Paradigm shift in Political thinking
Until four or five years ago, it was thought to be weird idea even to think of Nepal as Republican Monarchless State. For many people, Nepal without king was unthinkable, let alone Republican. For them, Monarch was a symbol of national unity, an embodiment of nationalism and patriotism. But the choice majority of Nepali people had was different from what many loyalists presumed to be. Like their king, they lived in an imagery world inundated with illusion. Gloried by sycophants as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and swayed temporal power, he pretended to be a benevolent king who does not harm and acted as savior of all Nepalis delivering false promises.
With a rapid transformation of polity, Nepal is now embracing all kind of social changes that have not seen or heard before. Political wrangle that we have witnessed at the moment to keep themselves in the helm of power speaks volume about the mentality of our politicians who have tenacity to glue with power. Lesson that history taught us that power is like a currency which keeps on passing from one to another should be learned by the leaders. It was with Gyanendra Shah, and it could be with anybody in future. If any party or person fails to deliver the good governance to the people, there is no alternative for them besides handing over the baton to more competent one for the sake of nation and its people. It is right time for our leaders-be it political or social- to go through From Third to First World, which is a Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew, former prime minister of Singapore. It is reportedly said that Deng Xiaoping, the man who did more than any other to put China on the path to modernization, had had several parleys with Lee Kuan after China embraced liberal economy in 1978 for learning the lesson for its transformation. Like Nepal, Singapore also had giant neigbours- Malaysia and Indonesia when it achieved independence. Media Magnet Rupert Murdoch has aptly commented on the book: " More than forty years, Lee Kuan Yew transformed what was a poor, decrepit colony into a shining, rich and modern metropolis-all the time surrounded by hostile powers. With his brilliant, incisive intellect, he is one of the world's most outspoken and respected statesmen. This book is a 'must read' for any student of modern Asia." The book also tells how he attracted foreign investment in Singapore keeping its interest uphold. To achieve giant leap in the economic development, Lee Kuan is the right role model to follow for economic development, if not a political hero to be cherished with. And, many erudite thinkers and planners suggested Third World countries that this book is a Bible that they should read for development.
Political leaders should understand it clearly that political popularity is not a parameter to achieve economic growth. There should be parity both in theory and action. In this age of globalization, it's impossible to develop a nation without emerging itself into global community. China has modernized its economy- partly by getting foreign firms to pay the tab. It is because it has changed earlier policy and prodded to liberal economy by giving chance to poor becoming richer, not vice versa. "Mao's Cultural Revolution devastated China, crushing its intellectual, scientific, and artistic capability, eliminating its educational system, and ruining its economy. When Mao died in 1976, he left behind a nation of penniless peasants. Now that his Communist Party has done an about-face, gradually rejoining the world economy, moving toward a market economy and taking nation through an industrial revolution, incomes are rising and the once quashed spirit of Chinese is reappearing, " writes Forbes Foreign Correspondent Ms. Robyn Meredith in her famous book about India and China: The Elephant and the Dragon. As recently as fifteen years ago, nearly everyone in China was equally poor, but incomes are stratifying quickly. China already has 320,000 millionaires. A Chinese journalist friend of mine told me recently that he wanted to see Nepal following the footstep of modern China, not the old one.
People often forget things so easily but memory of tyrants and terrors keep on haunting them for a long time. We have uprooted the despotic king not to beget another despot in future. Nepal cannot afford to have another despot. What people want and wish to have is dramatic change in their social and economic life. Many countries in the world had same kind of living standard as we had in early sixties. Because of bad governance and lack of political and economic vision of the leaders, we are lagged behind so miserably that it's a sheer humiliation for us to compare ourselves with them. Though beginning of New Nepal is not as good as we expected because it seems nobody wants to relinquish power and position for people who elected them, New Constitution will definitely address the social, political and economic rights of the people. Unless and until, people are not made well equipped with education, disparity continues to surface in one or another form in society. At the moment, Nepal is in need of a person with rectitude, not the one with megalomaniac attitude. We don't need a callous leader. We need someone who takes us to new height along with him in tandem, not leaving us behind as many leaders did in the past.
