PASSAGE 2

Gross National Happiness

By Lynn Fendler (2015)

Development Philosophy of Bhutan

Economists all over the world have argued that the key to happiness is obtaining
and.enjoying.material development..Bhutan however, adheres to a very different belief
and.advocates that...amassing material wealth does not necessarily lead to happiness.
Bhutan is.now trying to.measure.progress not by the popular idea of Gross Domestic Product
but through Gross National...Happiness.
While conventional development models stressed on economic growth as the
ultimate.objective,..the.concept of Gross National Happiness is 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.

..While the emphasis is placed on both,.prosperity

..and happiness, the latter is considered to be.....more significant. Thus, Gross
National....Happiness is now being fleshed out by a wide range of professionals, scholars and
agencies... ..across the world.

..The philosophy of Gross National Happiness has recently received international ..recognition

and the UN has implemented a resolution “recognizing that the ..gross domestic product does
not adequately reflect the happiness and well-  ..being of people”, and that “the pursuit of
happiness is a fundamental human ..goal”.

THE FOUR MAIN PILLARS OF GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS

The four main pillars of Gross National Happiness..are:

1. Equitable and Sustainable socio-economic.development

2. Preservation and promotion of the cultural and. spiritual heritage
3. Conservation of environment
4. Good governance
Gross National Happiness as a development paradigm.has..now made it possible for Bhutan to
take its developmental..policies into the remote corners of the.kingdom and to meet..the
development needs of even its.most isolated villagers,..while still accentuating the need to
protect and preserve our..rich environment and forest cover. The policy of high value,.low
impact tourism has facilitated the promotion and preservation of our cultural values. 
Furthermore, the concept of Gross National Happiness has greatly enabled the pursuit of
development, while at the same time promoting the attainment of 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 as one of its key directives. 
Following the international seminar on Operationalizing Gross National Happiness held in
Bhutan in February 2004, the participants began working to establish a Gross International
Happiness Network, indicating the influence of Gross National Happiness beyond the
Bhutanese Borders.
These pillars embody national values, aesthetics, and spiritual traditions. The concept of Gross
National Happiness is now being taken up the United Nations and by various other countries.
Crucial to a better understanding of Gross National Happiness, is its wider reach and awareness
amongst other countries, and the various indices that have now been formulated to include
material gains in their assessment of the country and lastly, the growing need to synthesize the
moral with the cultural values as the core of economic policy.