During the Monarchy, resources were misallocated or not allocated all. The rural parts of the country was very poor. There was little economic activity happening. People only 20 years ago were very poor. Ask your parents. They were likely in the villages farming and living a subsistence lifestyle. My parents both were before they god married.
Democracy empowered all parts of the country. We saw rapid building of roads. We saw power lines reach all parts of tue country. These roads enabled for people to come to KTM or to parts of Terai easily. This migration and the subsequent globalization opened Nepal up to the world. The migration would probably not have been possible under the Monarchy whose motto was, “Aafno gau afai banaune”.
A point about migration that was a result of roads being built: Economic theory argues that migration is good because it leads to efficient allocation of human capital. People can move to where the jobs are. They can move to where businesses are. This leads rapid urbanization which comes with benefits in education as well.
People are obviously going to leave for jobs abroad, that’s basic economics. The problem is not that people are leaving in droves—a lot of them can be compelled to move back. However, them moving back is not important. The problem is that the rate at which these people are leaving is high. Meaning every year some % of the population leaves. If the country was functioning better, people would still leave but at a smaller percentage.
The only thing we should look at is year over year growth rate. If you look at historical data, in 2017 gdp growth was 9%. ‘18, 7.6. ‘19, 6.7. This growth would have likely continued if not for the pandemic. Nepal is improving in almost all metrics imaginable. Quality of education has gone up because people could move to KTM to educate their kids.
What we see happening now—I like to give the example of dozer साउ—is that the people who led the development of the country, a lot of them dozer साउ, are finding ways to cheat the system and keep their hold on power.
Many mayors and ward adakxyas have made their money through construction. This is happening because there isn’t a check on their power. The three party system only enables this for the incumbency of the 3dal prefers to remain as such.
The constitution was promulgated in 2015. Democracy is only 8 years old in Nepal. People have not learned to wield their democratic powers. Democracy is not just voting, it’s being able to run for election, campaign for an idea and bring that idea into reality. This was not a luxury the Monarchy offered.
So what’s next? What do we do to remain optimistic?
We need to learn to use our democratic power. Balen, Harka, Rabi and RSP have shown us that democracy can work. This needs to be scaled across the country. We need to see competitive elections. The root of the evils are the three dals. I come from a Congress household but recognize that while I agree with their “democratic ideology” over the socialists, I do not believe Congress, UML and Maobadi have a place in the Parliament.
So let’s make change, not by petitioning for the return feeble ex-Monarch and a failed and obsolete political system. But by running for local and federal elections. 84 can be an inflection point where the country votes against corruption.
Related:
No matter how much we turn and twist things, no matter how much we live in denial, no matter how much we shift the blame or make excuses, deep down we all know that this system has failed us. We were taken for a ride by these politicians.
An entire generation grew up after Jana andolan and has left the country or planning to. Rest regret not leaving the country when they had a chance.
My bhanja who was born after Jana andolan is already preparing now to apply abroad in a few months. I don’t have the guts to tell him “Stay back, things will be better”.
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proverty stricken, never ending war and open slavery are prevalent in most of the “DEMOCRATIC” African countries. Rural china or India was poor as well 30 years ago. Advancement in technologies made this so called economic bloom not your democratic shit. Idk how people are so blind or just don’t want to accept this. Afno gau afaaile nabanaye kasle banauxa ta.? People complain why rural part isn’t develop when they flock in capital . Then they complain why valley people are rich as they want to buy the lands in high price. These young guns look down on farming and now look at this nation, one blockade from India and nepal is literally in it’s knees. And people leaving for abroad is just one your fruits of ganatantra. When you talk about turning this country into Switzerland and instead make it the no.1 poorest country, open bribe system in govt offices, get harassed by party people if you are a common folk., no jobs cause all industries are private marwardi owned who will rather employ indians than nepali. This blind hope of change through voting is idiotic. When you can’t even assure fair play in elections. Not to mention this pm and president being choosen by sansad members rather nepali people. Like how is this democracy? And criminals getting pardoned is the bitch slap to nepali. From your loktantra till now how many corruption cases have come to light yet not a single culprit punished. If this is your ganatantra then I don’t want it. Just because your family have it good all of a sudden doesn’t make this shit better for us. I wonder what does op parents do.
What’s ironic is that we’re allowed to protest without any problem because of democracy. If there was monarch right now the protesters would’ve gotten kicked in their asses.
It hasnt failed but prachanda and oli will make this country go into a anarchy
>The migration would probably not have been possible under the Monarchy whose motto was, “Aafno gau afai banaune”.
Thank God. I didn’t have to read the rest.
During the monarchy era Asia as a whole was a sucker in the economy …what we have now is bound to happen whether it was monarchy or democracy but we just could not go past this …good luck to one who thinks Nepal will be getting anytime
I completely agree with you man…Most people are supporting Durga Prasain protests just because they’re fed up with these politicians not because they want king back. Democracy should be the only way forward