Nova Social Studies 10

Exercise

1. Describe how the groupings (formation of rival political groups) in Europe led to the eruption of the
‘First World War’.

2. Differentiate between nationalism and extreme nationalism.
3. Explain the fundamental difference between imperialism and colonialism. Imperialism and race for

colonies led to the First World War. Critically assess the statement.
4. How did the World War I break out? Present a detailed account of its immediate cause.
5. World War I was the first full-scale war. Justify the statement.
6. What is the “Home Front”? What purpose did it serve in the World War I?
7. Arms race and militarism in Europe led to the First World War. How far do you agree with this

observation? Explain with examples.
5. Citing suitable examples describe the role played by “religion” towards the outbreak of the First World

War.
6. “Balkan crisis” culminated in the outbreak of the “First World War”. Explain with a series of events right

from the Balkan crisis up to the outbreak of the World War I.
7. The Second Balkan War was a fatal blow to Russia’s ambition to influence the world. Analyze critically.
8. What do you mean by July Crisis in context of the First World War? How far do you think it was

responsible for the World War I?
9. Critically evaluate why the sinking of the Lusitania - a British ship - was a great turning point in the

direction and result of the First World War.
10. Why did the United States of America declare itself to be a neutral country in the World War I only to

join the war in April 1917? Give reasons.

Community Work

A true nationalist loves his motherland but does not belittle or downgrade the culture and country of others.
S/he has the ability to spot weaknesses in the culture and political system of the society and possess the
burning desire to remove those weaknesses and make positive contributions. A true nationalist does not
invite war by blindly challenging other countries rather s/he learn for the strengths of other countries and
try to apply the same on own country. This is called nationalism. However, jingoism is quite opposite. A
jingoist brags about his or her own country and criticize the culture of other countries. Jingoists talk about
taking revenge from other countries.
The year 2014 marked the centennial of the outbreak of World War I, which is the reason enough to reflect
on what this seminal European catastrophe teaches us today. The memory of 1914 triggers serious concern
for Nepal – the country that is under the influence of political developments taking place in South as well
as East Asia. East and South Asia have all the ingredients of a similar disaster because of accumulation of
nuclear weapons (by countries like China, India and Pakistan), unresolved territorial and border disputes,
the division of Korean Peninsula (and India after 1947-independence resulting in historical resentment), an
obsession with nation’s status and prestige, and absence of any co-operative conflict-resolution mechanism.
Distrust and power politics in this part of Asia has demanded great caution and diplomatic skill on part of
Nepal that is sandwiched between two powerful nuclear states having opposite political ideologies with
history of territorial border disputes.
What kind of foreign policy does Nepal need to follow keeping in mind the economic sustainability of the
country and its cultural leanings with the historical truth of Nepal taking side with Allied powers (fighting
for Britain) in World War I? Talk to elders in your community to assess the historical and political situation
of Nepal to understand the future course of action in international and regional politics in 21st century and
prepare a report on it.

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Lesson Effects of the First World War and
Role Played by Nepal
10

Treaty of Versailles: Its background and provisions

Germany signed the armistice at Compiegne, France on November 11, 1918 as a result of which fighting
in the World War – I ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (i.e. 11 a.m. on November 11).
‘Allied Powers’ posted victory over the ‘Central Powers’ consisting of Austria-Hungary, Germany, Bulgaria
and Turkey (Ottoman Empire). The immediate effect of the end of fighting was to sign the peace treaty
which happened on June 28, 1919 at the vast Versailles Palace in France (near Paris) and this is why the
peace treaty got famous by the name of ‘Treaty of Versailles’. The treaty of Versailles officially ended the First
World War and was exclusively meant for dealing with Germany – central leader of the Central Powers. The
“Big Three” from Allied Powers – Prime Minister David Lloyd George of Britain, Prime Minister Georges
Clemenceau of France and President Woodrow Wilson of America - were instrumental in deciding upon the
terms and conditions of the Treaty of Versailles against Germany. The “Big Three” did not involve Prime
Minister Vittorio Orlando of Italy while deciding the final terms and conditions against Germany because
of not-so-important role played by Italy before and during the World War I. The “Big Three” had a common
aim of totally incapacitating Germany by holding the country solely responsible for bringing war to the
entire world. Finally, Secretariat of the League of Nations registered the Treaty on 21 October 1919.

Treaty of Versailles framed by Lloyd George, Clemenceau and Woodrow Wilson

Main provisions of the Treaty of Versailles

A. War Responsibility and War Damages:
1. The infamous “War Guilt Clause” (Clause 231) laid down sole responsibility for the war on Germany

and her allies, which is to be accountable for all damage to civilian populations of the Allies and
Germany had to admit full responsibility for starting the war.
2. Germany was asked to pay war damage caused by the First World War in cash or kind. Germany was
told to write a blank cheque that the Allies would cash when it suited them. The figure was eventually
put at £6,600 million - a huge sum of money well beyond Germany’s ability to pay.
3. The former German Emperor Wilhelm II was charged with supreme offense against international

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morality and was to be tried as a war criminal (Article 227). Many other Germans too were treated as war
criminals (Articles 228–230).
B. Occupation of Rhineland:
As a guarantee of compliance of the provisions of the treaty by Germany, Part XIV of the Treaty provided
that the Rhineland would be occupied by Allied troops for a period of 15 years. The west of the Rhineland
and 50 km east of the River Rhine was made into a demilitarized zone (DMZ). No German soldier or
weapon was allowed into this zone.
C. Territorial Deprivation:
1. Germany lost a number of territories by one-sided “Peace Treaty” like Alsace-Lorraine (given to