On Sat, Jul 12, 2008 at 11:06 PM, r acharya <acharya_rp@hotmail.com> wrote:
Dear Saradji Thanks a lot for Ur interesting article in The KTM Post. It is very relevent in our context now.
- Rajeshwar Acharya
On 7/13/08, #CHANDRA SING GURUNG# <CHAN0397@ntu.edu.sg> wrote:
Dear Sarad Jee,
I agree with you. By the way, when you name Lee Kuan Yew, it has to be in full or just write Mr. Lee or LKY commonly known in Singapore. Keep it up though.
Regards,
Chandra Sing Gurung
Postgraduate Student
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore
Dear Mr. Pradhan,
Warm Greetings from the home! I am reading your articles "Paradigm shift in political thinking" in todays's The Kathmandu Post. Excellent article in appropriate time. Your efforts in sperading such views is highly commendable. I hope those leaders who claim themselves have nation building visions must reat it and have lessons. They do not have to spend time in speech or reading or travelling overeseas for it. If they are honest to the nation and people, they can get it from your article. To be frank to tell you that I have been reading articles written by various Nepal's renowned PhD holders. I am tired with their articles and I hate to call them PhD holders. I have found them very poor in attitudes more than begger attitudes. I cannot makeup any clues on their messages; why they write and for what purposes! Almost all articles, I found them with a complete bianess or inclined with one's personal interest in pleasing to; USA, India, China, individual poliical parties, or king etc. This is not appropriate time in nepal to please some one. It is time for us to know what is right and wrong and what we can do for nation and people. As of today, I must say this is the only ariticle I found dedicated to the nation and peoples interest. I can say your article is simple but contains valuable message. I am afraid on very few poeple have read it. Also those so called statemens may not have it in hand. I suggest, if possible rewrite in Nepali and publishe in Nepali newspaprs too. Also strongly I suggest, if possible print in Nepali and distribute to those leaders who are crying to death saying that they have visions of nation building. Mr. Pradhan, as a public of Nepal, I extend you my warm salute in writing such mesage for Neal and nepalese's inerest. Please keep it up. One day, we would know what you mean it. Thank you and have a good day!
Shyam Shrestha
Dear Mr. Pradhan,
Greetings from home! So nice of you responsing my mail. Tons of thanks for. Exactly , I agree with your thoughts and afraid of being the same as you mentioned. Do it now and if possible just distribute it to the concerned leaders individually, requesting them do not go far for the national building lessons and tell them, if you are honest and sincere to the nation and people and have lessons from the nations and leaders what you have examples.This example would be a fundamental matra to them in leading the nation towards the economic developments. Pradhan jee, please keep up your spirit to the end for collective interest. All best to you and namaste
Shyam Shrestha
On 7/14/08, Kanak Kshetri <kanak@mit.edu> wrote:
Dear Sir,
I read with great interest your article in the Nepalnews site. I thought it was incoherent, lacked any thesis, and contradictory. Despite the theatrical introductory paragraph bashing "despotism", you cite yet another "despot", Lee Kuan Yew, as a positive figure, which is frankly, illogical. Even your conclusion talks about needing a "person", when it is quite clear, both by your sentiment and by the general demagoguery demonstrated in the past few years that the nepali people seem to have only a selfish motive to rule the country by themselves. It is thus, hypocritical for you to claim that nepal needs a "savior", when you are so busy in your theatrical decrying of "despots".
-kanak
What an inspirational and yet, contradictory piece of writing.
Should Nepal also look for a non-democrat like Lee Kuan Yew to lead our country? He delivered for Singapore, no doubt, but Singapore is definitely not a democracy. Is this what the writer is proposing for Nepal? If Gyanendra had delivered economic progress to Nepal, would this writer celebrate his autocracy the way he celebrates Lee Kuan Yew?
Popularity may not be a parameter to achieve economic growth but it is certainly THE parameter to remain in office. Again, is the writer suggesting that Nepal go back to an autocracy where popular vote counts for nothing?
