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Bhutan's Gross National Happiness:An Economic Reality or Wishful Thinking ?
Downside of GNH Measure
Some have argued that happiness is a fleeting state of mind and is hugely influenced by mood swings of the individual and disposition of the neighbours. It is also subject to hedonistic treadmill – wearing off as it does with time. To some others, happiness itself is illusory. For instance, in a very pitiable condition of starvation, one may feel very happy for merely two loaves of bread. Prof. Amartya Sen argues that even though people living a life of great misfortune with little hope and opportunities may get more happiness over small gains, this should not be interpreted as significant improvement in their well-being. Their happiness does not actually reveal the true picture of their deprivation because of their “hopelessly deprived lack of the courage to desire much”.24 Another downside of the GNH concept is the problem in measuring happiness of such people as sadists or psychopaths. There is also the probability of disguise reporting by individuals to manipulate state policy pertaining to happiness.
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Responses may be different to same questions on happiness if phrasing and placement of questions vary. “In some cultures, people may not like to express their feelings but in others they may like it.”25 Translation of happiness surveys into policy recommendations at times yields anomalous results. For example, at times of higher unemployment rates, the unemployed are happier than before because of reduced stigma of being unemployed. But raising unemployment rates as a state policy would certainly be an egregious blunder.26 Harvard's social psychologist Daniel Gilbert has dived into another intriguing aspect of happiness. He says that people's forecast of happiness and unhappiness overrates what they eventually come to experience. For instance, the individuals getting paraplegic do not feel as unhappy as they had apprehended; nor do the persons winning lotteries feel as happy as they had expected.27 Some experts such as Venezuelan economist Frank Bracho persist with the age-old objection that the very “act of trying to quantify happiness could threaten it.”28 |
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In Bhutan, the very Buddhist psyche of the people make them appreciate what they have and be contented with that. They love simplicity and tend to shun the complexity of consumerism because they have been conditioned accordingly for generations by their religion, culture and respect for the natural world. Around 95% of the Bhutanese youth studying abroad come back to settle at home. Tshiteem, in tune with the national mood, favours the existing agrarian Bhutan over its urbanisation and disfavours outsourcing that will require Bhutanese youth to “stay up all night” and “sleep all day”.29 Thus, Bhutan's attempt to go for the measurement of happiness has sprung up not only from the evidences against income-happiness correlation but also from Bhutan's unique socio-cultural impulses that impart primacy to contentment. Since happiness is an inner experience, one can experience perfect contentment by developing and training the mind. Critics, however, argue that the concept of GNH has organically evolved from the constituent features of the Bhutanese society. It is the translation of existing socio-cultural-religious values into development priorities. GNH may gel well with the mental makeup of a long-insulated tiny nation anchored in unalloyed Buddhist philosophy; but for a large country having a huge population with diversified outlooks, attitudes and cultures, the Bhutanese concept can hardly serve as a template for emulation.
24] “Economic Judgements and Moral Philosophy”, op.cit., pages 45–46
25] Excerpted from an exclusive internet interview with Prof. Guven C. on June 23rd 2008. For full interview please see Teaching
Note.
26] Graham C., “The Economics of Happiness”, Prosperity Index: An Introduction, 1st Edition (Ed.) (ISBN: 81-314-1382-9),
The Icfai University Press, Hyderabad, 2008, page 85
27] Dreifus Claudia, “A Conversation with Daniel Gilbert”, http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/23/healthscience/22conv.php
28] “A New Measure of Well-Being from a Happy Little Kingdom”, op.cit.
29] “As Tiny Nation Tallies Up Votes, Bhutan Also Counts Its Blessings”, op.cit.