France), Eupen and Malmedy (given to Belgium), Northern Schleswig (given to Denmark), Hultschin
(given to Czechoslovakia) and West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia (given to Poland).
2. Saar, Danzig and Memel were put under the control of the League of Nations and the people of these
regions would decide through referendum in future if they wanted to stay in Germany.
3. The League of Nations took control of Germany’s overseas colonies. Germany had to return the land
that was taken through the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk to Russia. Some of this land was made into new
states: Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. An enlarged Poland also received some of this land. Most of the
province of West Prussia was planned to be the part of Poland.
D. Military Restrictions or Impositions:
Part V of the treaty dictated Germany to observe the following restrictions related to military, naval and
air forces:
1. German armed forces were reduced to a number no more than 100,000 troops, and conscription was
to be abolished.
2. German naval forces were limited to 15,000 men, six battleships (no more than 10,000 tons displacement
each), six cruisers (no more than 6,000 tons displacement each), 12 destroyers (no more than 800 tons
displacement each) and 12 torpedo boats (no more than 200 tons displacement each). Displacement
ton is a water unit – measure for the displacement of a floating ship, equivalent to 0.99 cu. m/35 cu.
ft or 2,240 lb.
3. No submarines were to be included. No ‘air force’ was to be allowed.
4. The import and export of weapons along with poison gas, armed aircraft, tanks and armored cars
were prohibited. Blockades on ships were prohibited.
5. Restrictions on the manufacture of machine guns (e.g. the Maxim machine gun) and rifles (e.g.
Gewehr 98 rifles) were imposed.
E. Others:
1. The loss of vital industrial territory was a severe blow to any attempts by Germany to rebuild her
economy. Coal from the Saar and Upper Silesia in particular was a vital economic loss.
Germany was also forbidden to unite with Austria to form one super-state, in an attempt to keep her
economic potential to a minimum.
2. A League of Nations was set up to maintain world peace.

Effects (Consequences) of World War I

World War I (1914-1918), one of the world’s most devastating conflicts, eventually involved 32 nations, killed
nearly 10 million troops, and wounded about 21 million soldiers. Let us find out some of the important
effects or consequences of World War I on human civilization:
1. Loss of Human Life: World War I killed nearly 10 million troops and wounded about 21 million soldiers.
Some 8,500,000 soldiers had died because of wounds and/or disease later on. Artillery coupled with small
arms and poison gas had caused greatest number of causalities. In fact, the use of bayonet (blade fitted to
rifle) produced few casualties. Due to the increasingly mechanized War from 1914, loss of human life was

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reported even when nothing substantial was happening on the front. For example, on even a quiet day on
the Western Front, many hundreds of Allied and German soldiers died. The heaviest loss of life on a single
day took place on July 1, 1916, during the Battle of the Somme (Somme river in France), when the British
Army suffered 57,470 casualties. Even Sir Winston Churchill had considered the battles of the Somme and
Verdun as futile and indiscriminate slaughter through trench warfare.
2. Economic Depression: The international structure of world trade collapsed, and each nation tried to
protect its own industrial base by imposing high tariffs on imported goods. In 1931 alone, more than 20,000
Americans committed suicide. The theme song of the period became ‘Brother, Can You Spare a Dime’. Dime
is a US or Canadian coin worth ten cents. Inflation skyrocketed in many countries. The burden of reparations
drastically affected the German economy. The value of the ‘Deutsche Mark’ dipped to an all-time low.
European nations owed their allies over $10 billion in the post-war years. Moreover, foreign nations that had
borrowed money particularly before and during the World War I from the United States could not repay
their loans. The new states in Eastern Europe that were formed out of the defunct Austro-Hungarian Empire
found it nearly impossible to achieve economic viability because these newly formed countries were cut off
from their pre-war markets and sources of food and raw materials were out-of-reach for them. Thus, the
high rise of economic depression in 1930s is the direct result of the devastating ‘First World War’.
3. Rise of Communism: In 1917, the Russian Revolution shook the entire world and created an ongoing
challenge to Western powers. Lenin and his supporters had seized power from the provisional government
installed after the collapse of Czar, which had lost the support of the Russian people. The Bolsheviks
pulled Russia out of the war in December 1917 after signing the Brest-Litovsk Treaty, which ended Russia’s
participation. The revolution also provided hope to countries such as China and mainly those countries
struggling against imperial control. Within three decades after the revolution, more than one-third of the
world adopted communism. For example, tobacco workers in Cuba formed their own soviets, as did Irish
Catholic sheepherders in Australia. A Bolshevik Party appeared in Monarchical Spain. Surprisingly even in
the United States – the bastion of capitalism, influence of Lenin and his Bolsheviks ran high. Besides, the
capitalist model of economy in Allied Power Countries had failed as Allied Powers after the War were facing
‘economic depression’. In such a situation, the ideology of communism with socialist model of economy was
gaining the ground.
4. Weakening Imperialism: World War I was the cause for a rise in nationalistic tendencies leading to the
demand for independence in many British as well as other European controlled colonies outside Europe.
This was the sign of weakening imperialism. Lenin’s decision of pulling Russia out of the war calling it as
instrument of spreading imperialism and exploitation went against the very purpose of World War I. On
the other hand, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson had justified the involvement of United States in World
War I for founding “democratic world with just peace”. In order to prevent future wars, he had already
proposed for self-determination. Taking the key from Wilson’s proposals, many of the colonies in Asia and
Africa began to protest against imperial European countries and demanded for greater autonomy and even
complete independence. The war veterans joined the radical students and intellectuals in their protest over
Japan’s continued presence in China. Across the continents in Asia and Africa, rebels raised their arms –
against French rule in Morocco, Italian rule in Cyrenaica on the north coast, British and French forces in
the central Sahara, and European administrators in Somalia. Already involved in the war, major European
powers were helpless and had to relax their iron-rule over their colonies in Asia and Africa.
5. Need for the League of Nations: The World War I exposed the need for an association of nations – a body
to promote international peace and security with a view to preventing a global conflict of the nature of the
‘First World War’ causing catastrophic consequences. Paris Peace Conference sanctioned the creation of the
League of Nations as an intergovernmental organization and it was founded on January 10, 1920. It was the
first international organization which stood for maintaining world peace and preventing wars. The League
of Nations emphasized on settling international disputes through negotiation and arbitration. The League of
Nations led the path for the establishment of the UNO (United Nations Organizations) in later years.
6. Decline of the Empires: The political changes effected by World War I were reflected best in the decline
of the empires. While the Ottoman Empire and Habsburg Empire of Austria-Hungary completely collapsed,
the Great War also drove the ‘death knell’ (end) for monarchies in Germany and Russia, which became
republics. The famous quote of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16th president of the United States (1861-
1865) and one of the great leaders in American history, that “Force is all-conquering, but its victories are
short-lived” came true as the effects of World War I began to unfold when Europe faced disintegration of
famous mighty empires. Defeat in the World War I (1914-1918) caused the total breakup of the Habsburg
Empire and the loss of most of its territory. Since the last Habsburg Emperor Charles I refused to renounce

