Kathmandu. The Inclusive Socialist Party has made public its election manifesto for March 4. The manifesto claims that it is on an ideological and structural path different from other political parties. At the heart of the manifesto is the concept of inclusive justice, participatory democracy and a civilization based on nature. The party has announced to move away from the illusion of representation and establish participatory politics.
The manifesto reads, “Parties changed, governments changed, constitution came and went. But the basic character of the regime did not change.
Power is still male-centric, urban-centric, money-centric and human-centric. “This tendency has always sidelined the majority of citizens, gender and sexual minority, persons with disabilities, Dalits, indigenous nationalities, Madhesis, Muslims, women, children, senior citizens, rural communities and nature,” reads the manifesto.
It has been claimed that the Inclusive Socialist Party has emerged to break this status quo. “This is not just another political party, but a proposal for an alternative civilisation that will change the way we look, understand and practice politics. The manifesto has put forward the main philosophy of ‘the village is sovereign’. The party explains that being village sovereignty is an exercise in participatory, direct and vibrant democracy.
The most revolutionary aspect of this philosophy is the establishment of the village as a sovereign political entity, the manifesto states.
It has been claimed that it is not a general decentralization but a new political structure free from the colonization of the center.
The party has criticized the current situation in which taxes are collected from the village but decisions are taken at the centre. According to the inclusive socialist philosophy, the citizens of the village are the decision-makers themselves. Citizens will not only elect representatives but also directly participate in the decision-making process.
The manifesto states that the people should take direct decision on the issues related to their lives such as education, health, social security, infrastructure and environment. The party is of the view that the formulation, implementation and monitoring of local policies should be done with the direct participation of the people. Green jobs, cooperatives, social enterprises, local production and market promotion are the basis of the local economy.
The conservation and management of community forests, rivers, land and biodiversity is defined as a natural right. The manifesto aims to make the people active makers of every policy, not passive voters. Under this concept, the party has proposed a new structure of federalism.
Under the new structure, the political power will gradually be reduced from the village to the center. The sovereign village is said to be the basic unit of democracy. It is mentioned that a federation of villages will be formed.
The federations will remain the same as the existing provinces, but the powers will be limited. The declaration states that the federation will be responsible for coordination among villages, big infrastructure and common environmental issues.
It states that a national federation of federations will be formed. At the national level, there will be only minimum powers such as currency, army, foreign policy, national coordination and big environmental crisis management.
The Declaration of Philosophical Goals makes clear that the national government will be deliberately weakened. Its purpose is to ensure that power and decisions do not slip away from the hands of the people. It is said that liquid democracy will be implemented at a higher level than the village. Citizens can cast their vote to a trusted person or expert depending on the topic. If necessary, the vote can be withdrawn immediately.
According to the party, this system reduces centralization of power. Reduces the risk of corruption. It makes representative democracy dynamic.
The manifesto says, “In a traditional democracy, once elected, the representatives are distant from the people. Citizens remain silent spectators for five years. The Inclusive Socialist Party has proposed a provision allowing the citizens to give or withdraw their representation as per the subject.
It is said that power can be transferred on the basis of expertise without giving all the subjects to one person. The manifesto has a provision that a representative can be removed from his post immediately if he or she indulges in corruption or takes decisions against the people’s sentiments.
