Former finance minister and Nepali Congress (NC) stalwart Dr Ram Sharan Mahat launched his new book ‘Trails, Tremors and Hope: The Political Economy of Contemporary Nepal’ today.
The book – jointly launched by former president Dr Ram Baran Yadav and former foreign minister Bhekh Bahadur Thapa – deals with various ups and downs Nepal went through regime changes, promulgation of new constitutions, 2015-earthquakes, armed insurgency and peace process. "It is the second one after ‘In Defence of Democracy’," Mahat said addressing the ceremony.
“The first chapter of the book deals with ideological underpinnings, especially socialist philosophy adopted by the Constitution,” he said, remembering the Nepali Congress founder BP Koirala and his vision for socialism. “Likewise, the book also discusses Maoist insurgency followed by peace process and management of Maoist combatants, and issues formation of constitution.”
The book also discusses about Nepal’s foreign relation, especially geopolitics, and how the concept of Nepal being a ‘yam between two boulders’ is changing in the current times.
Describing about the book, Mahat said that the book also talks about 'competitive populism' that is increasing in recent years is fatal for the governance. “The book also dwells on Nepal’s hydropower potential, its present status, problems and prospects,” he said, adding that remittance and its impact on the lives of people, and need for rapid economic growth by attracting foreign direct investment are also discussed in the book. “The book raises concerns about financial sustainability of local governments.”
Apart from geo-politics and economy, the book also touches upon the issue of climate change and how Nepal has been affected by carbon emissions by two big fast industrialising neighbours China and India. After discussing about trails and tremors in Nepali polity and economy, Mahat talks about hopes in the last chapter of the book.
Speaking about the book and the writer Dr Mahat, former vice chair of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr Swornim Wagle said the most important chapter of the book is ‘Hope’. Mahat ends the book with hope, he said, lauding the book’s key message that is ‘no compromise with liberal democratic order.’
Wagle also compared the book with Mahat’s persona. “Performance evaluation, high moral and discipline are the key elements of Dr Mahat’s persona and so preaches the book,” he said, adding that the slowdown of economic reforms and indifference by incumbent government can also be read in the book.
“After going through the book, Dr Mahat seems to be becoming more flexible towards the liberal values,” said former finance minister Surendra Pandey, speaking about the book. He also blamed the author for failing to express his opinion on many issues like secularism and citizenship. “The book also fails to discuss the issue of land reforms as without land reforms no country in the world has been developed.”
The book – jointly launched by former president Dr Ram Baran Yadav and former foreign minister Bhekh Bahadur Thapa – deals with various ups and downs Nepal went through regime changes, promulgation of new constitutions, 2015-earthquakes, armed insurgency and peace process. "It is the second one after ‘In Defence of Democracy’," Mahat said addressing the ceremony.
“The first chapter of the book deals with ideological underpinnings, especially socialist philosophy adopted by the Constitution,” he said, remembering the Nepali Congress founder BP Koirala and his vision for socialism. “Likewise, the book also discusses Maoist insurgency followed by peace process and management of Maoist combatants, and issues formation of constitution.”
The book also discusses about Nepal’s foreign relation, especially geopolitics, and how the concept of Nepal being a ‘yam between two boulders’ is changing in the current times.
Describing about the book, Mahat said that the book also talks about 'competitive populism' that is increasing in recent years is fatal for the governance. “The book also dwells on Nepal’s hydropower potential, its present status, problems and prospects,” he said, adding that remittance and its impact on the lives of people, and need for rapid economic growth by attracting foreign direct investment are also discussed in the book. “The book raises concerns about financial sustainability of local governments.”
Apart from geo-politics and economy, the book also touches upon the issue of climate change and how Nepal has been affected by carbon emissions by two big fast industrialising neighbours China and India. After discussing about trails and tremors in Nepali polity and economy, Mahat talks about hopes in the last chapter of the book.
Speaking about the book and the writer Dr Mahat, former vice chair of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr Swornim Wagle said the most important chapter of the book is ‘Hope’. Mahat ends the book with hope, he said, lauding the book’s key message that is ‘no compromise with liberal democratic order.’
Wagle also compared the book with Mahat’s persona. “Performance evaluation, high moral and discipline are the key elements of Dr Mahat’s persona and so preaches the book,” he said, adding that the slowdown of economic reforms and indifference by incumbent government can also be read in the book.
“After going through the book, Dr Mahat seems to be becoming more flexible towards the liberal values,” said former finance minister Surendra Pandey, speaking about the book. He also blamed the author for failing to express his opinion on many issues like secularism and citizenship. “The book also fails to discuss the issue of land reforms as without land reforms no country in the world has been developed.”
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