Gross National Happiness

Measuring progress by wellbeing, not just wealth

Gross National Happiness, or GNH, is Bhutan’s guiding idea: that a country’s progress should be measured by the wellbeing of its people and its environment, not by economic output alone. It shapes how Bhutan plans, governs and develops.

Where the idea came from

The Fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, is credited with the phrase. In the 1970s he is reported to have said that Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product. The idea drew on older Bhutanese thinking: a legal code from 1729 states that if a government cannot create happiness for its people, there is no purpose for it to exist. Today Article 9 of the 2008 constitution states that the State shall strive to promote those conditions that will enable the pursuit of Gross National Happiness.

The four pillars

Good governance Fair, transparent and accountable institutions that serve the people
Sustainable and equitable development Economic progress that is fairly shared and does not borrow from the future
Preservation of culture Protecting language, arts, faith and traditions as a living source of identity
Environmental conservation Keeping forests, rivers and wildlife healthy for future generations

The nine domains

To make GNH measurable, the Centre for Bhutan Studies and GNH Research developed an index built on nine domains: psychological wellbeing, health, education, time use, cultural diversity and resilience, good governance, community vitality, ecological diversity and resilience, and living standards. National GNH surveys have been carried out several times since 2008, most recently in 2022.

GNH in practice

For many years new government policies were screened against GNH principles before approval, a role once held by the GNH Commission and now shared among government agencies after the 2022 civil-service reforms. The influence shows in Bhutan’s constitutional forest cover, free healthcare and education, careful tourism policy, cultural protection and strong environmental laws. In 2011 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution introduced by Bhutan inviting countries to consider happiness and wellbeing in development, and the International Day of Happiness, 20 March, followed.

An honest picture

GNH does not mean every Bhutanese is happy. The country faces real challenges, including youth unemployment, emigration and rising living costs. What GNH offers is a lens that asks whether development is making life better in ways that last. Many travellers find that lens is part of what makes a visit to Bhutan feel different.

Explore the ventures inspired by GNH on Our Ventures.