Happiness and politics: a plea for bright thinking

Saying that the height of the GDP is our best standard for well-being, is just as twisted reasoned as saying that the Gross National Happiness is our best standard, argues Frank Vandenbroucke in a reaction to the discussion essay by Marc De Vos on happiness and politics.

Read his discussion paper and blogpost.

VAT reduction for the catering industry: who benefits?

Laurent Hanseeuw and Jean Hindriks analyze the effects of a VAT reduction for the catering industry, introduced in Belgium in 2010. First, they review the economic fundamentals pleading for such a favorable rate. Then they analyze the impact of this reduction based on the reasons which have been used to justify such a reduced rate. We can conclude that the impact has been fairly modest when it comes to job creation and that the sector remains heavily exposed to the black economy.

Read the analysis here.

Savings in education

Our most important winning card for the future are our youth, hence the importance of clear recommendations towards government and education policy. The Itinera Institute offers a platform to Carl Van Keirsbilck, who suggests three pillars that can lead in a simple way to recurrent savings without touching on the quality of our education system.

Read the forum and the press release here.

The Itinera Institute is recruiting

The institute is in rapid expansion and seeks to strengthen its team with:

• Fellow (M/F): responsible for assisting senior researchers with preparatory research and writing on different social and economic policy issues, and on healthcare and elder care policy in particular, drafting research texts on different social and economic policy issues, translations of short opinion articles or website texts and attending lectures and debates. Click here for more information.
• Public Relations & Project Development (M/F): responsible for developing and maintaining external relations with the partners of the institute, including all political parties, all professional organizations, international think tanks; developing and maintaining networks of ad-hoc visiting fellows for research projects and realizing opportunities for research projects, events, and collaboration with external partners. Click here for more information.
  

Reclaiming Happiness from Politics

Happiness is back, both in the sciences and in politics. While the economy is suffering from a systemic crisis, the time is ripe for an explicit happiness agenda that seeks to steer society consciously towards personal wellbeing. This essay – the first discussion paper in the series “Back to Basics” – embraces happiness as a relevant policy concern but refutes fundamentally the terms and the purpose of the current happiness revival. It ends with a call to save happiness from politics, and instead promote it through careful facilitation.

Read the discussion paper here.

The Budget 2012 through the Itinera lens

The government passes the European exam but misses structural reforms. Itinera calls on the new government to implement, within this term, structural reforms and to keep additional fiscal measures in reserve.

Read the analysis and the press release here.

No Talent to waste: A Belgium-the Netherlands on working longer

From #NoGov to #GoodGov

The austerity exercise should emphasize savings on expenditures

Itinera calls for a reform of the fiscal system and inclusion of a budgetary rule in the constitution

Austerity measures focusing on the spending side are necessary. Itinera calls for a reform of the tax system in which fiscal deductions are reduced and regrouped in baskets with a maximum deductible amount. The enschrining of a budgetary rule in the constitution obliges policy makers each year to push through the necessary savings and to define a long-term policy for public finances.

Download the report and press release.

The quest for growth

Itinera pleads for maintaining a strong industrial basis

A new growth path is necessary to make the budgetary ends meet and cope with ageing. More growth means a decisive investment policy. Investing in human capital and maintaining a strong industrial basis are crucial. Government should create new markets and new market opportunities.

Download the report, the press release and the presentation.