In Defence of Democracy: Dynammics and Fault Lines of Nepal's Political Economy
Author: Ram Sharan Mahat
Category: Politics   
Popularity:

 

About  .

The Book

The Post-1990 democratic dispensation of Nepal evokes mixed reaction. Especially after the Royal move of 1st February 2005, a well-orchestrated campaign has been launched to smear the period as a failure. The book represents an attempt to provide an objective evaluation of this period. .

Tracing the evolution of the country's political economy since the national ill unification, the book asserts that this was the only period in the country's history that empowered the forgotten rural masses, which represent the new foundation of political power. The period not only witnessed political freedom; but as the author argues with irrefutable facts and evidences, the economic conditions of the people improved and poverty declined. The book blends the narration of major development policies, processes, and performances with the author's account of behind-the-scene happenings of which he was not just a witness, but an active participant.

The book gives a frank assessment of critical issues and fault lines in the national polity, social order and economic system, which surfaced during this time. The author's insight about the Maoist and the current political standoff is refreshing. The book sheds further light on where the nation, as we know today, came from and identifies the emerging challenges in an attempt to offer a direction for the future.

---------------------------------

About the Author

Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, a Nepali Congress leader, combines the background of a politician and technocrat. A political activist since early student days imprisoned several times, he also served as university teacher and an UN civil servant. After the political change in 1990, he served the nation in various capacities including the Deputy Chairman of the National Planning Commission, a parliamentarian, Finance Minister and Foreign Minister. He was one of the key architects of the economic policy of the post-1990 Nepal. During his stint as Finance Minister, Nepal was elected Chairman of the IMF-World Bank Board of Governors for 1998-99. A widely traveled person, he has participated and addressed numerous international meetings conferences at home and abroad. At present, the author is a Central Committee member of the Nepali Congress, the largest political party in Nepal.