Small States: How Can Nepal Survive in Contemporary World Politics?

Contemporary

international relations are characterized by:

1. Intensive bipolar competition [not yet conflict] between the two super-powers, United States and China.

2. Currently, there is an ongoing attempt by Russia to fulfil its imperial ambitions and re-emerge as a superpower [which status it lost after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989], or at least a great power. This it considers its manifest destiny. Russia’s war in Ukraine is an attempt to dominate Europe.

The West – the United States, NATO and the European Union (EU) -are defending the status quo and involved in a proxy war on Ukraine’s side against Russia.

3. The entire world is confronted with intense: i) Climate crisis ii) Public Health Crises – pandemic iii) Existential food crisis.

It is not a world characterized by “the Clash of Civilizations” [Huntington Doctrine] or even “Conflict between Democracies & Autocracies” [Biden thesis].

4. Actually, the world is characterized by gross inequality, mainly in the economic dimension. This is manifested in the symptoms [3] above. There is a division in the world between the rich and the poor, between the ‘haves’ and ‘havenots’ within and among nations.

However, one cannot speak of a fundamental dichotomy between the rich, industrialized North and the poor ‘Global South’ today, since some developing countries have already progressed to the rank of ‘emerging economies’ with respectable GDPs: India, Indonesia, Iran. The 195 states and territories of the world can be classified into:

1. The highly developed, industrialized rich nations – the G 7

2. The ‘emerging economies’

3. The developing nations

4. ‘Least developed countries’ or LDCs. [Nepal is in the process of being upgraded to category ‘3’]

The Geo-Political Category

From the geo-political perspective, the ranking of states can follow in terms of their geography, and their economic and military capabilities. [Geopolitics: political identity and action seen in terms of geographical variables – location, size, climate, topography, demography, natural resources, technological development and potential]

[Super-Power = Great Power plus great mobility of power]

[Great Power: a state that can maintain its security independently + in the first rank of military prowess + high economic strength (+ developed strategic nuclear capability)]

The hierarchical structure of world politics can, in this regard, be characterized as consisting of:

1. Super-Powers

2. Great Powers

3. Intermediate or Middle Powers

4. Small or Minor Powers

5. Micro-States

Small powers, like Nepal, are those which fall between ‘middle powers’ and micro-states.

In this way, most states are small or ‘minor powers’.

Micro-states according to the UN are states with under one million inhabitants [mostly with not very substantial territory].

40 of these very small states dotted around the globe sometimes occupy strategically important locations.

In Asia: Brunei, Maldives, Bhutan

NEPAL: How small is small?

Nepal is undoubtedly a small nation or minor power in Asia.

In the ‘Asia Power Index’ of the Lowy Institute, Sydney, it ranked 25 out of 26 for comprehensive power, with an overall score of 4.5 out of 100. First and foremost, its extremely low military capability reinforced its vulnerability as a landlocked country between two more powerful neighbours – China and India.

The dream of being a bridge is still very much utopian.

Its stark domestic structural weaknesses hampers the development of international capabilities.

Nepal is too passive – it mostly reacts to external stimulus, instead of initiating action -- being pro-active.

Nepal exerts less influence in the region than expected given its available resources – thus, it has a negative power gap and is an under-achiever in Asia. Nepal has great need to explore ways and means to increase:

Diplomatic influence Cultural influence in Asia and the world.

The same holds true of: Economic relationships Future Resources Economic Capability Defence Networks Resilience

This means that Nepal has to radically improve and revamp:

1. Its institutional framework(s)

For example:

- Ministry of Science & Technology

- Ministry of Tourism (only tourism)

- Ministry of International Trade - Ministry of Finance & Economic Development - Ministry of External Affairs & International Cooperation [reconsolidate foreign missions, strict criteria for appointments, officials for economic cooperation, military (major states)

2. Explore new possibilities in interstate relations

Trade

Migrant labour not only quantitatively, but also qualitatively: Qatar, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea

Also

Tourism

Stress Quality over Quantity [like Bhutan]

Bilateral cooperation with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand High Quality Foreign Education: Science & Technology

Crucial Role of NRNs

State of the Nation Domestic

We have to evaluate the situation in various sectors and judge whether

- The Executive

- The Legislature

- The Judiciary

- The Bureaucracy

- Civil Society

- Business establishments - Research Institutes - Interest Groups

- Media

- Academia at various levels

Have done their part in achieving adequate to optimal results in: - Political participation - Social mobility - Sustainable economic development

- Public Health

- Balanced Environment Any government will be judged by its ability to achieve results without undue advantage for - Personal

- Parochial – ethnic, religious

-Party Interests.

People who strive to positions of authority – at any level – the putative leaders – should ideally be equipped with the necessary education, moral fabric, experience and ability to be able to deliver [just as in a business company]. External

In the external sphere, the paramount duty of the political & military establishment is to preserve and uphold - National Independence - Sovereignty

- Territorial Integrity

All external policies and actions must be directed towards these ends.

Thus Non-Alignment is a means and not an end in itself.