The northern countries mentioned above face a harsh climates and long, dark winters. This would lead us to think that it is a bit difficult to be happy in these countries. Instead: no. In this regard, we are helped by the Italian researcher Ruben Durante, who pointed out in 2010 that a harsh climate leads humans to cooperate more and thus develop more robust prosperity, as is the case in Sweden, Finland and Iceland.

Another study, however, which refers exclusively to climate, claims 22 degrees to be the ideal temperature for happiness. Why? According to Australian and Chinese experts who conducted research on more than 1.5 million people in the United States and China, people living in temperate climates would be more sociable and emotionally stable. A pleasant climate allows people to go out more often, which leads to more social interactions.

This is the question of all questions: there are two diametrically opposed currents of thought on this subject. There are those who say that in life, one must be content to be happy, and those who consider the connection between economic power and happiness to be inescapable. Again, we follow the line previously taken by another study, that of two Nobel Prize winners in economics, Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton of Princeton University, who found in 2010 that daily happiness (in the United States) increases as annual income increases, but stabilises above $75,000. An argument that was later disputed by a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. In order to come to a conclusion, the two institutes decided to team up to find the "truth". Well, here is the answer they found: the richer you are, the happier you are if you are emotionally stable. If, on the other hand, you live in a state of unhappiness, a higher income will not go hand in hand with more happiness.

After opening one matryoshka after another, it is still difficult to understand how happiness can be defined. At this point we ask for the help of Indian wisdom, which allows us to conclude this article by putting it into perspective. The parable tells of six blind wise men who meet an elephant for the first time. Their task is to describe and define the animal by touching only one part of its body. The first man touches the trunk and says the elephant is like a snake. The second man strokes the ear and says it is like a fan. The third man grasps the tail and thinks it is a rope, the fourth grasps the tusk and is sure it is a spear, and the last touches the body, which he describes as a wall. In short, no one can define the elephant for what it is, but each of them is certain he has described it correctly. We have the impression that this also applies to happiness. There are no studies that could give us a comprehensive picture of this feeling, only partial views and interpretations of it.

E-commerce, wealth is not synonymous with happiness

Like a Matryoshka doll

In the whole, Switzerland is a happy country. That was the conclusion of a large SBC survey. What is your opinion?

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