The Economist has an excellent article on the experiment in democracy in Bhutan, ruled by one of the world’s few remaining non-constitutional monarchies.
When the former king died in 1972, countries such as Portugal, Greece and Thailanad, some might have thought that 
Bhutan was a candidate political change from the absolute rule of a monarch. Yet the new King Wangchuck, educated in the United Kingdom, used his power to modernize the country, and over the next three decades saw life expectancy increase from 40 to 64, regular economic growth, and an economy first based on upscale tourism and then on exporting power, and the country now has a per capita GDP now twice that of India.
So for most Bhutanese, King Wangchuck’s imposition of democracy is unwelcome. Only 28% of those eligible voted in the recent election, and those who did turn out did so because they were told the king wished it. The election was entirely fictitious parties, with four parties bearing mock manifestos. The Thunder Dragon Royal party won by a landslide, and plenty were honest that the entire project was a big waste:
“It’s too soon to bring democracy,”Â? said Thinlay Dorjee, a businessman queuing to vote in Thimpu, a capital of finely-tiled roofs, monasteries and, by next year, the world’s biggest statue, of the Buddha. “We should stay beneath our king who has given us so much.”
Of course, not everyone is happy. The King and his clan have a grip on the economy. Non-Bhutanese minorities face persecution. Yet with all the issues that face the kingdom, it’s pretty easy to look at the Himalayas, the mess in the Kingdom of Nepal, and declare that Bhutan is a big success—democracy or not.
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Brent added these pithy words on 30 Apr 07 at 10:54 pmAs someone who has been traveling to Bhutan for more than 20 years, I too have concerns about the move to democracy facing Bhutan. If there was ever a “benevolent monarchy”I think Bhutan would be a good candidate. The average Bhutanese has benefitted greatly for the past 32 years from the foward thinking King Jigme Singye Wangchuck who recently abdicated in favor of his son. Carefully balancing the need for westernization and development with the equally important need to preserve the striking traditional culture of Bhutan, King Wangchuck has done a remarkable job overall. Of course, no political system is perfect and the monarchy in Bhutan has its detractors, but from my perspective, it has allowed the country to slowly open it’s doors to the outside world while balancing the needs of the average Bhutanese. With the coming of democracy, I think there will be an emormous opportunity for a wide range of problems from increased cronyism and corruption to political party strife and policymaking based on greed and ego rather than for the needs of the common people. If you want to see what can go wrong with democracy, take a look at the U.S.A. at present….when faced with our tyrannical “King George”, I’d take Bhutan’s style of monarchy any day.
Michael added these pithy words on 30 Apr 07 at 11:58 pmSo. . . monarchies never have bad people ascend the throne? News to me. Probably news to Bhutan’s neighbors in Nepal, too.
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