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Bhutan
For the Happiness
of Its People
By the Taipei News Group,
Formosa (Originally in Chinese)
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Bhutan is a small country cradled in the southern folds of the Himalayas between China and India. It has a small population and is highly esteemed internationally for its wise governance.
King
Jigme Singye Wangchuck
♥♥♥♥♥ of
Bhutan is deeply loved by his people. He leads a simple life and rules
with an open mind. When he ascended to the throne in 1972, he immediately
stated his goal of maximizing the Gross National Happiness (GNH) of his
people. He believed that the objective of his governance should be to
enhance the happiness and prosperity of his people. To this end, the government
has directed its efforts towards four major issues: environmental protection,
cultural promotion, economic development and good governance. This aims
to maintain a balanced material and spiritual life for its people, instead
of the blind pursuit of industrial and commercial development or a mere
increase of the Gross National Product (GNP) or Gross Domestic Product
(GDP).
In the course of Bhutan’s modernization, King Wangchuck was highly concerned about ecological conservation. The government enacted a law requiring every citizen to plant at least ten trees each year. Forests cover 75% of the land in Bhutan, which also boasts the highest proportion of land covered by pristine forests. The United Nations Environment Program honored the monarch and people of Bhutan for their outstanding contribution to environmental protection by presenting them with the 2005 “Champions of the Earth” award.
A nationwide ban on the sale and smoking of tobacco was imposed on December 17, 2004, making Bhutan the first country in the world to enforce a total ban of tobacco. This means that public and outdoor smoking is prohibited, as is the sale of tobacco.
Bhutan has a highly advanced educational system that provides free education to all citizens, from primary school through university. The government also covers all medical expenses of its people. The King#8217;s policy is to strengthen education, especially through Buddhist teachings, so as to foster a spontaneous lack of desire for material things.
During more than three decades under
the reign of King Wangchuck, the people of Bhutan may not have attained
a high national income, but the majority enjoy stable and happy lives,
as well as an uncontaminated natural environment that is like a paradise
in this often-chaotic world. 
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