Letter to Kencho Wangdi
Dear Kencho Wangdi
Thanks, you wrote what reality is. The genesis of GNH is living nowhere, moving nowhere; with skeptics about cultural degradation and Bhutan preserved through centuries under closed societies. Now, as the world turns village and people move across this stage for broader benefit, Bhutan, to say it remains happy, has turned its deaf ear to that global revolution.
Last month, you saw, coronation celebrations drew more attention not by national performers but those from outside. People talked and you journalists wrote much about the rock bands, musical concerts and magic of Indian dancers but did not anywhere, mentioned how Bhutanese performers were.
This is indirect influence you are getting from world culture, and cannot escape its trap, which is in fact the result of economic exchanges bought about by extension of WTO. Remember, WTO is not just the economic forum, it is a cultural forum as well: you learn of the fashion, you learn of making movies, you learn of music, you learn of tastes and sell them or buy them.
GNH bars you going beyond what you have now. You have to follow the traditional etiquette: bow before the minister, accept the directives from government official without a question and regard king as your god. The goodness has gradually transcended to prime ministers as he joins the wanchuck family through matrimonial relations.
You know, GNH just say, you have to be happy and mentions nothing how can it be. As you write about WTO and Bhutan’s accession to this world body, I prefer focusing on this specific subject on economic expansion. PM Thinley told world leaders in UN this year to listen him that alternative thought was needed to curb economic meltdown. The crux to be his follower and bower for GNH.
GNH has no economic policy, the heart of today’s progress. Bhutan has the choice to boycott joining WTO but has no strength resisting recess leveraging national economy. Early this year, the first elected government of mocking democracy, led by the stunt royalist and architect of the GNH Thinely, while presenting national budget, scaled national development in terms of GDP which he think must be ignored by now. If you and your government think after all everything for Bhutanese people and money matters not, why there is need for talking more of GDP.
The fact is money matters and it is directly related to economic growth. This is vertical growth, if you run horizontal you remain as frog on the pond. Human society needs and prefers vertical growth, which has been the precedence so far. And you are a witness to it.
People in rural areas need not your government’s happiness formula. They need job to earn, money to by for two meals a day. They need cash to pay for education of children, cover their cloth and build their house. This mean, rural people are need of more money and simple way for this would be access to market to sell their products. This is what economic growth starts.
In the last few years, you might have observed, as your leaders talked much of happiness, corruption has grown in folds. Is this the formula to keep them happy? The reason is government enforced a government-controlled economy. This in essence is a communist form. And as I see it, interestingly a monarchical country is heading towards a communist form of governance. As you write, Bhutan silently transformed from a monarchy to democracy, it silently is in process to incorporate the communist ideology in development agenda, economic policies.
You have asked for comments for your story and I just wrote as I sit at my office but felt am sure, you would just laugh at it or is under threats to publish it in your paper, though you said you would publish, since criticizing GNH is criticizing king and you cannot afford to do that. It is just because you have no strength for it, no girth to challenge he state mechanism and the leaders. So just read it at my blog and if you wish, show it to Kinley Dorji. Share him a joke of GNH and this story.
Thanks
I. P. Adhikari
A Bhutanese in Exile