Modern Bhutan’s Buddhist Statecraft

This chapter introduces the country of Bhutan and its unique pursuit of a Buddhist-inspired foreign policy during the modern era (1949–present). This chapter illustrates how a modern state implements a national security and economic development policy consistent with Buddhist philosophical principles and Buddha’s political and economic teachings and, like the prior chapter, it serves as proof of concept for the possibility of putting Buddhist ideas into practice. The cornerstone of Bhutan’s foreign and domestic policies is its pursuit of Gross National Happiness, a concept that endorses holistic progress in the material, spiritual, emotional, cultural, and environmental welfare of its society.