Issue 62 Vol III, April 30, 2008

F O C U S

Nepal: Maoists as capitalists
Gobind Thukral

FOR over a decade they were leading a guerilla war against exploitation of people by a ruthless king and the feudal lords. For the Communist Party Nepal –Maoist, it  was  a hard battle for poverty stricken landlocked Nepal where two out of three people out of 28 million lived an utter misery, seeking  jobs of guards, drivers and domestic help in India, Malaysia, Singapore and where not. Over 13,000 lives were lost and one lakh rendered homeless. Yet Nepal was seeking an answer to end the life of penury and exploitation.

Come April 2008, Maoists have won an electoral battle and surged towards nearly capturing the government and partly the constitutional assembly.  It has 120 out of 240 directly elected seats and 100 out of 335 seats leaving behind Nepali Congress with 73 seats and the CPN-UML with 70 seats from the proportional representation quota. It has to contend with compromises with these parties to form a government and design a constitution that is pro people. No one is expecting any major hurdle in removing the discredited king and his kingship.

But it is largely the ticklish issue of political economy and foreign policy where Maoists are sending conflicting signals. Here is one sample: “Now, we are entering a new era of economic revolution, after nearly accomplishing a political revolution. Our next fight is to wipe out feudalism and promote a capitalist economy— this is the true concept of Marxism.” Maoist leader Prachanda and his second- in- command Dr Baburam Bhattarai were telling the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry on April 17. Prachanda is tipped to be next prime minister or executive president.

It is hoped that Maoists would initiate land reforms and live to implement their slogan “land to the tillers”. Yet the path is capitalist economy under a Maoist regime. The communists would be facilitators and they declared it unequivocally.  “We will facilitate things for you [private sector]. We will sort out whatever hurdles arise in the way of promoting the private sector. We will create an atmosphere friendly to investment.”  Pointing to the decade-long political revolution and Janaandolan-II as examples of miracles, Maoist supremo Prachanda said an economic revolution is going to be the next miracle. “People will see that as soon as we form the government.” They did not stop at that.

Floating a plan for an ambitious economic growth target in the range of 15 to 20 percent, they thought a booming economy is the only response and solution to the conflict. The rhetoric was “We will create the buzz of economic reconstruction in every place, every household, and in everyone’s mouth.”

The meeting first of is kind for the two sides, the capitalists and the communists has more to offer. They appealed to the private sector to trust them fully and give them a chance. Elaborating on plans to create conducive economic environment, they promised the government will expand the tax base, eliminate red tape, and end the culture of commissions and corruption.  And wait there is more: “We will set up an Industrial Security Force in the process of integrating the People’s Liberation Army with the Nepal Army to provide security for industries.”

Prachanda also declared, “We will welcome foreign investment, and give priority to domestic investment. Both donors and foreign countries are ready to support the Maoist government and found India ready to take bilateral relations to a new level. “A new ground has been established to make India a part of the cooperation”.  It is another matter after week the Maoists leader declared that old treaties and agreements with India should be scrapped and new treaties established on equal footing. He said the party is unequivocally committed to peace, multiparty democracy and economic development. “We will move ahead in cooperation and coordination with all political parties.

 Which category of Marxist theory one can put this thesis is still unknown. Does a booming economy lead to a socialist society or society where economic, social and political justice prevails. There are several countries in North America and Europe which have been booming economy. Or were they thinking of Chinese model of socialist/ capitalist growth.

May be they are aware that given the current political situation and the economic backwardness, a socialist revolution has to wait for another decade or two. They knew that the present electoral arithmetic does not entirely favour them and let them form a government and have a constitution of their choice. And, they can take on the feudal lords and the capitalist sharks as they described a year back.

Tactical retreat or one step forward and two steps backward.

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Nepal’s constitutional assembly: an experiment in inclusive representation

THE former rebels Maoists have bagged 220 of the 601 seats, winning a right to form a minority government. The Nepali Congress party has come second with 110 seats, while the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) has won 103 seats. These were the two large parties in Nepal’s mainstream politics for years.

Maoists have a clear simple majority among those elected directly; 120 out of 240 members, but lagged a bit in proportional voting which was introduced in at their hard insistence.

