From gossip to discourse to reflection
5 April, 2008 - Bhutanese society came alive in more ways than one in the past months. The excitement of the first general election stirred lively discussions, although it has been largely mixed with speculation. But that was only to be expected because of the confrontational nature of the campaign period and the election itself.
We hope that the stimulation now matures into discourse that is so critical in a democracy and, more important, to give life to our broader goal of Gross National Happiness. GNH requires that the people are empowered to make decisions and, eventually, to find happiness, happiness being a serious individual pursuit and not a gift blindly bestowed on us. What the process of political transformation has already done is that it has created more awareness among politicians, voters, and observers of the true nature of our society. Politicians got to know the needs of their constituencies better and the people came to understand their aspiring leaders. In other words, we have all been forced to think harder than ever before.
That, so far, has been the real success of the change. And the vision continues to unfold.
We are now eager to see the new faces in the new cabinet and in all sections and levels of the government including the constitutional offices. We are speculating “who”? We will be wondering “why”? And then we will, hopefully, be back into the business of nation building.
The question now is not what the new government will do for us. Yes, after trekking around the country, seeking the people’s support, our parliamentarians have to translate these energies into responsibility. They have commitments to live up to.
But the larger question is what we will all do for ourselves and, to quote what has already been asked before, for the country.
One of the reasons that the Bhutanese parliament comprises educated professionals rather than popular politicians is that they are expected to draw from global experiences in governance to build the Bhutanese experience. They have to translate Gross National Happiness from philosophy to reality.
The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan, a sacred document, that has itself been evolving since 2001, is our first guide. The Constitution bestows all rights on the people and the responsibilities of the government are designed to benefit the people. All politicians, bureaucrats, media, business sector, and civil society are required to carry out this responsibility.
The enormity of this thought is overwhelming. And our first step is to understand this mandate, each in our individual capacities.
The good of the people is the highest law