Dr S Saraswathi
The latest report on ranking of countries on Happiness Index must have made our countrymen sadder for slipping from its low position at 118 in 2016 to further down to 122 in 2017 among 155 countries. India ranks lowest among its South Asian, SAARC neighbours. The first five ranks are held by Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, and Finland.
The saddest part is that our closest neighbours with whom we have daily personal contact are ahead of us by rank – Pakistan at 80, Nepal 99, Bhutan 97, Bangladesh 110, and Sri Lanka 120. Perhaps, India can console herself by looking at the decline of even the US from 13th rank in 2016 to 14 in 2017.
It is the fifth Report on Happiness by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) – a global initiative for the United Nations. It emphasises the significance of social foundations of happiness. The object is to mobilise support for sustainable development at local, national, and global levels from scientific and technological expertise, public and private sectors, academic institutions, and civil society.
The ranking on Happiness indicators is done on the basis of certain criteria such as gross domestic product per capita, healthy life expectancy, along with four factors from global surveys -extent of social support if something goes wrong, freedom to make life choices, sense of corruption in their societies, and extent of their generosity. Over-all top score of 7.537 is achieved by Norway. India has scored 4.315 points.
The UN General Assembly passed a resolution in July 2011 inviting members to measure happiness of the people of their countries as a guide to policy-making. The resolution asked members to undertake steps that give more importance to happiness and well-being in determining ways of achieving and measuring social and economic development.
The resolution declared that, “the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal” and embodies the “spirit of the globally agreed targets known as the Millennium Development Goals” thus linking happiness with development. The General Assembly proclaimed 20th March as the International Day of Happiness.
Surprisingly, the pioneer who discovered the importance of “happiness” for development and for measuring social progress is the tiny Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. The term “Gross National Happiness” to replace “Gross National Product” was coined by the King of Bhutan in 1972.
The First World Happiness Report was issued on 1st April 2012 in connection with the UN High Level Meeting on Happiness and Well-being: Defining a New Economic Programme. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) committed itself to “redefine the growth narrative to put people’s well-being at the centre of government’s efforts”. Guidelines were evolved to measure “well-being”. Good mental state and affective reactions of people to their experiences are among the indicators of well-being. In February 2017, the United Arab Emirates held a meeting on World Happiness as part of the World Government Summit.
Indians may take a philosophical view and reject the very idea of measuring happiness on a material yardstick. Happiness (Ananda) to them is a state of mind – the end of spiritual journey along with Sat (truth) and Chit (consciousness). It is within oneself, with one’s way of thinking, as told by Marcus Auralius – the Roman Emperor – who believed that very little is needed to make a happy life. There are many Indian legends, which are still popular, that teach that happiness does not flow from material goods and comfort.
Recognition of individual happiness as a right and the role of the government to promote happiness can be traced to the Declaration of Independence in the US in 1776. Pursuit of happiness is given the same importance as life and liberty in this document. Thomas Jefferson asserted that, “the care of human life and happiness is the first and only legitimate object of government”. Several States of the US mention happiness in their Constitutions. The US Supreme Court has used the expression “happiness” in deciding several cases.
Utilitarian political thought stood for the greatest happiness of the greatest number as the end of the State. The British are said to be recently diverting attention of the government from mere wealth to other purposes of life to promote the well-being of the people. Happiness finds mention in the Constitutions of Japan (1947), South Korea (1948), and France (1958).
The secret of the Buddhist kingdom Bhutan’s official preoccupation with happiness deserves examination. Outwardly, it seems to be deriving from its small size and small population conducive to community spirit, natural beauty with less pollution, belief in the Buddhist philosophy that desire is the root cause of misery, less gap between the rich and poor, and the ability of Bhutanese to accept spiritual and material happiness equally.
Happiness has had been the main concern of Bhutan Kings, and the ultimate purpose of social and economic development from the 1970s. The King declared in 1972 that “Gross National Happiness (GNH) is more important than Gross National Product (GNP)”. Since then, GNH has become the guiding force in public and private sectors and in individual lives. The Gross National Happiness Commission has been set up. Five Year Plans, geared to enhance happiness, present a “Vision for Peace, Prosperity, and Happiness”. The Centre for Bhutan Studies and GNH Research was established in 1998.
Gross National Happiness is included as one of the nine pillars of “good governance” in Bhutan. GNH Index is based on social, economic, cultural, and environmental status and its values are internalised in planning in all sectors. Article 9 of the Constitution of Bhutan (2008) says that,” The State shall strive to promote those conditions that will enable the successful pursuit of Gross National happiness”.
The UAE and Venezuela have also constituted a Ministry/Department for Happiness. The main objective is to ensure “happiness in the lives of the common people”. Psychologists are associated with the Ministry of Happiness in UAE to advise people on happiness.
Madhya Pradesh is the only State in India that is attracted by Bhutan example and has constituted a Ministry for Happiness, called Anand Department in July 2016. The initial budget of Rs. 2 crore has been increased this year as 4.75 crore. MP is planning to evolve a “Happiness Index” with indicators to measure economic status and social welfare. Data will be collected through questionnaires from all residents. Anand Department will focus on cultural aspects of happiness and is already conducting cultural events and sports through the Panchayat institutions. The State has also established a Happiness Institution headed by the Chief Minister himself. School syllabus is likely to include lessons on Happiness.
The top rank holders in the Happiness Report have uniformly scored high on caring, freedom, generosity, honesty, health, income, and good governance – a mixture of internal qualities and material conditions.
Despite giving to the world sat, chit, ananda (truth, consciousness, and bliss) as the ultimate goal of our spiritual journey, India seems to have failed to internalise this in our material life. Ignorance is bliss to Indians unmoved by global ranks an race for happiness. It is time that we realize that the global report is not about sensual pleasures, but about enhancing the quality of life of everyone and reverse our backward march.—INFA