My recommendation to Mr. Pradhan is that he undertake a paradigm shift in his own thought process - from wishful thinking to being more firmly grounded in reality. Only after he has reconciled with himself may be propound advice to the rest of us. Hopefully, of the rational variety.
Baje- In Nepalnews.com
Re: Paradigm shift in political thinking
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2008, 03:39:45 am »
Leaving slight exception on the contents of article,the most thoughtful,adoptable,actualistic master piece of author,brought by Mr.Sarad Pradhan,seems to be highly commendable,read-wprthy and appreciative as well.
Certainly,Nepal and entire Nepali people ,with exception to blind indoctrinated and selfish oriented followers of so called democratic parties, are looking for a statesman to run the most troubled and disturbed nation who have strong will power and dedication to nation like Lee Kwan Yee and ,devoted to democracy and national reconciliation as well as wider and tender heart to accepting the ex-enemy as a friend and team-member essential to succeed noble mission of rebuilding the nation like great leader Nelson Mandela,Frm president of S.Africa.But,unfortunately there is not yet seen any possibility to have such statesman at this point of time in Nepal.
So, with the heavy heart and despite of unwillingness it seems that there is a mandatory in saying: Nepalis are still need to have more troublesome and insecured time to pass ahead atleast for few more years because of thses power hunger,selfish and puppets of external power who are known as a politicians and party-leaders who are not hesitating from self-claiming as saying savor of democracy,nation and people.There is another very important as well as dangerous situation as well,if the independent scholars,neutral political thinkers,intellectuals and real democrats with nothing to do with sole partisan politics,have not really be alert and putting enough and strong moral and other essential pressure on thses power-mongers and puppets leaders for not working anti-national and anti-democratic way,there higher posssibility of failure nation ultimately resulting to lose natinal identity is almost seen as certain.
Jaya Nepal !
-
Chintit Nepali in Nepalnews.com
Yes,I do agree that there are many so called leaders who apart from claiming homeland savers,convert from heroes to despots.And it's curios that the countries where a bunch of people claim to be so, have many problems in reality!Look at Burma,the army general acts as an authentic salvador of nation.Singapore is wealthiest but I don't think a country with institutional freedom and civil liberty.
-Nirmal Ghimire, in Nepalnews.com
With a rapid transformation of polity, Nepal is now embracing all kind of social changes that have not seen or heard before. Political wrangle that we have witnessed at the moment to keep themselves in the helm of power speaks volume about the mentality of our politicians who have tenacity to glue with power. Lesson that history taught us that power is like a currency which keeps on passing from one to another should be learned by the leaders. It was with Gyanendra Shah, and it could be with anybody in future. If any party or person fails to deliver the good governance to the people, there is no alternative for them besides handing over the baton to more competent one for the sake of nation and its people. It is right time for our leaders-be it political or social- to go through From Third to First World, which is a Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew, former prime minister of Singapore. It is reportedly said that Deng Xiaoping, the man who did more than any other to put China on the path to modernization, had had several parleys with Lee Kuan after China embraced liberal economy in 1978 for learning the lesson for its transformation. Like Nepal, Singapore also had giant neigbours- Malaysia and Indonesia when it achieved independence. Media Magnet Rupert Murdoch has aptly commented on the book: " More than forty years, Lee Kuan Yew transformed what was a poor, decrepit colony into a shining, rich and modern metropolis-all the time surrounded by hostile powers. With his brilliant, incisive intellect, he is one of the world's most outspoken and respected statesmen. This book is a 'must read' for any student of modern Asia." The book also tells how he attracted foreign investment in Singapore keeping its interest uphold. To achieve giant leap in the economic development, Lee Kuan is the right role model to follow for economic development, if not a political hero to be cherished with. And, many erudite thinkers and planners suggested Third World countries that this book is a Bible that they should read for development.
