Written by Laurence Brahm - Published by Hongkong Culture on 01/01/2008

“Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product.”
His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, Former King of Bhutan

Between 22 and 28 November 2007 an eclectic gathering of Asian Politicians, Buddhist, Hindu and Taoist leaders, NGO activists, and scholars challenged values of the mainstream economic order in Bangkok by advocating an new economic paradigm―Gross National Happiness.

The concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) defies traditional GDP growth as formula for measuring economic success. It shatters assumptions that more wealth and consumer-driven marketing cycles create better social development. Rather it challenged these notions and pointed out that more wealth of simply blind greed-based “invisible hand” economics shatters traditional society and culture, in turn creating more social disorder, unhappiness and political instability.

Keynote speaker at the conference was Lyonpo Jigmi Y Thinley the former prime minister of Bhutan who has been credited as the key instrumental voice in promoting GNH. He introduced to those attending how Bhutan―”Land of the Thunder Dragon” ―evolved the concept of GNH.

“The concept of GNH emerged with the 4th King of Bhutan His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck who took over the stewardship of king in 1962,” explained Lyonpo Jigmi Y Thinley. “The young visionary understood the people and was willing to break with convention. He sought a new paradigm of development. He was more interested in the end rather than the means. He began talking about the concept of GNH so by the time of his coronation it was natural and obvious. But it came to public view in 1986 when receiving an interview from the Financial Times of London.” That was when the 4th King made his famous statement: “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product."

From this point on GNH began turning upside down assumptions of conventional economists, at least drawing sharp questions, calling for a new benchmark measuring national success rather than conventional GNP.

“Everyone in government has taken it up and it is a slogan,” observes Dr. Karma Phuntsho, with the Loden Foundation, a lecturer on Bhutanese history, religion, philosophy and socio-anthropology at Cambrige. He sees “It helps the government balance between tradition and modernity. It encapsulates the middle path. It is a conceptual guiding principle. You can keep in sight of what you want.”

Nevertheless, Bhutan faces many practical problems. The “Land of the Thunder Dragon” is landlocked, isolated. There some 30% of the population remains below the poverty line. “So people are lacking much in material comfort. Whether we have GNP the priority is material educational and medical,” explains Dr. Karma Phuntsho. “We need roads, electricity, outside exposure. And this is part need for grass roots development as well as internal spiritual development.”

According to Bhutanese scholars and political leaders there are four recognized pillars of GNH: 1) economic development; 2) environmental preservation; 3) cultural preservation; 4) good governance. While such concepts should already be recognized as universal values, there are still some critics. Mainstream western economists argue happiness is subjective, so you cannot measure it.

In response to such arguments, the Centre for Bhutan Studies is now developing an index for GNH, by gathering beliefs in what constitutes happiness from all parts of the world. But Bhutanese scholars note “while happiness indicators may be similar, they may not fit into our own culture context.”

So far nine indicators of GNH have been developed by the Bhutan Studies Center:

1. psychological well being
2. time use ― amount of time devoted to work/leisure/religion
3. health
4. education
5. cultural aspects ― diversity and resilience
6. governance
7. community vitality
8. ecological diversity and resilience
9. economic living standard

In 2005 the Bhutan Studies Center developed these indicators of GNH―also known as BDI Bhutan Development Index. One year later in 2006 it undertook field survey of nine districts but it only covered 350 respondents. Another new survey will be conducted on GNH nation-wide in December. “Whatever test we run, it does not come up to our expectations.” Explained Thsheing Phuntsho, researcher, there are nineteen different dialects in Bhutan.

There is a danger that by trying to define and measure GNH that it will become empirical and then open to arguments from more mainstream western economic institutions that will undermine its very ephemeral nature which intends to raise spirituality rather than just materialism, offering a new, alternative and separate paradigm to traditional measurements of economic and in turn national success.

“We need to redefine wealth,” explains Lyonpo Jigmi Y. Thinley.
“Is it a goal, a target of competition to continue to pursue wealth? What really constitutes wealth, material accumulation? Or is it greater spirituality within the concept of what is a sustainable material development?”

Developing an index for GNH seems less important to many at the core of this concept.
“To talk about GNH you must look from defferent contexts,” explains Lungtaen Gyatso, director of the Institute of language and Culture Studies, Royal University of Bhutan, himself a practicing monk. “You cannot say what is agreed in Bhtan cannot be accept in the US. While talking about GNH in a Bhutanese context in culture for Bhutanese we must understand geographic location, a tiny kingdom between China and India, and our survival between giants is a great thing. Bhutan survived and this is a miracle for us and we opened our modernization in the 60s. ”

“Globalisation is moving toward mono-culture,” explains Lungtaen Gyatso. “We want to stick to what we are and when we talk about GNH we talk about or values. Preservation of culture is important to Bhutanese.” As for the future of GNH as concept,” he adds, “this is just the beginning and Buddhism says there is no end to anything.”

One keynote speaker, Sulak Sivaraksa, is President of Sathinkoses Nagapradipa Foundation. Born in 1933 he is a living political and social institution in Thailand, having personally fought for justice, peace, democracy, and sustainable livelihoods over a seventy year period. Sulak Sivaraksa is known foremost as an activist, as well as teacher, scholar, NGO founder, and author of more than a hundred books and monographs. More than anything, he is a philosopher at heart. Unsurprisingly, he was one of the most outspoken activist celebrities at the conference, challenging the very values of globalization. “Our values are fixed by globalization, which means they are fixed by American multinational corporations and this is Americanisation”

“Can the emerging concept of a Himalayan Consensus offer that Asian challenge to the Washington Consensus?” I asked him.
“What do you think?”

“The idea is tremendous, bring together ideals from Ladak, Bhutan, Tibet. This is the roof of the World to look at, Imitate and in turn try to change,” Sulak Sivaraksa jumped at the idea. “We are talking about an Asian challenge to west. Tibetans challenge the west with compassion, inner peace and outer peace Asians are starting to follow western models of violence. Don’t say Asian cultural integrity is only positive. It is positive and negative, But the Buddhist way is not to criticize the negative. The Himalayas are not perfect. But still they are more perfect than other places.”

Laurence Brahm is a global activist, international mediator, political columnist and author. He is the leading advocate of a fresh development paradigm - The Himalayan Consensus - an innovative approach to development.

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