Editorial
It’s inclusion, stupid!
On Democracy Day, we must reflect on the past and plan for the futureToday the country commemorates the 66th Democracy Day. While the day that marks the end of an oligarchic rule and the dawn of democracy calls for celebration, it also merits some solemn reflection on the journey the country has undertaken so far and particularly on the one it wants to undertake now.
It is worth recalling that democracy was not handed to us on a silver platter. Every subsequent political transformation that the country went through since 1951 also demanded many sacrifices. Therefore, it is only right that those of us who have benefited from the sacrifice of others show respect for them and pay heed to their message.
While the country has transformed and achieved much on the political front—the latest being the institutionalisation of republicanism, secularism and federalism in the current constitution—it has not been able to translate the achievements into economic gain. While there are a few pockets of affluence, the country as a whole remains one of the poorest in the world. A sizeable chunk of the population lives in grinding poverty. A disproportionate number of these come from certain regions like Karnali that, incidentally, is facing one of the worst droughts in 30 years. Many in Kathmandu, however, are not even aware of Karnali’s plight.
More distressingly, Nepal is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, a problem that only seems to have worsened over the years. Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perception Index ranked Nepal at 130—four positions down from last year—among the 168 countries surveyed. Corruption of such scale prevents the small gains the country makes from percolating down to the lowest strata of society, thereby widening inequality and making societal conflicts more likely.
Failure to gain economic prosperity and curb corruption also endangers democracy. Extremists, both from the right and the left, can exploit mass discontent to malign democracy and make attempts to roll back its gains—incidents that are not unprecedented in the country’s recent history.
It is unlikely that those who fought hard for democracy would be happy with the current state of affairs in Nepal. The fact that polarisation between communities is probably at its peak has much to do with the reluctance of the powers that be in Kathmandu to make democracy inclusive. It is important to make a distinction between procedural and substantive democracy. While the trappings of democracy like periodic elections are important to institutionalise it, what lies at the heart of it are inclusion and accommodation of all people.
Studies have shown that inclusive institutions—as opposed to extractive ones—facilitate economic growth. Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson in their book ‘Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty’ shed light on the important role inclusive institutions play in separating successful economies from unsuccessful ones. Inclusion, therefore, is not only a right political measure, but also a pragmatic economic one.
On this historic day, let us celebrate the accomplishments of the past, but let us also make inclusion an important national agenda for the future, to foster growth as well as unity.