Once upon a time, in Ecuador

There was buen vivir (literally, to live good)...and a ministry to enforce it. Which naturally appeals to the Morning Star (The Peoples Daily);

The constitution of Ecuador is based on plentiful living and it comes from an indigenous Kichwa concept, a form of socialism that the Incas practised, “Sumak Kawsay.”

.... The conclusion they came to is that the meaning of life is to be happy or at least as happy as we can be.

As defined by the government of Ecuador, not those nasty, poor, brutish, short Ecuadorans themselves;

Beforehand we had struggles focused on better pay and conditions, but if people were successful they became consumerists. People went from poverty to consumerism, which is worse for the world than poverty. You can get out of poverty — but it’s hard to escape from consumerism. Very few people leave consumerism. This is the theory that we work with in the Ministry of Plentiful Living. 

Too much consuming, as the Minister decides, is bad, so;

We are creating small units in every area of government to consider and aim for happiness in everything we do. This is our aim.

If we build a road or an airport, we need to ask if it will make people more happy or not.

We are following the example of Bhutan. We are changing from measuring the Gross Domestic Product of the country, which is purely economic, to measuring the Gross Domestic Happiness of the country.

And if any Ecuadorans would rather have food, clothing and shelter, screw 'em.We're going to make them happy...or else.