The price of shoes is not expensive . But the incompetence of the state has made it expensive . Prakash Bohora has told a simple story in a way that everyone can understand about why the Nepali economy is stuck with a pair of shoes bought for just 1,500 rupees (10.37 US dollars)  and who is holding it captive . The police shot at the foot that Prakash was wearing the same shoes . The sad story of Prakash, who was shot in front of the Parliament building during the Gen-G movement, starting from Dailekh, has touched everyone at the center of Nepali politics and economics.

According to the latest statistics, the per capita income of Nepal is 1,243.3 US dollars . The country is still on the list of least developed countries (LDCs). The economic growth rate is very low . Just a few days ago, the government reduced the size of the budget for the current fiscal year . Despite all our efforts, remittance income has remained the mainstay of the country's economy. This does not seem to be changing anytime soon. The reasons behind our economy being so weak and sluggish are misrule, instability, corruption, etc. that have been stagnant for decades. Prakash's shoes fell through in the fight against this instability. The lives of dozens of unarmed youth ended.

The Gen-G movement did not seek to overthrow any particular character and bring a new character to power. But that is what is happening. That is why I think we have left the essence of this movement far behind. It is clear that no matter who comes to power through the election process, the country will not be able to take the path of economic development. Because there is little concern in political circles with the economic and political philosophy of nation-building. There are speeches by leaders, but there is no clarity and honesty. Therefore, it does not seem possible to take any initiative from anywhere to build the economic revolution and political culture we seek.

Looking at the journey of the last decades, especially since 2015, we have not made an honest effort to build the country. The biggest example of this is the coalition government formed by the two largest parties in parliament, the Congress and the UML. This was not only political dishonesty but also contrary to parliamentary decency. The latest Gen-G generation of Nepali society could not tolerate such a dishonest and immoral coalition and the decisions made by the government that stood on its foundation. The Gen-G generation did the work of pushing their inaction out through rebellion. The head of the government himself had to flee under security cover. The story of a pair of shoes participating in the movement of this generation has brought out the state of our economy. The picture of a shoe covered in blood in the Gen-G movement caused a stir across the country. That shoe was not just an object. It became a reflection of a generation's pain, frustration, anger, and desire for change.

Sometimes small symbols, like that shoe, become a mirror of the deep pain and dissatisfaction of our society. Whose was that shoe? Why was it covered in blood? When journalists searched, they discovered not only the identity of an injured person, but also the deep pain and dissatisfaction of Nepali society. The stories of young people wandering around the country and abroad in search of employment, families disappointed by the lack of opportunities, and citizens taking to the streets in the hope of change were mixed in that shoe.

Now the question arises, did yesterday's generation not do any work to build the country? Not so. The previous generation has done a lot. It fought for the nation. But now that way is not enough. Today's generation will decide how to build tomorrow. What kind of country to build is not only a political or economic question, but also a social and moral one. Generational change does not mean just a difference in age. It is the transfer of thoughts, perspectives and values. As a result of the struggles and sacrifices made by the previous generation, we have been able to practice republicanism, federalism and inclusiveness. However, this is not all. All these were just tools. Now, the main issue is what kind of society we build from here on out, how we advance the economy and how much we make society sophisticated.

Today's youth have grown up in the era of technology, information and globalization. They have new thinking, new perspectives and new energy. However, they also have frustration, dissatisfaction and anger. When thousands of youth are forced to go abroad due to lack of opportunities, when labor is not respected in their own country, when education and skills cannot be used properly, then that frustration turns into movement, anger and ultimately rebellion.

Nepal's economic situation has become challenging in recent years. The government has reduced the budget for the current fiscal year by 275 billion rupees after failing to raise and spend resources. The Finance Minister has announced in the semi-annual review that the total allocated budget for the current fiscal year has been reduced by 275 billion rupees. Earlier, a budget of 1964 billion rupees was made public. However, after it was found that the budget could not be spent, it was revised and reduced to 1688 billion rupees.

Officials at the Ministry of Finance admit that the capital expenditure situation is very weak. Only 15.49 percent of the budget allocated for the construction of national pride projects has been spent. It is said that the political transition occurred as soon as the fiscal year began and that the focus on capital expenditure could not be focused on since preparations for the elections had to be made. But this is not a problem of any one fiscal year. Every financial year, we get some excuse. That is why construction of projects does not start and is not completed on time. The data related to economy and development are not just economic indicators. They also tell the picture and psychology of our society. However, the economic crisis is not our only problem. Legal confusion, lack of good governance and inequality are the deep wounds of our society.

