By Narayan Prasad Mishra
For many years, I have written about our country’s growing political problems, using titles like “All Say We Should Do, But No One Does,” “Democracy on Paper, Power in Pockets,” “Self-Centered Politics and the Need for Change,” “Good Governance for Leaders, Bad Governance for People,” and “Nepal Betrayed: When the Guardians Became Looters”. All were published in People’s Review.
The message has remained the same: our country is heading in the wrong direction, steered by leaders who care more about their own interests than about the people or the nation. And sadly, nothing has changed. In fact, things may have gotten worse.
When Every Party Looks the Same
Today, almost all political parties in our country seem to follow the same script. They speak of democracy but do not follow democratic principles. They promise good governance but deliver corruption and mismanagement. They talk about inclusion and justice, but practice exclusion and favoritism.
No matter which party is in power, the outcomes remain the same: public frustration, broken promises, and growing inequality. Elections come and go, slogans change, faces rotate, but the system of self-serving leadership continues. In this system, loyalty to the party is rewarded more than loyalty to the people. Power is used to protect friends and punish critics. Government posts are treated like personal property, and public money is treated like private wealth.
Sadly, this is not democracy—it is deception. But the bigger problem lies even deeper.
A Rotten Culture, Not Just Rotten Leaders
We often blame the politicians, and rightly so. But we must also ask: Who puts them there? Who cheers them on? Who tolerates their behavior? The answer is: we do. In silence or complicity, we become part of the problem.
Corruption in our country is not just a political issue—it is a cultural disease. It has spread into our thinking, habits, and daily lives. We have created a society where dishonesty is not punished but often praised. A society where people who get rich through illegal means are admired, and those who remain honest are mocked for being “foolish.”
We talk about change, but we vote for the same faces. We complain about favoritism, yet seek it when we need a job or a service. We criticize others for being corrupt, but turn a blind eye when someone from our own circle benefits from the same system.
We have accepted a culture where people want shortcuts, not struggle; results, not responsibility; and power, not purpose. This culture of compromise, selfishness, and fear has become the true enemy of Nepal’s progress.
What Must Change?
Some people say, “Nothing will change in Nepal.” But change does not begin in Singha Durbar. It begins in us. It begins when ordinary people start thinking and acting differently. So, where do we start?
We must begin by changing what we admire and what we accept. Success should not mean wealth without work or power without purpose. We must teach our children—and remind ourselves—that morality, ethics, righteousness, honesty, humility, and hard work matter more than money or status, prestige or position, lying or cheating, stealing or exploiting.
We must restore the importance of moral values in schools, homes, and public life. If we continue to glorify those who win by cheating, we cannot expect the next generation to be any better.
We must also work actively to awaken the people around us—our family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues—by speaking, writing, acting, and spreading the message that democracy is not a one-day event every five years. It is a daily responsibility.
Voting is essential, but it is just the beginning. We must stay involved, ask questions, speak up, attend public meetings, demand answers, and hold leaders accountable. When citizens stay silent, leaders become arrogant. When citizens are active, leaders are forced to listen.
Change comes when we move from being passive observers to responsible participants.
Support the Right People
We will have a general election for the House of Representatives soon. In our country, many people vote for a party because of their personal connections, caste, blind loyalty, history, or convenience, not because of values. That must stop.
We should vote based on the character and competence of the person, not the color of their flag. Sometimes, honest candidates do not have large party machines or big money behind them. But they have something more important: a clean heart and a clear vision. We must give them a chance and support those who dare to stand apart from the corrupt crowd.
Real leaders serve others, not themselves. They listen, they learn, and they lead by example. They take responsibility, not just credit. They do not build mansions while people sleep hungry. They do not speak of justice while practicing injustice.
We must stop treating politicians like celebrities and start judging them by their actions. Let us stop saluting power and start honoring principles. A leader who lies, cheats, and steals is not a leader at all.
Fix the Foundation
Our country’s biggest challenge is not a lack of resources—it is a lack of responsibility. It is not a lack of plans, but a lack of purpose. It is not a lack of laws, but a lack of will.
We do not need more promises; we need more honesty. We do not need bigger projects; we need better values.
Until we fix the foundation—the culture—we will continue to build on sand. Corruption will return with a new name, nepotism will wear a new face, injustice will speak a new language, and the people will suffer the same pain again and again.
Come Forward for a Good Cause
Our country is a nation of stunning beauty and limitless potential. We have honest, simple, and brave people, rich traditions, and wise thinkers. However, we also have a culture that has lost its moral compass.
If we continue to live in a system where the dishonest succeed, the honest stay silent, and the people remain hopeless, then no constitution, no leader, and no policy will save us.
We must stop waiting for others to fix our country. Let us begin with ourselves, in whatever way we can. Let us rebuild our values, reset our expectations, and reimagine our future.
The question is simple: Will we keep complaining? Or will we finally start doing something?
All must realize that unless we come forward, the nation’s condition will remain the same, not just for a few years, but for generations.
The author is a senior citizen, writer of several books and articles in English and Nepali, and a retired official of Tribhuvan University, Nepal.
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