Gross National Happiness

Gross National Happiness is a development philosophy associated with Bhutan, usually traced to the fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who in the 1970s declared it more important than gross national product. It holds that policy should balance economic growth with cultural preservation, environmental conservation and good governance. Bhutan's 2008 constitution enshrines it, and the country measures it through a regular national index.