Monarchy versus Democracy

On the 19th of August Paramita Yonzon and Baburam Devkota from MS Nepal began hitch hiking around Denmark. Here comes their first reflections.

By Paramita Yonzon and Baburam Devkota

20. August 2008

Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen once claimed Denmark to be the most democratic country in the world which is perhaps the main reason of our journey here to seek the true democracy. But being the best democratic country and having monarchy at the same time is quite a contrary we think. Nepal, a small country in the South Asia, is recently declared as a Federal Democratic Republic, ending its age old monarchy but it seems the political system here in Denmark is quite stable even with the monarchy.

Nepal was ruled for more than 235 years by the Shah dynasty which never became the true symbol of the nation. Power was captured by the king and the system ran on the basis of central ruling system where the king made the constitution for the people. People’s sentiment and interest were never addressed. Instead, high expenses of the Royal family in the poor country made people protest against them which finally brought true democracy. Now, we can say that we are in the process of achieving true democracy.

In denmark, we noticed something different than we had previously assumed to be where the existence of Royal family is regarded as the symbol of the nation. Most of the Danes are very happy and proud with their Royals though they do not pay tax and get salary from the people’s tax.

Iin poor country like Nepal, people found it difficult to digest that our ex- Royal family spent 20 million NRS (app. 1,4 mio. DKR.) to buy a car for an instance.

Being a democratic nation and having a monarchy at the same time are not true elements of democracy since in monarchy power is inherited by birth or not decided by the people. But as they say in democracy people have the right to make choices and decide. And it’s the Danes who have decided to have a constitutional monarchy and THAT’S DEMOCRACY!!! – maybe one day Denmark will learn from Nepal – overthrow the king and build an even better democracy.

By:

Babu Ram Devkota and Paramita Yonzon

Nepal.