Gross National Happiness is a developing philosophy as well as an ‘index’ which is used to measure the collective happiness in any specific nation.The concept was first mentioned in the constitution of Bhutan, which was enacted on 18 July 2008.
The term ‘Gross National Happiness’ was coined by the fourth king of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, in the 1970s. The GNH’s central tenets are: “Sustainable and equitable socio-economic development; environmental conservation; preservation and promotion of culture; and good governance”. GNH is distinguishable by valuing collective happiness as the goal of governance and by emphasising harmony with nature and traditional values.
