The gradual development of the democratic system was based on the belief that personal freedom, self-respect and a prosperous society can be built through a democratic government system.

In this process, after the Second World War, multilateral international financial institutions were established with the aim of easily arranging long-term capital in the world economy and bringing stability to the exchange system.

In the 1970s, Western countries experienced unemployment, high inflation, and economic-political problems, and after realizing that political economic problems were increasing due to the continuation of government control and intervention in the economy, a liberal economy based on individual freedom, excellence, professionalism, and competitive markets gained momentum. . In the 1980s, liberal economic reform policies and programs were implemented worldwide through international multilateral financial institutions. It mainly emphasized disciplined economic policy, competitive use of market mechanisms and liberalization and openness of goods, services trade and investment. The collapse of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s accelerated the expansion of liberalism and openness. Since 1978, China has adopted liberalism in trade, investment and economic policy. In the 1990s, many countries in the world, including Nepal and India, implemented policies of liberal economic reform and openness.

Countries that have adopted a democratic governance system or adopted a controlled governance system, but have adopted a liberal and open economic policy, received sufficient benefits for the first four decades. Achieved achievements in increasing income, reducing poverty, expanding and raising the level of education, health, infrastructure sector and making access to foreign countries, trade in manufactured goods and services, investment, job creation. War-torn, internal conflicts and politically unstable countries could not reap the expected benefits from liberalism and economic reform programs. If we take the context of Nepal, after the implementation of liberal economic reform policy in 1990, a high economic growth rate of 8 percent was achieved in 1994. Due to political instability, armed conflict, transition period and leadership change, the economic growth rate has remained low due to the failure of the reform process. The economic growth rate of the last three years is less than 3 percent on average. 

Barriers to liberal economic reforms

The cost of erosion of liberalism is not only Nepal, but the world has to bear. Over the past decade and a half, the adoption of liberalism and democratic values ​​has been increasing in the world. The leadership of the developed and underdeveloped countries of the world is influenced by self-interest and deviates from democratic values ​​and implements arbitrary policies. Under the guise of nationalism, populism, the leadership's leadership, corrupt activities and incompetence, the backward group has been engaged in making comments that the democratic system is bad.

In 1997, East Asian countries, in 2001 in South American countries including Argentina, and in 2008 in the financial markets of the world, including the United States, came to a standstill in liberal economic reforms. Conflict-affected and developing countries in the transition period could not pay attention to the implementation of laws, institutions, organizations and policies related to the labor market. Due to the increase in the monopoly of large multinational companies, the widening gap in economic inequality, the policies of developed countries such as the United States have become more self-centered rather than liberal, economic liberalism as well as democratic practices have started to be doubted. Populism gained more ground in the world as the crisis in liberal economic reform policies began to emerge. Populist activities benefited bureaucrats, party workers and middlemen at the expense of the state. The experience of the world has made it clear that even if populism gives temporary satisfaction in praise of leadership, the real results in the long run will be limited to imagination. For the long-term interests of the country, it should not be allowed to continue as the cycle of short-term 'populism' in the greed of gaining fame is seen.

The deviation of democratic leadership

The people are the helpless creatures who are oppressed by the heikmanist leadership that tramples on the fundamental beliefs and ideals of democracy. It is democracy that becomes weak. The visionary, clean and capable leadership is enjoying the exaggerated imagination by ignoring the achievements achieved in the economic, social and material fields through democracy. As the chain of people's despair and mistrust is increasing, there are signs of change in the form of people's representatives who will be elected according to the democratic method in the upcoming elections. The trend of the countries that have a large population and have adopted a democratic system is also towards introversion, protectionism and authoritarianism. There is a suspicion that world politics, economy, peace, brotherhood and collective progress will be disrupted and confusion will be created. Even Nepal, which has a small economy, cannot remain untouched by its influence. In such a situation, effective policies, programs and projects should be conducted by modifying traditional economic thinking. 

