One king decided happiness mattered more than GDP, and made it policy

In 1972, Bhutan's King Jigme Singye Wangchuck declared that "Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product," and the country later built a government index tracking wellbeing, culture and environment alongside economic output. It's since influenced how the UN and other nations think about measuring progress beyond money.

— Jigme Singye Wangchuck, Gross National Happiness — Policy declared 1972; formal index launched 2008