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. Economists all over the world have argued that the key to happiness is obtaining andenjoyingmaterial development.Bhutan however, adheres to a very different belief andadvocates thatamassing material wealth does not necessarily lead to happiness. Bhutanisnow trying tomeasureprogress not by the popular idea of Gross Domestic Product but through Gross NationalHappiness.

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 While the emphasis is placedonboth,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:

Equitable and Sustainable socio- economic .. development Preservation and promotion of the cultural and .. spiritual heritage Conservation of environment 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.