World Bank endorses Bhutan happiness

The World Bank has endorsed Bhutan’s goal of pursuing Gross National Happiness rather than economic growth. India’s Economic Times quotes Graeme Wheeler, the World Bank’s Managing Director (Operations), on a visit to the Himalayan nation, as saying: “Bhutan has been practising what other countries need to do. We need to extend the concept of gross national happiness to gross international happiness” (“Top World Bank official asks countries to emulate Bhutan”?11 November 2007).

I have previously criticised those who praise Bhutan in an article I wrote for spiked in May 2006. But at some point it deserves a more extensive expose.