Page 6 - BHUTAN 2007

pressure from the British in 1907. Prior to that time, the country was divided
into several hereditarily ruled districts led by constantly contentious

warlords. The British wanted stability in Bhutan as a buffer between China

and their own colony, India. They strongly suggested that the richest and

most powerful of these warlords (the Wangchuks of Trongsa district)

become the leader of a centralized government. Surprisingly, the Bhutanese
people agreed peacefully to this suggestion and the first monarch was

crowned. He had authority over the internal affairs of the country while

Britain controlled foreign relations and provided border security. In l947,

when India gained its independence from Britain, it assumed the same

relationship with the Bhutanese government. Even today, India supplies
3/5s of Bhutan’s operating budget and military protection of the borders.

Since l971 (when Bhutan won admission to the United Nations) it has been

fully independent in foreign affairs as well as internal governance but it is

very much in the interest of the Bhutan government to remain on friendly

terms with India because of the monetary dependence and because India is
its major trading partner.

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The 4 King of Bhutan astounded his fellow citizens, and the world, when he
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abdicated at age 42 in favor of his young son, the as yet uncrowned 5 king.
He informed his people that he wanted the government to progress to

democracy with a constitution. He believed that a younger man could be

more forward looking and could more easily carry out this design. His young
son has been ruling the country since that time (about two years ago). It is

planned (with Buddhist blessings) that the transition to a constitutional

monarchy will occur in 2008 along with the king’s coronation and the

election of a truly representative assembly with legislative powers. The

people consider the year and the celebrations auspicious, both religiously
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and historically, since 2008 will be the 100 anniversary of the monarchy.
Kelzang, our guide, expressed great confidence in the wisdom of the young