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his own claims and those of his dynasty to their hereditary positions, the new Austrian republic banished
the Habsburgs in 1919.
7. Socio-cultural Change: The death of over 10 million men in combat left a long lasting effect in the social
and economic life of the post-war world. Many of those who survived the war returned home with physical
disabilities that prevented them from rejoining the work force. Others suffered the permanent psychological
injury that prevented them from a successful adaptation to civilian life. Many of the dead left widows and
orphans who had to cope with severe economic hardship and emotional loss. The war had a profound
effect on the relations between men and women in the major belligerent states because men rushed to the
battlefield while women replaced the men in industry, trade and business. Women went on to achieve a
degree of independence and self-reliance which were missing before the war. Many of the countries involved
in the war (including Britain, the United States, and Germany) granted women the right to vote for the first
time shortly after the war ended.
The war also profoundly disrupted the revered cultural tradition of the Western world based on optimism
about human nature and about the glorious future of civilization because the highly civilized societies on
earth slaughtered each other mercilessly. Artists began to produce works that mocked the self-confident
assertions of humanism and portrayed the pathetic realities of life from war-ravaged societies. Social
scientists, psychologists and philosophers bemoaned the decadence of civilization and the decline of human
moral values in the west.

Role of Nepal in the First World War

During the First World War, Chandra Shamsher Rana, the Prime Minister of Nepal, decided to fight from
the side of Britain – the part of the Allied Powers and urged Nepalese males to fight in the war. A total of
7,500 Nepalese troops were sent under the command of General Babar Shamsher in the beginning, and
later under the command of Generals Padma Shamsher, Tej Shamsher and Keshar Shamsher. In this way,
a total of 16,544 Nepalese soldiers were fighting alongside the British soldiers for the victory of Britain
and Allied Powers in the First World War. The qualities like discipline, professionalism and adaptability
of the Nepalese soldiers had earned respect for Nepal in the ‘First World War’. Impressed by the qualities
of Nepalese soldiers who demonstrated extraordinary fighting skills in the War, the British Government
rewarded Chandra Shamsher with the post of General in the British Army along with the yearly payment
of 10 lakh rupees by the East India Company ruling over India as the representative of Britain. The
Nepalese army was also awarded with British official decorations like Victoria Cross and Military Cross.

Gurkha Rifles in France during the First World War and Victoria Cross
The Nepali soldiers popularly known as Gurkhas astounded the enemies with their unparallel bravery
and daredevil performances in the war. Even German Emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, expressed his opinion
in praise of Nepalese soldiers, “I can send my army to fight any troops of the world but my heart shivers
when I hear the name of Gorkhali soldiers.” The Gurkha Nepalese soldiers had served in non-combat
units as well as combat units. As non-combat units, they had served in the Army Bearer Corps and the
labor battalions, but they were in combat in France, Turkey, Palestine, and Mesopotamia (Iraq). Nepal had
even paid “One Million Pound” to the British for fighting the First World War in hope of getting more
relaxation from the British Empire in future. Following the war, the Nepalese government requested that
Britain cede some portions of Tarai in recognition of Kathmandu’s contribution to the Allied war effort.
London refused, but the Treaty of Perpetual Peace and Friendship, signed in December 1923, granted
“unequivocal” recognition of Nepal’s independence. This treaty formed the basis for Nepal’s continued
independence following the British withdrawal from India in 1947.

