Unit 2 Macro: Gross National Happiness in Bhutan
On Monday 2nd April 2012 a landmark resolution (number 65) is before the United Nations General Assembly. Bhutan has a population under 800,000, the average income is about $110 per month - low enough for the vast majority of people in Bhutan not to have to pay taxes. The fledgling Bhutanese constitution requires that at least 60% of the country remains under forest cover forever and its stated policy is to be 100% organic in its agricultural production. Major progress has been made in achieving rising per capita incomes, reduced infant mortality, higher life expectancy and a rising percentage of females in education.
Resolution 65 states that “happiness is a fundamental human goal and universal aspiration; that GDP by its nature does not reflect that goal; that unsustainable patterns of production and consumption impede sustainable development; and that more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach is needed to promote sustainability, eradicate poverty and enhance well-being”.
The passing of resolution 65 is a small stepping stone towards a wider recognition that ecological sustainability, equity, and life satisfaction are being given great emphasis in global politics. But whether gross national happiness (GNH) will ever substitue Gross National Income as one of the default measures of economic progress is doubtful.
Bhutan leads the world to a new economy of happiness (Guardian)
Bhutan Birth Rate
Life Expectancy at birth for females
Net Overseas Development Assistance as a % of Gross National Income (GNI)
Under 5 Mortality Rate
GDP Growth Rate
blog comments powered by Disqus
UK Economy: Update on the State of the Economy April 2013 [25 Apr 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: Growth and Development Challenges for China [18 Apr 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: Taking the Pulse of Africa - Growth Outlook is Good [16 Apr 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: From Domestic Product to Domestic Progress [11 Apr 2013]
Unit 2 Macro: Investment in UK Economy Remains Low [8 Apr 2013]
Unit 2 Macro: The Great Productivity Puzzle [5 Apr 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: Growth and Development in Angola [3 Apr 2013]
Unit 2 Macro: Fresh Serving of Acronym Soup - ZIRPs and PLOGs [2 Apr 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: Growth and Development in Mongolia [31 Mar 2013]
Unit 2 Macro: Revise and Test - Listing of Revision Quizzes [30 Mar 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: FDI in Africa [29 Mar 2013]
Unit 2 Macro: Revise and Test - Aggregate Demand [28 Mar 2013]
Unit 2 Macro: Revise and Test - National Income [27 Mar 2013]
Unit 2 Macro: Revise and Test - The Circular Flow [27 Mar 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: The AAA Credit Rating Downgrade [23 Feb 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: The UK Economy and the Euro [10 Feb 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: The UK Economy Outside of the Euro Area [4 Feb 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: A Manifesto for Growth - the LSE Growth Commission Report [31 Jan 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: Global Economic Power Shift Continues [28 Jan 2013]
UK Economy - Triple Dip Recession Looms Large [25 Jan 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: Data Charts on the Euro Economy [21 Jan 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: Overseas Aid and Economic Development - Debt Relief and Debt Cancellation [17 Jan 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: Overseas Aid and Economic Development - Benefits and Costs [15 Jan 2013]
Measuring Happiness as opposed to GDP [15 Jan 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: Broader Economic Benefits of Trade [14 Jan 2013]
Teaching Macro: Introduction to the UK Economy [13 Jan 2013]
Teaching Macro: Charts on the US Economy [13 Jan 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: GDP and PPP Adjustments [8 Jan 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: Economic Growth - the Solow Model [6 Jan 2013]
Prospects for the UK Economy in 2013 [2 Jan 2013]
Unit 4 Macro: Tax Changes to Boost Growth [12 Dec 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Indian Economic Growth is Slowing [1 Dec 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Mo Tanweer - Debunking the Myths of China [27 Nov 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Paul Collier on Key Development Issues [26 Nov 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Looking to 2060: A Global Vision of Long-term Growth [11 Nov 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Classroom Exercise - Shifts in AD and AS [6 Nov 2012]
UK Macro: UK GDP Growth in Q3 of 2012 [3 Nov 2012]
UK Macro: Developments in UK Economy - GDP Data [3 Nov 2012]
How useful GDP is as a measure of well being - that old chestnut! [21 Oct 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Perspectives on Natural Resource Curses [13 Oct 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Lewis Turning Points [8 Oct 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: The UK Economy - What Would Keynes Do? [7 Oct 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Drivers of Economic Growth in India [29 Sep 2012]
