Question

Explain the process of transition from monarchy to democracy in Nepal.

Answer 1

The king, with the help of the army, retained full control over the government and restricted the expansion of democracy in Nepal. But in 1990, the king accepted the demand for a new democratic constitution, in the wake of a strong pro-democracy movement. However, democratic governments had a short and troubled career. During the nineties, the Maoists of Nepal were successful in spreading their influence in many parts of Nepal. They believed in armed insurrection against the monarch and the ruling elite. This led to a violent conflict between the Maoist guerrillas and the armed forces of the king. For some time, there was a triangular conflict among the monarchist forces, the democrats and the Maoists.

In 2002, the king abolished the parliament and dismissed the government, thus ending even the limited democracy that existed in Nepal.

In April 2006, there were massive, country-wide, pro-democracy protests. The struggling pro-democracy forces achieved their first major victory when the king was forced to restore the House of Representatives that had been dissolved in April 2002. As a result, the transition from monarchy to democracy is nearly complete.