Nepal's Failed Development: Reflections on the MIssion and the Maladies
Author: Devendra Raj Panday
Category: Nepal   
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The Book

This book is a reflection on Nepal”s political economy. Nepal remains one of the poorest countries despite plethora of development experiments that span nearly five decades. This irony is complemented by profusion of development literature that fails to address the core issues.

The book is a comprehensive assessment of failed development in Nepal. It has very carefully covered all the related issues, which directly or indirectly have affected the development of Nepal. The important aspect of the book is that it does not reproduce theoretical concept of development or a political speech, or blame someone for failed development. It is a true introspection of the policies followed and not followed by the country since the very beginning of the Shah Dynasty.


The author questions those who implement the policies. Are they different from decision-makers? Faulty implementation has become a good excuse not only for bad policies but also for bad motives. In the process of making a critical assessment of the overall development of Nepali society, the author critically assesses the prevailing decision making process and the right of public to participate in that process.

Development economists, including the author of this volume, consider the landlocked situation of Nepal as a major constraint to development. Yet, this geographic handicap doesn’t seem to have stunted the intellectual growth, if we are to judge from the works of Nepali writers which are replete with references to contemporary thoughts which have been gaining currency globally. Devendra Raj Panday has similarly marshaled a rich array of relevant literature to support his thesis.

Its unequivocal conclusions about a failed development has stirred up the Nepali intelligentsia. The author”s main ideological battle has been directed against corruption among political and service ranks. His argument is that most of the foreign aid largesse has made the country poorer than before and the people more dependent rather than independent in management of their own affairs. The donor agencies are partly blamed for such a wretched situation since they are unscrupulous at times in advancing loans and grants to wrongly prioritized projects. The author advocates the adoption of the principles of transparency and accountability, not only at all levels of governance, but also by the aid-giving countries and institutions, so that the evil influence of ” commissions” in transactions with government agencies could be effectively countered.

The volume is divided into seven chapters and provides references to contemporary national and international authors, economic experts and file findings.