‘Bhutan is the best example of implementing GNH’
The new World Happiness Report has presented Bhutan as the best example where the government has adopted objectives to maximise the Gross National Happiness (GNH) Index.
The World Happiness Report 2013 says, “This is a very broad measure with 124 different components. It’s very much an indicator of ‘colours and texture’ of people’s lives.”
The report published by ‘independent experts’ mentions “the GNH index acts as a measure of progress and by looking at those components that drag down overall GNH, it shows where policy changes are most needed. These changes can be implemented at the individual, community or country level.”
The report further says, “Many countries are following Bhutan’s lead. Under Bhutan’s leadership, there is now a connected international network supported by a series of international gnu conferences, to measure and build happiness in local organisations and communities in countries at all stages of economic development.”
The report criticised consumerism popularised by US-led capitalists. It is interesting to note the criticism of capitalism and commercialism by Jaffrey Sachs, a professor at Columbia University who helped communist countries in Europe to adopt capitalism.
“The ethos of hyper-commercialism has prevailed in the US for around a century. It remains the dominant US ethos today. Yet there are growing counter-currents, both religious and secular, that insist on social justice, redistribution, ecological sustainability, social capital and psychological detachment from consumerism.”
Hyper-commercialism has failed to lift average US happiness for more than half a century, even as per capital income has tripled.
The report is published by Sustainable Development Solution Network of UN. In the past, Sachs’ Earth Institute published such report.