According to Nepal’s Election Commission result of the 335 Constituent Assembly (CA) seats under the proportional representation (PR) electoral system showed that CPN-Maoist has won 100 seats, Nepali Congress (NC) 73 seats and the CPN-UML has won 70 seats.

Similarly, the Madheshi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF) has won 22 seats, Terai Madhesh Democratic Party (TMDP) 11 seats, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and CPN-ML 8 seats each, People’s Front Nepal (PFN), CPN-Joint and Nepal Sadbhavana Party-Mahato (NSP-M) 5 seats each, and Rastirya Janashakti Party (RJP) and National People’s Front (NPF) have won 3 seats each.

Likewise, Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-Nepal) has won 4 seats, and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP), Samajbadi Janata Dal (SJD), Jana Mukti Party (JMP), CPN-United, Nepal Sadbhavana Party-Anandi Devi (NSP-A), Nepali Janata Dal (NJD), and Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch (SLRM) have won 2 seats each, while the Samajbadi Prajatantra Janata Dal (SPJD), Dalit Janajati Party (DJP), Nepal Pariwar Dal (NPD), Nepal Rastirya Party (NRP), Nepal Loktantrik Samajwadi Dal (NLSD) and Chure Bhawar Rastriay Ekta Party (CBREP) have won 1 seat each.

The parties have to submit the name lists of winning candidates within seven days from today so as to include women, Madhesi, indigenous and marginalised communities among others as per the inclusive standards set by the EC.  There is a unique inclusive system evolved by the government and the EC to make the constituent assembly more representative.

As per the new Election Act, the parties winning more than one seat under the PR system are required to allot half their seats to women candidates. Similarly, the parties fielding more the 100 candidates under the PR system are required to, besides allotting 50 percent of their seats to women; give 37.8 percent of their seats to indigenous communities/nationalities, 31.2 percent to Madhesis, 13 percent to Dalits and 4 percent to backward groups. 

The remaining 30.2 percent seats can be allotted to other groups and communities.

According to the EC, among 11, 46, 540 votes cast under the PR system only 10, 07, 39, 078 votes were held acceptable.

The final PR result showed that 25 political parties are set to occupy seats in the CA that is to draft a new constitution.

The CPN-Maoist which has secured 120 seats of the total 240 seats under the First-Past-the-Post (FPtP) electoral system has secured 100 seats by garnering 31,44, 204 (29.28 %) votes under PR system which is less than 1315 votes under FPtP system.

Likewise, NC has garnered 22, 69, 823 votes under the PR system though it has received 23, 68, 890 votes under FPtP system.

Similarly, UML has secured 21, 83,370 votes under the PR system which is less than 45,694 votes under FPtP system.

MPRF, which has emerged as fourth largest party in the CA polls, has garnered 6, 78, 300 votes under PR system exceeding 44, 173 votes under FPtP system.

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Nepali Maoists should help Easternise Marxism
Sawraj Singh

HISTORY has come full circle from the collapse of the Soviet Union to the victory of Maoists in Nepal. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Western capitalist countries prematurely concluded that Marxism was defeated and that capitalism emerged victorious. After the victory of Maoism in Nepal, it seems that Marxism has bounced back and that Western capitalism is facing the most severe crisis. America, the leading Western capitalist country, is going through one of the most stressful periods in it its entire history. The American crisis is global, affecting all aspects: economic, social, political, cultural, moral, and spiritual.

It is becoming clear that America will no longer be able to maintain its “only Superpower” status in the world, and the world will need an alternate leading force. Marxism has again become relevant. The world needs a new philosophy that fuses good elements from both the East and the West. This goal can be achieved by the Easternization of Marxism.

Mao started the process of Easternization of Marxism by adapting Marxism to the concrete conditions of China. However, the process of Easternization of Marxism cannot be completed without Indianizing Marxism; because India is the main seat of Eastern philosophy. Nepal is a part of the Indian subcontinent and shares cultural, religious, and spiritual values with India. Therefore, the victory of Maoism will have a tremendous impact on India.

