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Gross National Happiness

January 01, 1970

Gross National Happiness, (GNH; Dzongkha: རྒྱལ་ཡོངས་དགའ་སྐྱིད་དཔལ་འཛོམས།) sometimes called Gross Domestic Happiness (GDH), is a philosophy that guides the government of Bhutan. It includes an index which is used to measure the collective happiness and well-being of a population. Gross National Happiness Index is instituted as the goal of the government of Bhutan in the Constitution of Bhutan, enacted on 18 July 2008.[1]

Four pillars of Gross National Happiness (GNH) in Bhutan

History edit

The advent and concept of "Gross National Happiness" (GNH) germinated in the mind of Bodhisattva Druk Gyelpo, the 4th King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuk, groomed with the evolution of "Gaki Phuensum" (Peace and Prosperity) and the modernization period of Bhutan during the reign of Druk Gyelpo, the 3rd King of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk.

The term "Gross National Happiness" as conceptualized by the 4th King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, in 1972 was declared as, "more important than Gross Domestic Product."[2][3] The concept implies that sustainable development should take a holistic approach towards notions of progress and give equal importance to non-economic aspects of wellbeing.[4]

In 2011, The UN General Assembly passed resolution 65/309, "Happiness: towards a holistic approach to development", urging member nations to follow the example of Bhutan and measure happiness and well-being and calling happiness a "fundamental human goal."[5]

In 2012, Bhutan's Prime Minister Jigme Thinley and the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations convened the High Level Meeting: Well-being and Happiness: Defining a New Economic Paradigm to encourage the spread of Bhutan's GNH philosophy.[6] At the meeting, the first World Happiness Report was issued. Shortly afterward, 20 March was declared to be International Day of Happiness by the UN in 2012 with resolution 66/28.[7]

Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay proclaimed a preference for focusing on more concrete goals instead of promoting GNH when he took office,[8] but subsequently has protected the GNH of his country and promoted the concept internationally.[9] Other Bhutanese officials also promote the spread of GNH at the UN and internationally.[10][11]

Definition edit

GNH is distinguishable from Gross Domestic Product by valuing collective happiness as the goal of governance, by emphasizing harmony with nature and traditional values as expressed in the 9 domains of happiness and 4 pillars of GNH.[12] According to the Bhutanese government, the four pillars of GNH are:[13]

  1. sustainable and equitable socio-economic development;
  2. environmental conservation;
  3. preservation and promotion of culture; and
  4. good governance.

The nine domains of GNH are psychological well-being, health, time use, education, cultural diversity and resilience, good governance, community vitality, ecological diversity and resilience, and living standards.[14][15][16] Each domain is composed of subjective (survey-based) and objective indicators. The domains weigh equally but the indicators within each domain differ by weight.[17]

Bhutanese GNH index edit

Several scholars have noted that "the values underlying the individual pillars of GNH are defined as distinctly Buddhist," and "GNH constructs Buddhism as the core of the cultural values of the country (of Bhutan). They provide the foundation upon which the GNH rests."[18] GNH is thus seen as part of the Buddhist Middle Way, where "happiness is accrued from a balanced act rather than from an extreme approach."[19]

Implementation in Bhutan edit

The body charged with implementing GNH in Bhutan is the Gross National Happiness Commission.[20] The GNH Commission is composed of the Prime Minister as the Chairperson, Secretaries of each of the ministries of the government, and the Secretary of the GNH Commission.[21] The GNH Commission's tasks include conceiving and also implementing the nation's 5-year plan and promulgating policies. The GNH Index is used to measure the happiness and well-being of Bhutan's population. A GNH Policy Screening Tool[22] and a GNH Project Screening Tool is used by the GNH commission to determine whether to pass policies or implement projects.[23] The GNH Screening tools are used by the Bhutanese GNH Commission for anticipating the impact of policy initiatives upon the levels of GNH in Bhutan.[24]

In 2008, the first Bhutanese GNH survey was conducted.[25][26] It was followed by a second one in 2010.[27] The third nationwide survey was conducted in 2015.[28] The GNH survey covers all twenty districts (Dzonkhag) and results are reported for varying demographic factors such as gender, age, abode, and occupation. The first GNH surveys consisted of long questionnaires that polled the citizens about living conditions and religious behavior, including questions about the times a person prayed in a day and other karma indicators. It took several hours to complete one questionnaire. Later rounds of the GNH Index were shortened, but the survey retained the religious behavioral indicators.[29]

The Bhutan GNH Index was developed by the Centre for Bhutan Studies with the help of Oxford University researchers to help measure the progress of Bhutanese society. The Index's function was based on the Alkire & Foster method of 2011.[29][30] After the creation of the GNH Index, the government used the metric to measure national progress and inform policy.[31][32]

The Bhutan GNH Index is considered to measure societal progress similarly to other models such as the OECD Better Life Index of 2011, and SPI Social Progress Index of 2013. One feature distinguishing Bhutan's GNH Index from the other models is that the other models are designed for secular governments and do not include religious behavior measurement components.

