The predominately Buddhist nation of Bhutan remains the subject of international interest as an isolated ecological haven and an area of promise for democracy. Recent years have seen increases in their tourism industry as the pristine scenery continues to attract visitors from across the region and world. The following boosts in Gross Domestic Product, a key measure of economic growth, has simultaneously elevated the country’s devotion to “Gross National Happiness” which balances overall contentment against an influx of economic development to prevent potential socioeconomic inequality. However, a closer look at their political practices and the domestic attitude towards democracy offer challenges to the idea of a prosperous democracy in Bhutan.

Up until 2008, Bhutan followed an absolute monarchy. Now, the country operates under a constitutional monarchy where King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck serves as the head of state and Prime Minister Lotay Tshering oversees executive power. A new constitution was established following the shift. Their new parliamentary democracy is comprised of a legislative branch, made up of a bicameral parliament, and a judicial branch composed of supreme and higher courts. These different branches serve to hold one another accountable and prevent a concentration of power in one of the three, which is an important pillar for a functioning democracy.

While in theory, the Bhutanese government has laid the foundation for a secure and effective democracy, recent events call into question the vitality of its future.

One specific area of contention is social media, which catalyzes the spread of false information across Bhutan’s constituencies. Journalist Peter Pomeranstev posits the threat of false information to the health of democracy, detailing the way troll and bot farms have undermined social progress. Bots are automated computer programs designed to perform online operations without interference while trolls are individuals who post provocative content and controversial comments to inspire disarray.

Within Bhutan, Facebook has fostered platforms for these two entities and has struggled to rescind the spread of false information about the two political parties contesting their National Assembly elections. An informed and rational population is critical to fair and effective democratic elections. Misinformation directly impacts the integrity of elections by allowing falsehoods and derogatory insults to cloud the judgment of voters.

Misinformation additionally exacerbates polarization within constituencies. Polarization is defined as a division based on a certain subject and its attributes. Many democracies have been threatened by this political phenomenon. A study conducted by Brazil’s University of São Paulo details the rapidity of polarization’s impact. By mapping Brazilian Facebook users and their interactions with political pages on the platform, researchers revealed users who were once divided into six separate groups of interest form into just two distinct groups loosely defined as progressives and conservatives. This happened in just 3 years.

Even in the early stages of its democracy, Bhutan is witnessing polarization in its communities.

In addition, recent breaches of laws by government officials are critically eroding the legitimacy of the executive branch. Local leaders of the Norgaygang Gewog, a group of villages in the extreme Northwest of the Samtse District, constructed a road without the approval of the dzongkhag, the overseeing unit of power. The road posed security concerns, and “although the dzongkhag had written to the gewog several times seeking justifications why the road was constructed without approval, there was no response”. While one instance may not seem threatening, the lack of accountability and a clear dismissal of law serves as a representation of devaluing democratic institutions.


During the period between 2012 and 2016, the nation experienced an annual visitor increase of around 24 percent. In response, the presence of shops, restaurants, and souvenir stores has proliferated across the country to capitalize on the high-end tourism industry. While this has established gains for the national economy, it poses further issues for social inequity.

As of 2019, Bhutan’s index of economic freedom stands at 62.9 on a scale of 1 to 100 with the latter representing the greatest level of autonomy from government intervention. This suggests that constituents in Bhutan still face a great deal of interference from institutions. Not only does this set the stage for further polarization as globalization demands development, but it aggravates already widening social inequity.

While focusing on elements like eroding executive legitimacy, widening socioeconomic gaps, and misinformation develop a clear picture of democratic erosion, there are other qualitative measures worth evaluating. One of the largest barriers to democracy taking root in Bhutan lies with resistance from its people.

“Bhutan’s happiness researchers say democracy is weighing on the country’s contentedness,” which is specifically important due to the country’s main pillar of Gross National Happiness. When considering the Buddhist influence on Bhutanese culture, there is a direct conflict between precepts of Buddhism and the campaign tactics of politicians. Locals have noted that “the fact that candidates must flaunt their strengths and belittle their opponents is disconcerting for an older generation of Bhutanese, he said. But ‘in democracy, to be humble is to commit electoral suicide.’”



With the democracy of Bhutan still in its relatively early stages of existence, it is impossible to fully predict its future. However, any version of democratic backsliding poses threats to the overall health of democracy in a nation and should be closely monitored moving forward.