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Words and terms you would like to know

Bastion (n.): somebody or something regarded as providing strong defense or support, especially for a belief or
cause, or a place where there are such people
Veteran (n.): experienced soldier; a former member of the armed forces
Renounce (v.): to give up formally a claim, title, position, or right
Unequivocal (adj.): unambiguous, clear with no confusion and doubt

Activities

1. The following is the list of the soldiers who died fighting from different countries involved in the World
War I shown in a table. Construct the bar diagram based on the given data:

Country involved in the World War – I Soldiers died while fighting

Italy 6,50,000

Germany 17,73,000

Bulgaria 8,75,000

United States of America 1,16,516

Romania 3,35,000

2. Conduct investigations and research on your own regarding the dictators and autocrats who emerged
after the end of the World War – I from different sources such as library, internet, magazines and so on.
Also arrange for their photographs. Prepare a brief biography on them and analyze their governing
styles and decisions they made to understand their influence on the world and in their respective
country.

3. No long-term sustainable solution lies in the negative feeling of revenge and action of retaliation. Justify
the statement drawing upon the incidents of the ‘First World War’.

4. Highlight different dates and incidents of the First World War with the help of the graphical time-line.

5. How did the Treaty of Versailles sow the seeds of dissension and feeling of revenge? Hold a discussion
by making a pair in the classroom and identify the causes.

6. Draft a peace treaty on your own to replace the Treaty of Versailles in order to bring peace and stability
between Germany and the Allied Powers. Give reasons for change of the provisions that you have
brought in.

Exercise

1. Illustrate the roles of gallantry and bravery played (performed) by the Nepalese soldiers in the ‘First
World War’.

2. Do you see any relationship between communism and dictatorship? Present an account of the
relationship. Explain how far the end of World War I gave rise to communism and dictatorship in
Europe and beyond.

3. Outline the effects of the ‘First World War’.
4. Do you think “the Treaty of Versailles” was truly a peace treaty? Give reasoned answer with explanation.
5. Mention all the main provisions of the Treaty of Versailles and explain their implications.
4. Highlight different dates and incidents of the First World War with the help of the graphical time-line.
5. How did the Treaty of Versailles sow the seeds of dissension and feeling of revenge? Hold a discussion

by making a pair in the classroom and identify the causes.
6. Draft a peace treaty on your own to replace the Treaty of Versailles in order to bring peace and stability

between the Germany and the Allied Powers. Give reasons for change of the provisions that you have
brought in.

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Lesson Causes of the Second World War

11

Did the Treaty of Versailles sow the seeds of the Second World War?

Germans had left the ‘peace table’ that devised treaty of Versailles totally embittered and were desperately
looking for revenge. The post-war international order that came into existence in the wake of the Paris Peace
Conference proved to be unstable and short-lived. What Woodrow Wilson called “the war to end all wars”
led to, within a generation, a second destructive violent conflict known as Second World War. Germans
bitterly criticized the Treaty of Versailles as the terms of the treaty were, “dictated,” to them and that the treaty
violated the “just peace” as announced by Woodrow Wilson” before and during the War. Provisions of the
treaty, according to “Germans” had demanded intolerable sacrifices that would wreck their economy. They
also criticized the imposition of crushing reparations on Germany and that the reparations would destroy
Germany economically. However, in the years after it was ratified, the Treaty of Versailles was revised and
altered, mostly in Germany’s favour, by making numerous concessions to Germany before the rise of Adolf
Hitler, and by 1938, only the territorial settlement articles remained. The huge German reparations and the
‘War Guilt Clause’ developed deep resentment in Germany, and when Hitler remilitarized the Rhineland
in 1936 (a violation of the treaty), the Allies could not do anything to stop him thereby encouraging future
German aggression. In fact, Adolf Hitler from 1933 onwards continued to violate the provisions of the Treaty
of Versailles.
On the issue of annexation of Sudetenland – a part of Czechoslovakia - by Germany, both Britain and France
had agreed through Munich Pact to let Germany a part of Czechoslovakia called the Sudetenland and Hitler
said this would be his last territorial demand in Europe. The Munich Pact, an accord formulated and signed
by Germany, Italy, France, and Britain at Munich, Germany, on September 29, 1938 – secured the acceptance
of the demand made by Adolf Hitler that the German-speaking Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia
must become the part of Germany from Britain and France. Britain and France devastated by the First World
War and desperate to avoid further confrontation, had accepted Hitler’s demands in return for his promise
not to claim any other European territory. Fully understanding the helplessness of Britain and France, Hitler
broke the promise under Munich Pact, attacked on Czechoslovakia, and annexed it.
Both the Great Britain and France had promised aid to Poland in face of a Nazi attack. Hitler soon demanded
the return of Danzig to Germany and a strip of territory linking East Prussia with the rest of Germany but
Poland refused to hand over the territory. In the meantime, Germany and Italy signed a pact pledging to
support each other in war in May 1939. Hitler and the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin signed a ‘Nazi Soviet Non-
Aggression Pact’ on Aug. 23, 1939 promising not to attack on each other. According to the war strategists in
Germany, the Non-Aggression Pact with Russia was necessary to avoid any diversion through aggression by
Russia on West Front of Germany. Hitler and other German leaders had believed that Germany lost World
War I because it had to fight on two fronts – East and West. Eventually, appeasement policy practiced by
Allied Victors, which enabled Hitler to remilitarize Germany and take over territory during the 1930s, broke
out the Second World War on September 1, 1939, when Germany annexed Danzig and invaded Poland.