Political leaders should understand it clearly that political popularity is not a parameter to achieve economic growth. There should be parity both in theory and action. In this age of globalization, it's impossible to develop a nation without emerging itself into global community. China has modernized its economy- partly by getting foreign firms to pay the tab. It is because it has changed earlier policy and prodded to liberal economy by giving chance to poor becoming richer, not vice versa. "Mao's Cultural Revolution devastated China, crushing its intellectual, scientific, and artistic capability, eliminating its educational system, and ruining its economy. When Mao died in 1976, he left behind a nation of penniless peasants. Now that his Communist Party has done an about-face, gradually rejoining the world economy, moving toward a market economy and taking nation through an industrial revolution, incomes are rising and the once quashed spirit of Chinese is reappearing, " writes Forbes Foreign Correspondent Ms. Robyn Meredith in her famous book about India and China: The Elephant and the Dragon. As recently as fifteen years ago, nearly everyone in China was equally poor, but incomes are stratifying quickly. China already has 320,000 millionaires. A Chinese journalist friend of mine told me recently that he wanted to see Nepal following the footstep of modern China, not the old one.
People often forget things so easily but memory of tyrants and terrors keep on haunting them for a long time. We have uprooted the despotic king not to beget another despot in future. Nepal cannot afford to have another despot. What people want and wish to have is dramatic change in their social and economic life. Many countries in the world had same kind of living standard as we had in early sixties. Because of bad governance and lack of political and economic vision of the leaders, we are lagged behind so miserably that it's a sheer humiliation for us to compare ourselves with them. Though beginning of New Nepal is not as good as we expected because it seems nobody wants to relinquish power and position for people who elected them, New Constitution will definitely address the social, political and economic rights of the people. Unless and until, people are not made well equipped with education, disparity continues to surface in one or another form in society. At the moment, Nepal is in need of a person with rectitude, not the one with megalomaniac attitude. We don't need a callous leader. We need someone who takes us to new height along with him in tandem, not leaving us behind as many leaders did in the past.
Responses on Paradigm shift in political thinking
On Sat, Jul 12, 2008 at 11:06 PM, r acharya <acharya_rp@hotmail.com> wrote:
Dear Saradji Thanks a lot for Ur interesting article in The KTM Post. It is very relevent in our context now.
On 7/13/08, #CHANDRA SING GURUNG# <CHAN0397@ntu.edu.sg> wrote:
Dear Sarad Jee,
I agree with you. By the way, when you name Lee Kuan Yew, it has to be in full or just write Mr. Lee or LKY commonly known in Singapore. Keep it up though.
Regards,
Chandra Sing Gurung
Postgraduate Student
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore
Dear Mr. Pradhan,
Warm Greetings from the home! I am reading your articles "Paradigm shift in political thinking" in todays's The Kathmandu Post. Excellent article in appropriate time. Your efforts in sperading such views is highly commendable. I hope those leaders who claim themselves have nation building visions must reat it and have lessons. They do not have to spend time in speech or reading or travelling overeseas for it. If they are honest to the nation and people, they can get it from your article. To be frank to tell you that I have been reading articles written by various Nepal's renowned PhD holders. I am tired with their articles and I hate to call them PhD holders. I have found them very poor in attitudes more than begger attitudes. I cannot makeup any clues on their messages; why they write and for what purposes! Almost all articles, I found them with a complete bianess or inclined with one's personal interest in pleasing to; USA, India, China, individual poliical parties, or king etc. This is not appropriate time in nepal to please some one. It is time for us to know what is right and wrong and what we can do for nation and people. As of today, I must say this is the only ariticle I found dedicated to the nation and peoples interest. I can say your article is simple but contains valuable message. I am afraid on very few poeple have read it. Also those so called statemens may not have it in hand. I suggest, if possible rewrite in Nepali and publishe in Nepali newspaprs too. Also strongly I suggest, if possible print in Nepali and distribute to those leaders who are crying to death saying that they have visions of nation building. Mr. Pradhan, as a public of Nepal, I extend you my warm salute in writing such mesage for Neal and nepalese's inerest. Please keep it up. One day, we would know what you mean it. Thank you and have a good day!
