ISAS Working Papers

The Kingdom of Bhutan, one of the most elusive and inadequately studied states in South Asia, has seen a remarkable development since the introduction of hereditary monarchy in 1907. Each of the Wangchuck kings bearing the Raven Crown has left his distinctive mark on the country's polity and pursued the socio-cultural, economic and political development of Bhutan with a cautious mix of innovation and idealism. On the occasion of Bhutan's 110th National Day, this paper seeks to illustrate the political developments under the reign of past monarchs as well as the paradigm-shifting transition to democracy, before turning towards democracy's consolidation under the rule of Bhutan's current king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of current challenges for the kingdom's future development.