Nepal : Quest for Participatory Democracy

Contents: Preface. 1. Participatory democracy: concept and context/Lok Raj Baral. 2. Democracy, participation, dissent and opposition: some theoretical probing/Hari Sharma. 3. Political parties and participation: a study in Second Multiparty Parliamentary Experiment (1990-2002)/Ram Kumar Dahal. 4. Social change and political participation/Tulsi Ram Pandey. 5. Civil society and political participation/Krishna Hachhethu. 6. Local governance and popular participation/Prem Raj Goutam. 7. Emergency, militarization and the question of democratic recovery/Dhruba Kumar. 8. Participatory democracy: its economic dimensions/Gunanidhi Sharma. 9. Area development experience in Nepal/Harka Gurung. 10. Re-structuring the Nepali state/Krishna P. Khanal. Index.

"Participatory democracy is interpreted not merely as a representative process but also as an inclusive and substantive system of governance. Its mission is to enhance the overall interest and capacity of people living within a country. Accepting that electoral mechanism alone does not constitute democratic process, democracy is expected to empower ordinary people.

The present book has tried to conceptualise participatory democracy by putting the people at the centre of politics. And only the empowered people can share power though the democratic process and with the freedoms guaranteed by the democratic order. The papers included in this volume are of diverse nature contributed by the authors of various disciplines. Many articles also reveal the necessity of redefining democracy in order to contextualize it in accordance with the existence realities of the country." (jacket)