The data is used to compare happiness among different groups of citizens,[30] and changes over time.[33]

According to the World Happiness Report 2019, Bhutan is 95th out of 156 countries.[34]

The holistic consideration of multiple factors through the GNH approach has been cited as impacting Bhutan's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[35]

Dissemination edit

In Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a shortened version of Bhutan's GNH survey was used by the local government, local foundations and governmental agencies under the leadership of Martha and Michael Pennock to assess the population of Victoria.[36][37]

In the state of São Paulo, Brazil, Susan Andrews,[38] through her organization Future Vision Ecological Park, used a version of Bhutan's GNH at a community level in some cities.[39]

In Seattle, Washington, United States, a version of the GNH Index was used by the Seattle City Council and Sustainable Seattle to assess the happiness and well-being of the Seattle Area population.[40][41][42] Other cities and areas in North America, including Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Creston, British Columbia and the U.S. state of Vermont, also used a version of the GNH Index.[43]

The state of Vermont's Governor declared April 13 (President Jefferson's birthday) "Pursuit of Happiness Day", and became the first state to pass legislation enabling development of alternative indicators and to assist in making policy. The University of Vermont Center for Rural Studies Vermont perform a periodic study of well-being in the state.[44]

At the University of Oregon, United States, a behavioral model of GNH based on the use of positive and negative words in social network status updates was developed by Adam Kramer.[45]

In 2016, Thailand launched its own GNH center.[46] The former king of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, was a close friend of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, and conceived the similar philosophy of sufficiency economy.

In the Philippines, the concept of GNH has been lauded by various personalities, notably Philippine senator and UN Global Champion for Resilience Loren Legarda, and former environment minister Gina Lopez. Bills have been filed in the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives in support of Gross National Happiness in the Philippines. Additionally, Executive Director of Bhutan's GNH Center, Dr. Saamdu Chetri, has been invited by high-level officials in the Philippines for a GNH Forum.[47][48][49]

Many other cities and governments have undertaken efforts to measure happiness and well-being (also termed "Beyond GDP"[50]) since the High Level Meeting in 2012, but have not used versions of Bhutan's GNH index. Among these include the national governments of the United Kingdom's Office of National Statistics[51] and the United Arab Emirates,[52] and cities including Somerville, Massachusetts, United States,[53] and Bristol, United Kingdom.[54] Also a number of companies which are implementing sustainability practices in business that have been inspired by GNH.[55]

Criticism edit

GNH has been described by critics as a propaganda tool used by the Bhutanese government to distract from ethnic cleansing and human rights abuses it has committed.[56][57]

The Bhutanese democratic government started from 2008. Before then, the government practiced massive ethnic cleansing of the non-Buddhist population of ethnic Nepalese of Hindu faith in the name of GNH cultural preservation.[58][59] The NGO Human Rights Watch documented the events.[60] According to Human Rights Watch, "Over 100,000 or 1/6 of the population of Bhutan of Nepalese origin and Hindu faith were expelled from the country because they would not integrate with Bhutan's Buddhist culture."[61] The Refugee Council of Australia stated that "it is extraordinary and shocking that a nation can get away with expelling one sixth of its people and somehow keep its international reputation largely intact. The Government of Bhutan should be known not for Gross National Happiness but for Gross National Hypocrisy."[62]

Some researchers state that Bhutan's GNH philosophy "has evolved over the last decade through the contribution of western and local scholars to a version that is more democratic and open. Therefore, probably, the more accurate historical reference is to mention the coining of the GNH phrase as a key event, but not the Bhutan GNH philosophy, because the philosophy as understood by western scholars is different from the philosophy used by the King at the time."[63] Other viewpoints are that GNH is a process of development and learning, rather than an objective norm or absolute end point. Bhutan aspires to enhance the happiness of its people and GNH serves as a measurement tool for realizing that aspiration.[64]

Other criticism focuses on the standard of living in Bhutan. In an article written in 2004 in the Economist magazine, "The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is not in fact an idyll in a fairy tale. It is home to perhaps 900,000 people most of whom live in grinding poverty."[65] Other criticism of GNH cites "increasing levels of political corruption, the rapid spread of diseases, and other woes; such as AIDS and tuberculosis, gang violence, abuses against women and ethnic minorities, shortages in food/medicine, and economic woes."[66][67]