In addition to improving the existing methods, institutions and processes, prioritization based on national needs, controlling the ineffectiveness and misuse of resources in all three levels of government, trimming the burdensome and expensive federalism and the arrangement of accountable, agile and efficient personnel systems should be made part of the reform process. Capital, capitalists, workers, skills and common people are synonymous with prosperous democracy. These elements are also active in countries that do not have a democratic governance system. The only difference is that in non-democratic countries, individuals, parties and groups limited to the name of the proletariat rule in an opaque manner. Civil liberties, dissent, opposition and transparency have no place. Values ​​and ethics become secondary due to the nexus of self-interest. Even in democratic countries, due to the selfishness of power, some leaders are becoming self-centered, self-righteous, opaque, and illiberal, which has led to the erosion of democratic values.

The role of the government alone is not enough for prosperity. Prosperity does not come from government donations alone. The wealth and wealth earned by the government or the private sector through the exploitation of public natural resources and assets, labor exploitation and exploitation of consumers will temporarily help in capital formation and economic growth. However, the journey to prosperity remains incomplete as the citizens have to pay the price for the economic and social inequality and distortions it creates in the long run. Government subsidies, interventions and cheap populist distributive allocations alone cannot bring prosperity. Prosperity will be achieved by the activities of the private sector operating in accordance with laws, regulations and market recognition and visionary, clean, competent and accountable leadership. 

Civil liberties, pluralism, respect for the majority and healthy competition are the fundamental characteristics of a liberal democracy. The liberal and self-righteous tendencies that have been growing in the leadership for some time cannot kill the basic spirit of democracy. Highness, control and hypocrisy do not last long. If the main leadership is loyal to the country and the people, distant from private interests and far-sighted, the surrounding selfish groups and the institutions and organizations under them cannot cause shock. The debate of replacing democracy becomes meaningless. Healthy competition is necessary not only in goods and services trade, but also in political rivalry, administrative apparatus operation, organizational mobilization and public service delivery. Putting aside knowledge, excellence, honesty and passion, selfishness, collusion, divisiveness and anti-value work have increased hatred and challenge towards democracy. The activities of all the new and old parties and party leaders who came to power have increased the frustration among the youth. 

In fact, the common people are not against the democratic system that favors the independent existence, equality, prosperity and excellence of citizens. It is the duty of the citizens to raise their voice against the anomaly. It is the duty of the leadership to destroy the indifference towards the democratic system by pointing out the erosion of democratic values ​​and liberality and the deviation of the leadership.

Thousands of Nepalis who reached the corner for democracy by carrying dry bread, salt and pepper, bombs, gunpowder and public awareness message in one bag day and night with the bet of their lives in their palms became martyrs. Those same leaders who advocated patriotism, economic and social equality, women's rights, identity and inclusiveness and opposed patriarchy, clan and power center, now after reaching the power center, they forget the sacrifice of martyrs and the recognition of democracy and are running the government protecting their children, relatives and loved ones. The country has to pay the price for the leadership's illusion that power and authority are everything, and that one can continue to live under the guise of power. Tragically, parties, individuals and organizations with a history of sacrifice, sacrifice and struggle are exhibiting bigoted expressions and constipated behavior without accountability. The common people are forced to live in despair due to the dominance of power over the democratic system adopted by the Bahujans in the world, misuse of resources due to selfishness and collusion. The way to gain the trust of the people who are living with hope even in desperate situations is to provide easy public services to the people, good governance and improvement in the economy is the first priority.

Geopolitical challenges and opportunities are not in a position to be solved by combination, utilization and sniping. But as politics has been engulfed in a series of challenges for a long time, the role of economic diplomacy that can be used as an opportunity has become secondary. India's Neighborhood First, America's MCC and Indo-Pacific Strategy and China's BRI have been swirling around our politics for a long time. The diplomatic activities of the past few years are giving the impression that the international relations are not moving in a balanced way.

Good governance and economic reform

Rule of law, transparency in public administration, accountability and clean leadership are the main foundations of good governance. There is a direct and positive relationship between economic reform and good governance. Good governance is indispensable for public service delivery, development, improvement in people's livelihood and high economic growth and prosperity. The idea of ​​keeping state power in one's own hands, the influence of interest groups in the collection, allocation and use of public resources, the lack of monitoring and implementation of regulatory institutions and impunity have led to increased corruption and decreased good governance. The government should give priority to corruption control to promote good governance in the immediate reform agenda.