Dictatorship in Italy, Germany and Japan: Formation of Axis Powers

After the end of the ‘First World War’, altogether new coalition of ambitious dictatorial countries known
as “Axis Powers” emerged because of political and socio-economic changes in their own respective
countries. The coalition originated as the Rome-Berlin axis between Italy and Germany, with the 1936
Hitler-Mussolini accord and their military alliance of May 1939. Japan joined hands with Germany first by
signing Anti-Comintern Pact (or Anti-Communist Pact) on November 25, 1936 to keep the Soviet Union
(founded by Communists in 1922) away. In this way, the Rome-Berlin axis included Japan in its fold and
became the Tripartite Pact by all three powers – Germany, Japan and Italy - on September 27, 1940 thereby
giving birth to “Axis Powers” that opposed the Allied Powers in World War II.
Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia had already joined the Berlin Pact (Rome-Berlin axis)
whereas Denmark, Finland, Spain and the pro-Japanese governments of Manchukuo and Nanking in
China had entered the coalition as adherents of the Anti-Comintern Pact. The Axis came to a formal end
when the Allies ratified the unconditional surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945 in the World War II.

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24 December 1925 – 25 July 1943 30 January 1933 – 30 April 1945 17 October 1941 – 22 July 1944

Benito Mussolini (Italy) Adolf Hitler (Germany) Hideki Tojo (Japan)

Nazism and Fascism: National Socialism or Nazism in many respects was similar to Italian fascism. The
roots of Nazism, however, were peculiarly German, grounded, for example, in the Prussian tradition of
military authoritarianism and expansion. Nazism was hostile to rationalism, liberalism, communism and
democracy. Nazism believed in racial superiority of the Nordic peoples (so-called pure Aryans) who were
not only physically superior to other races, but were the carriers of a superior morality and culture and
thus devised the anti-Semitic racial doctrines by exterminating millions of Jews in Germany and all over
the world.

Hitler’s

Nazi salute With President Hindenburg (1933) In a Rally (Berlin)

Causes (Reasons) for the World War II

One of the most gruesome Wars of all time, World War II (1939-1945) is known mostly for the bombing of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States and the Holocaust - the genocide of as many as six million
European Jews. World War II was fought between two military alliances - the Allies, which comprised
Soviet Union, United States of America, United Kingdom and other nations, and the Axis, made up of
Germany, Japan, Italy etc. The war began on September 1, 1939, when the German forces invaded Poland
and subsequently France and other European nations attacked Germany. It went on for a period of six years
before culminating with a victory for the Allies when Japan officially surrendered on September 2, 1945.
Following were the main causes (reasons) for the outbreak of the World War II.
1. The Failures of the League and other Peace Efforts: Based on a new concept-- collective security against
the “criminal” threat of war, the League’s powers were limited to persuasion and various levels of moral
and economic sanctions that the members were free to carry out when situation demanded. The League had
limited resources which were rarely put to use. The U.S. Congress failed to ratify the Treaty of Versailles

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(with Covenant) and hence was never the member of the League thereby weakening its status immeasurably.
One of the League’s main purposes was to preserve the status quo as established by the post-World War I
peace treaties and prevent further aggression. In the 1930s, when dissatisfied nations like Japan, Italy and
Germany ventured out to upset this arrangement, the League, which had no power other than that of its
member states, was unable to take action against the aggressor country. League of Nations failed to prevent
Japanese expansion in Manchuria and China. League could not stop Italy’s conquest of Ethiopia and was
unable to take any action when Hitler’s Germany openly repudiated the Versailles Treaty.
2. The Rise of Fascism: One of the victors – United States - had put forth the aim of World War I was
to “make the world safe for democracy” and establish “just peace” in the World. Although the defeated
country like Germany and the victor country like Italy began with the democratic institution along with
the constitution, they could not sustain the democracy and fell in the hands of nationalistic, militaristic and
totalitarian political thought known as “fascism” in 1920s and 1930s. Fascism promised to fulfil people’s
wants (and ambitions) more effectively than democracy and presented itself as one sure defence against
communism. Benito Mussolini established the first fascist dictatorship in Italy in 1922 followed by Adolf
Hitler the ‘Fuehrer’ (leader) of the German National Socialist (Nazi) Party”) in 1933. Similarly, Japan did
not formally adopt fascism, but the powerful position of the armed forces in the government enabled them
to impose a similar type of totalitarianism and the Japanese military were far superior to Hitler’s Germany.
Japanese military had a minor clash with Chinese troops near Mukden in 1931 as a military pretext with an
aim to take over all of Manchuria and they occupied the main Chinese ports in 1937-1938.
3. Formation of Axis Coalition: Adolf Hitler after having denounced the disarmament clauses of the Versailles
Treaty began to create a new lethal air force, reintroduced conscription and manufactured destructive arms
and ammunitions. To check the lethality and destructiveness of his weapons, Hitler took the side of right-
wing military rebels led by General Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). In fact, Franco
based the political, economic, and social structures of his regime on fascism. That is why Spanish Civil War
brought both Mussolini and Hitler closer as Mussolini too was supporting the Spanish revolt after having
seized (1935-1936) Ethiopia in a small war. This friendship between two fascists resulted in the coalition
called Rome-Berlin axis in 1936 (Hitler-Mussolini accord) and further extended into the military alliance
of May 1939. Having included Japan in September 1940, the coalition had three militarist and totalitarian
regimes as Axis Powers – Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis. This coalition brought the Second World War due to their
rampant aggressive attacks guided by their expansionist policy.