See also edit

References edit

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ "The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan" (PDF). National Council. Royal Government of Bhutan. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  2. ^ Revkin, Andrew C. (4 October 2005). "A New Measure of Well-BeingFrom a Happy Little Kingdom". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  3. ^ "What Bhutan got right about happiness - and what other countries can learn". World Economic Forum. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Bhutan's Gross National Happiness Index | OPHI". ophi.org.uk.
  5. ^ . Archived from the original on 17 October 2017.
  6. ^ Bhutan (2012). "Defining a New Economic Paradigm: The Report of the High Level Meeting on Wellbeing and Happiness". United Nations. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 28 June 2012 66/281. International Day of Happiness".
  8. ^ Harris, Gardiner (4 October 2013). "Index of Happiness? Bhutan's New Leader Prefers More Concrete Goals". The New York Times.
  9. ^ Tobgay, Tshering (2016). "This country isn't just carbon neutral, it's carbon negative". TED.com. TED. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  10. ^ "Pursuit of happiness is fundamental human goal,' Minister of Bhutan tells UN Assembly". UN News. 3 October 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  11. ^ Schultz, Kai (17 January 2017). "In Bhutan, Happiness Index as Gauge for Social Ills". New York Times. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  12. ^ Ura, Karma; Alkire, Sabina; Zangmo, Tshoki; Wangdi, Karma (May 2012). An Extensive Analysis of GNH Index (PDF). Thimphu, Bhutan: The Centre for Bhutan Studies. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  13. ^ (PDF). Thimphu, Bhutan: Gross National Happiness Commission – Royal Government of Bhutan, Actual Date of Publishing 25 June 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  14. ^ Ura, Karma (2008). "Understanding the Development Philosophy of Gross National Happiness". Interview with Bhutan Broadcasting Service.
  15. ^ . Gross National Happiness. www.grossnationalhappiness.com/. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  16. ^ "Gross National Happiness represents the holistic potential of our mind and body: Dasho Karma Ura". India Today.
  17. ^ Ura, Karma (2012). "A Short Guide to the Gross National Happiness Index" (PDF). The Centre for Bhutan Studies.
  18. ^ Kent Schroeder, Politics of Gross National Happiness: Governance and Development in Bhutan, Cham (Switzerland): Palgrave Macmillan, 2018, 27.
  19. ^ Chhewang Rinzin, On the Middle Path: The Social Basis for Sustainable Development in Bhutan, Utrecht: Copernicus Institute, 2006, 3.
  20. ^ "Gross National Happiness Commission".
  21. ^ "Commission Members".
  22. ^ "GNH SCREENING TOOL – GNH Centre Bhutan".
  23. ^ . Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  24. ^ Pennock, M; Ura, K (2011). "Gross national happiness as a framework for health impact assessment". Environmental Impact Assessment Review. 31: 61–65. doi:10.1016/j.eiar.2010.04.003.
  25. ^ "The Gross National Happiness Index of Bhutan. Method and Illustrative Results" (PDF). OECD.org.
  26. ^ Alkire, Sabina (November 2008). "Bhutan's Gross National Happiness Index : methodology and results". Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI).
  27. ^ . Archived from the original on 2 October 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  28. ^ "A Compass Towards A Just and Harmonious Society: 2015 GNH Survey Report" (PDF).
  29. ^ a b "Short Guide to GNH Index" (PDF).
  30. ^ a b . Oxford Poverty and Human Development Index. Archived from the original on 24 April 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  31. ^ Adler, Alejandro (2009). "Gross National Happiness in Bhutan: A Living Example of an Alternative Approach to Progress". Social Impact Research Experience. 1: 1–137.
  32. ^ Musikanski, Laura (2014). "Happiness in Public Policy". Walden University Journal of Social Change. 6: 55–85.
  33. ^ . Thimphu, Bhutan: Centre for Bhutan Studies & GNH Research. 2016. ISBN 978-99936-14-86-9. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  34. ^ Why happiness is easy to venerate, hard to generate, Tim Harford, Financial Times, 1 March 2019.
  35. ^ Politzer, Malia (22 July 2020). "Q&A: Is 'gross national happiness' the key to Bhutan escaping the pandemic?". Devex. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  36. ^ "The Happiness Index Partnership". Victoria Foundation. 12 January 2017.
  37. ^ Chatterjee, Rhitu (3 October 2011). "Measuring Happiness in Victoria, British Columbia". pri.org.
  38. ^ "Susan Andrews". SourceWatch. The Center for Media and Democracy. 5 May 2012.
  39. ^ "GNH ´s Pilot Project in Brazil". YouTube. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021.
  40. ^ Musikanski, Laura (January 2013). "The Happiness Initiative: The Serious Business of Well-Being". Solutions Journal. 4: 34–39.
  41. ^ Mastny, Lisa (17 November 2011). "Does Your Town Need A Happiness Index?". New Dream.
  42. ^ Jaffe, Eric (25 November 2011). "How Happy is Seattle?". Bloomberg.com.
  43. ^ . WikiProgress.org. Archived from the original on 14 March 2019.
  44. ^ "Measuring Well-being: Vermont Leads the Way". 22 November 2017.
  45. ^ Kramer, Adam (2010). "An unobtrusive behavioral model of "gross national happiness"". Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Chi '10. pp. 287–290. doi:10.1145/1753326.1753369. ISBN 9781605589299. S2CID 207178394. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  46. ^ . Archived from the original on 2 February 2017.
  47. ^ Cañares-Yamsuan, Cathy (31 October 2016). "How PH can have Gross National Happiness, too". inquirer.net.
  48. ^ "Gross National Happiness for PH; FVR still needed – Malacañang". mb.com.ph.
  49. ^ "Bhutan 'happiness guru' speaks on 'Gross National Happiness'". theguidon.com. 23 October 2016.
  50. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  51. ^ "Measuring National Well-being - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
  52. ^ . Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  53. ^ "Need search for: Somerville Happiness Survey responses - 2011, 2013, 2015". data.somervillema.gov.
  54. ^ "Happiness Pulse".
  55. ^ Tideman, Sander G. (2016). "Gross National Happiness: Lessons for sustainability leadership". South Asian Journal of Global Business Research. 5 (2): 190–213. doi:10.1108/SAJGBR-12-2014-0096.
  56. ^ Thapa, Saurav Jung (July 2011). . Wave Magazine. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011.
  57. ^ Arora, Vishal (25 April 2014). "Bhutan's Human Rights Record Defies 'Happiness' Claim". The Diplomat.
  58. ^ Bird, Kai (7 March 2012). "The Enigma of Bhutan". The Nation.
  59. ^ "Bhutan's Forgotten People". Al Jazeera. 30 May 2014.
  60. ^ "Bhutan". Human Rights Watch.
  61. ^ Frelick, Bill (1 February 2008). "Bhutan's ethnic cleansing". Human Rights Watch.
  62. ^ "Refugee news: media releases - Refugee Council of Australia". www.refugeecouncil.org.au.
  63. ^ Correa, Mónica (May 2017). "The History of Gross National Happiness". ResearchGate. doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.18737.38243.
  64. ^ Sander G. Tideman (2016), Gross National Happiness: Lessons for Sustainability Leadership South Asian Journal of Global Business Research, Vol. 5 Iss 2 pp. 190 – 213
  65. ^ "The pursuit of happiness". The Economist. 16 December 2004.
  66. ^ Magazine, Global South Development (21 July 2013). "Gross National Happiness of Bhutan and its False Promises".
  67. ^ "Gross National Happiness – Happy in Bhutan?". Bhutan, 2008 and Beyond. 1 December 2008.

