A well-loved monarch who is constantly trying to push power away from himself, governance that is simultaneously secular and Buddhist…Manoj Nadkarni finds
A well-loved monarch who is constantly trying to push power away from himself, governance that is simultaneously secular and Buddhist…Manoj Nadkarni finds his cynicism about Gross National Happiness rapidly eroding as he continues his travels through Bhutan
In spite of the now common criticism of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a measure of a country's development, it has been difficult to come up with an alternative. A useful measurement commonly used these days is the Human Development Index (HDI). Since any single indicator could hide other failings, HDI is what is known as a ‘composite index'. It was developed in 1990 by the Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq and is published annually by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a series of country rankings. HDI averages three basic factors of development: life expectancy at birth (which gives an indication of health), adult literacy and school enrolment rates, and a country's GDP.
In the latest report, Bhutan 's ranking was 134, a bit lower than India 's 127 (out of the 177 countries ranked, Norway is number one). HDI rankings shift the focus from pure economics to ‘human' numbers, providing a counterpoint to GDP. Yet GDP is a large part of the final HDI figure. If the economy does not grow, its HDI ranking will drop. The problem is that economics works with what can be quantifiable, and, as the saying goes, if the hammer is the only tool you have, everything ends up looking like a nail.
GNH is a shiny new tool. The HDI has three factors, while Gross National Happiness (GNH) is commonly understood to have four ‘pillars': equitable economic development, management of the natural environment, good governance, and preservation and promotion of cultural values.
For me, if there is one problem with understanding the viability of GNH it is the last pillar. In the general opinion of nearly all the people I spoke to in Bhutan , this pillar is actually the basis for GNH. GNH is heavily rooted in Bhutanese culture; these four pillars are planted in Bhutanese soil. Development in the country has taken a particular route and the separation between policies and tradition is not always visible. For example, consider the case of women. Dr Rinchen Chopel, executive director, National Commission for Women and Children, told me: “The traditional role of women in society here is very strong. Traditional society here is matrilineal and property is generally handed down to the eldest daughter, based on the feeling that women need the security afforded by property to look after their children.” Though the legal system is supposed to ensure that inheritance is equal, usually women inherit the most. The resulting economic power has meant that women are important in any household and community decision-making system. In Thimpu this is visible in the number of women working and owning small businesses. The Kuensel reports that in a few years there will be more women than men drivers in the city. The position of women in Bhutan is very good, especially compared to the rest of South Asia .
Such manifestations of Bhutanese culture are rapidly eroding the cynicism about GNH that I had brought with me to the country.
The monarchy is another case in point. I had thought that most urban people would want to curtail the power of the monarch and reduce him to a figurehead suitable for tourist interest. Electoral democracy is what we should all want. Yet people in Bhutan love their king, Jigme Singye Wangchuk. Whether I spoke to intellectuals educated abroad, or youngsters in video arcades, everybody loved and respected the king. During discussions on the draft constitution, one of the biggest worries people express is about the section suggesting that the king abdicate at the age of 65 years. People want him to stay on. He has been the biggest force in initiating the development drive, be it rural toilets or the much lauded tourism policy. A number of positive changes, if not all, that have taken place in the country are not a result of popular mandate, but his decisions. The oddest yet most progressive of his moves has been the twin drive of decentralisation and devolution of power. Practically since his coronation, he has been pushing power away from himself and Thimpu, towards the villages. Compare this to India where activists have constantly and vigilantly fought against the attempts of state and central politicians to consolidate power. The force of good governance in Bhutan comes from the king. His confidence in himself and his people is reflected in a law initiated by him -- the law makes it possible to get rid of the king by a two-thirds majority vote in the assembly.
