HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies

Volume 37 Number 2 Article 24

December 2017

Review of The History of Bhutan by Karma Phuntsho

Michael Givel

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Recommended Citation Givel, Michael. 2017. Review of The History of Bhutan by Karma Phuntsho. HIMALAYA 37(2). Available at: https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya/vol37/iss2/24

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This Review is brought to you for free and open access by the DigitalCommons@Macalester College at DigitalCommons@Macalester College. It has been accepted for inclusion in HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Macalester College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. friendly, “shrouded in mystery are not only distinct geographic and magic,” and representing a places but are alive. manifestation of the last Shangri- Also covered in the book is the arrival La (Lonely Planet. Introducing from the seventh century to the Bhutan. Accessed February 15, 2017, present of the next major cultural Buddhism. Tibetan bhutan/introduction>). or Mahayana Buddhism focuses on In Karma Phuntsho’s 2013 well-re- achieving enlightenment for all in searched, definitive, and highly the here and now. In the Mahayana detailed book, The History of Bhutan, tradition, the Buddha is viewed as this idealized view of Bhutan is a benevolent supernatural entity. replaced with an in-depth historical The very gradual transition over the analysis based in the realist perspec- centuries to Mahayana Buddhism tive of how Bhutan has progressed was never an easy linear path. As The History of Bhutan. before, during, and after its inception Phuntsho illustrates in great detail, as a nation in 1651. In particular, there were periods of tension and Karma Phuntsho. Noida, India: the book provides an overview of cooperation between Bon and Random House India, 2013. (Reprinted how and why Bhutan advanced as a Mahayana worshipers. Eventually, by University of Chicago Press, 2014). society over the centuries, analyzing Mahayana Buddhism became dom- 661 pages. ISBN 9788184003116. periods of progress and advancement inant. However, it never totally and/or deep-seated intrigue, conflict, supplanted Bon traditions in Bhutan, Reviewed by Michael Givel and armed battles. The book begins some of which exist to this day. In recent years, there have been by providing a detailed historical The third cultural period in Bhutan a number of Bhutanese and other overview of Bhutanese geography commenced in the middle of the scholars and analysts who are and the history of various ethnic twentieth century with the rise of associated with literary and scholarly groups that live in modern Bhutan. modernization and global capitalism analyses concerning Bhutan that is These include the western and north- in Bhutanese society. As the book analogous to the realism movement ern Ngalop, the eastern Sharchop, the describes, this third cultural period is in art and literature. Realism southern Lhotshampa and various now increasingly in conflict with the attempts to portray everyday other ethnic peoples spread through- prior two traditional cultural periods life as accurately as possible by out Bhutan. of Bon and Buddhism. One of the key avoiding sentimentalized, synthetic, The book then provides an overview issues in modern Bhutan today is how improbable, and supernatural of the first major cultural period traditional values can be maintained themes. This is in contrast to in pre-Bhutan prior to the seventh or balanced with the increasingly portraying life in an idealized form century, which was dominated by dominant, powerful, and secular such as often occurs in mythology the Bon religion and worldview. Bon forces of materialism, modernization, or folklore. The idealized narrative was and is an animistic worldview and private enterprise. in current years, particularly that posits that the natural world is in some foreign media news The second major theme covered in vibrantly alive with good and evil stories and by tourist agencies, the book is the transition in gov- deities. So from the Bon perspective, has described Bhutan as remote, ernmental form from a Buddhist individual mountains, for instance, breathtaking, environmentally theocracy from 1651 to 1907, to a

HIMALAYA Volume 37, Number 2 | 135 Phuntsho’s book is an excellent overview and account from a realist perspective of the long-term history and transition of Bhutan.

Michael Givel on The History of Bhutan

hereditary monarchy from 1907 to reach and perhaps even loftier to 2008, to a democratic constitutional maintain in the changing fortunes of monarchy from 2008 to the present. time” (p. 599). The book, in realist fashion, provides Phuntsho’s book is an excellent a robust description from 1651 to overview and account from a 1907 of past accomplishments and realist perspective of the long-term ongoing intrigue such as civil wars history and transition of Bhutan. It and assassinations of civilian heads of is required reading for scholars of state. Eventually, in 1907 the gov- Bhutanese history and culture, inter- ernmental form became a hereditary national area studies, Asian studies, monarchy. Since 1907 to the present, Asian history, political science, there have been five hereditary kings international relations, religious from the Wangchuck royal family. studies, and comparative public In 2001, the Fourth King of Bhutan, policy to comprehend the complex His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck factors shaping modern Bhutan. By commenced the process and transi- not painting an idealized picture with tion to a democratic constitutional well researched and numerous dense monarchy, which culminated with historical facts, this book reveals that the adoption of the new Bhutanese a careful analysis of modern Bhutan Constitution in 2008. Currently, shows that Bhutan, while being a democratization in Bhutan progresses beautiful place, also has faced signifi- in tandem with the rise of modern- cant issues over time. ization and market capitalism. This modern trend represents a consider- Michael Givel is professor of political able departure from the past when science at The University of Oklahoma. Bhutan was a Buddhist theocracy and He was the first US Fulbright in Bhutan later a hereditary monarchy and pri- in 2009, and is the Director in Bhutan and marily agriculture society steeped in curator for the University of Oklahoma of Buddhist culture and tradition. With the Bhutanese digital rare and historical this transition comes a myriad of document collection. His research and modern problems and issues, such as teaching specialization includes com- the provision of quality health care, parative public policy, Himalayan area educational attainment, and poverty studies, policy theory, complexity theory, that are far removed from the ide- social movements, and health policy. alized last Shangri-La description of modern Bhutan. As Phuntsho writes, “Today, even while young Bhutanese eye an opportunity to travel to the US and engage in manual jobs to earn quick bucks, the rest of the world is looking up to Bhutan as a happy country—a postmodern Shangri-La. It is indeed a very lofty position to

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