References edit

  • Adler Braun, Alejandro. , 24 September 2009
  • Confucious. Analects 13:16. The Analects : Zi Lu - Chinese Text Project
  • Diener, Ed and Robert-Biswas Diener. Happiness – Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2008. 290 pages. ISBN 978-1-4051-4661-6.
  • Eric Zencey, "GDP RIP," New York Times, 9 August 2009 Opinion | G.D.P. R.I.P.
  • Eric Ezechieli, "Beyond Sustainable Development: Education for Gross National Happiness in Bhutan" , Stanford University, 2003
  • Kammann, R (1984). "The Analysis and Measurement of Happiness as a Sense of Well-Being". Social Indicators Research. 15 (2): 91–115. doi:10.1007/bf00426282. S2CID 189879996.
  • Layard, Richard (2005), Happiness: Lessons from a New Science, Penguin Press, ISBN 0-14-303701-3
  • Niestroy, Ingeborg; García Schmidt, Armando; Esche, Andreas (2013). "Bhutan: Paradigms Matter", in: Bertelsmann Stiftung (ed.): Winning Strategies for a Sustainable Future. Reinhard Mohn Prize 2013. Verlag Bertelsmann Stiftung, Gütersloh. pp. 55–80. ISBN 978-3-86793-491-6.
  • Powdyel, T.S. "Gross National Happiness, A Tribute," Gross National Happiness, Kinga, Sonam, et al. (eds) (1999), Thimphu: The Center for Bhutan Studies
  • Priesner, Stefan (2004), Indigeneity and Universality in Social Science: A South Asian Response, SAGE Publications, ISBN 0-7619-3215-1
  • Schroeder, Kent (2018), Politics of Gross National Happiness: Governance and Development in Bhutan, Cham (Switzerland): Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 978-3-319-65387-7
  • Thinley, L. (October 1998). Values and Development: "Gross National Happiness." Speech presented at the Millennium Meeting for Asia and the Pacific, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
  • Tideman, Sander G. (2016), Gross National Happiness: Lessons for Sustainability Leadership, South Asian Journal of Global Business Research, Vol. 5 Iss 2 pp. 190 – 213

External links edit

 
Wikiquote has quotations related to Gross National Happiness.
  • International Institute of Management – US based GHN research, GNH policy white paper
  • Bhutan 2008
  • World Happiness Report
  • Nadia Mustafa, , Time, 10 January 2005
  • Rajni Bakshi, "Gross National Happiness" 25 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Resurgence, 25 January 2005
  • Bhutan, Gross National Happiness and Sustainable Development – YouTube (12:31)
  • Gross National Happiness USA United States-based non-profit using GNH framing to spark dialogue and inform public policy.

