Bhutan - A Noble Experiment

If you have never heard of Bhutan, don’t feel bad. Outside of India, few people have. Bhutan can be regarded as the Liechtenstein of Asia. It is a very tinny, isolated kingdom, tucked away in the Himalayas and cheek by jowl to its giant neighbour, India. Bhutan is a land of spectacular mountain peaks and glorious vistas, so it is little wonder that its main industry is tourism. Bhutan is also one of the few remaining absolute monarchies in the modern world.

Right now, this remote nation is in the throes of a noble experiment. It is trying to establish a democracy within its borders. What makes this experiment rather unique is that – unlike the American War of Independence and the French Revolution, where the common people were forced to do battle against autocratic rulers – this move towards democracy has been initiated by the ruling monarch himself.

Bhutan’s king, the 28-year old Jigme Wangchuk, is willingly shedding his absolute power and moving his country towards a constitutional monarchy. He has asked his people to approach the duty of voting with pride and confidence. Today, March 24, the people of Bhutan are voting for their country’s first democratically elected parliament – and they are taking it very seriously. In a country that virtually survives on tourism, tourist hotels are empty these days, because most of the hospitality staff have left for their villages to cast votes. Remarkably, in accordance with the tenets of true democracy, the king has voluntarily barred himself and the royal family from participating in the formation of the new constitutional government.

That the people of Bhutan even want a functioning democracy is an achievement. Bhutan has been ruled by hereditary monarchs for the past 1000 years. Innumerable generations of Bhutanese have never known anything else. And they are voting at considerable personal risk to themselves. Not surprisingly, the Maoist insurgents in neighboring Nepal and parts of North-Eastern India are not too happy at the idea of a new democracy springing up in their neighborhood. Especially, since they were ousted from Bhutan’s jungles in 2003, in a joint military operation with India.

In all probability, the Bhutan election will be ignored by the world media. Which is a shame because, in my opinion, it is an epochal event in modern history. In a century where George Bush has expended five years and hundreds of billions of dollars in an attempt to foist democracy on unwilling, or at best, uninterested Iraqis, here is a nation that is embracing democracy willingly and enthusiastically. Bhutan deserves the free world’s support and encouragement. Whether the free world will be bothered is, however, another matter.