2021 was a prolific year on the subject of corruption. We had the arrests of João Rendeiro, Manuel Pinho, Joe Berardo…

And that’s very positive. More than just for having put the topic on the agenda, in the public square, so that people can talk.

I know that there are already referential plans, administrative indications, so that teachers in their classes can talk about these themes [corrupção]. It is critical that people have critical thinking and erased these processes. There are thematic indicators for students to debate and learn concepts related to the issue of corruption. I don’t think they are concrete cases, perhaps older, in literature, perhaps that is. Current ones, I don’t think so, because they aren’t properly closed yet. But indications on how to intervene, prevent these things from happening.

The issue of corruption is fundamental. Portugal does not increase its levels of happiness because what is behind it is the issue of trust. We all know that when there is no trust, there is no relationship that survives. Not in personal, professional and organizational life, let alone managing a country.

And the evolution in the generosity criterion?

In recent reports, Portugal did not rank well, because, probably, for many years, it was always a country with immense difficulties, with a middle class with enormous challenges. I think people were more supportive and less generous. Right now, I think Portugal is being more generous and can maintain its spirit of solidarity, but they are different things. That’s why it was poorly rated.

The difference is: solidarity is when I give what I have left. So if I don’t have anything left, I’m not going to give anything to anyone. Generosity is when I really give what I need. That is, when I make a little more sacrifice and manage to share what little I might have with others who also need it. I see more and more projects in Portugal where generosity is showing up.

He had prepared a proposal for himself: highlighting the events, news, which contributed to making 2021 a less happy year. I was counting on negative things, but as the interview progresses, I already know it won’t go there. So, I make the opposite challenge: on the positive side, what stands out?

I thought it was very positive, as a result of the municipal compensations, to have emerged the first responsibility in a municipality on happiness in Portugal: in Pombal, Leiria. Now, this does not seem to be very important, but it is fundamental. Portugal has been following a path that I think no one in the world has realized, but it is becoming one of the examples in the studies of happiness.

Another example: Portugal is creating the first management standard in organizational well-being and happiness. We already have many norms, from social responsibility, apart from ecology, sustainability, etc, but we didn’t have, there wasn’t in the world, any norms about happiness. Portugal is making the first. Now, if Portugal succeeds, it will then be a small step for this national standard to become an international standard as well. Would be excellent.

Portugal can make a contribution so that the governments of all countries in Europe, for example, can start to have national plans for happiness. And to govern countries not from the point of view of per capita GDP, but from more concrete criteria of happiness.