Sunday, March 30, 2008
Democracy by King's decree: progress measured by ‘gross national happiness'
In this idyllic Himalayan country that measures progress by its "gross national happiness" index, the stoplight just didn't cut it.
Residents here in the capital complained that Bhutan's one and only automated traffic signal was too impersonal. It was taken down. Now, a white gloved police officer gracefully directs motorists.
A lone man in charge: That's what most Bhutanese want when it comes to how their country is run, not merely a single intersection.But their beloved king, the man in question, has other ideas.
Bhutan is set to become the world's newest democracy, with the first general elections in this isolated Buddhist kingdom. At the heart of this brave new world lies a paradox: It is people power by royal decree. The Bhutanese are choosing their leaders because, essentially, they were told to by their king.
To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Residents here in the capital complained that Bhutan's one and only automated traffic signal was too impersonal. It was taken down. Now, a white gloved police officer gracefully directs motorists.
A lone man in charge: That's what most Bhutanese want when it comes to how their country is run, not merely a single intersection.But their beloved king, the man in question, has other ideas.
Bhutan is set to become the world's newest democracy, with the first general elections in this isolated Buddhist kingdom. At the heart of this brave new world lies a paradox: It is people power by royal decree. The Bhutanese are choosing their leaders because, essentially, they were told to by their king.
To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: Bhutan, Buddhist kingdom, elections, Golden Throne, Himalayan country gross national happiness, Land of the Thunder Dragon, newest democracy
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