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Critical Thinking Dr. Sharma discusses the
constraints Nepal faces in its quest for economic development By KESHAB POUDEL If the ongoing intellectual debates are any
indication of the Nepalese mindset, outsiders would be forced to think that agents of
change have given up hope on development. Of course, not everything is right. But this
does not mean that progress is non-existent, either. In the last decade, many books have
analyzed the core issues of economic and political development of Nepal, but only a few
have made exhaustive efforts to bring together all aspects of the debate. According to the
publisher, Professor Gunanidhi Sharma's new book "Missing Elements" sheds light
on the development thinking required for the realization of greater democracy accompanied
by a sense of stronger nationhood and self sufficiency. Dr Sharma's book is based on his
experiences, insights and observations of the Nepalese economy and world economy over the
decades. From historical perspectives to geographical realities, Dr Sharma tries to weave
together various aspects of the constraints and limitations the country faces in the
course of development. Dr Sharma, a prominent economist, tries to
explain development in historical and political contexts as well. Some of his views are
politically too extreme against the process of liberalization and he seems to be
supportive of the concept of protectionism. One cannot dispute that smaller nations like
Nepal have to be very careful before choosing their path. The kind of informed debate Dr
Sharma fosters would be conducive to making such choices. Like most Nepalese intellectuals, Dr Sharma
is critical of the current pace of economic development. He criticizes economic policies
introduced in the name of development and cautions that haphazard choices may eventually
weaken the national fabric. Dr Sharma discusses such issues as corruption and exploitation
and criticizes politicians for their role and attitudes toward these ills. At a time when every nation is preparing to
enter a heavily competitive global market, Dr Sharma seems cautious about this approach to
the future. According to Dr Sharma, Nepal needs to follow a policy that would bring
prosperity at home and would build an independent personality in the international front.
He discusses the concepts of liberalization, privatization and globalization in the
Nepalese context where the rural-urban gap continues to widen. Nepal has achieved some progress in the
areas of education, industrialization, agriculture development and infrastructure sectors.
Dr Sharma does not suggest how the country could exploit this development to transform
society.
"Nepal's current state of
economic affairs is exogenously determined. Very little room is left for the enogenisation
of economic activities geared towards self-sustained process of economic growth. The
inability of the nation to keep political house in order, to make effective efforts for
neutralizing natural setbacks, to promote competitive market structure and to insulate the
economy from disturbances originating across the international frontier has forced the
economy to remain under low equilibrium-population trap," say editors Navaraj Kanel
and Neelam Kumar Sharma. With intellectuals who are at the forefront
of the development debate always holding critical views, sometimes it is difficult for the
people to even hope for progress. Nepal: Missing Elements in the
Development Thinking Nature's Bounty Shaha and Mitchell describe
the vastness and diversity of Nepal's wildlife A small country in terms of territory,
Nepal is rich in biological diversity. Enclosed in this small area is a wide variety of
temperature zones, flora and fauna. This is what Rishikesh Shaha and Richard M. Mitchell
try to explore in their book.
Although Shaha writes on history and
politics, his effort to explain Nepal's vast wealth of forest and wildlife is commendable.
In a small book, the authors explain the various climatic zones of the country and the
natural and biological resources available in each area. The book, among other things, contains
brief descriptions and anecdotes on wildlife along with current efforts being made to
preserve this precious resource. Much of the information is based on field observations
made by the authors. The color photos taken by Nanda Sumsher J.B. Rana beautifully depict
many aspects of animal life. The authors have also described the history of hunting in
Nepal and the challenges the sport poses to wildlife preservation. Wildlife in Nepal |
Send your feedback to the
editor: spotligh@mos.com.np |
