Introduction
The primary question that will be explored and studied in this research series is how the functioning of the economic institution, and in particular the financial institution, affects human health and happiness. In order to gain some insights into this question, we studied the most recent financial crisis, asking whether the global financial crisis of 2007 to 2009 had measurable consequences on broadly defined health and happiness. It is important to consider whether its impact was minor and transitory, or significant and long term. If there is found to be such an impact, the most critical factors for determining the level and change of health and happiness in times of crisis should be examined. Our study is among the first to link a financial crisis simultaneously with both health and happiness, and even with the most extreme conditions of unhappiness.
Once we establish that financial crises can result in major losses in indicators of health, happiness, and even life, we turn our attention to the stock market, as a primary example of a financial market, to study the origins of these problems. We focus especially on those characteristics that may cause unfair losses to investors, market instability, and financial crisis, as these are the main characteristics that are related to the loss of human health and happiness. We identify certain monopolistic practices, especially as monopoly power is exercised through market manipulation, to be the key source of the problems. ...
