Monday, March 11, 2013
Gross national happiness in Bhutan: the big idea from a tiny state that could change the world
A series of hand-painted signs dot the side of the winding mountain road that runs between the airport and the Bhutanese capital, Thimphu. Instead of commands to cut speed or check mirrors, they offer the traveller a series of life-affirming mantras. "Life is a journey! Complete it!" says one, while another urges drivers to, "Let nature be your guide". Another, standing on the edge of a perilous curve, simply says: "Inconvenience regretted."
It's a suitably uplifting welcome to visitors to this remote kingdom, a place of ancient monasteries, fluttering prayer flags and staggering natural beauty. Less than 40 years ago, Bhutan opened its borders for the first time. Since then, it has gained an almost mythical status as a real-life Shangri-La, largely for its determined and methodical pursuit of the most elusive of concepts – national happiness.
Since 1971, the country has rejected GDP as the only way to measure progress. In its place, it has championed a new approach to development, which measures prosperity through formal principles of gross national happiness (GNH) and the spiritual, physical, social and environmental health of its citizens and natural environment.
For the past three decades, this belief that wellbeing should take preference over material growth has remained a global oddity. Now, in a world beset by collapsing financial systems, gross inequity and wide-scale environmental destruction, this tiny Buddhist state's approach is attracting a lot of interest.
As world leaders prepare to meet in Doha on Monday for the second week of the UN climate change conference, Bhutan's stark warning that the rest of the world is on an environmental and economical suicide path is starting to gain traction. Last year the UN adopted Bhutan's call for a holistic approach to development, a move endorsed by 68 countries. A UN panel is now considering ways that Bhutan's GNH model can be replicated across the globe.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Norway
has been declared the world's happiest country. Just as unsurprising, the Democratic Republic of Congo came last.
The United Nations Human Development Index 2011 measures happiness in different countries based on factors such as income, education, health, life expectancy, economy, gender equality and sustainability.
"To be more accurate, one would say this measures the quality of life. It goes beyond income to include basic measures like education and health," says Surekha Subarwal, U.N. communications representative from New Delhi.
More on CNNGo: Best cities to travel in 2012
Essentially the index implies that if you live longer, earn more money and have access to good schools and healthcare, you're probably going to be happier than people who don't.
“This is more than just the traditional index which just measure average income, health and education,” says Adam Rogers, the U.N.'s communications officer in Geneva. "This measurement of human wellbeing and happiness introduces the inequality dimension, a measure of access to health and education.”
Bhutan, the only country that gauges its progress by measuring its people's happiness rather than economic contributions, came a rather lowly 141.
Rogers clarifies, “This study is much more empirical than the Gross National Happiness (GNH) Index you will find in Bhutan, which is quite subjective.”
Just missing out on a top 10 spot was Switzerland in 11th place. The United States came fourth while the United Kingdom came 28th, below Hong Kong (13th), Korea (15th), France (20th), Singapore (26th) and the Czech Republic (27th).
The United Nations Human Development Index 2011 measures happiness in different countries based on factors such as income, education, health, life expectancy, economy, gender equality and sustainability.
"To be more accurate, one would say this measures the quality of life. It goes beyond income to include basic measures like education and health," says Surekha Subarwal, U.N. communications representative from New Delhi.
More on CNNGo: Best cities to travel in 2012
Essentially the index implies that if you live longer, earn more money and have access to good schools and healthcare, you're probably going to be happier than people who don't.
“This is more than just the traditional index which just measure average income, health and education,” says Adam Rogers, the U.N.'s communications officer in Geneva. "This measurement of human wellbeing and happiness introduces the inequality dimension, a measure of access to health and education.”
Bhutan, the only country that gauges its progress by measuring its people's happiness rather than economic contributions, came a rather lowly 141.
Rogers clarifies, “This study is much more empirical than the Gross National Happiness (GNH) Index you will find in Bhutan, which is quite subjective.”
Just missing out on a top 10 spot was Switzerland in 11th place. The United States came fourth while the United Kingdom came 28th, below Hong Kong (13th), Korea (15th), France (20th), Singapore (26th) and the Czech Republic (27th).
The background of Gross National Happiness
The
development philosophy “Gross National Happiness (GNH) is
more important than Gross Domestic Product (GDP)” was propounded by His
Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan in the early
1970s. He realized that the existing development paradigm - GDP - did
not consider the ultimate goal of every human being – HAPPINESS. For
example, the King thought if the forest in Bhutan was logged
for profit, the GDP would increase; if Bhutanese citizens picked up
modern living habits investments in health care systems would be made
and the GDP would increase; and if environmental considerations were not
taken into account, landslides, road damages and flooding could occur
and more investments would be required and the GDP would grow. Yet these
actions would negatively affect the lives of the Bhutanese people.At the same time, GDP is not affected by volunteer work and the vital unpaid work done in households. The precious free time that we need to relax mentally and socialize is completely valueless when only considering GDP. He further realized that GDP was neither an equitable nor a meaningful measurement for human happiness, thus the birth of the philosophy Gross National Happiness (GNH).
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