Bhutan, a remote kingdom resting in the Himalayas and situated between India and China, has tried to allow some aspects of the modern world crop in while at the same time fiercely guarding its traditions. Policies drafted by the Bhutan government have been intended to conserve the innocence of the kingdom and the rich traditions of the county. The country has made efforts to blend tradition and modernization to ensure the country’s rich culture is conserved while embracing modernization. Courtesy of its national philosophy: "National Happiness", the country has successfully achieved sustainable development, good governance, protection of the environment and cultural preservation. In contrast, the Malaysian government has done little in conserving its culture or environment. The capitalistic policies that govern Malaysia have led to indiscriminate logging culminating into irreparable environmental degradation in the country.
One paramount role of the state in development is protecting and safeguarding the environment. Severe consequences of environmental degradation such as climate change leading to food shortages are already being felt in some parts of the world. The government of Bhutan has gone a long way in making strict policies that aim to protect the country's environment. These policies come in the form of regulated road constructions into forested areas that seek to preserve such areas as much as possible (Larmer, 2008). This discourages irresponsible logging that would be favored by good access to such places.
The Bhutan government has also made tremendous efforts to conserve the culture of the kingdom. This is also another important role of the state in development. The rich Bhutan culture; especially the revered Buddhism has provided its people a sense of identity, belonging and purpose. The culture has significantly contributed to the patriotism exhibited by the vast Bhutan population. However, development has also been curtailed by certain aspects of Bhutan policies. The fact that the state limits communication is a setback to development. A majority of Bhutan population is desperate to connect with the outside world but are constrained by the few regulated television networks, regulated internet access and limited mobile phone communication.
Malaysia, however, has made little effort to ensure that the country’s environment is protected. The state has sponsored irresponsible logging of trees that has led to the destruction of vast stretches of the country’s forests. In the Borneo rain forest, for instance, home to the native nomadic Penan people, as of 1990, had been overrun by bulldozers that destroyed almost one-third of the forest that was home to the natives (Davis, 1998). The government licensed building of roads through the forests that enabled easy transportation of the logs. With time, human settlements encroached the deforested areas leaving no room for reforestation. The Malaysian government also made negligible efforts to conserve the culture of the country’s natives such as the nomadic Penan people. Unlike Bhutan, Malaysia has been open to the modern world. This move has facilitated the importation of ideas and technology, hence leading to development.
Despite the differences demonstrated by Bhutan and Malaysia regarding their policies concerning development, both countries are similar in that they have exhibited economic development although in different ways. Both countries have somehow managed to raise the standards of living, reduced infant mortality, and improved their infrastructure, though they may not have taken similar paths. By blending tradition and modernization, Bhutan has managed to develop a thriving economy. Malaysia has also grown into a promising economy despite its poor environmental policies.
The state plays a very central role in social, economic, and political development. The government has to make sure that all religions, cultures, and ethnic groups receive equal protection by the state to ensure social development. The government should also promote free social interaction from within and without with no barriers that may be deemed unnecessary. Moreover, the state should ensure to raise the living standard of the residents, lower mortality rates, and improve infrastructure to make life as comfortable as possible to safeguard economic development. Political development is achieved when the state attains political democracy and makes sustainable policies that work for the benefit of the country for as long as possible (Adelman, 1973).
References
Adelman, I., & Morris, C. T. (1973). Economic growth and social equity in developing countries. Stanford, Calif.Pg.41
Davis, W. (1998). Shadows in the sun: Travels to landscapes of spirit and desire. Washington, D.C. [u.a.: Island Press.Pg.30-48
Larmer, B. (2008). Bhutan's Enlightened Experiment. National Geographic, 124-149.
