Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product.
Gross National Happiness: Development
Philosophy of Bhutan
Economists the world
over has been arguing that the key to happiness is obtaining and enjoying
material development. However, Bhutan tries to argue the case differently by
advocating that amassing material growth does not necessarily lead to
happiness. Defying this notion, Bhutan is now trying to measure progress is not
by the popular idea of Gross Domestic Product but by through Gross National
happiness.
His Majesty the third
Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck expressed his view on the goals of
development as making “the people prosperous and happy.” With this strong view
in mind, the importance of “prosperity and happiness,” was highlighted in the
King’s address on the occasion of Bhutan’s admission to the United Nations in
1971. This vision was further elaborated by the fourth Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye
Wangchuck who declared in the first years of his reign that “our country’s
policy is to consolidate our sovereignty to achieve economic self-reliance,
prosperity and happiness for our country and people.”
While the emphasis is
placed on both, prosperity and happiness, the latter is considered of more
significance. The fourth Druk Gyalpo emphasized that for Bhutan “Gross National
Happiness,” is more important than “Gross National Product.” Thus, Gross
National Happiness is now being fleshed out by a wide range of professionals,
scholars and agencies across the world.
Concerned about the
problems afflicting countries that focused only on economic growth, Druk Gyalpo
Jigme Singye Wangchuck decided to make the nation’s priority not it’s Gross
Domestic Product but Gross National Happiness. For this he suggested that the
progress of the nation be measured by “Gross National Happiness.” He said that
the rich are not always happy while the happy generally considered themselves
rich. While conventional development models stressed on economic growth as the
ultimate objective, the concept of Gross National Happiness claims to be based
on the premise that true development of human society takes place when material
and spiritual development occur side by side to complement and reinforce each
other.
The four main pillars of Gross National
Happiness are:
1. Equitable and equal
socio-economic development,
2. Preservation and promotion of cultural and
spiritual heritage,
3. Conservation of environment and,
4. Good governance
which are interwoven, complementary, and consistent.
They embody national
and local values, aesthetics, and spiritual traditions. As a result, we can see
that the concept of Gross National Happiness is now being taken up by various
other countries, following footsteps of Bhutan. This has led them to define
prosperity in more enhanced terms and to actually measure people’s well being
rather than measuring what they actually consume. Crucial to a better
understanding of Gross National Happiness, is one its wider reach and awareness
amongst other countries, two, and the various indices that has now been
formulated to assess even material gains and lastly, the growing need to
synthesis the moral with the cultural values as the core of any economic
policy.
Gross National
Happiness as a development paradigm has now made possible for Bhutan to take
its developmental policies into the remote corners and include the far flung
villagers into the development aspects by meeting their needs and accentuating
the need to protect and preserve our rich environment and forest cover. The
success of Gross National Happiness can be found in many areas besides
developmental aspects. The policy of low volume but high value tourism has
indeed assisted not only in the high revenue generation but in fact facilitated
the promotion and preservation of our cultural values.
Further, the concept
of Gross National Happiness has greatly enabled her in the pursuit of
development, at the same time promoting happiness as the core philosophy of
life. For the government, it has facilitated the drive towards self sufficiency
and self reliance, the ultimate reduction in the gap between the rich and the
poor and ensuring good governance and empowerment of her people.
Following the
international seminar on Operationalizing Gross National Happiness held in
Bhutan in February 2004, the participants felt it useful to establish a Gross
International Happiness Network, indicating the influence of Gross National
Happiness beyond the Bhutanese Borders.
The Network attempts
to find best examples of sustainable development that incorporates values
reflecting general well being of the people. The GIH Network is a collaboration
of the following institutions:
1. Center for Bhutan Studies, Bhutan
2. Spirit in Business, USA and the Netherlands
3. Social Venture Network Asia, Thailand
4. ICONS, Redefining Progress & Implementing
New Indicators on Sustainable Development, Brazil
5. Inner Asia Center for Sustainable Development,
the Netherlands
6. The New Economics Foundation, UK
7. Genuine Progress Indicators / GPI Atlantic,
Canada
8. Corptools/Values Center, USA
9. International Society for Ecology and Culture,
UK
source: Tourism Council of Bhutan
