News, Views From Nepal

 Yuba Nath Lamsal ( Publish in TRN on Aug 3, 2022) Philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it,” said Karl Marx back in 1945 implying that ideas and ideologies have a little to do with practical politics. Philosophy has to do more with truth and knowledge. Ideologies are basically a set of ideas to guide action in politics. Philosophy may not have to do anything with politics but ideology is the basic foundation of politics.  Politics existed in society long before political philosophies and ideologies were born. Ideologies are the latest construct which grew in the womb of politics. Philosophies and ideologies had greater impact on politics in the past. But modern politics is motivated more by immediate gains rather than ideas and ideals, which is well illustrated by Deng Xiaoping’s saying - “it does not matter if a cat is black or white as long as it catches mice”.   Suffering  Right from the ...

 Yuba Nath Lamsal With Indo-Pacific region turning into a major theatre of global power rivalry, Nepal has emerged as a key geopolitical pivot. The flurry of visits by officials from the United States and China over the last few months stipulates Nepal’s centrality in this geopolitical contest. Located between India and China, Nepal’s geopolitical position had always been pivotal in South Asia. It has further ramped up with Asia becoming a key location of geopolitical contention.   Henry Luce, a founder of Time Magazine, first used the phrase ‘The American Century’ in 1941 advocating US role and involvement in the global affairs.  The US heavily prevailed in the international power system throughout 20th century. The dawn of the 21st century marked the shift of international power to Asia bringing China and USA face to face. The American Century now appears to be waning and Asian Century is in the making.  China’s rise China’s phenomenal rise econ...

  Yuba Nath Lamsal Tim Marshal in ‘Prisoners of Geography’ says: “Geography has always been a prison of sorts — one that defines what a nation is or can be, and one from which our world leaders have often struggled to break free”. Countries cannot change geography but can only change and adjust their policies. Geography is a permanent feature with which states are required to adjust their foreign policy in commensurate with their national interest.  What would have been our foreign policy priority if Himalayas had been in our southern border or if Nepal had been located in the Indian Ocean or Pacific Ocean rim? In such a case, our priorities and policies would have been definitely different. Thus, countries are what Tim Marshal says ‘prisoners of geography’.  Boon and curse Geography alone may not always be the lone determinant shaping foreign policy. But it is definitely a principal element with which countries are often required to adjust their policy prio...

  Yuba Nath Lamsal  Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it is just the opposite: John  Kenneth Galbraith  ‘Right wing’ and ‘left wing’ are perhaps the two most cited terms in the political discourse across the world. But understanding of these terms is as diverse as world’s geographic variation and heterogeneity of humankind.  The terms ‘left’ and ‘right’ mean differently in different continents and different regions as well as in different contexts. In Europe and northern America, leftists are understood as ones that advocate larger government and policy that seek to favour workers, lower brackets of society, higher tax while conservatives are known to be rightist who seek lower tax, small government and deregulation.  Evolution of ideology  Those who support liberal political order and free economy are called centrists while opposing this are rightists. The idea of right and left in politics came into political lexicon af...

  Yuba Nath Lamsal In the modern era of liberal democracy, ideology appears to have lost its appeal and charm. What matters is the immediate interest and benefit. Like in economics, market rules the roost in all sectors, including politics. In other words, market is the God that determines the fate of politics, parties, politicians and even individual citizens. Politics, too, is being dictated by the market force and we are in the age of market politics. Since market calls the shots in the larger political ruckus, parties and politicians tend to manufacture products that sell in the neoliberal political bazaar. What sells today is rhetoric, populism and propaganda which may hardly see the day of light in the world of realpolitik. Gone are the days of ideology and politics of ideals and principles. In the present era of market dictated politics, every action and move has a price tag. Values are replaced by prices and profits. This is the fundamental of neolib...