Civic Competence Essential For Democracy

Democracy is bound by the writ of the state’s several attributes. People’s sense of belonging to the Nepali nation is not just psychological and emotional but also physical, which provides space, resources and identity and enables the shaping of shared history, culture, symbols and core values of public-spiritedness, rules and institutions for peaceful coexistence. The sages, heroes and builders of the nation have stirred the feeling of a sense of political community where all natives have a common identity of equal citizenship to Nepalis above the tribal ones. People complemented each other’s shortfalls and built virtues to lend support to the weaker ones through dan (giving) and cutting their social vices. Social norms, education and public discourse socialised the mortals, where songs, tales, poems and treatises reflected the lightening of dharma beyond law. Awareness of self in the cosmic web gave vigor to the social conscience, thus bonding empathy to all living species.

Nepali state cannot cease itself from the democratic ideals of public service as sacred and inviolable duty despite the subtraction of its social and economic power by heartless neo-liberal leaders who consigned the market, civil society and NGOs to carry out its social duties. It sought to subvert the civil liberties of people for justice expressed in their party promises, parliament, constitution and SDGs. True democracy does not renounce the sovereignty of parliament in policy making, passing of law and test of general will. The legislative power of people is the soul of sovereignty and alienation from it corrupts democracy. The blazing hit of democracy lies in taming the productive, creative and evocative life of Nepalis in proper disposition.  Their dignity, discipline and autonomy can come through their civic competence which democracy expects. 

Psychic glue

The nation’s soul is a psychic glue that binds natives into nationality, humanity and divinity. Yet the dereliction of native tradition of enlightenment by ideologues and social scientists marks the darkening of the soul. The pursuit of material gain smears morality and spirituality. It is based on the determinism of the voiceless, not to think together and exercise free will. 

Nepal’s classical treaties define the rationale of education to tend awakened persons with the ability to know self, assume social responsibilities and reduce the use of muscular clout in social relationships. For character building attuned to larger democratic duties, native Nepali scholars have emphasised the primacy of inner light over outer knowledge of science, administration, skill and technology, though they are essential for career enhancement and fulfill specialized needs of society. 

They stressed on producing good leaders like Plato envisaged, not only powerful and cunning who can add the weight of absurdity in society to confuse, but capable of knowing and analyzing the problems through inter-disciplinary aptitude vital to offer real solutions. 

Many of them have fallen victim to guilt and a defensive attitude, rather than reflecting, reforming and transforming to become true to self and acquire a democratic personality. Nepal’s educational ideals of release spread the language of communication, sanity of tradition, religion and culture so that people come out of the state of nature, fatalism and bondage of every kind even avidya, false knowledge. Modern use of artificial intelligence may increase efficiency but it lacks conscience and human touch for the creation of a fair society so that the poor can earn all means of survival and progress and settle the unsettled question of justice and its trauma flattening down the generations.