What makes people happy? The global trend toward quantifying happiness certainly got a big boost from Bhutan, the tiny Himalayan kingdom that has championed and made a cottage industry out of the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH).
It's a cool idea, one that challenges the growth and material obsessions embodied in Gross National Product (GNP) by asserting that what it all should be about is quality of life, spiritual values and a holistic assessment of social progress.
The key pillars are sustainable development, environmental conservation, preservation of cultural values and good governance.