Prof. Dr. Yubaraj Sangroula
The end of the world’s old military, political, and economic structure and balance has now become a fact. Francis Fukuyama’s hypothesis has collapsed. The global landscape is changing rapidly. Countries like China, Russia, and India are no longer willing to accept Western dominance or direction. We must now think deeply about what kind of disaster the politics we are currently practicing in Nepal might bring.
The shape of tomorrow’s world is gradually becoming visible. The idea of a world order based on the coexistence of all civilizations and value systems is no longer just talk—it is becoming reality. Nepal’s time to draw its own roadmap for the future has arrived within this very context.
As our elders used to say, our time too will come. Because we have fertile land, abundant water, sufficient forests, and the necessary living beings. Our true prosperity lies in our land, water, forest, and creatures.
The “feudal tumor” that has long occupied our minds must now be eradicated. It is no longer possible to remain a nation of laborers abroad or depend solely on oil-based visas. Citizenship is far more dignified than diaspora status. The country now has no alternative but to advance along the path of citizen supremacy.
Yes, for the past 70 years, Nepal’s state system has been weak in exercising self-determination, primarily because the nation has lacked strong leadership. Although at times Nepal attempted to assert its right to self-determination, Western political and military dominance created conditions in which small countries like ours could not maintain full independence. But that era is ending, even if the West still entertains the possibility of another war.
Even today, the notion that democracy is merely a composite of Western political doctrines remains alive in many post-colonial countries governed by corrupt elites—countries like ours. Foolish so-called intellectuals, tempted by foreign money, continue to act like puppets of external forces.
The root cause of this problem lies in the desire for feudal power within the weak intellectual leadership that governs nations like ours. This very desire allowed foreign plans to penetrate the minds of our leaders and bureaucrats.
1. The situation is now changing rapidly. Most of the countries that were once labeled as part of the second and third world are now aligning under the collective platform of the Global South. The emerging economies — China, Russia, India, and others — are assuming leadership roles that the West can no longer prevent.
2. In this new situation, Nepal is no longer a “yam between two boulders”; it is a treasure mine situated between two great markets and civilizations — India and China. Our journey from here must be decisive and unwavering.
Nepali citizens must now abandon their selfish social psychology. We must rid ourselves of the sadistic mentality that says, “Even if I don’t progress, others should not either.” Civic discipline should be built around the humane philosophies of Vedic Sanatan Dharma, Buddhism, and Mundhum.
Our political system and state institutions must be constructed on the foundation of our civilizations and cultures. We must end the practice of carrying Green Cards and foreign citizenships while preaching hollow nationalism. We must stop cultivating conspiracy theories and internalizing Western political and military ideologies that erode our own culture.
Without doing so, political stability and economic prosperity will never take root. Only when our derailed system of governance is rebuilt upon the foundation of our own civilization and culture can we imagine a truly stable and prosperous Nepal.
3. Nepal’s independence and sovereignty cannot be destroyed by anyone. Nepal is a member of the United Nations. However, as China, Russia, India, Africa, and South America continue to rise, Western hegemony feels its own existence under threat. The West talks about a rules-based international order, but what it truly means is that everyone must accept its political, economic, and military norms—otherwise, it declares that world peace is endangered.
This is not an egalitarian principle, and that is why the global order itself faces challenges today. In this context, our land too has become a battleground for strategic intervention — an attempt by the West to obstruct the rise of the Eastern powers. But this intervention will fail.
It is said, “After a game of chess ends, both the pawn and the queen are put into the same box.” In other words, every game of power is temporary. Because past rulers failed to understand this, foreign “chess players” found opportunities around our state structure. But their influence will not last long. Even among the leaders who emerged from rebellion, their weaknesses and divisions are now evident.
4. This situation signals the dawn of an intellectual awakening in our country. Nepal should not view India-China competition as a threat. Our only duty is to keep our “kitchen clean.”
India cannot and will not deny Nepal’s relationship with China, just as China cannot and will not deny Nepal’s relationship with India. They need Nepal as much as Nepal needs them. One day, Nepal will certainly become the bridge between them.
Hence, changing the present structure of our governance system has become the duty of every Nepali citizen. There is a saying: “A dog carried on one’s shoulder cannot hunt a deer.” The leaders of the Congress and Communist parties who came to power in the past failed to understand this.
The dream of their political rebirth is now only a fantasy. The condition of those who rebelled is also visible. Those affiliated with foreign embassies or attempting to control Nepal from abroad will find that their plans ultimately backfire on themselves.
5. Politics is not as easy as obtaining a scholarship and earning a degree. Politics drives the economy, and it is the civil service that drives the state. Because this was not understood, many senior leaders have now become destitute in old age. Having burned their own houses in service of their masters, they are now hiding in dark rooms or behind prison walls.
6. Now, the destination of the state is clear.
6.1. The nation’s destiny is now clear: only capable individuals who believe in citizen supremacy and accountability should lead politics. The state is not a casino for a handful of foreign-trained elites or sycophants of foreign interests. The path ahead is open for builders—farmers, entrepreneurs, and producers who can ensure prosperity through a self-sustaining local economy. Once the predators disappear, the true freedom of the forest begins.
6.2. One can live without many things, but not without food. Therefore, self-reliance in agricultural production must be the nation’s first campaign. A citizen free from hunger will no longer be compelled to become a migrant laborer, because a prosperous agricultural system naturally paves the way toward industrialization.
6.3. Both agriculture and industry require quality education. Education is built by good teachers, not feudal leaders. Teachers now understand that feeding hay to a wooden cow will never improve the cowshed. It is time for the educated to take responsibility for the state.
6.4. Education must create self-employment. Hence, schools and colleges must become centers of research and production.
6.5. We have entered the digital age; therefore, youth must be engaged in the digital revolution.
6.6. The first priority for development and opportunity must be the bottom 40% of the population. The state must ensure their access to education and opportunity.
To achieve all this, the state must be inclusive. Therefore, the real question is not how to vote, but how to make our representatives accountable to the people.
Our greatest challenge remains maintaining geopolitical balance. We must remain sensitive to the security concerns of both India and China. Nepal’s foreign policy should be guided by the principle of building cooperation between South Asia and China.
Let us abandon despair and inferiority.
Let us dedicate politics not to becoming ministers, but to nation-building.
