King Jigme Wangchuk as 'Consolidator'

Administrative and Taxation system

Second Druk Gyalpo King Jigme Wangchuck ascended the throne keeping in mind the advice of his father to create “Fair and Just Society” where, he found that in order to fulfill his father’s wishes, first thing was to reform the taxation system which was a big burden to the people. So in order to reduce the burden (i.e.tax) on the people, he started with reforming the administrative system of the country. 

Administrative reforms:

Many changes were brought in regarding the administrative system. King wanted Bhutan to have “Small and Compact form of Government” in order to effectively rule the country and take care the welfare of the people.

   1.       Hence forth, appointment of Dzongpoens and Poenlops were taken as sole Prerogative (responsibility or power)  of the King,

     2.       Established Nangi Lhengi Zhi (Central Cabinet).- Zhung Kalyon (Government Minister), Zhung Dronyer (Government Guestmaster), Zhung Zimpoen (Government Chamberlain) and Thimphup-Punap (Dzongpoens of Thimphu and Punakha) were the members with King as the head. They were part of the government’s bureaucracy (group of powerful civil servants). They implemented the plans and orders received from the King.

   3.       Reduction of the unnecessary government post. King Jigme Wangchuk abolished the Drungpa post system which was thought to have causing extra burden on the government’s expenditure,

    4.       Dzongtshabs were being appointed when the Dzongpoens seat remained empty because of retirement or untimely death, etc.

     5.       Paro Poenlop was given the usual custom of his privileges of revenue collection and Trongsa Poenlop was taken over by king himself, Daga Poenlop remain just in the status.
 
      ***With the establishment of his new administrative system, the King started 'centralizing the power' which describes the existence of absolute form of monarchy during his reign in the country.

Taxation System and its Reforms:

Taxes were heavily imposed on the people unnecessarily by the regional Poenlops and Dzongpoens. It was a burden for the people. Jigme Wangchuk abolished the unnecessary taxes and few reforms on the taxation systems.

   1.       Henceforth the taxes should be paid directly to the government without referring to the Dzongkhag officials. This was because King found that people were imposed unnecessary and heavy taxes on the people.

    2.       Taxes paid in kind or unpaid labour (carrying firewood and hay in the Dzongs) were abolished.

  3.       Cloth tax was also immediately abolished.

  4.       Porterage (carrying things) of the government things for transportation were paid for their services.

Legal Reforms (Justice)

King Jigme Wangchuk reformed some of the punishments for the criminals where, the punishments used to be the traditional method such as cutting off the Achilles’ Tendon, thrown in to the river, etc were abolished and reformed with a better humanity.

Foreign Policy

King Jigme Wangchuk strictly followed the Policy of Isolation which helped Bhutan to remain uninfluenced from the world events such as Great Depression (1939) and World War II (1939-45). Even the country was being saved from the influence of Chinese rising power in the north. However, the King was interested in keeping an intimate relationship with the British. Some of the incidences on how he was able to maintain the relationship with the British:

1.             Invited the British guest during the coronation.
2.       F.M. Bailey, a British Political Officer based in Sikkim witnessed the coronation and also granted the title of Companionship of Indian Empire (C.I.E) in 1927.
3.           Awarded the additional title of KCIE to the king.
4.     A.J. Hopkins, the last British Political Officer to visit Bhutan conferred this title of Knight Commander of Indian Empire (K.C.I.E) to the king in 1947.
5.        The King Jigme Wangchuk visited India twice: one in Guahati and another time to Calcutta in 1935 on the invitation of the Viceroy (head of the British Government in India).
6.        Bhutan was invited by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to attend the Asian Relation Conference in New Delhi in 1946.
7.       Bhutan and New India (after British left India on August 15^th, 1947) signed a treaty which replaced the Treaty of Punakha (1910) called India-Bhutan Treaty (Indo-Bhutanese Treaty) on August 8, 1949. It is also called the Treaty of Friendship.

King Jigme Wangchuck during His Royal visit to India in 1933 and 1935 on the invitation of British Indian officials.

 

 India-Bhutan Treaty of 1949, August 8^th.

The treaty is also known as "Treaty of Friendship" bringing two countries closer in its relationship which will have positive impact in the future.

Terms of the treaty:

i.  There shall be permanent friendship between the two countries.

ii.  India will not interfere in the internal affairs.

iii. Return 32 sq.km Diwangiri (Deothang) to Bhutan.

iii. Bhutan agreed to let India “guide” its foreign policy.

iv.  There shall be free trade between the two nations.

v.    Establish Extradition Protocols between the two countries.

vi. Annual subsidy increased to Rs. 500,000. , etc.