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Bhutan's concept of gross national happiness
The year 2014 has just come to an end
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he year 2014 has just come to an end. During that year, Indonesia saw a smooth transfer of power from Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to the reform-minded President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo. The 'political year' has seized much of our attention owing to the highly competitive presidential election between two camps. Now with the end of the 'political year', what should we focus on in the years to come?
One interesting concept that has been offered by Jokowi is that of a 'mental revolution', meaning that institutional reform itself is not sufficient without any significant change in the people who run the system. Thus, according to him, the history of Indonesia after achieving independence is marred by mismanagement that leads to catastrophes.
With the president now aiming for 7 percent annual economic growth, how can he be guided to ensure that the agenda of human development can go hand-in-hand with the pursuit of significant economic growth?
This is where the idea of gross national happiness (GNH) comes in. The concept itself is not new as it is first coined by the king of a tiny Himalayan kingdom, Bhutan, in the 1970s. GNH has since been a topic for discussion as to how we view 'growth', which most of the time has been discussed in relation to unlimited economic growth in the physical-material aspects of the matter, as stated by a prominent economist EF Schumacher.
The measurement of Bhutan's GNH, therefore, is more concerned with the non-material aspects or in other words, the wellbeing of the people. Gross national product (GNP) of a particular country might be high, but Schumacher mentioned that it was measured by statisticians, not by actual people who find themselves oppressed by increasing frustration, alienation, insecurity and so on.
Thus, the aim of GNH is not merely the pursuit of economic growth, but it must also be parallel with the growth of the wellbeing of those who are affected by whatever policies are pursued by the government.
In the case of Bhutan, there are nine domains of GNH, living standards, health, education, time use, good governance, ecological diversity and resilience, psychological wellbeing, community vitality, and lastly, culture diversity and resilience.
All domains must be taken into consideration holistically in order to formulate policies. GNH can also be referred to as a 'happiness index' or 'wellbeing index'.
In this regard, I argue that it is time to place the improvement of wellbeing at the heart of policymaking in Indonesia. Three factors should be reflected upon to support this argument.
First of all, improving the wellbeing of humans has already been a global trend that Indonesia should not fail to take into consideration.
There is even a UN resolution on happiness, which stated that gross domestic product (GDP) alone is not an adequate measure of human prosperity.
Cities in America, Canada and Great Britain have joined forces to use the 'happiness index' to help policymakers formulate smarter policies. One prominent example is the city of Santa Monica in the US which won a US$1 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to make a success of a happiness index project.
In Indonesia, the Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil, has begun efforts to increase the level of happiness among the people of Bandung. He used exactly the term Happiness Index, indicating that he might be the first local leader who has studied the GNH concept. His effort to revitalize parks and conduct cultural events so that interaction between people can be intensified has won him plaudits. Sadly, his GNH-based programs are still drowned out by political frenzies.
Jokowi could ask a particular ministry to coordinate similar programs and give a sense for how the happiness index could be worked into his vision on human development and offer guidance on how to measure and monitor it. This is to ensure that all regions will be pushed to formulate policies based on GNH to increase happiness.
Second, relying on natural resources alone will not guarantee that the people will prosper, let alone ensure that their wellbeing will be improved.
Through the lens of GNH, every policy formulated should be weight against not merely economic factors, but also its sustainability and ecological impact.
Therefore, Jokowi must take a cautious approach with regard to his mega-plan to boost infrastructure development, especially in areas rich in natural resources but rife with social problems like Papua.
Finally, Jokowi indicated efforts to improve wellbeing by having a 'Coordinating Human Development and Culture Ministry'. The ministry, led by Puan Maharani, should be guided by a clear concept and GNH is one of the best options.
Without making a breakthrough, the discussions surrounding this ministry will only be about the competency of its minister, which, since her appointment, has raised eyebrows.
Jokowi now has big opportunities to meet expectations. Having established his image and reputation as a reform-minded person, the end of the harsh political year should make way for a new year in which the entire nation can pursue happiness.
Relying on natural resources alone will not guarantee that the people will prosper.
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The writer is a researcher at the Jakarta-based Nagarjuna Institute. The views expressed are his own.