Deadliest ever combination of Fascism (Mussolini-Italy) and Nazism (Hitler-Germany)
4. Japanese Policy in the East Asia and Japanese Attack on China: After having attacked on Manchuria
(Northeast China) in 1931-32, Japan had created the Japanese-controlled puppet state of Manchukuo. In the
following years, the nationalist government of China, headed by Chiang Kai-shek and Chinese Communists
led by Mao Zedong, joined hands to resist the Japanese advance into China. Japanese military had already
taken Shanghai in November and the Chinese capital, Nanking, in December 1937. In 1938, the Japanese
launched several ambitious military campaigns that brought them deep into the heart of central China. It is
in this context that the US President Franklin Roosevelt advocated for “quarantine” against the “disease” of
international aggression by sympathizing with the Chinese nationalists and wished to keep the resources
of Southeast Asia available for the embattled British. This prepared the stage for World War II in the Pacific

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region. Japan was heavily dependent on the United States for vital strategic material, such as petroleum,
steel, and heavy machinery. Roosevelt administration gradually imposed embargoes on such goods with a
view to break Japan’s war capability. On the other hand, Japan resented the move of the United States.
5. Violation of Treaty of Versailles and German Aggression in Europe: Dissatisfied with the provisions
of Treaty of Versailles and utterly humiliated, Hitler’s Germany launched his own expansionist drive with
the annexation of Austria in March 1938 thereby breaking an uneasy 20-year hiatus after the end of the First
World War. The attack was in many respects a continuation of the disputes left unsettled by World War I
through the Treaty of Versailles. Mussolini supported Hitler, and the British and French, already threatened
by German rearmament, accepted Hitler’s claim that the status of Austria was an internal German affair.
The United States, having passed a neutrality law, was unable to act against aggression as United States
had prohibited herself to provide material assistance to all parties in foreign conflicts. Germany had already
made her intention known to the Allied Countries by reoccupying the demilitarized zone in the Rhineland
in March 1936. Further, Germany annexed the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia in September 1938 and
in March 1939 Germany occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia. Both Britain and France, fearing war with
Germany, acquiesced with Germany’s aggressive posture. Finally, on September 1, 1939, Germany violated
the treaty by invading Poland, thus initiating World War II in Europe.

Course of War and Major Events of War

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 and Second World War broke out. In the beginning of War,
Germany registered astonishing success with little resistance from the opposite side. Hitler introduced a
new kind of war called a blitzkrieg, which means “lightning war” – a swift military offensive using ground
and air forces thereby not providing enough time to the enemy to get prepared for counterattack. Waves
of German bombers targeted railroads disabling the Polish military mobilization and hundreds of tanks
smashed through Polish defences and rolled deep into the country. Soviet Union too invaded Poland after
16 days on 17 September from the east side and by the end of the month, Poland had accepted defeat.
Unlike eastern front of Germany towards Poland, there was little fighting on the western front. The most
sensational German naval achievement during this period was a raid on Scapa Flow on October 14, 1939 when
a German U-boat made its way into this British naval base and torpedoed the battleship Royal Oak. By 1941,
the Allies had already lost more than 3.5 million tons of shipping to German submarine attacks.
The Second World War continued for six long years on land, sea and in air right from the Hedgerows of
Normandy (the north-eastern France on the English Channel) to the streets of Stalingrad, the icy mountains
of Norway to the sweltering deserts of Libya, the insect-infested jungles of Burma to the coral-reefed
islands of the pacific. Involving Germans against Poles (Poland inhabitants), Italians against Americans
and Japanese against Australians broadly divided into Axis Powers battling against Allied Powers. The
World War II finally ended up with the use of nuclear bombs by United States on Japan (Nagasaki and
Hiroshima) in 1945. The Axis powers included the countries like Germany, Italy, and Japan whereas the
Allies constituted the countries like France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and, to a lesser
extent, China. Thus, the World War – II involved all the major powers of the World.

Major Events during World War – II in Europe
1939

• September 1: The Nazi Germany invades Poland at 4:45 a.m. with the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) launching air
attacks on several targets of Poland. Within five minutes of the Luftwaffe attacks, the German Navy ordered the old
Battleship to open fire on the Polish military transit depot in Danzing on the Baltic Sea. By 8:00 a.m., troops of the
German Army launched an attack near the Polish townvv of Mokra.

• September 3: British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announced that Britain is at war with Germany. Australia,
India, and New Zealand also declared war on Germany within hours of Britain’s declaration. French Government
too delivered a similar statement.

• September 5: The USA publicly declared neutrality.
• September 23: The Japanese Army drove the Chinese National Revolutionary Army out of the Sinchiang River.
• October 30: The British government releases a report on concentration camps being built in Europe for Jews and

anti-Nazis.

1940

• March 30: Japan establishes a puppet regime at Nanking, China.

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• April 9: Germany invades Denmark and Norway.
• April 30: Japan makes a declaration to participate in the war from the side of the Axis power.
• May 17: Germany invades Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands; Winston Churchill becomes Prime

Minister of the United Kingdom upon the resignation of Neville Chamberlain. The United Kingdom invades
Iceland.
• May 28: Belgium surrenders to the Germans; King Leopold III of Belgium surrenders and is interned.
• June 10: Italy under Mussolini declares war on France and the United Kingdom.
• July 10: The Battle of Britain begins with Luftwaffe raids on channel shipping.
• September 27: The Tripartite Pact is signed in Berlin by Germany, Italy, and Japan, promising mutual aid. An
informal name, “Axis Powers” emerges.
• October 28: Italy invades Greece.

