In a recently done research study, people in Turkey and the people in the EU

countries were compared in their contentment and their concerns and hopes about the
future. The results demonstrated that Turkish people were much less optimistic
about their lives and the future. People become content or discontent with their
lives depending on many circumstances. Purchasing power and living conditions are
the main factors affecting the happiness of citizens in a country.

The first reason for the Turkish people to be pessimistic is the low purchasing
power of the people in our country. It is, in fact, such a big problem for Turkey
that some people even suffer from hunger. Although the government proclaims that
the inflation rate, which has been very high for the last three decades, has been
decreasing, people are not satisfied because they cannot see any difference in
their lives, or changes which should be observed following a drop in the rate of
inflation.

Living conditions, which are very poor in Turkey, affect the contentment of the
people significantly. In EU countries the people know that if something bad happens
to them, like having important health problems or losing their jobs, the government
will not let them down and they will at least be able to look after themselves.
However, in Turkey there is no such confidence because everybody knows that they
are all by themselves and there is nobody to help them.