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Meanwhile, a new crisis loomed
beyond the nation’s frontiers. The question of
control of the Duars, a narrow tract of country
extending along the foot of the lower range of the
Himalayan Mountains that separated British territory
from Bhutan proper, rapidly wore down the goodwill
established between the two countries by the
eighteenth-century British trading missions. These
developments led to the Duar War of 1864, during
which the British forcibly annexed the eighteen
Duars.
By the second half of the nineteenth century the
greatest authority in the land lay in the hands of
quasi-independent, nonhereditary baronies. The same
period saw the powerful British seeking to
incorporate Tibet within their sphere of influence-
a development that posed the threat to Bhutan but
was overcome by the political acumen of Penlop Ugyen
Wangchuck, a dynamic leader who successfully played
the role of mediator between British India and
Tibet. The inspired maneuver helped in furthering
his authority within Bhutan against a background
that was characterized by a widespread desire for
political stability and internal peace, and in 1907
an assembly of the clergy, the government and the
people unanimously elected him the first hereditary
monarch of Bhutan, with the title of Druk Gyalpo
(precious King of the Thunder Dragon).
Ugyen Wangchuck displayed extraordinary qualities as
a leader and statesman. He was deeply devout and
religious man and imbued with a genuine desire to
improve the condition of his people. He possessed
remarkable administrative and diplomatic skills. By
uniting the country and establishing a central
authority, he brought peace and stability to the
country and laid the foundation for the emergence of
modern Bhutan. he was succeeded by Jigme Wangchuck,
during whose reign (1926-1952) the nation continued
to enjoy the peace and stability.
The reign of the third monarch King Jigme Dorji
Wangchuck (1952-1972) was marked by the progressive
opening of the country to the outside world. In 1962
Bhutan joined the Colombo plan and in 1971 Bhutan
became a member of the United Nations. Restructuring
of the country’s social, economic and political
institutions was also carried out under his wise and
enlightened leadership.
The present King, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck,
who has always stressed the need to bring greater
participation of the people in the nation building
process, has decentralized the administration and
established District Development Committees in all
eighteen districts of the kingdom. As Bhutan is a
small country with a small population, His Majesty
the King has given top-most priority to building a
small, compact and efficient government with a
system of administration that is not dependent on
individuals or personalities but will function
effectively because of in-built merits. Due
importance is also being given to the constructive
role that can be played by the clergy in the
promotion of the high values of the country’s rich
social and cultural heritage.
At the same time, under the wise leadership of His
Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, Bhutan has rapidly
established good bilateral relations with many
countries both within and outside its region. Over
the years, Bhutan has achieved significant success
in enhancing its image in the community of nations
through the balanced and pragmatic positions it has
consistently adopted as an active member of numerous
multilateral organizations.
His Majesty the King Jigme Singye Wangchuck’s reign
has witnessed the dawn of a new era in Bhutan – an
era marked by great political stability, all-round
economic progress and development, and a social and
cultural renaissance that has sought to harmoniously
blend the best of the old and new. |
