A new constitution in the remote Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan requires that all government programs – from agriculture to transportation to foreign trade – be judged not by economic benefits but by the happiness they produce. The government has created a Gross National Happiness (G.N.H.) index, which names four pillars of a happy society: economy, culture, the environment and good governance. It then breaks these down into nine domains: psychological well being, ecology, health, education, living stardards, time use, community vitality and good governance. Mathematical formulas have been devised to track and measure happiness. Prime Minister Jigme Thiney sees this approach as a response to “greed, insatiable human greed” that is the root of today’s worldwide economic crisis. Imagine if this idea catches on in other countries. Unlikely, but wonderful to imagine.
How do you define happiness?
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