“Gross National Happiness (GNH) is more important than Gross Domestic Product.”
– Jigme Singye Wangchuck, “K4” – 4th King of Bhutan (from 1972 to 2006)
With this statement in 1972, the young King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, only 17 at the time, laid the foundation for a radically new vision of development.
Nestled between India and China, Bhutan is a small Himalayan kingdom — roughly the size of Switzerland — that has never been colonised and remains deeply rooted in Buddhist values.
Bhutan is no utopia and faces many of the same modern challenges as other countries. But it dared to ask a fundamental question: What if the ultimate goal of progress was the happiness of its people?
A Philosophy in Motion
As early as 1975, GNH (Gross National Happiness) was officially declared the development philosophy of Bhutan.
This holistic concept seeks to balance economic growth, personal well-being, environmental sustainability and social cohesion. Its roots go back to Bhutan’s Legal Code of 1629, which stated:
“If the Government cannot create happiness for its people, then there is no purpose for the Government to exist.”
From Principles to Practical Tools
By the early 2000s, as GNH began gaining international attention, Bhutan started developing tools to make the concept measurable and applicable:
In 2008, it introduced a GNH policy screening tool and a GNH Index to regularly assess the population’s well-being.
That same year, Bhutan adopted its first written Constitution, enshrining the GNH philosophy as a state objective.
GNH Goes Global
Under Prime Minister Jigme Yoser Thinley (2008 – 2013), Bhutan brought GNH to the global stage:
In 2011, the United Nations adopted a resolution introduced by Bhutan promoting a holistic approach to development.
In 2012, Bhutan hosted a High-Level Meeting at the UN Headquarters titled “Happiness and Well-being: Defining a New Economic Paradigm.”
Back to Local Roots
Under PM Tshering Tobgay (2013 – 2018), GNH refocused on Bhutan itself:
The government developed a Business GNH tool, aligning economic activity with national values.
In 2018, the first GNH certification for businesses was introduced, helping companies improve their social impact.
A Compass for the Future
“GNH is an aspiration, a set of guiding principles through which we are navigating our path towards a sustainable and equitable society. It is our North Star.”
– Thakur Singh Powdyel, Bhutan’s former Minister of Education
What if collective happiness was a political choice — not a utopia?
What would our society look like if well-being were placed at the very heart of our priorities?
