Bhutan Is Promoting Happiness At All Costs (1999)

Gross National Happiness (1999): The kingdom of Bhutan is placing environmental concerns and spiritual well-being over rampant capitalism. For similar stories, see: The Tiny Nation Transforming the Way the World Thinks About Happiness (2005) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcoQjoZ6toI Bhutan's Gold Rush (2011) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QgPi4e3e34 Bhutan's Attempts To Clear Itself Of Nepalese Will Shock You (1994) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tSrz7gb9kU Subscribe to journeyman for daily uploads: http://www.youtube.com/journeymanpictures For downloads and more information visit: https://www.journeyman.tv/film/639/gross-national-happiness Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journeymanpictures Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JourneymanNews https://twitter.com/JourneymanVOD Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/journeymanpictures “We are not interested in gross national product, we’re interested in gross national happiness,” that’s the doctrine of the young king of Bhutan. He is determined to maintain the diversity of his mystical Buddhist kingdom where the pursuit of money must be balanced with spiritual well being. And his approach to modernisation seems to be working. During the Dragon King’s reign life expectancy has increased by 20 years. At his jubilee celebrations, banners fly and prayer wheels spin. “Yes he’s a good king,” giggle the children “…he’s very handsome.” Wealth is only generated by environmentally benign activity. Top-dollar tourism and streaming hydroelectric power to India are the biggest earners. And whilst the streets are not paved with gold, they literally sprout a carpet of wild marijuana. But they don’t smoke it here – they feed it to the pigs. “It fattens them up nicely.” In the race for happiness it seems Bhutan is the one country where pigs really do fly. ABC Australia – Ref. 639 Journeyman Pictures is your independent source for the world's most powerful films, exploring the burning issues of today. We represent stories from the world's top producers, with brand new content coming in all the time. On our channel you'll find outstanding and controversial journalism covering any global subject you can imagine wanting to know about.