How did King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk reform Bhutanese society?

King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, who reigned from 1952 to 1972, initiated significant reforms to modernize Bhutan’s economy and its quasi-feudal social structure. His efforts focused on several key areas:12

• Social Reform: He abolished slavery and placed restrictions on Bhutia polyandry and Nepalese polygamy.2
• Education and Infrastructure: He oversaw the construction of new roads and hospitals and established a system of secular schools as an alternative to traditional monastic education.2
• Political Restructuring: He began shifting the government away from absolute monarchy by sharing administrative responsibilities. In 1953, he established the Tshogdu (National Assembly) to involve elected village headmen and monastic representatives in the legislative process. He also created the Royal Advisory Council in 1965 and the Council of Ministers in 1968 to advise the monarch and supervise government programs.1
• International Engagement: He ended Bhutan's political isolation by leading the country to join the United Nations in 1971.2

These reforms laid the foundation for the country's later transition to a parliamentary democracy.12