Can Alternative Politics Deliver Real Reform?

Alternative politics refers to a search by people for self-recognition in the institutional condition of political life and their struggle to upturn power structures that restrict the flow of information, new ideas, policies, strategies, justice and participation in the governing structures. The information revolution has increased the cognitive ability of each individual. They are analytic, able to interpret self and society, pass judgment and organise collective action to widen the domain of engagement in ecological, social, economic and political life of Nepali nation. They question the monolithic concept of civil society, political parties and the market, seek to end eternal political transitions and adopt the sanity of the nation’s diverse cultures and intellectual legacy of enlightenment—pre-religious, spiritual and rationalistic. 

The resistance of people against the homogenisation of life-world without any veneer of justice is couched in assertion of popular sovereignty, cultural efflorescence, and active engagement in the self-rule of democracy. Alternative politics is founded on freedom, social and economic equality, justice and solidarity across the cultural domain of Nepalis of variegated language, ethnicity and caste and religion. Justice for Nepalis is not an abstract notion but directly related to their life. It is validated by the constitution. The SDGs integrate many elements of alternative politics, promising “no one is left behind.” 

Transformational leaders

But the realisation of its goals requires transformational leaders who are ready to eschew family-oriented, partisan, paternalistic and clientalistic attitudes and willing to accept meritocratic culture, ecological ethics, democracy, human rights and dignity of each Nepali.  The core features of alternative politics are its orientation to grassroots people, democratic socialisation, political mobilisation, community building and bottom-up decision-making, affirming the popular sovereignty embedded in Nepali constitution where power and legitimacy flow from bottom up. Its normative frame demands transparent and accountable governance that seeks to address problems of Nepali society through critical dialogues in the public sphere and reconcile the politics of difference in optimal means, not mauled by extremism of any type. 

Nepal needs reforms in public institutions and policies that increase the access of the poor to resources and power to build a stake in democratic virtues-freedom of speech and organisation, power checks, civil liberties, sustainable economy, autonomous courts and civil society, etc. Digital webs have provided Nepalis a glut of information, connectivity and communication, which expect leaders to adopt a culture of transparency and accountability, not freewheeling conduct. Livelihood, social, gender and intergenerational justice, reciprocity and balance and ecological considerations are its ethical cores. Economically, Nepali leadership has to adopt social values of development thinking and acting, frugality, discipline, hard work, integrity, etc. Optimal use of modern technology can reduce animal and human costs of labour, increase productivity and maintain green economic growth based on the sustainable use of resources. 

But alternative politics in Nepal requires a reflection of native knowledge, traits, resources and contextual policies, thus limiting the materialistic ambition that corrupts all national institutions and authorities and fails to respect the value of cultural relativism, not deceiving the people by lurid rhetoric.  The information revolution has provided people with participation outside the frame of ideological political parties based on the friend and foe of social, economic and political classes at a multi-scale, even virtual. First, the growth of multiple classes in society has made the old parties, catch-all type, lacking policy focus, social classes and solidarity, thus increasing the cost of politics.  It has been taken over by a new generation of youth, netizens, driven by digital networks with low cost but with thrilling effect.