Gross National Happiness

The term was coined by Bhutan 's King Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 1972 . It signalled his commitment to building an economy that would serve Bhutan's unique culture based on Buddhist spiritual values. Like many worthy moral goals it is somewhat easier to state than to achieve, nonetheless, it serves as a unifying vision for the Five Year planning process and all the derived planning documents that guide the economic and development plans to the country.

While conventional development models stress economic growth as the ultimate objective, the concept of GNH 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. The four pillars of GNH are the promotion of equitable and sustainable socio-economic development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance.

ONE OF MANY ALTERNATIVE INDICATORS

Some argue that, unlike the Genuine Progress Indicator which actually tries to measure Well-being , the GNH does not attempt to quantify Happiness . However, another school is in fact attempting to capture the concept of Happiness in quantitative terms. The two measures agree, however, that well-being is more relevant and important than Consumption . The problem is that GNH depends on a series of subjective judgements about moral values. In practice this means that it is open to whoever defines the frame of reference, invariably governments, to define GNH in a way that suits their interests.

Alternative indicators of economic progress have also been supported by a number of NGO s such as the UK's New Economics Foundation , and are employed in some governments notably in Europe and Canada.

GNH CONFERENCE

RETHINKING DEVELOPMENT: Local Pathways to Global Wellbeing, The Second International Conference on Gross National Happiness was held in Antigonish, ; the Centre for Bhutan Studies ; the Province of Nova Scotia; the Gorsebrook Research Institute at Saint Mary's University; and the University of New Brunswick.

Conference proceedings are available online . Of special interest are keynote presentations by Jigmi Y. Thinley, Minister of Home and Cultural Affairs, Bhutan, ''What Does Gross National Happiness (GNH) Mean?'' , and by John Ralston Saul , ''Good Governance as the Key to Gross National Happiness'' .

HAPPINESS AS A MEASUREMENT OF CLASSICAL LIBERALISM

Under Classical Liberal economic theory happiness was already an economic measurement. Happiness was also used interchangebly with Utility as well as the General Welfare . Classical liberal economists quantify happiness through measurements in consumption and profits. For example if X product is consumed in good quantity for high Profit , classical liberal economists argue that societies know that this good, and all the factors used in the production of the good, generate a great deal of happiness for society.

REFERENCES

Layard, Richard (2005), ''Happiness: Lessons from a new Science'', The Penguin Press

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Gross National Happiness