Right or Left, We’re All Stressed

     In today’s fractured and fiercely partisan world, we spend more time condemning those on “the other side” than working together to solve the serious problems we all face. The result? A society consumed by outrage, where lasting peace, prosperity, and wellbeing remain out of reach—until we learn to stop loathing one another.

     The Moral Stress of Nations invites readers to imagine a different world: one where families, friends, and nations understand that our moral differences are not just inevitable but essential. When we recognise this, we can use those differences to build more civil public debate, smarter policy, and fairer laws.

     Drawing on insights from behavioural genetics, cognitive behavioural theory, social psychology, and moral foundations theory, the book explores how our genetic makeup shapes our political instincts, how humanity divides naturally into two broad moral tribes, and why both perspectives are vital for a healthy society.

     This is a book for anyone exhausted by the news cycle or disillusioned by politics. It offers citizens a new way to understand the stress of modern democracy—and gives politicians tools to design policies that work for everyone, not just their own side. Most of all, it shows how embracing our moral diversity can lead to a kinder, more morally generous world for generations to come.

     The book also uncovers what predicts a country’s Happiness Index score and reveals how authoritarian ideologies—whether from the left or the right—affect the wellbeing of their citizens. It examines the legacies left by Europe’s former colonial powers and outlines the key economic steps a nation should take when moving from rural poverty to modern prosperity.