source: ekantipur.com

King Gyanendra the Last?

By Subindra Bogati

Never before have Nepal's politicians and media been so critical of monarchy and a Nepali King been so scorned of. The voice of those who deem monarchy as a fount of all social ills has been louder than the voice of those who deem monarchy as still being one of the important stabilizing forces of the country.

The fate of a 238 year old institution is in question. However, are the advocates of republicanism sure that Nepal will be better off as a republic? We certainly need to have a vigorous and mature debate inside and outside parliament. Nepal faced a cluster of problems even before King Gyanendra ascended to the throne and committed a political blunder.

Nelson Mandela approved of radical and violent resistance to apartheid, but once in power, he reached out to South Africa's whites to create a multicultural South Africa. Likewise, Jawaharlal Nehru from our neighbouring country spent almost 13 years in jail fighting against British colonial rule but as Prime Minister of independent India, he spent many more years preserving British institutions.

No doubt Nepalis have changed, so have their values and identity. However, neither the politicians nor our monarchy tried to reform this institution in order to make it viable in a changing world. Monarchy as an institution came about at one point of our history and at some point it will obviously disappear. However, history is replete with the fact that the untimely removal of any head of state may result in devastating scenarios. Otherwise, leaders like Mandela and Nehru would have erased the institutions and people they fought against.

To liberate the masses, the abolition of monarchy is not a condition. There is indeed no correlation between republicanism and the liberation of the masses or democratization. The citizens of Denmark, the Netherlands, Britain, and Japan are arguably more liberated and democratic, and they also happen to have monarchies. By just abolishing the monarchy, we can't liberate the masses or improve democracy. We need to have leaders who can establish and defend the rule of law, property rights and create monetary stability, which are vital to a country's progress.

True, we don't have bicycling monarchies of the Scandinavian model, or famous and celebrated monarchies like that of Britain or Thailand. Our prince is not voted "man of the year" for the fourth time in a row like the Danish Prince and our king is never struck with the idea that “a monarch reigns but does not rule.”

However, what about our political leaders? Is there anyone who we can pin our hopes and dreams on? Certainly not. Our politicians should look at their own faults as well. In a poor country like ours, monarchy still acts as a focal point for our community to live out their hopes and fears and to represent us. As the days revering the King as the reincarnation of god are long gone, we have to reform monarchy in a way so that it can stand as a symbol of national unity and act as a catalyst for civic activities.

We can do that by developing the most relevant parts of monarchy and eliminating or softening the worst aspects of it. For that, parliament should be given more powers. The recent decision by our parliament, stripping the royal family's unnecessary privileges is a good start. However, if it remains a stumbling block for strengthening the democratic institutions, people can exercise their right to choose to live with or without it.

If we decide to go for the republican system, the question of electing the first Nepali President leaves us confused. Do we have any names that we can put forward, names that do not invite sheer disgust? Even if we elect someone, will Nepal be better governed with a different sort of head of state? Will she or he be able to represent us not only as our head of state but also as head of our society as our monarchy does?

In election after election, the Nepali people have chosen leaders who promise a shift from the traditional elite driven politics to a more participatory and active democracy that focuses on fulfilling the needs of the poor. Now is an important time to assess how far the leaders of Nepal are likely to go in achieving real change. What Nepalis urgently need is policies and plans that help provide people with security, dignity and hope for a normal life.

Voters in a country like ours feel that they can't make the best decisions for themselves and rely on the politicians acting on their behalf. So, it is time that the great and the good stand up to carefully ponder and vividly express opinions regarding the future of monarchy so that even if we happen to abolish it, the kingdom will remain intact.

There is a strong whiff of nationalism but have we ever thought whether we will be better off as a republic? I think we really need to start debating to make sure that we are taking a right path.