Bhutan GNH Index
Bhutan's GNH Index was developed in 2010 by Centre for Bhutan Studies and GNH Research. The index takes into consideration the country's specific Buddhist cultural and spiritual values when developing and measuring the impact of socioeconomic development policies. The Index was created as an implementation and measurement framework for the Gross National Happiness philosophy that was introduced by the former King of Bhutan Jigme Dorji Wangchuck in 1972.
Bhutan's GNH Index should not be confused with the GNH Index also known as the GNW Index or Gross National Well-being Index. While both frameworks were inspired by the former King Gross National Happiness Philosophy, The GNH Index is a global secular generic development measurement framework that was proposed in 2005 by a US based think tank, the International Institute of Management, while Bhutan's GNH Index was developed in 2010 by the Centre for Bhutan Studies and GNH Research as a local development measurement index, specific to the country's Buddhist cultural and spiritual values.[1] The Bhutan GNH Index include indicators for Karma and Prayers citations, while GNW / GNH Index has no spiritual indicators
The original four pillars of GNH philosophy are the promotion of
- sustainable development
- preservation and promotion of cultural values
- conservation of the natural environment, and
- establishment of good governance.
In 2010, the Centre further defined the original four pillars with greater specificity into eight general contributors:
- happiness—physical
- mental and spiritual health
- time-balance
- social and community vitality
- cultural vitality
- education
- living standards
- good governance
- ecological vitality
The above 9 areas were divided into 33 indicators.[2]
See also
- Gross National Happiness
- Gross National Well-being
- Happiness economics
- Social Progress Index
- World Happiness Report