1941

• April 6: Germany invades Yugoslavia and Greece.
• April 21: Greece surrenders.
• June 22: Germany invades Russia (the then Soviet Union) defying the bilateral treaty on non-aggression. It was

Operation Barbarossa, a three-pronged operation aimed at Leningrad, Moscow, and the southern oil fields of the
Caucasus launched by Germany. Romania invades southern Russia on the side of Germany.
• July 8: Yugoslavia, a country formed by the Versailles Treaty, is dissolved by the Axis into its component parts.
• August 9: Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill meet at NS Argentina, Newfoundland. The Atlantic Charter
is created, signed, and released to the world press. Two leaders through Atlantic Charter proclaimed the right of all
peoples to choose their own form of government and to have access to the earth’s natural resources for both victors
as well as vanquished.
• October 18: General Hideki Tojo becomes the 40th Prime Minister of Japan.
• December 7: (December 8, Asian time zone) Japan launches an attack on Pearl Harbor, declares war on the United
States and the United Kingdom and invades Thailand and British Malaya and launches aerial attacks against Guam,
Hong Kong, the Philippines, Shanghai, Singapore and Wake Island. Canada declares war on Japan.

Japan launches an attack on Pearl Harbor, declares war on the United States
• December 8: The United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and New Zealand declare war on Japan. Thus

the USA enters the World War II.
• December 11: Germany and Italy declare war on the United States. The United States gives a counter and declares

war on Germany and Italy.

1942

• February 27: Sea warfare in Java
• May 4: Coral Sea warfare
• June 9: Nazis burn the Czech village of Lidice as reprisal for the killing of Reinhard Heydrich (German Nazi, Organizer of

the Final Solution in Europe). All male adults and children are killed and all females are taken off to concentration camps.

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• December 4: The first US bombing of mainland Italy –Naples

1943

• February 11: U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower is selected to command the Allied armies in Europe.
• September 10: Italy has surrendered to the Allies. The Italian fleet meanwhile surrenders at Malta and other

Mediterranean ports.
• October 18: Chiang Kai-shek takes the oath of office as president of China.
• November 28: The Tehran Conference: US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill

and Soviet Leader Joseph Stalin meet in Tehran to discuss war strategy.
• December 24: US General Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.
• December 29: Japanese hand over the control of the Andaman Islands over to Azad Hind.

1944

• June 13: Germany launches a V-1 Flying Bomb attack on England, in Hitler’s view a kind of revenge for the invasion.
He believes in Germany’s victory with this “secret weapon.” The V-1 attacks continue throughout June.

• July 2: V-1 rocket attacks continue to have devastating effects in terms of material destruction and losses of human
life.

• August 25: Paris was taken away from the control of Germany by the Allied forces of Britain, Russia and France.
Germany suffered a heavy loss.

• September 9: The first V-2 rocket lands on London.
• November 6: Franklin Delano Roosevelt wins a fourth term.
• November 10: V-2 rockets continue to hit Britain, at the rate of about eight a day.

1945

• January 2: The Japanese increasingly use kamikaze tactics against the US naval forces nearby. Kamikaze (Japanese,
“divine wind”), suicide squadrons organized by the Japanese air force in the last months of World War II. Grateful
Japanese originally applied the term to a typhoon that destroyed a Mongol invasion fleet in 1281. Suicide pilots flew
their aircraft, loaded with explosives, directly into U.S. naval vessels in 1945. Kamikaze pilots, sacrificing their lives
in a final effort to stop the American advance, sank about 40 U.S. ships.

• January 15: Hitler is now firmly ensconced in the bunker in Berlin with his companion Eva Braun.

• January 17: Russia controls Warsaw in Poland.

• February 4: Yalta Conference (amongst Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin begins) the main subject of their discussions
is post-war spheres of influence.

• April 12: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies suddenly. Harry S. Truman becomes president of the
United States.

• April 20: Hitler celebrates his 56th birthday in the bunker in Berlin; he is in an unhealthy state, nervous, and
depressed.

• April 28: The Head of State for the Italian Social Republic, Benito Mussolini, heavily disguised, is captured in
northern Italy while trying to escape. Mussolini and his companion Clara Petacci, are shot and hanged in Milan the
next day.

• April 29: Hitler marries his companion Eva Braun.

• April 30: Hitler and his wife commit suicide by a combination of poison and a gunshot.

• May 7: Germany surrenders unconditionally to the Allies at the Western Allied Headquarters in Rheims, France at
2:41 a.m.

• May 8: Soviet forces capture the Reichstag during which the soviets install the famous flag of Soviet Union over
Reichstag.

• June 5: Allies agree to divide Germany into four areas of control.

• June 26: The United Nations Charter is signed in San Francisco.

• July 17: The Potsdam Conference begins. The Allied leaders agree to insist upon the unconditional surrender of
Japan.

Student's Note: ____________________________________________________________________________________________
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British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, U.S. President Harry S. Truman and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin meet
at Potsdam (Germany) to discuss the postwar order in Europe.

• August 6: The first atomic bomb “Little Boy” is dropped on Hiroshima. “Little Boy” is the atomic bomb dropped
on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. An estimate of neutral source says that 90,000-166,000 people had died because of
its use by the end of December 1945 as a result of the explosion that gave rise to blast, fire, and radiation. The blast
from a nuclear bomb is the result of X-ray-heated air (the fireball) sending shock/pressure waves in all directions at
a velocity greater than the speed of sound similar to thunder generated by lightning.

