don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

Is GNP the truest measure of a nation's wealth? Or, might other measures have a place in such accounting, such as the happiness of the people? In a small Asian country many Americans never heard of, GNP is supplemented by GNH -- Gross National Happiness. This orientation places individual welfare, not the aggregate of all goods and services, as the measure of progress. With Gross National Happiness, the material, emotional and psychological -- even existential needs are all considered, promoted and assessed.

A variant on Gross National Product (GNP), GNH is the byword, the theme and the goal of Bhutan, an Asian Kingdom between India and China about the size of Switzerland with a population of slightly less than 700,000. The phrase "Gross National Happiness" is used in Bhutan as were political themes in the US. Do you remember, "The New Deal," "The New Frontier" and "The Great Society?" These were the slogans of the Roosevelt, Kennedy and Johnson Administrations, respectively. However, the Bhutanese seem quite serious about their theme, which is founded on the belief that human happiness is a composite of both material and non-material needs of people -- and that governmental policies can address both sets of needs. In remarks to the UN General Assembly last September, the foreign minister of Bhutan described GNH:

We believe that it is the responsibility of the government to create an enabling environment within which every citizen would have a reasonable opportunity to find happiness. The road to happiness has four lanes: sustainable socio-economic development, conservation of the fragile Himalayan ecology, promotion of basic human values and culture as well as the strengthening of good governance.

This sounds pretty good to me. I think I will adapt the Bhutanese concept of GNH and make it part of my campaign and vision for the City of Tampa, Florida, USA. What do you think of that?

There seems to be a great need for a concept like GNH. After all, there are many parts to development and progress besides those calculated in the GNP, the standard measure of economic growth. Unlike GNP, GNH seeks to maximize happiness as much as material prosperity. Economic growth in Bhutan is viewed as a prerequisite for self-reliance and higher standards of living, as well as enlarged opportunities and better choices. Whereas GNP in our society and other countries focuses on financial progress and growth (the value of a the currency, inflation, imports and exports, the frequency of housing starts, company deficits) and negative factors (unemployment rate, spending on cigarettes, spending on disasters), this is not the case with GNH. The orientation of GNH is to place individual welfare, not the aggregate of all goods and services, as the measure of progress. With GNH, the material, emotional, psychological and even existential needs are all considered, promoted and assessed. I really like this idea!

Bhutan is a country at peace. It has great natural beauty. The current king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, refers to his country as "a paradise on earth." In many ways, particularly in a physical sense, few would argue with such an assessment. Bhutan has snow-capped mountains, including the highest unclimbed peak in the world (Gangkhar Puensum at 22,623 feet.) Climbing is forbidden in order "not to disturb the spirits." Bhutan has 165 species of mammals, including the rare snow leopard, the golden langur and the takin. A law requires that 60 percent of Bhutan's land remain forested, even though another 26 percent is already given to parkland. Health status is high, perhaps because the government spends 18 percent of its national budget on education and health care. The push for a better GNH includes programs to reduce dependence, manage an increasingly complex process of development, encourage environmental sustainability, protect the biological diversity of the natural environment and enlarge opportunities for people at all levels to participate more fully and effectively in decisions that affect them. Development choices must be made in ways that safeguard the interests of present and future generations.

The GNH was not started by Bhutan overnight or in the last few months. On the contrary, it was born in the late 1980s with the first of a series of Five-Year Plans. Elements of happiness are specified in the current Five-Year Plan under a broad category of human development. Explicit goals of GNH include overcoming delusions arising from ignorance, aggression and the desire for consumption and acquisition. These are local issues right here in Tampa! Delusions arising from ignorance, aggression and the desire for consumption and acquisition are big problems everywhere. In Bhutan, the government has identified accountability, transparency and efficiency as pillars of good governance. In fact, based on my experience to date as a candidate for mayor, we could do well to incorporate all these GNH concepts in Tampa!

The focus on happiness in Bhutan comes at a price, and I don't mean economic. I'll tell you about that tomorrow. Meanwhile, enjoy and look on the bright side of life.

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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