Lok Sang Ho, a past President of The Hong Kong Economic Association, was Director of the Pan Sutong Shanghai- HK Economic Policy Research Institute and Head of the Economics Department, Lingnan University, Hong Kong. Presently an Adjunct Professor of the Academy for Applied Policy Studies and Education Futures of the Education University of Hong Kong, his research spans many areas, from housing to education to psychology to international finance. He has authored several books including Psychology and Economics of Happiness, Public Policy and the Public Interest, and Health Policy and the Public Interest.

Acknowledgements ix
Foreword x
Preface xiii

1 Introduction to the economics of life 1
2 Human nature: human needs, character strengths and weaknesses 15
3 Love and the economics of love 27
4 The role of culture in household production and sustainable development 45
5 Mental capital and habit formation, with a digression to spiritual capital 59
6 The happiness formula, the role of voluntary action, and values in action 69
7 Marriage, mental capital, and happiness 89
8 Insight and fortitude 101
9 Engagement and self-actualization: vanity versus achievement and self-worth 116
10 Three happinesses and holistic personal growth as success 128
11 Regrets and worries, stresses, too many choices, and other negative emotions 143
12 Corporate LIFE and happiness at work 158
13 Psychometric properties of LIFE mental capital scale across different populations 171

Epilogue: Pray humans will become truly civilized 187

Bibliography 201
Index 210