The political economy of civil war in Nepal

SummaryIt is argued that development failure, together with corruption and shortsightedness of the ruling elite, has provided fertile grounds for the civil war in Nepal. Development efforts in Nepal in the past five decades have failed to touch the poor and have contributed to a rise in unemployment, poverty, and rural–urban inequality, which significantly increased frustration and resentment among disadvantaged youth in the rural and remote areas, leading to the eruption of the civil war. The war could have been avoided if political leaders and ruling elite had a vision for the country, intellectual depth to understand the consequences of socio-economic exclusion, and appropriate strategy to address them.