Buddhism is also a significant cultural aspect in this context. Dzongs are fortresses, monasteries and government offices all in one. There is one in each of the 20 districts of Bhutan , and several are centuries old. The one in Thimpu, the Taschichodzong, is spectacular, majestic and beautiful. It is the main government building: the throne room of the king, it houses various ministry offices and the central monastery. So, though the monarchy itself is not based on religion (unlike in the UK , for example), and Bhutan has a long history of separation between secular and religious power, the two are never far away. The National Assembly has 150 seats and of these, 105 are elected village representatives, 35 are chosen by the monarch, while 10 are reserved for religious representatives.
Buddhism is a vital and essential facet of everyday life in Bhutan . I was often told that the concept of happiness here is perhaps different from anywhere else. As Kinley Dorji, editor-in-chief of the Kuensel put it: “Bhutan is a strongly Buddhist country and any concept of happiness is embodied in that Buddhist culture, where of course there is not only a rejection of the idea that material possessions give happiness, but also that happiness is an individual achievement.” In the Mahayana Buddhism of Bhutan, the saints and bodhisattvas are people who were on the verge of attaining nirvana but held back so they could help others. Other people's well-being is as important as an individual's, leading to a cooperating society working for a common good rather than personal gain.
However, this seems to imply that a traditional or religious society is necessary for GNH as an alternative to GDP. With Bhutan slowly opening up to the outside world and even starting WTO negotiations, what will happen if and when the culture starts breaking down or evolving? Already this breakdown of the traditional is visible in Thimpu, with Indian films and TV being extremely popular, shops selling alternatives to the gho and kira , and nightclubs sprouting everywhere.
Another problem apparent to me is that the government's emphasis on providing free western education may eventually lead to a large number of well-educated young people who may use their education to question traditional values and move away from the traditional lifestyles of their parents.
I spoke about these concerns to Dasho Zangley Dukpa, vice-chancellor of the Royal University of Bhutan. The university is just over two years old. Though they earlier had specialised colleges, most teaching courses from Delhi University , this new university was an attempt to bring them all together and start the process of indigenising the higher education curriculum. I asked him if he did not agree that a part of the job of education was to get students to question prevailing systems instead of accepting everything. He replied that the job of the university was also to instil moral values in its students so that questioning took on a positive aspect and led to an enrichment of lives. “This idea of promotion and preservation of culture that is one of the pillars of GNH leads people to think that ‘culture' is something old and stagnant. Culture is dynamic and always evolving. The university has to try and guide that evolution…In this respect it is important to remember that, at heart, Buddhism actually does not have gods, it is not a religion, we practise the Buddha's teachings, not worship him. And Buddhism is democratic, everyone can find enlightenment. Yes it will be a challenge, but then all development is.”
I asked the same questions to Dr Karma Ura, head of the Centre for Bhutan Studies and former member of the planning commission. He feels that external conditions are a part of the driving force of economic development, and hence change is inevitable. “Individuals must be free to choose that change. It can be said that Buddhism as a religion or culture says that freedom is happiness, freedom from desire and attachment. Freedom also means responsibility, since in legal or spiritual terms without freedom the notion of responsibility is meaningless. In the practical sense, GNH is a social and economic programme that aims at collective happiness which includes liberty and human rights.”
We talked about the fact that Bhutan now has an unemployment problem, mostly among educated younger people. Earlier they would have been directly absorbed into the government, but now they are reluctant to go in for blue-collar jobs since they see desk jobs as their due. Ura says he does feel they have gone slightly wrong with the education system, using too much from outside, which perhaps was designed for the urban young of other countries. “Education needs to be specific to the social environment and local ecology.”
Ura is also a painter and he took me to his house to show me a commissioned painting he is currently working on. It is a huge painting nearly two storeys high, depicting an incident in Bhutan 's history that is usually used to illustrate ‘duty'. While we were talking about the role of art, he told me that he was against the initial introduction of TV into Bhutan . But now that it was there, he was against the banning of some channels as the government had done. “It should be all or nothing. TV is a tantric medium; allows you to confront your demons and go through them. It's a way to strengthen yourself, to get over your weaknesses. In that it is a spiritual vehicle.” I don't know if he was serious or just pulling my leg.
InfoChange News & Features, May 2005