The Western hopes of aligning with India to encircle China have been dashed. Nepal will feel closer to China and is bound to take pro-Asian and pro-third world stands in its foreign policy. The stern warning to the Tibetans clearly shows the course Nepal is likely to follow. The Nepali Maoists are going to be seen as ideals by many Marxists, revolutionaries, and suppressed people in the rest of the Indian subcontinent. Therefore, they have a moral duty to Easternize Marxism.

I feel that Nepali Maoists should thoroughly study the Sikh revolution. The Sikh philosophy chronologically represents the highest evolved form of Indian philosophy. Therefore, Sikhism is the zenith of Eastern spirituality. So far, Western Marxism has negated the spiritual aspect of live. However, Easternized Marxism should adopt the Eastern version of spirituality; which means universal consciousness or cosmic awareness.

The Sikh philosophy is based upon three principles: Kirat Karo (honest, productive work), Nam Japo (spiritual enlightenment), and Wand Chako (sharing). Out of these three, Marxism accepts two principles: Kirat Karo and Wand Chako. The only difference is about spiritual enlightenment. Easternized Marxism should accept the concept of universal consciousness and cosmic awareness. Guru Granth Sahib (the holy book of the Sikhs) promotes the concept of a global community and provides an alternate model of development to Western globalization.

Sawraj Singh MD FICS
Chairman, Washington State Network for Human Rights

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Maoists: no deviation from democracy

NEPAL’S Maoist ideologue Dr Baburam Bhattarai is a key leader of Nepal’s emerging new party, the Maoists.  During the Constituent Assembly (CA) polls, he defeated his Nepali Congress opponent with a huge margin from Gorkha-2. He says the Maoist will not deviate from its political commitments and they want to restructure the country and move it fast to onto the track of economic riches. Dr Bhattarai, a former student of Jawaharlal Nehru University argues that the CPN (Maoist) has changed the country’s ground realities.

During the interim period, the Seven-Party Alliance government has made certain political commitments. They would reach a political consensus to form the government and all the political parties that have participated in the CA polls will join the government. Democratic practices demand that the largest political party should lead the new government. So Maoist should lead the coalition government.  This is easy said than done. But then there are limtiid choices before each major party.

About the new leader, Dr Bhattarai they have to discuss and decide who should be the leader. We have to prepare a draft of the new political system. We have to decide the fate of the monarchy. And only then we can think of who will head the CPN (Maoist). Our intention is to establish a presidential system. But we can’t be sure as we have to discuss the matter with other political forces too. We must reach a political consensus because the constitution would need to be amended to set up a presidential system. Unless we have a political consensus, we can’t amend the constitution. So, we can’t simply go for an executive president. In case of political differences, we may have to follow the present form of governance.

There has to be discussions with the major political parties. The interim constitution is still valid. We would have to work under the Interim Constitution for the time being which would require a political consensus. We shall move forward on this basis. The first sitting of the CA will declare this country a federal republic. For that, we have to develop a political consensus. After that the question would be forming the new government which will be done again on the basis of political consensus. And then we will proceed with the drafting of the new constitution of Nepal.

Besides these issues, there are other political commitments such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, rehabilitation of displaced persons and revamping and integration of the security forces. There are bound to be several challenges and questions. There is need to find, he told journalists, consensus on security, political structure, the economy and international relation.

In an interview the Nepal Post ,Dr Bhattarai said, “What we need right now is political stability. We cannot think of rapid economic growth sans political stability. Now the CA results have given some hope for political stability. Secondly, there must be a strong leadership. Above all, we have yet to start restructuring the state. So, how can we think of the economy? The 30-year-long panchayat system promised us that it would deliver the people’s needs, but it could not do so as it was a political system imposed by the royal regime to serve its own interests.

On economic restricting, Dr Bhattarai: China eliminated the feudal system during Mao’s regime. It established a solid foundation for economic growth. We could have thought of making rapid economic progress had the country been liberated from the age-old feudal system. When you inject new technology after the foundation for economic growth has been established, you can achieve such development. We don’t have such a foundation now. Once we restructure the state and involve the private sector, it will be possible to achieve rapid economic growth. We would implement a transitional economic policy during such an interim period which involves public and private partnership.

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