Globalization: A Challenge to Gross National Happiness

The term globalization eludes any precise definition. Increasingly, it appears to assume a wide range of implications. It is taking on cultural, political, social, ideological and dominantly economic connotations, amongst others. Simply speaking, globalization is a process that diffuses cultural, social, political, and economic borders of different nations.

Globalization is most visible in the economic front, with countries integrating their economies through free trade, foreign direct investments and capital market flows. The term also reflects consequences such as the movement of people, knowledge and technology across international borders.

Although globalization received clear global attention only during the mid 1980s, it traversed the historical evolution, fuelled by human ingenuity and technological advances. The spread of religion across national boundaries is perhaps one of the earliest globalization movements. Globalization was heightened chiefly through the inventions and harnessing of “globalization gladiators” which facilitated global harmonization. Some of the gladiators include the marriage of computers with the communication technology, free market ideology, and principles of capitalism. The roles of the World Trade Organization, and Bretton Woods were significant in speeding up the globalization process in the 80s.

The winds of globalization have swept across all corners of the globe with varying intensity. Globalization has today become an inevitable and irreversible process. Bhutan confronts the relentless challenges of globalization along with other nations. It must translate the fruits of globalization to meet the needs of the poorest of the people, curb the initial destabilizing effect, and tackle the problems complicated by expanded trade and investments such as environmental degradation, diseases, migration, crime and terrorism.

The effects of globalization have reached the shores of Bhutan as never before in the last few years. Television sets are replacing choeshums (altars) in Bhutanese homes. The sacred relic- Rangjung Khasarpani - was nearly smuggled into the antics market of Taiwan. Chortens have been vandalized time and again. Joint venture businesses with foreign alliances have made their entry into the country. The digital divide is already being felt within the country. The rich-poor gap is widening. Fertile paddy fields have to be converted into housing colonies. Corruption, drugs and AIDS have become a reality. Driglam Namshag violators are on the increase.

Bhutan is faced with a critical challenge to the core of its development philosophy– the Gross National Happiness. It is a formidable challenge calling for a great deal of wisdom and creative political acumen.

Gross National Happiness (GNH) is founded in the belief that human happiness is a composite satisfaction of both the material and the non-material needs. It also believes that the country’s development policies could be directed at satisfying these needs. According to Lyonpo Jigmi Thinly, “GNH is presently being pursued through four platforms: economic development, environmental preservation, cultural promotion and good governance”.

In the global economy, free market force is the supreme authority, which has only a minimum set of rules to abide by. It is characterized by free flow of capital and free movement of goods and services across national boundaries. The WTO is increasingly gearing itself to ensure free trade across national boundaries. Consequently, national laws are subjugated and invalidated with the dominant glorification of global prosperity.

A level playing field is essential for free trade amongst nations. However, this level playing field is defined as ‘you can sell to me as I would sell to you on equal terms’. The ‘equal term’ being determined by free market force! Free market force entails reducing the role of governments. For a small and undeveloped country like Bhutan, the government cannot as yet retreat itself to the role of a mere ‘facilitator’. It must be active in managing the actions and reactions of the market forces. With the majority of the population living in the rugged rural regions, market forces alone would not ensure equitable distribution of even the basic goods and services.

With mounting pressures to liberalize its economy, Bhutan is at a crucial moment. It must adopt innovative economic policy interventions aimed at channeling the economic benefits of globalization to the people who most need them while selectively keeping its evils off shore.

The impact of globalization on culture and tradition has been stark. TV cables have invaded the Bhutanese homes; modern appliances and gadgets have changed the lifestyles at home and office. Western foods are increasingly becoming the mainstay in urban homes. More worryingly, Bhutanese people’s material aspirations are soaring, thus providing a formidable foundation for consumerist society. Ideological marriages at all levels with other societies and cultures are conspicuous.

Bhutan’s rural-urban migration problem manifests itself in the disintegration of family and community. The family cohesion and support system are fading away. Bhutanese people are increasingly becoming deprived of the social safety net traditionally provided by the extended family. More people are becoming ‘disconnected’ as evidenced by the increase in suicide rates and drug abuse although the numbers are negligible at the moment.

Today, Bhutanese culture and tradition are confronted with critical challenges. As a society, Bhutan has been for the first time exposed to the outside culture in a very big way as never before. Bhutanese people’s reaction as a society is one of confusion. At this juncture, it is important that the people’s reactions are managed very sensitively. The Government should also generate mass consciousness of the values of Bhutanese culture and traditions. It must also accept that assimilation of certain aspects of other cultures and traditions is inevitable and often better than total rejection.

Globalization with its characteristic free trade and foreign direct investment slogans would stimulate growth. This growth is usually natural resource intensive leading to industrial pollution and environmental degradation. Businesses in the country would also put pressure on the environment often with justification to be competitive in the global market.

The international community looks upon Bhutan as a model country with regard to its environment management. One of the primary reasons for Bhutan’s success in environment preservation was the establishment of minimum standards. It proclaimed that the country would at all times maintain at least 68 % of its land under forest cover. It has designated several areas as protected. Environmental impact assessment is mandatory for every project. Numerous plant and animal species are identified as endangered and hence protected against poaching and trading. The challenge today is to devise mechanisms whereby the minimum standards are constantly evaluated and strictly enforced through various policy instruments.

There is also a need to draw up a long-term comprehensive development plan, which adheres to the minimum standards already established. It must also vouch for the most benign environment friendly technology and technical know how.

Good governance is the edifice upon which the structure of gross national happiness rests. The quality of governance would greatly shape the structure in which happiness of the country would be generated and maximized. The early threats of globalization to governance are surfacing in Bhutan. Corruption in Bhutan has emerged as public concern. Corruption is a subtle manifestation of the influence of globalization. It marks the deterioration of Bhutanese moral and religious values. Signs of material greed brought in by the winds of globalization are becoming a common, often relegating the much-revered traditional values such as thadamtse and ley jumday into oblivion.

The decentralization process of governance, which is empowerment of the people, has actually been initiated since 1981.The devolution of executive powers by the King to the council of ministers in June 1998 is a quantum leap in the decentralization process. Today, on the command of His Majesty the king, the country is drafting its written constitution aimed at ensuring the security of the country and the people and for peace and prosperity for all times to come.

The government has identified accountability, transparency and efficiency as pillars of good governance. However, these terms would remain as mere slogan without offering much guidance if the spirit of the phrase does not seep into the governance structures, systems, culture and processes. There is a need to reengineer government organizations and their style of operation to ensure that they carry the genuine spirit of transparency, accountability and efficiency.

One important influence of globalization is the acceleration of change in the needs and expectations of the people. The governance structure and operations should hence be vibrant and dynamic to meet the changing needs and soaring expectations.

1. Lyonpo Jigmi Thinley. Globalization: A View From Bhutan. Newsletter, Regional Centre for Strategic Studies, Colombo. January 2002, Vol. 8 No.1
2. International Monetary Fund. Globalization: Threat or Opportunity? Via Internet