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This is the fourth Dragon King of Bhutan. 

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He looked at other countries and noticed in most of them, 

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the government and the people strive for economical wealth. 

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And those few who achieve this goal 

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usually live a comfortable life. 

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But on the downside, 

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many other people live in misery, 

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poverty or social isolation. 

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Also in the ruthless hunt for money, 

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huge parts of the environment are often destroyed. 

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This couldn’t be the right path for Bhutan.

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The concept of Gross National Happiness was born. 

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The primary idea of GNH is 

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that every human being aspires for happiness 

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and the country’s development should also 

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be measured in its citizens’ happiness. 

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The fourth Dragon King’s challenge therefore 

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was figuring out how to balance economic development 

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with the emotional and spiritual well-being of his people. 

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Although economic growth can’t be the only goal, 

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a flourishing economy gives the government 

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the funds needed to provide a working health 

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and educational system, 

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as well as certain living standards. 

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Because being healthy, having opportunities 

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for the future and knowing that security, 

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a steady income, housing or well- balanced time use 

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are guaranteed is crucial for people to be happy. 

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But furthermore, people get a lot of positive energy 

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from being with others and sharing interests. 

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Participating in cultural life 

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and to hold up local traditions 

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and cultural heritage lead to 

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a stronger community feeling. 

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Healthy family relationships, 

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advocating community activities 

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and religious aspects are factors for achieving happiness. 

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It gives the Bhutanese people 

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a strong sense of values and identity.

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The fourth Dragon King reigned 34 years 

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basing his decisions on all factors of 

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Gross National Happiness, asking himself, 

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“What makes Bhutan’s people happy?” 

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The idea of Gross National Happiness 

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has taken quite some momentum outside of Bhutan, 

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with other countries and people 

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around the world thinking about adopting 

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the GNH approach to strive for development 

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with values and to make the world a happier place.