For many years, the late His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great infused Thailand with the influential mantra of a ‘Sufficiency Economy.’ It’s message, while simple, is potent — the ultimate economic goal shouldn’t necessarily be to become a ‘tiger,’ but to ensure the prosperity and sustainable livelihood of Thai citizens. The Sufficiency Economy philosophy, one of his most impactful legacies, followed this belief fervently.
The United Nations has also observed how the Sufficiency Economy philosophy coincides with its own sustainable developments goals. They recognized that it set forth actionable steps towards establishing a more balanced, sustainable global economy.
It was in a riveting speech in 1997 that the concept gained wider recognition. Despite a substantial economic crisis affecting Thailand and many other neighboring countries, King Bhumibol Adulyadej assured his people that the primary goal should not be to follow the high economic growth strategies of the “four Asian Tigers “. He underscored the significance of economic sufficiency, which he described as having enough resources to live independently and support oneself without distress.
As time went on, the King continuously emphasized the importance of economic sufficiency. Nevertheless, despite multiple explanations and its growing popularity, the philosophy was often misunderstood.
Dr. Sumeth Tantivejjakul, secretary-general of the Chaipattana Foundation, explained that the King’s philosophy applies at numerous levels, from an individual to an entire nation. It fosters economic resilience, adapts in the face of global changes, and exhibits prudence and strong moral values, characteristics often overlooked in the face of rampant consumption and destructive growth.
Yet, how does this philosophy apply to an ever-changing world? According to Dr. Sumeth, “moderate, reasonable, and self-immune” encapsulates the practice. It anticipates and accommodates rapid global changes before they can become unmanaged crises.
He furthermore proposed that everyone — governments, theorists, and business owners alike — should exercise prudence, wisdom, honesty, and strong ethical principles. This constitutes the backbone of the sufficiency economy, a foundation that would manage rapidly evolving materialistic, social, environmental, and cultural values.
Dr. Sumeth also highlighted that sufficiency doesn’t simply mean having wealth or resources, but understanding one’s capacity and limitations. Each person has different resources and capabilities, and when they surpass their means, it creates an imbalance, generating risks and even failures. In order to manage these potentiality destabilizing factors, the late King stressed the importance of self-immunity and risk management.
In conclusion, sufficiency isn’t a concept just applicable to individual lives — it scales up to systemic problems within society. By understanding their own limitations and potential, individuals, families, companies, and even countries can foster sustainable development to support their own growth and the progress of the world at large. Indeed, the words of His Majesty — think, assess, reason without greed, and shield oneself from envy — reverberate throughout this philosophy’s tenets. His vision serves as a guiding light towards balance, stability, and sustainability in everything we do.
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