In recent years, the Maoist party has had a streak of successes. They have consolidated their power, enhanced their political and financial standing and dramatically transformed the Nepali society. They have rooted out an institution that was over two centuries old, turned a staunchly-proud Hindu nation secular and given confidence to the marginalized like never before. The chances are that they will also succeed in demarcating provinces along ethnic lines, changing forever the way Nepal is governed.
The Maoists deserve credit for many positive changes that Nepal has seen in the last few years but it might all be ruined if the opposing parties can’t form an alliance to thwart the Maoist ambition.
It is not only this streak of success that makes the upper and middle class nervous. This party exudes confidence, passion, vision, determination and organization like no other. In opposition, they face parties that are fragmented, dispassionate and visionless. Their opponents first oppose the Maoist agenda, then go about in circles to finally support the ideas laid down by the Maoist to begin with. These are all indicative of another round of Maoist victory. And a big one, this time around.
In less than a decade, we might have a parliament with two-third majority of the Maoist party. In the South Asia region, a two-third majority is not unheard of: Rajiv Gandhi in 1984 and Nawaj Sharif in 1990 both enjoyed this luxury.
There are good reasons to believe that Prachanda or Baburam Bhattarai’s two-third majority will be quite different from that of Gandhi or Sharif. Maoists’ top political leaders openly flaunt their disrespect for the parliamentary system. Even leaders of the stature of Bhattarai openly claim that they want to smash the state into pieces and curtail the rights to own property. Many choose to believe that such rhetoric is fodder for the hardcore combatants. That may not be entirely true. And even if it were true, what if the hardcore believers in dictatorship of the proletariat gain ground in the party?
It is not just the rhetoric that is alarming. The Maoists haven’t returned the seized property as promised and continue to coerce rich and not-so-rich alike for donations in the name of the ongoing people’s war.
When they finally succeed in having a massive majority in the parliament, it is quite possible that they could dismantle the parliamentary system and establish a dictatorship of the proletariat. Depending on your present situation and how you see your future, the thought of a two-third majority of Maoist in the parliament can either be comforting or terrifying.
It is comforting if you believe that your rightful place has been denied because the upper class has captured power. It is comforting if you believe that Maoist control will make it easier for your children to succeed by putting an end to advantages the children of the wealthy enjoy. It is comforting if you believe that with Maoists in power you can also enjoy the piece of the pie that the elites have enjoyed for so long. It may also be comforting if you are willing to trade off freedom of speech and freedom to protest for the sake of stability.
It is terrifying if you are well-to-do of the society and fear that your hard-earned property might be snatched away in the name of justice. It is terrifying if you dream about being very wealthy and living a lavish life right here in Nepal. It is terrifying if you believe the ownership of property and freedom of speech is your birth right. It is terrifying if you believe that it is a God-given right for you to give your children the best training to compete in this world.
If the Maoist influence continues to increase and their ambitions don’t subside, we might end up as one-party communist dictatorship where the provincial powers maybe like what autonomous Tibet enjoys in China and where the individual rights of Nepalis will be like that of the Chinese.
It will help to keep in mind that Maoists have a proven record of passion, determination and idealism. They are willing to risk their lives as well as that of others to fulfill what they believe is right for the nation. But sadly, at the core, the Maoist philosophy sees everything through the lens of class warfare. They are obsessed with a desire to create a classless society to the extent that they will trade it for basic individual rights such as the right to own property, the right to speak your mind and the right to flaunt your wealth if you feel like.
It is prudent to acknowledge the following. Maoists are not just another political party but a formidable force with massive public support that continues to grow. They still continue to give mixed signals about their faith in multiparty democracy. To continue to give them the benefit of doubt is just too risky.
Don’t get me wrong. The Maoists deserve credit for many positive changes that Nepal has seen in the last few years but it might all be ruined if the opposing parties can’t form an alliance to thwart the Maoist ambition. The anti-Maoist parties need to unite and bargain with the Maoist party as a group.
Next Saturday: Preventing a Maoist takeover
(Writer is an Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance at Texas A&M International University in Texas, US.)
680anand@gmail.com
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