The UK economy continues to contract [28 Sep 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Development Economics - Focussed Links [20 Sep 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: UK Productivity Gap Grows [19 Sep 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Circular Flow Discussion Questions [18 Sep 2012]
Teaching Macro: Data on Real GDP Growth Rates [17 Sep 2012]
iPhone 5 and the Circular Flow of Income [15 Sep 2012]
Paul Ormerod: A Tale of Two Recessions: Grounds for Optimism [13 Sep 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Income and Wealth Inequality [9 Sep 2012]
The Complex Relationship Between GDP and Economic Welfare [8 Sep 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: New to Macro - Kick-starting the British Economy [6 Sep 2012]
Measuring GDP is as much an art as a science [28 Aug 2012]
Can we really measure happiness with a calculator? [21 Aug 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: China’s Green Development Agenda [17 Jul 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Savings and Investment in China [14 Jul 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Limited Healthcare access constrains India [5 Jul 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Inclusive Wealth and Sustainable Development [24 Jun 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Russian Government and Falling Oil Prices [17 Jun 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Cyclical and Structural Economic Issues Facing the UK [23 May 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Positive and Negative Multiplier Effects [20 May 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: The Importance of Productivity [20 May 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Human Development Index (HDI) [20 May 2012]
Q&A: What do we need to know about output gaps? [20 May 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: The Output Gap [20 May 2012]
Revision notes on unemployment [20 May 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Bank Cuts UK growth Forecast for 2012 [17 May 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: African Human Development Report 2012 [15 May 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Revision Notes on Supply-side Policies [10 May 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Growth and Development Glossary [5 May 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Fiscal Policy Glossary [5 May 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Economic Cycle Glossary [5 May 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Aggregate Demand Glossary [5 May 2012]
Macro Revision - Key Statistics on the UK Economy [4 May 2012]
Unit 1 Micro: Using the Cost-Benefit Principle [30 Apr 2012]
Macro Revision: Putting Things in Context [29 Apr 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Britain back in Recession [29 Apr 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Managing the Global Commons - Limits to GDP [15 Apr 2012]
Unit 3 Micro: Revision on Price Discrimination [9 Apr 2012]
Unit 3 Micro: Monopoly and Economic Welfare [6 Apr 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: The UK Balance of Payments in 2011 [4 Apr 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Productivity Improvements in China [3 Apr 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Revision on Real Economic Data [2 Apr 2012]
Posen on slower growth in the UK compared to the USA [30 Mar 2012]
Global Economy- the 2012 BRICS Summit [29 Mar 2012]
Life in the Slow Lane - UK Growth in 2011 Lags the Euro Area [28 Mar 2012]
George Buckley at the Millfield Economics Society [28 Mar 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Policies to Drive Economic Recovery [9 Mar 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: The Dash for Gas in Mozambique [17 Feb 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Focus on India - Comparative Advantage [27 Jan 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Focus on China - Trade and Growth [27 Jan 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Focus on China - Carbon Emissions and Growth [26 Jan 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Focus on China - Per Capita Incomes [26 Jan 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Focus on China - Changing Economic Structure [26 Jan 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Focus on India - Economic Growth [24 Jan 2012]
Unit 4 Macro: Russia Joins the WTO [22 Jan 2012]
Unit 2 Macro: Brazil Overtakes UK in Economic Size [26 Dec 2011]
Where is the UK Economy? National Output [23 Nov 2011]
AS Macro: The State of British Business [13 Nov 2011]
AS & A2 Economics Revision / Exam Coaching Workshops Coming Up:
Monday 11 March 2013 - Portsmouth (Vue, Gunwharf Quays)
Wednesday 13 March 2013 - Fulham (Vue, Fulham Broadway)
Thursday 14 March 2013 - Stratford City (Vue, Westfield)
Friday 15 March 2013 - Bristol (Vue, Cribbs Causeway)
Monday 18 March 2013 - Birmingham (Vue, Star City)
Tuesday 19 March 2013 - Manchester (Vue, Salford Quays)
Thursday 21 March 2013 - Newcastle (Odeon, Metro Centre)
Friday 22 March 2013 - Leeds (Vue, The Light)
Monday 22 April 2013 - Stratford City (Vue, Westfield)
Join over 10,000 Economics teachers who receive our regular Economics Teacher Resource Newsletter:
