Gross National Happiness

His government works to base its policies on gross national happiness rather than purely economic considerations.

Gross national happiness includes criteria like equity, good government and harmony with nature.

He was perhaps best known internationally for his overarching development philosophy of "gross national happiness."

An alternative measurement of that has been suggested is that of Gross national happiness.

The former King of Bhutan coined the phrase "gross national happiness", but how do we measure it?

Is Gross National Happiness a reliable economic indicator?

The Kingdom of Bhutan has pursued the goal of "gross national happiness" since 1972.

"The objectives are to ensure national security, national sovereignty, well-being and prosperity, which will lead to gross national happiness also," the prime minister said.

Among the development goals set by the king was the ideal of economic self-reliance and what he nicknamed 'gross national happiness' (GNH).

The UK began to measure national wellbeing in 2012, following Bhutan which already measured gross national happiness.

This set of indicators would be used to assess progress towards gross national happiness, which they have already identified as being the nation's priority, above GDP.

As a component of Gross National Happiness, affordable and accessible health care is central to the public policy of Bhutan.

He continues: "It would be a simple error to infer that 'gross national happiness' would be damaged were the culture to become less conservative or religious.

Gross national happiness (GNH)

Proponents of replacement of the Gross domestic product with Gross national happiness as the predominant measure of a nation's success often cite positive psychology research.

"Integral development: Taking the middle path towards Gross National Happiness", in Journal of Bhutan Studies Vol 6.

Thinley blamed the global economic crisis of 2008-2009 on "insatiable human greed" and stressed the need to instead focus on the Bhutanese notion of gross national happiness.

The seventh point of difference is that Western economics gives importance to gross national product whereas Buddhist economics gives importance to gross national happiness.

Gross national happiness (GNH) is a concept introduced by the King of Bhutan in 1972 as an alternative to the Gross domestic product.

"Producing differently" - a new model of development and economic growth which respects the environment and individuals, redefining industrial priorities, new rights for employees, creating a Gross national happiness indicator.

Opportunity breeds happiness, Brooks writes, and "efforts to diminish economic inequality--without creating economic opportunity--will actually lower America's gross national happiness, not raise it."

Gross national happiness (GNH) - GNH measures quality of life or social progress in more holistic and psychological terms than GDP.

How the strange lures of modernity will affect the gross national happiness, the unusual yardstick the king invented to measure his nation's progress, is a matter of uncertainty and wonder in this country.

Shifting focus from current metrics of success such as GDP to new ones such as GNH (Gross national happiness), the Happy Planet Index,and/or other well-being indices.

To talk about gross national happiness may sound purely pie in the sky, partly because we have been taught to believe that happiness is essentially a personal emotion, not an attribute of a community or a country.