The book ‘The Rule of Laws: A 4,000-Year Quest to Order the World’ written by Fernanda Piri, published in 2021, covers the development of law and governance from ancient Mesopotamia to the modern international legal system. Professor Piri of Oxford University says that the laws adopted by a society and country are not just rules of social control, but also the common identity, moral framework and economic system of that society and country. In human civilization, law has sometimes been used as a 'sword' to establish power and sometimes as a 'shield' to protect against abuse of power. In Nepali society, we have only used law to alienate citizens from power and resources. Therefore, only when a shoe changes color with blood, society listens. The book

discusses various legal identities from the Code of Hammurabi in Mesopotamia to the legal traditions of China, India, Islamic and Jewish. In China, the emperor used law to establish the order of the universe, while in India, law focused on religion and social duties developed.

In Islamic and Jewish traditions, law is presented as a system connected to religious life and the afterlife. Law is not made only for the purpose of oppression by the ruler, but also for the protection of their rights and identity and resistance to oppression by the common people, merchants, farmers and various castes. According to Piri, no legal system is perfect. But what unites human civilization is the belief that law can show the way from chaos to order and justice. With this belief, a young man can dare to travel from Dailekh to Russia. Even from there, a young man who returned home safely is shot dead in front of his own country's parliament building while asking a simple question to the government. Where can there be a more shameless society and government?

There is deep dissatisfaction among the people due to legal confusion and lack of good governance. When the law is implemented only to provide protection to the powerful, when ordinary citizens cannot get justice, then despair and anger increase in society. However, even amidst so much despair and dissatisfaction, a ray of hope has not disappeared. Movements, debates and symbolic events are spreading awareness in society. Today's generation is not just crying over problems, they are ready to find solutions, question and fight for change, which is what every Nepali Gen-G's feet are telling us. The cheap shoes produced abroad worn by each of those feet are exposing the character of our society and state.

The democracy that my father's generation brought with suffering and bullets in its chest was not the sole property of anyone. Those who came to power by attacking that democracy did not advance society. Why are we reluctant to hand over the country built by the previous generation to the new generation? Who is holding this country hostage? Why are we questioning the thinking and imagination of the new generation in a different way? Why are we afraid to move the country forward with new thinking, new perspectives and new values?

There are many examples of generational change in Nepal's history. The end of the Rana regime, the establishment of democracy, the fall of the Panchayat, multi-party democracy and republic, generational change has a role in all these changes. However, every generation carries its own challenges and possibilities. The new generation is capable of facing the challenges. Why do we doubt and question this? Today's generation can take advantage of technology, information, education and globalization. They have new thinking, new perspectives and new energy. However, they also have disappointment, dissatisfaction and anger.

The story carried by a shoe, the state of the economy, and the mockery of the law have tarnished society. But the symbolism of the movement and the challenge of generational transfer highlight the current situation and future possibilities. Significant change in this country is not easy. But it is not impossible either. The pain of life carried by shoes, the voice raised by today's movement and the hope of tomorrow will lead Nepal to a new direction. We stand at the confluence of Nepal's history, present and future. The journey ahead is not easy, but hope, struggle and awareness will definitely pave the way for building a new Nepal.

In 2112 BC, an ambitious military leader named Ur-Namma emerged in the Mesopotamian city of Ur. He had overthrown a successful but ruthless warlord. He took over the government. But Ur-Namma was not limited to gaining power and authority. He truly wanted to provide relief to poor farmers, workers, and artisans. He had promised to eliminate social inequality and he wanted to act accordingly. So he declared, ‘I will not hand over the orphan to the rich. I will not hand over the widow to the powerful. I will not hand over the one withered to the one with sixty. I will not hand over the one with a sheep to the one with an ox. I have removed enmity, violence, and cries for justice.’ Not only did he declare, he also implemented laws to do so. Which helped establish justice and equality in society.

This historical example shows that the rule of law is not only a means of social control, but also a basic infrastructure for economic development. Early laws in the creation of the legal system, such as the Muluki Ain in the case of Nepal, were not only for crime control but also for economic stability and trade management. The Muluki Ain regulated liability, which reduced risk in trade and made the economic system dynamic. In addition, the formalization of property and inheritance rights made it possible for the long-term accumulation of capital within the family.

Medieval merchants and trade unions developed their own informal but binding rules, not depending on the slow and biased courts of the state. These rules made exchange between different regions and religions possible, which encouraged economic development. In the case of Nepal, too, there has been a long-standing social inequality, poverty and lack of justice. The upcoming elections will produce a new government. It will provide new leadership, which can lead the country on the path of prosperity and inclusion. The common people hope that it will provide even more justice and equality.

To fulfill this hope of the common people, the new government needs to show the same courage and commitment as Ur-Namma. Not just to seize power. It must formulate policies that protect the rights and interests of all sections of citizens, provide justice to the poor and vulnerable, and eliminate social inequality. The government must make the budget effective and transparent by reforming economic policies, which will accelerate development projects and improve the living standards of the people. It must ensure equal justice for all by strengthening the legal system, which will reduce corruption and oppression.