Why Nepal's Democracy Falters

The lofty political ideals incorporated in the constitution become repetitive clichés when governance becomes eternally dysfunctional. A yawning gap between the promises and delivery only triggers another cycle of frustration and rebellion. The people are condemned to bear the Sisyphus fate and act as mere means of enforcing procedural democracy propped up by cosmetic reforms devoid of substance, hope and conviction.

If one goes through democratic upheavals and their faulty practices in Nepal spanning over seven decades, a painful scenario pounds us. We confront the discourses on the failure of democracy and promised governance. However, contextual realities and cultural diversity are often ignored while decoding the inherent contradictions that hasten the decline of democratic polity.

Are democratic values universal or nation-specific? Former South Korean president Kim Dae-jung and Singaporean leader Lee Kuan Yew engaged in a classic debate over this question.