It was very heartwarming to read CK Lal's 'A flailing stage' (#179). No question that the problem today is, in addition to everything else, the legitimacy of the state itself. Many believe post-Panchayat democracy failed. The 12 years were the worst, they say. Not many of those elitist slaves wonder about the positive aspirations that were nurtured. The free press, the values of liberty, the power of ideological freedom, all practised during 12 glorious years of democracy, are easily forgotten. Today, growing numbers of people are contemplating the possibilities of a republican set-up of governance. The problems of state are manifold but without a genuine representation of people in the state, how can common Nepalis aspire to live? There may be a fine line differentiating total anarchy and the current statehood, nonetheless a state without the peoples' mandate is heading towards absolute power, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If only dictatorship would bring development in an already failing state. To make matters worse, the current state of illegitimate government has a classic Victorian representation-a totally feudal set-up. The country is marred by a history of chronic case of social exclusion, feudal hegemony, centralised governance-nothing could get worse than this.

Pramesh Aryal,
Kathmandu