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Politics Is
Business
Politicisation of business and vice versa has really done great to our economy.
Nepal today is not what it was only
12 years ago. Back then, the
country was unsettled, now it is
settled, it was tumultuous now too mutual, it was impoverished and it was not free, but now it is prosperous and free. This could happen only after our businessmen started doing politics and politicians started doing business. Please don't forget that during the last couple of years, we have had a number of businessmen ministers while a number of MPs were trying their hand at business, such as livestock farming.
We can argue over where the wealth came from. But it's here, and that's a fact. We sold the jungle, we sold the Yarsagumba, and we sold human resource, in the past to join the foreign military armies and now to join the foreign workforce. Some of our brethren even sold their kidneys to the brothers across the border at a handsome Rs. 500 a piece. If you are not convinced by this brief description, we can sit down and try to sort out the how, when and why of this U-turn. We can discuss whether it was a result of some secret plan by our present or former leaders or it was simply the logical conclusion of various events or the benefit of an ideological heritage handed down to us from our domestic or foreign forefathers or the result of foreign pressures etc. However, it is undeniable and indisputable that Nepal now is really a successful state. At least it is not going to be a failed state as the donors were constantly whining about till a few months ago.
The corollary to it is that we are no longer at the crossroads as the people used to repeat until a few months ago. We are at the Bhadragoal road, near Singhadurbar. That crossroad where there used to be no traffic man is now far behind us. After all, who needs traffic police in a Loktantric regime? The choice has been already made as to the direction we have to turn. We live today in a very different and a free country where everyone is free to go the way he wants to.
This means, a new model of the state has taken shape and it is spreading its roots. The state has become "corporatised", it has become a corporate enterprise. You may wonder what this means. Here is how.
Legislations have been changed through gigantic declarations. Now there are no limitations on anything we want to do. Untouchability has been done away with enabling everyone to touch everyone else. The only restriction is that you can't do anything more than touching. Reservations have been made for women, Dalits, minorities and to all who want to enter Singhadurbar from where the country is run like a corporate organisation which is publicly held (not by the royal palace only). Though the name is still not changed into Nepal Government Inc. it is already changed to Nepal Government from His Majesty's Government.
Now the leaders have also mastered the main principle of state-corporatism - "privatise profit, nationalise loss". Accordingly, it has been the motto of every political party and businessmen. Therefore, they all are lobbying for favour and subsidy in everything that benefits them. You too should do something pretty fast, or else you may be left out of the share.
See how the companies that are still in private hands resemble their SOB (state-owned business) siblings! They are trying hard so that one day they will turn to be an MNC (multi-national corruption) like the SOBs already are. Now after the advent of the red star over Nepal Inc. they will be much safer as the reds have promised to nationalise many things but protect the nationalist businesses. Congrats! Nationalist businessmen!
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