January 01, 1970
gross, national, happiness, dzongkha, ངས, དགའ, དཔལ, འཛ, མས, sometimes, called, gross, domestic, happiness, philosophy, that, guides, government, bhutan, includes, index, which, used, measure, collective, happiness, well, being, population, index, instituted, g. Gross National Happiness GNH Dzongkha ར ལ ཡ ངས དགའ ས ད དཔལ འཛ མས sometimes called Gross Domestic Happiness GDH is a philosophy that guides the government of Bhutan It includes an index which is used to measure the collective happiness and well being of a population Gross National Happiness Index is instituted as the goal of the government of Bhutan in the Constitution of Bhutan enacted on 18 July 2008 1 Four pillars of Gross National Happiness GNH in BhutanContents 1 History 2 Definition 3 Bhutanese GNH index 3 1 Implementation in Bhutan 3 2 Dissemination 3 3 Criticism 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Footnotes 5 2 References 6 External linksHistory editThe advent and concept of Gross National Happiness GNH germinated in the mind of Bodhisattva Druk Gyelpo the 4th King of Bhutan Jigme Singye Wangchuk groomed with the evolution of Gaki Phuensum Peace and Prosperity and the modernization period of Bhutan during the reign of Druk Gyelpo the 3rd King of Bhutan Jigme Dorji Wangchuk The term Gross National Happiness as conceptualized by the 4th King of Bhutan Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 1972 was declared as more important than Gross Domestic Product 2 3 The concept implies that sustainable development should take a holistic approach towards notions of progress and give equal importance to non economic aspects of wellbeing 4 In 2011 The UN General Assembly passed resolution 65 309 Happiness towards a holistic approach to development urging member nations to follow the example of Bhutan and measure happiness and well being and calling happiness a fundamental human goal 5 In 2012 Bhutan s Prime Minister Jigme Thinley and the Secretary General Ban Ki moon of the United Nations convened the High Level Meeting Well being and Happiness Defining a New Economic Paradigm to encourage the spread of Bhutan s GNH philosophy 6 At the meeting the first World Happiness Report was issued Shortly afterward 20 March was declared to be International Day of Happiness by the UN in 2012 with resolution 66 28 7 Bhutan s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay proclaimed a preference for focusing on more concrete goals instead of promoting GNH when he took office 8 but subsequently has protected the GNH of his country and promoted the concept internationally 9 Other Bhutanese officials also promote the spread of GNH at the UN and internationally 10 11 Definition editGNH is distinguishable from Gross Domestic Product by valuing collective happiness as the goal of governance by emphasizing harmony with nature and traditional values as expressed in the 9 domains of happiness and 4 pillars of GNH 12 According to the Bhutanese government the four pillars of GNH are 13 sustainable and equitable socio economic development environmental conservation preservation and promotion of culture and good governance The nine domains of GNH are psychological well being health time use education cultural diversity and resilience good governance community vitality ecological diversity and resilience and living standards 14 15 16 Each domain is composed of subjective survey based and objective indicators The domains weigh equally but the indicators within each domain differ by weight 17 Bhutanese GNH index editSeveral scholars have noted that the values underlying the individual pillars of GNH are defined as distinctly Buddhist and GNH constructs Buddhism as the core of the cultural values of the country of Bhutan They provide the foundation upon which the GNH rests 18 GNH is thus seen as part of the Buddhist Middle Way where happiness is accrued from a balanced act rather than from an extreme approach 19 Implementation in Bhutan edit The body charged with implementing GNH in Bhutan is the Gross National Happiness Commission 20 The GNH Commission is composed of the Prime Minister as the Chairperson Secretaries of each of the ministries of the government and the Secretary of the GNH Commission 21 The GNH Commission s tasks include conceiving and also implementing the nation s 5 year plan and promulgating policies The GNH Index is used to measure the happiness and well being of Bhutan s population A GNH Policy Screening Tool 22 and a GNH Project Screening Tool is used by the GNH commission to determine whether to pass policies or implement projects 23 The GNH Screening tools are used by the Bhutanese GNH Commission for anticipating the impact of policy initiatives upon the levels of GNH in Bhutan 24 In 2008 the first Bhutanese GNH survey was conducted 25 26 It was followed by a second one in 2010 27 The third nationwide survey was conducted in 2015 28 The GNH survey covers all twenty districts Dzonkhag and results are reported for varying demographic factors such as gender age abode and occupation The first GNH surveys consisted of long questionnaires that polled the citizens about living conditions and religious behavior including questions about the times a person prayed in a day and other karma indicators It took several hours to complete one questionnaire Later rounds of the GNH Index were