California lawmakers consider Bhutan’s happiness model, amid criticism over its exclusionary past.

California lawmakers are exploring Bhutan’s "Gross National Happiness" as a model for public policy, focusing on areas like good governance and environmental conservation. However, critics point out that the report ignores Bhutan's history of "ethnic cleansing" in the 1980s and 1990s, which expelled one-sixth of its population, mostly of Nepali descent. Despite Bhutan's high ranking in its own GNH index, it faces economic challenges and ranks lower in independent happiness reports, raising questions about the model's applicability.

November 17, 2024
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