Civic Virtues Key To Responsible Society

A responsible society is the one where its members — citizens, civil society, political parties, business and the state institutions and actors keep their integrity as per the spirit of dharma and the rules of constitutions and complement each other in their areas of competencies. In a responsible society, actors’ personal or sectoral interests are balanced with the general interests of society. It cares for the natural environment as a source of public goods publicly shared by the members of society, even the poor, without reducing its capacity for resilience and opens the possibility of civic culture underneath its historical wisdom of the tolerance of diversity. 

Can Nepal create a responsible society when there are more civic rights than responsibilities of people inscribed in the constitution? Does not this condition make politics higher hope filled, not stability driven? Does it help social and national unity when citizenship is varied for various social classes and corresponding inclusive institutions are created for the institutionalisation of subsidiary identity politics, not the idea of national citizenship? Are political parties of Nepal capable of fostering civic virtues of social cooperation when politics is instrumentalised by age, class, market, ethnicity, region and religion and impersonal positions are filled in a personalised and partisan manner to loyalists? Do these trends support democracy which is based on the state's monopoly on power where it is able to muster Nepalis loyalty, commitment to serve the public and national interests and pay tax, uphold its rule of law and satisfy national identification? A responsible society does many essential functions:Civic duties

Enthuses civic duties: Nepali constitution defines the duties of citizens to protect national sovereignty, public property, pay taxes, cast votes in the election, service to the state when needed, become law-abiding, keep social decency, cultivate moral virtues and hone the art of civic associations to meet their needs. The art of association is long championed by Gautam Buddha for cultural renewal and mutual defense. The irony of Nepali constitution is that there are too many rights and too few responsibilities. It has become a contested site for power struggle among the parties of various hues demanding variegated amendments of its provisions. Without the reciprocal obligations of rights and duties a decent society faithful to the social contract cannot be created. Social opportunity demands responsibility of each Nepali to the other to support in weal and woe and achieve fulfilled life.

Nepali laws, media, civil society, NGOs, political parties, unions and federations emphasise rights and provide an urge to change the society, not carry responsibilities and reconciliation of society which are borne only by a weak Nepali state. It is weak because its tax efforts ratio is insufficient to support its survival and progress and frequent stirs and change of governments made politics unstable thus affecting all constitutional bodies. Rights-based discourse often takes an anti-state turn and weakens its ability to keep social discipline and social justice in society. Unrealised rights have become a source of alienation, social movements and conflict, not durable peace. If politics is confined to endless talk, the poor and the weak are left in anguish. They do not build vow to democracy and return hope to hearts and souls.