shortened but the survey retained the religious behavioral indicators 29 The Bhutan GNH Index was developed by the Centre for Bhutan Studies with the help of Oxford University researchers to help measure the progress of Bhutanese society The Index s function was based on the Alkire amp Foster method of 2011 29 30 After the creation of the GNH Index the government used the metric to measure national progress and inform policy 31 32 The Bhutan GNH Index is considered to measure societal progress similarly to other models such as the OECD Better Life Index of 2011 and SPI Social Progress Index of 2013 One feature distinguishing Bhutan s GNH Index from the other models is that the other models are designed for secular governments and do not include religious behavior measurement components The data is used to compare happiness among different groups of citizens 30 and changes over time 33 According to the World Happiness Report 2019 Bhutan is 95th out of 156 countries 34 The holistic consideration of multiple factors through the GNH approach has been cited as impacting Bhutan s response to the COVID 19 pandemic 35 Dissemination edit In Victoria British Columbia Canada a shortened version of Bhutan s GNH survey was used by the local government local foundations and governmental agencies under the leadership of Martha and Michael Pennock to assess the population of Victoria 36 37 In the state of Sao Paulo Brazil Susan Andrews 38 through her organization Future Vision Ecological Park used a version of Bhutan s GNH at a community level in some cities 39 In Seattle Washington United States a version of the GNH Index was used by the Seattle City Council and Sustainable Seattle to assess the happiness and well being of the Seattle Area population 40 41 42 Other cities and areas in North America including Eau Claire Wisconsin Creston British Columbia and the U S state of Vermont also used a version of the GNH Index 43 The state of Vermont s Governor declared April 13 President Jefferson s birthday Pursuit of Happiness Day and became the first state to pass legislation enabling development of alternative indicators and to assist in making policy The University of Vermont Center for Rural Studies Vermont perform a periodic study of well being in the state 44 At the University of Oregon United States a behavioral model of GNH based on the use of positive and negative words in social network status updates was developed by Adam Kramer 45 In 2016 Thailand launched its own GNH center 46 The former king of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej was a close friend of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck and conceived the similar philosophy of sufficiency economy In the Philippines the concept of GNH has been lauded by various personalities notably Philippine senator and UN Global Champion for Resilience Loren Legarda and former environment minister Gina Lopez Bills have been filed in the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives in support of Gross National Happiness in the Philippines Additionally Executive Director of Bhutan s GNH Center Dr Saamdu Chetri has been invited by high level officials in the Philippines for a GNH Forum 47 48 49 Many other cities and governments have undertaken efforts to measure happiness and well being also termed Beyond GDP 50 since the High Level Meeting in 2012 but have not used versions of Bhutan s GNH index Among these include the national governments of the United Kingdom s Office of National Statistics 51 and the United Arab Emirates 52 and cities including Somerville Massachusetts United States 53 and Bristol United Kingdom 54 Also a number of companies which are implementing sustainability practices in business that have been inspired by GNH 55 Criticism edit GNH has been described by critics as a propaganda tool used by the Bhutanese government to distract from ethnic cleansing and human rights abuses it has committed 56 57 The Bhutanese democratic government started from 2008 Before then the government practiced massive ethnic cleansing of the non Buddhist population of ethnic Nepalese of Hindu faith in the name of GNH cultural preservation 58 59 The NGO Human Rights Watch documented the events 60 According to Human Rights Watch Over 100 000 or 1 6 of the population of Bhutan of Nepalese origin and Hindu faith were expelled from the country because they would not integrate with Bhutan s Buddhist culture 61 The Refugee Council of Australia stated that it is extraordinary and shocking that a nation can get away with expelling one sixth of its people and somehow keep its international reputation largely intact The Government of Bhutan should be known not for Gross National Happiness but for Gross National Hypocrisy 62 Some researchers state that Bhutan s GNH philosophy has evolved over the last decade through the contribution of western and local scholars to a version that is more democratic and open Therefore probably the more accurate historical reference is to mention the coining of the GNH phrase as a key event but not the Bhutan GNH philosophy because the philosophy as understood by western scholars is different from the philosophy used by the King at the time 63 Other viewpoints are that GNH is a process of development and learning rather than an objective norm or absolute end point Bhutan aspires to