No, it isn't the Will Smith movie. It is about Bhutan, a Himalayan country which has never been colonized by the West or captured by its neighbor in its entire history. It is the only country that puts 'happiness' into the heart of government policy.

In 1970s, their former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck coined a term 'Gross National Happiness' (GNH), to have a holistic approach in judging Bhutan's growth, instead of 'Gross National Product' (GNP). The factor of well-being is ignored when GNP is calculated. For the very same reason, GNH became an indication of the commitment of the former King to build an economy that was based on Bhutan's culture and Buddhist values. It is common knowledge in Buddhism that every creation requires destruction. "New thoughts and ideas emerge from chaos and devastation," Bhutan Prime Minister Jigme Thinley said. "If Gross National Happiness (is to) be the new order, the old (order) certainly seems to be giving way."

Some human rights agencies are not too happy with some of the decisions that Government of Bhutan is taking. In an article in the UK based magazine Developments, Ms Renata Lok Dessallien, the Resident Co-ordinator for UN agencies in Bhutan argues, "When a sick man receives medication and health care, the GDP increases whether the man recovers or not. But GNH is not only interesting because of its combination of the quantitative and the qualitative, it also conjures up deep philosophical questions on the essence of happiness. And it allows for a relative definition of happiness, according to each person's perspective."

There is a misconception that, by taking the approach of well-being, development will take a back seat. The concept of GNH believes that development of a society takes place when both material and spiritual growth happen simultaneously and support each other. This has led Bhutan to take very different decisions from countries simply searching for wealth. Many experts believe that such an approach works in Bhutan because it is a remote kingdom and partly because it was an absolute monarchy until 2008.

The governement has derived guiding principles to development in Bhutan. These principles, termed as 'The Four Pillars', are
1. Sustainable and equitable socio-economic development
2. Conservation of environment
3. Preservation of culture
4. Good governance

In implementing these principles, the government has take some drastic steps. There is the pressure of globalization on Bhutan. Only in 1999, Bhutan introduced television and the internet. The government has control over media. Such an approach towards media has not been popular anywhere else in the world. In 2005, the Bhutanese government was criticized by human rights observers for blocking the broadcast of some Indian television channels, which were deemed a "bad social and cultural influence".

The results have begun to show. "The real appeal of Bhutan is that we feel human," says Tshewang Dendup, a graduate of the documentary film program at the University of California, Berkeley, who now works at the Bhutan Broadcasting Service. "Maybe we are somewhat isolated from the world, but we feel part of a living community that is not just connected by wires. That's why 95 percent of us exchange students return home. By and large, you would have to say people are happy here." Based on satisfactory results, GNH guidelines are being adopted in Brazil, India and Haiti.

The most extensive programs are occurring in Canada, Australia and the United States. The most significant GNH project, however, appears to be in France. The Quality of Life Commission, initiated by President Nicolas Sarkozy, with help from such notable economists as Nobel prize winners Joseph Stiglitz and Armatya Sen, is expected to launch its findings next year.

If one heard speeches of President Barack Obama, you could get a feeling that he is swinging toward GNH. He used the same vocabulary. He wants to work on healthcare, education and environment. The GNH also talks about the same things.

If anyone wants to find happiness, maybe Bhutan is the place in this world because no other country has valued happiness than this tiny Himalayan kingdom. To this end, the Bhutanese have forsaken millions of dollars in revenue from timber sales and mass tourism. Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

By Sanjay Basavaraju