Summary

Over 65 years ago, when Costa Rica became the largest nation in the world to disband their military, they redirected national resources towards public education and universal health care, fostering a wide middle class and a society committed to inclusion. Since then, Costa Rica has earned the number one spot in the Happy Planet Index, a ranking of countries based on measures of environmental protection and the happiness and health of its citizens. This documentary brings attention to Costa Rica's inspirational national project, examining the true value of happiness, health, and nonviolence as a defense policy. Pointed contrasts are made with recent U.S. debates over austerity, the military industrial complex and the "permanent war" economy.