enhance the happiness of its people and GNH serves as a measurement tool for realizing that aspiration 64 Other criticism focuses on the standard of living in Bhutan In an article written in 2004 in the Economist magazine The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is not in fact an idyll in a fairy tale It is home to perhaps 900 000 people most of whom live in grinding poverty 65 Other criticism of GNH cites increasing levels of political corruption the rapid spread of diseases and other woes such as AIDS and tuberculosis gang violence abuses against women and ethnic minorities shortages in food medicine and economic woes 66 67 See also editBroad measures of economic progress Development Challenges in Bhutan Economics Happiness economics Happy Planet Index Human Development Index Humanistic economics Life satisfaction Materialism Minister of State for Happiness Small Is Beautiful Utilitarianism World Values SurveyReferences editFootnotes edit The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan PDF National Council Royal Government of Bhutan Retrieved 1 April 2017 Revkin Andrew C 4 October 2005 A New Measure of Well BeingFrom a Happy Little Kingdom The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 30 June 2021 What Bhutan got right about happiness and what other countries can learn World Economic Forum 25 October 2021 Retrieved 13 August 2022 Bhutan s Gross National Happiness Index OPHI ophi org uk Happiness towards a holistic approach to development resolution adopted by the General Assembly Archived from the original on 17 October 2017 Bhutan 2012 Defining a New Economic Paradigm The Report of the High Level Meeting on Wellbeing and Happiness United Nations Retrieved 16 February 2018 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 28 June 2012 66 281 International Day of Happiness Harris Gardiner 4 October 2013 Index of Happiness Bhutan s New Leader Prefers More Concrete Goals The New York Times Tobgay Tshering 2016 This country isn t just carbon neutral it s carbon negative TED com TED Retrieved 17 February 2018 Pursuit of happiness is fundamental human goal Minister of Bhutan tells UN Assembly UN News 3 October 2015 Retrieved 17 February 2018 Schultz Kai 17 January 2017 In Bhutan Happiness Index as Gauge for Social Ills New York Times Retrieved 17 February 2018 Ura Karma Alkire Sabina Zangmo Tshoki Wangdi Karma May 2012 An Extensive Analysis of GNH Index PDF Thimphu Bhutan The Centre for Bhutan Studies Retrieved 1 April 2017 Tenth Five Year Plan 2008 2013 PDF Thimphu Bhutan Gross National Happiness Commission Royal Government of Bhutan Actual Date of Publishing 25 June 2009 Archived from the original PDF on 8 March 2014 Retrieved 1 April 2017 Ura Karma 2008 Understanding the Development Philosophy of Gross National Happiness Interview with Bhutan Broadcasting Service Welcome to the CBS s works on Gross National Happiness Gross National Happiness www grossnationalhappiness com Archived from the original on 8 May 2020 Retrieved 1 April 2017 Gross National Happiness represents the holistic potential of our mind and body Dasho Karma Ura India Today Ura Karma 2012 A Short Guide to the Gross National Happiness Index PDF The Centre for Bhutan Studies Kent Schroeder Politics of Gross National Happiness Governance and Development in Bhutan Cham Switzerland Palgrave Macmillan 2018 27 Chhewang Rinzin On the Middle Path The Social Basis for Sustainable Development in Bhutan Utrecht Copernicus Institute 2006 3 Gross National Happiness Commission Commission Members GNH SCREENING TOOL GNH Centre Bhutan GNH Tools Archived from the original on 1 November 2019 Retrieved 22 January 2018 Pennock M Ura K 2011 Gross national happiness as a framework for health impact assessment Environmental Impact Assessment Review 31 61 65 doi 10 1016 j eiar 2010 04 003 The Gross National Happiness Index of Bhutan Method and Illustrative Results PDF OECD org Alkire Sabina November 2008 Bhutan s Gross National Happiness Index methodology and results Oxford Poverty amp Human Development Initiative OPHI 2010 Survey Results Archived from the original on 2 October 2019 Retrieved 22 January 2018 A Compass Towards A Just and Harmonious Society 2015 GNH Survey Report PDF a b Short Guide to GNH Index PDF a b Bhutan s Gross National Happiness Index Oxford Poverty and Human Development Index Archived from the original on 24 April 2020 Retrieved 22 January 2018 Adler Alejandro 2009 Gross National Happiness in Bhutan A Living Example of an Alternative Approach to Progress Social Impact Research Experience 1 1 137 Musikanski Laura 2014 Happiness in Public Policy Walden University Journal of Social Change 6 55 85 A Compass Towards a Just and Harmoneous Society 2015 GNH Survey Report Thimphu Bhutan Centre for Bhutan Studies amp GNH Research 2016 ISBN 978 99936 14 86 9 Archived from the original on 26 July 2020 Retrieved 2 April 2017 Why happiness is easy to venerate hard to generate Tim Harford Financial Times 1 March 2019 Politzer Malia 22 July 2020 Q amp A Is gross national happiness the key to Bhutan escaping the pandemic Devex Retrieved 26 July 2020 The Happiness Index Partnership Victoria Foundation 12 January 2017 Chatterjee Rhitu 3 October 2011 Measuring Happiness in Victoria British Columbia pri org Susan Andrews SourceWatch The Center for Media and Democracy 5 May 2012 GNH s Pilot