Shyam Shrestha
Dear Mr. Pradhan,
Greetings from home! So nice of you responsing my mail. Tons of thanks for. Exactly , I agree with your thoughts and afraid of being the same as you mentioned. Do it now and if possible just distribute it to the concerned leaders individually, requesting them do not go far for the national building lessons and tell them, if you are honest and sincere to the nation and people and have lessons from the nations and leaders what you have examples.This example would be a fundamental matra to them in leading the nation towards the economic developments. Pradhan jee, please keep up your spirit to the end for collective interest. All best to you and namaste
Shyam Shrestha
On 7/14/08, Kanak Kshetri <kanak@mit.edu> wrote:
Dear Sir,
I read with great interest your article in the Nepalnews site. I thought it was incoherent, lacked any thesis, and contradictory. Despite the theatrical introductory paragraph bashing "despotism", you cite yet another "despot", Lee Kuan Yew, as a positive figure, which is frankly, illogical. Even your conclusion talks about needing a "person", when it is quite clear, both by your sentiment and by the general demagoguery demonstrated in the past few years that the nepali people seem to have only a selfish motive to rule the country by themselves. It is thus, hypocritical for you to claim that nepal needs a "savior", when you are so busy in your theatrical decrying of "despots".
-kanak
What an inspirational and yet, contradictory piece of writing.
Should Nepal also look for a non-democrat like Lee Kuan Yew to lead our country? He delivered for Singapore, no doubt, but Singapore is definitely not a democracy. Is this what the writer is proposing for Nepal? If Gyanendra had delivered economic progress to Nepal, would this writer celebrate his autocracy the way he celebrates Lee Kuan Yew?
Popularity may not be a parameter to achieve economic growth but it is certainly THE parameter to remain in office. Again, is the writer suggesting that Nepal go back to an autocracy where popular vote counts for nothing?
My recommendation to Mr. Pradhan is that he undertake a paradigm shift in his own thought process - from wishful thinking to being more firmly grounded in reality. Only after he has reconciled with himself may be propound advice to the rest of us. Hopefully, of the rational variety.
Baje- In Nepalnews.com
Re: Paradigm shift in political thinking
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2008, 03:39:45 am »
Leaving slight exception on the contents of article,the most thoughtful,adoptable,actualistic master piece of author,brought by Mr.Sarad Pradhan,seems to be highly commendable,read-wprthy and appreciative as well.
Certainly,Nepal and entire Nepali people ,with exception to blind indoctrinated and selfish oriented followers of so called democratic parties, are looking for a statesman to run the most troubled and disturbed nation who have strong will power and dedication to nation like Lee Kwan Yee and ,devoted to democracy and national reconciliation as well as wider and tender heart to accepting the ex-enemy as a friend and team-member essential to succeed noble mission of rebuilding the nation like great leader Nelson Mandela,Frm president of S.Africa.But,unfortunately there is not yet seen any possibility to have such statesman at this point of time in Nepal.
So, with the heavy heart and despite of unwillingness it seems that there is a mandatory in saying: Nepalis are still need to have more troublesome and insecured time to pass ahead atleast for few more years because of thses power hunger,selfish and puppets of external power who are known as a politicians and party-leaders who are not hesitating from self-claiming as saying savor of democracy,nation and people.There is another very important as well as dangerous situation as well,if the independent scholars,neutral political thinkers,intellectuals and real democrats with nothing to do with sole partisan politics,have not really be alert and putting enough and strong moral and other essential pressure on thses power-mongers and puppets leaders for not working anti-national and anti-democratic way,there higher posssibility of failure nation ultimately resulting to lose natinal identity is almost seen as certain.
Jaya Nepal !
-
Chintit Nepali in Nepalnews.com
Yes,I do agree that there are many so called leaders who apart from claiming homeland savers,convert from heroes to despots.And it's curios that the countries where a bunch of people claim to be so, have many problems in reality!Look at Burma,the army general acts as an authentic salvador of nation.Singapore is wealthiest but I don't think a country with institutional freedom and civil liberty.
-Nirmal Ghimire, in Nepalnews.com
posted by Sarad @ 6:03 AM
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