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“ Nepal Has Potential To Survive As A Prosperous Country”
-- QUENTIN W. LINDSAY
Although QUENTIN W. LINDSAY, who came to Nepal in 1962 as an advisor on land reform, had left Nepal many years ago, his affections and love to Nepal continues. Living in North Carolina , Lindsay’s heart and mind is always here as he keenly observes events in Nepal . Lindsey joined the Ford Foundation for service as advisor first to the government of Burma, followed by six years with the government of Nepal . After years of his work, Lindsey, who did his Ph.D from Harvard University in economics, has finally come out with a book. The Transformation of Nepal , which focuses on how to improve the life for all Nepalese was written as a narrative. Lindsay’s book gives the picture about how Nepali society has been transforming in all spheres. After releasing his book, Lindsay spoke at length to KESHAB POUDEL about his observation on Nepal . Excerpts:
How do you see the transformation of Nepalese society?
The history of Nepal as a nation has its origin in 1743, according to the western calendar. It was then that the young Gorkhali King, Prithivi Narayan Shaha, initiated the process by which he and his royal successors united- by conquest, coercion and persuasion – more than sixty independent principalities. He thus established approximately the present geographic identity of this mountain Kingdom bounded on the south by India and north by China . King Prithivi Naryan Shaha changed the whole structure of this area and gave rise to a historical change that is so important. It was the first major transformation in Nepalese history. He integrated many smaller principalities into a nation. What is your impression about the social transformation of Nepal ? When I came to Nepal in 1962, some people say Nepal was just Kathmandu and it alone was identified as Nepal . Kathmandu is a society like villages, only much bigger. So, is the nation of Nepal , except that is still much larger, and far more complex. In 1960s few people know about Nepal . Now all these have changed, people living in all parts of Nepal are saying they are now Nepalese. This is a major change. Now Nepal as a society consists of organizational entities of government at village, district and national levels, industrial and business firms, health service organizations, including hospitals, schools, and universities and so on. This is the transformation Nepal has achieved in the last four decades or so. What did you try to see in Nepal ? I look at various issues like what is wrong with the structures? What we have now? What can we do to benefit large number of people? One of the problems is the development, which is not organized. I discuss what benefit Nepal can get as a nation. Development has to benefit the society as democracy needs to benefit all the people, not only the people in power. One has to transform society to benefit all of them. Keeping this in mind one has to wonder what is wrong in the process and why all Nepalese are not benefiting? Why there are such disparities even after spending millions of dollars? Thus, I started to write in a narrative way. What should be the thrust of development? The thrust of development should be the equitable distribution of the benefits as every one should get fair share of development. It should be a society functioning within the organizational structure and a sustainable environment. The development needs to sustain from generation to generation. Nepal needs to pull out from the least developed category. Wedged between two neighbors India and China , how can Nepal benefit from the development of two big neighbors? I saw today and yesterday headline news on the development of hydro-electricity in Nepal . How you are going to develop this power is very important as India and China both want chunks of it. It is better for Nepal to avoid the trade out of their interest. You need their helps but you need to think in your own mind what kind of projects help you. You can sell your energy to neighbors as it is a major source for the development. Their support is necessary. Again how Nepalese will take benefit from them is very important. My feeling is that Nepal has to develop negotiation skills to benefit from growing economic power of both the countries. Future of Nepal lies on how you develop your own country and how you exploit the energy you have. You have already published a book discussing the transformation of Nepal . How do you look at the present state of transformation? When I first came here in Nepal , I was a young economist graduated from major university of the United States . I thought that I could bring change through my studies. However, I quickly learned that by only applying the economic theories, we could not change the society. What is important is to understand the social structures. It was very difficult time when the country was in the process of making new institutions replacing the Rana era system. When I joined as an advisor of land reform, there were confusion and difficulties to implement the land reform programs. It was the major test to the government of King Mahendra as the landowners were pressing the government not to implement the programs. I pursued the idea that we have to buy surplus land from land owners and distribute it to the landless. As a country relying on agriculture, land reform was very important component for Nepal . Do you have discussed all the challenges and difficulties in your book? My book is more than a showcase for grandiose ideas. Instead it offers real solutions on how to make life better in a small country plagued by big problems, including over population, illiteracy, corruption and political instability. The heart of my book lies in its ideas regarding development, defined as the transformation of people, society, and the environment. Nothing remains the same as transformation takes place. Development can appear good or bad depending on the purpose and who gains and who loses. Unfortunately, developed nations have not been very successful in causing the less-developed nations to evolve in orderly, creative, equitable ways for the benefit of all their people, - Nepal is a good example with unstable government. How will economic progress of Nepal ’s two neighbors affect Nepal ? Although China is under one party communist rule, it has made progress in the economic sector following the capitalist economy. As China does not have open political system to meet challenges posed by the high economic growth and disparities created by economic development, there is possibility of one or other kinds of instability in future. So far as India is concerned, it has democratic institutions and market forces but one of the major challenges of India is to bridge the growing disparities between the rich and poor. What will be the response of India and China towards Nepal ? Well, I don’t know what India and China want to do in their relations with Nepal . I would hope that they will recognize the importance of economic development of Nepal for the benefit of Nepalese as well entire region. They need to help Nepal for their own benefits. Nepal ’s two neighbors have to encourage Nepal for the development. Prosperous and stable Nepal will benefit them also. As there is high demand of energy in both the countries, Nepal can trade the hydro-power. What Kind of Nepal suits them? For both the neighbors, prosperous and stable Nepal is in interest. They have to support Nepal to be prosperous and stable. Chaotic and anarchic Nepal will have spill over effect on both the sides. Being a neighbor of two economic powers, it is both the challenge as well as opportunity. What does development consists of? Development consists of the transformation of people, society, and the environment. Nothing will remain the same as development takes place. Development can be good or bad. So, it is essential for the people of Nepal to decide the purpose of development of this transformation. The purpose of development would be to create an equitable enjoyable, peaceful society for all Nepali within a sustainable environment. Nepali society is still following the old Rana political style of robust talk, bombast, intrigue and pursuit of individual self-interest. The interest of the nation, of all Nepali, is thrust into the background for most part. We are reluctant to decentralize authority and responsibility; all too much is centralized at the national level where ministers, a grossly overstaffed bureaucracy and the parliament wield the power. With foreign assistance, some increases in economic productivity and other improvements have been achieved, but most of the result has been increase in population and increased wealth for an elite few, plus degradation of environment. What do you mean by social dimension? The substance of the social dimension consists of the way people think and act. For example, customs, tradition, ethnic characters, habitual behavior, social clubs, attitudes and so on comprises the aspects of social dimension. The social dimension – the way people think and act- has a powerful influence on the performance of other dimensions. What are the major contributions of foreign aid? One of significant accomplishments, with the help of foreign assistance, consists of controlling infectious diseases. An associated failure is that our effort to reduce the population growth have had very limited success. In 1950, Nepal had nearly 10 million people and now the country has 26 million and growth continues. There is no way by which we can provide meaningful, equitable and creative roles, positions and places for this many people as we function within the present structure of society. Nepal receives many millions of dollars each year as assistance for the development. The World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, several countries and various United Nations agencies are the sources. How do you see the future of Nepal ? Although Nepal is in a very difficult period of transformation as it is slowly and gradually moving to adjust with new structures, Nepal has potential to survive as a prosperous country but it needs to bring the development benefiting to all Nepalese. If all Nepali can indeed transform this potential into reality, the world will take notice.
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