Gross National Happiness
Guided by the "four pillars of Gross National Happiness"- sustainable development environmental protection, cultural preservation, and good government- Bhutan has pulled itself out of terrible poverty without exploiting its natural resources. Nearly three quarters of the country is still forested, with more than 25 percent designated as national parks and other protected areas among the highest percentages in the world. Rates of illiteracy a infant mortality have fallen dramatically, and the economy is booming Among the reforms of 1999, Bhutan granted its citizens access to television--the last country on the planet to do so. Some Bhutanese started to go online in the same year. Next came the daring final step of Bhutan's experiment: the move to democracy. In 2006, abolishing much of his own power, the king set up a democratic government, betting his country's future on its success The real test of Gross National Happiness, then is just beginning. Bhutan's new leaders face many distressing dilemmas, not least of which is a public that loves its kings and is skeptical of democracy. Can Bhutan maintain its identity in the face of globalization? How can it engage the modern world and enjoy its benefits, while making sure the drawbacks are minimal? How can tradition and development be compatible?