The next step towards GNH
27 March, 2008 – What most of us, would-be political pundits, agreed on was that we do not know the psyche of the Bhutanese electorate. Not only did we not have a precedence of a polling pattern, the campaign process itself was an unprecedented scenario. We were right in the sense that some of us, reasonable folks, read it a little wrong.
We can now come up with a dozen theories on the reasons for Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s landslide victory on March 24. But the basic message we received from our electorate was not new. The Bhutanese people have always said they were happy with things as they were. They have said it again. Yes, we are also disappointed that we do not have a stronger opposition, but it’s time now to move ahead.
Apart from the day-to-day running of the government, the new leadership has the responsibility of making democracy vibrant and credible in Bhutan. With the elections behind us, we have to start on the foundations of what His Majesty the King, in a royal kasho last week, described as a political system that will foster the spirit of our people and further strengthen our unique nation in a rapidly changing world and time.
Democracy, of course, is not our goal. It is a strategy to achieve good governance. It was in his wisdom that His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo envisioned a Bhutanese democracy as the best path to good governance. We saw it in the DYTs, GYTs, plan meetings, 10 years of a transitional cabinet, and finally his abdication. With the advantage of hindsight, we understand what His Majesty meant when he said that the destiny of the nation lies in the hands of the people.
Neither is good governance the goal. It is a path to Gross National Happiness, the overriding inspiration from where we have drawn the principles and ideals and priorities that kept Bhutanese society together over the centuries. In that sense, the elections, democracy, and good governance are just milestones on the path to GNH.
Gross National Happiness is the source of the priorities and provides the perspective of the 10th development plan starting this year. Both the political parties had already aligned their manifestos with the overall Plan. The DPT manifesto is practically a GNH charter. There’s work to do.
His Majesty the King said that, if the nation succeeds, the people will be the winner. The team that we have entrusted, with serious expectations, must now help us to win.
Source: Kuenselonlne