Dear Dr. Boli: Why are there still monarchies in the world? Isn’t it long past time those countries jettisoned their relics of medievalism and joined the twenty-first century? —Sincerely, Citizen Louis Capet.

Dear Sir: Here is a list of the ten “happiest countries in the world,” as compiled by one of the think tanks that compile lists of happy countries. The lists differ somewhat, but they all come to similar conclusions.

Finland
Denmark
Iceland
Switzerland
Netherlands
Luxembourg
Sweden
Norway
Israel
New Zealand

You may come back and ask the same question once you have contemplated this list for a while.