Project in Brazil YouTube Archived from the original on 12 December 2021 Musikanski Laura January 2013 The Happiness Initiative The Serious Business of Well Being Solutions Journal 4 34 39 Mastny Lisa 17 November 2011 Does Your Town Need A Happiness Index New Dream Jaffe Eric 25 November 2011 How Happy is Seattle Bloomberg com WikiProgress Knowledge Base Happiness Alliance WikiProgress org Archived from the original on 14 March 2019 Measuring Well being Vermont Leads the Way 22 November 2017 Kramer Adam 2010 An unobtrusive behavioral model of gross national happiness Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Chi 10 pp 287 290 doi 10 1145 1753326 1753369 ISBN 9781605589299 S2CID 207178394 Retrieved 1 April 2017 Thailand GNH Center Archived from the original on 2 February 2017 Canares Yamsuan Cathy 31 October 2016 How PH can have Gross National Happiness too inquirer net Gross National Happiness for PH FVR still needed Malacanang mb com ph Bhutan happiness guru speaks on Gross National Happiness theguidon com 23 October 2016 BRAINPOoL Final Report Beyond GDP From Measurement to Politics and Policy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 23 January 2018 Retrieved 22 January 2018 Measuring National Well being Office for National Statistics www ons gov uk Happy UAE Archived from the original on 25 April 2018 Retrieved 22 January 2018 Need search for Somerville Happiness Survey responses 2011 2013 2015 data somervillema gov Happiness Pulse Tideman Sander G 2016 Gross National Happiness Lessons for sustainability leadership South Asian Journal of Global Business Research 5 2 190 213 doi 10 1108 SAJGBR 12 2014 0096 Thapa Saurav Jung July 2011 Bhutan s Hoax of Gross National Happiness Wave Magazine Archived from the original on 13 July 2011 Arora Vishal 25 April 2014 Bhutan s Human Rights Record Defies Happiness Claim The Diplomat Bird Kai 7 March 2012 The Enigma of Bhutan The Nation Bhutan s Forgotten People Al Jazeera 30 May 2014 Bhutan Human Rights Watch Frelick Bill 1 February 2008 Bhutan s ethnic cleansing Human Rights Watch Refugee news media releases Refugee Council of Australia www refugeecouncil org au Correa Monica May 2017 The History of Gross National Happiness ResearchGate doi 10 13140 RG 2 2 18737 38243 Sander G Tideman 2016 Gross National Happiness Lessons for Sustainability Leadership South Asian Journal of Global Business Research Vol 5 Iss 2 pp 190 213 The pursuit of happiness The Economist 16 December 2004 Magazine Global South Development 21 July 2013 Gross National Happiness of Bhutan and its False Promises Gross National Happiness Happy in Bhutan Bhutan 2008 and Beyond 1 December 2008 References edit Adler Braun Alejandro Gross National Happiness in Bhutan A Living Example of an Alternative Approach to Progress 24 September 2009 Confucious Analects 13 16 The Analects Zi Lu Chinese Text Project Diener Ed and Robert Biswas Diener Happiness Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2008 290 pages ISBN 978 1 4051 4661 6 Eric Zencey GDP RIP New York Times 9 August 2009 Opinion G D P R I P Eric Ezechieli Beyond Sustainable Development Education for Gross National Happiness in Bhutan https web archive org web 20060906230028 http suse ice stanford edu monographs Ezechieli pdf Stanford University 2003 Kammann R 1984 The Analysis and Measurement of Happiness as a Sense of Well Being Social Indicators Research 15 2 91 115 doi 10 1007 bf00426282 S2CID 189879996 Layard Richard 2005 Happiness Lessons from a New Science Penguin Press ISBN 0 14 303701 3 Niestroy Ingeborg Garcia Schmidt Armando Esche Andreas 2013 Bhutan Paradigms Matter in Bertelsmann Stiftung ed Winning Strategies for a Sustainable Future Reinhard Mohn Prize 2013 Verlag Bertelsmann Stiftung Gutersloh pp 55 80 ISBN 978 3 86793 491 6 Powdyel T S Gross National Happiness A Tribute Gross National Happiness Kinga Sonam et al eds 1999 Thimphu The Center for Bhutan Studies Priesner Stefan 2004 Indigeneity and Universality in Social Science A South Asian Response SAGE Publications ISBN 0 7619 3215 1 Schroeder Kent 2018 Politics of Gross National Happiness Governance and Development in Bhutan Cham Switzerland Palgrave Macmillan ISBN 978 3 319 65387 7 Thinley L October 1998 Values and Development Gross National Happiness Speech presented at the Millennium Meeting for Asia and the Pacific Seoul Republic of Korea Tideman Sander G 2016 Gross National Happiness Lessons for Sustainability Leadership South Asian Journal of Global Business Research Vol 5 Iss 2 pp 190 213External links edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Gross National Happiness International Institute of Management US based GHN research GNH policy white paper Bhutan 2008 Paeans to the King World Happiness Report Nadia Mustafa What About Gross National Happiness Time 10 January 2005 Rajni Bakshi Gross National Happiness Archived 25 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine Resurgence 25 January 2005 Bhutan Gross National Happiness and Sustainable Development YouTube 12 31 Gross National Happiness USA United States based non profit using GNH framing to spark dialogue and inform public policy Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gross National Happiness amp oldid 1209058794, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, 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