Weight-4400 Kg, Diameter 28 inches and Length 120 inches: Little Boy
Blinding light, accompanied by radiant heat from the fireball generated the Hiroshima fireball of 1,200 feet (370 m)
in diameter, with a temperature of 7200°F (3,980°C) that converted everything flammable at ground level into flame.
Things like damaged fuel or gas pipes and tanks, overturned stoves, destroyed furnaces and so on caused the ensuing
firestorm. Local fallout is dust and ash from a bomb crater, contaminated with radioactive fission products. Survivors on
the edge of the lethal area and beyond suffered injuries from radiation and died soon afterward due to acute radiation
sickness visible in form of cancer, leukaemia and certain non-cancer diseases over the lifetime of the survivors and their
children who were exposed “in-uterus”.

The mushroom cloud resulting from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rises 18 km (60,000 ft) into the air from
the hypocenter. The “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.

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• August 9: “Fat Man” is the codename for the atomic bomb detonated over Nagasaki, Japan, by the United States on
August 9, 1945. It was the second of two nuclear weapons to be used in warfare to date (the other being “Little Boy”).
This nuclear explosion killed 60,000 – 80,000 in Nagasaki within first two to four months of bombing with roughly
half of the deaths in each city occurring on the first day. On August 15, six days after the bombing of Nagasaki,
Japan announced its surrender to the Allies, signing the Instrument of Surrender on September 2, officially ending
the World War II.

• August 15: Emperor Hirohito issues a radio broadcast announcing Japan’s surrender; though the surrender seems
to be “unconditional”, the Emperor’s status is still open for discussion.

Japanese officials formally surrendered to the Allies on September 2, 1945, aboard the United States battleship Missouri.
Japan’s surrender ended World War II (1939-1945). General MacArthur, who became the military governor of occupied
Japan, headed the Allied delegation in the official ceremony for Japan’s surrender.

Japanese Surrender on September 2, 1945 and thus the World War – II comes to an end.

Words and terms you would like to know

Reichstag: a German word generally meaning parliament
Accord (n.): agreement, a treaty or settlement agreed to by two or more parties
Gruesome (adj.): horrifying
Ratify (v.): to give formal approval to something, usually an agreement negotiated by somebody else, in order that it
can become valid or operative
Totalitarianism (n.): a centralized government system in which a single party without opposition rules over political,
economic, social, and cultural life
Conscription (n.): compulsory enrollment for national service; the obligatory enrollment of citizens in the armed forces
Hiatus (n.): unexpected gap; a break in something where there should be continuity

Activities

1. Japan and Italy were fighting the ‘First World War’ from the side of the Allied Powers pitched against
Germany but both the countries switched over their side to join the Axis Powers along with Germany
to fight the ‘Second World War’ against the Allied Powers. Conduct a research to explore the reasons
behind such an act of switching sides and prepare a detailed account on it. Take help from your teacher,
library, internet and other relevant sources.

2. Even though the United States of America declared itself to be a neutral country, yet it joined the ‘Second
World War’. Hold a discussion in the classroom to find out the reasons behind it and write down all the
final points at the end of the discussion.

3. Stage a play in the classroom by showing rise of dictatorship and fascism in Europe before and during
the Second World War. Choose the characters to play Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt
who were in the helm of affairs during the World War II to bring the effect of reality amongst various

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other characters. Write the plot (script) of this play based on your research and the outline given in the
present lesson.
4. Organize an essay competition on the topic, “The World War II is the result of untamed dictatorship and
uncensored totalitarianism.” Reward the best essay with extra points in the internal assessment with a
certificate of merit.
5. The famous scientist of the 20th century Albert Einstein had once said in an interview, “I know not with
what weapons World War III (Third) will be fought, but World War IV (Fourth) will be fought with
sticks and stones”. Explain why Einstein had made such an observation by giving concrete evidences in
terms of facts and figures.
6. It is so easy for immoral politicians to be bribed into betrayal and use the card of nationalism for personal
rise into power and gain scores on the scale of popularity for a political party. This is as true today as it
was in the Second World War. The news media are rife with such examples in all the continents of the
world where such a feeling is on the rise dividing the diverse communities into rigid walls of ethnicity,
race, religion and language and inviting hostilities from other countries as well. What should be the
duties and responsibilities of common citizens like us when immoral politicians solely aim for political
power by neglecting people’s welfare and development of the society? Create groups in the classroom
and hold a discussion to reach conclusions.

Exercise

1. The World War II would have never happened if only the Treaty of Versailles was unbiased, fair and
impartial. Justify the statement by giving appropriate examples and evidences.

2. What is the policy of appeasement? Examine how did the policy of appeasement led to the ‘Second
World War’.

3. Highlight the relationship between communism and socialism. Explain how the fear of spreading
communism in Europe and across the other parts of the world culminated in the ‘Second World War’.

4. Explain how economic crisis and economic depression brought the world on the edge of the ‘Second
World War’.

5. The World War II is the handiwork of Hitler. How is this so? Prove it by giving evidences and examples.
6. Britain, Russia (the Soviet Union), and France are all the guilty countries for inviting World War II. Give

reasons for each country mentioned here.
7. What is the meaning of blitzkrieg? When and why was it adopted?
8. Specify the phony war in context of Second World War?
9. The Munich Pact proves that the Treaty of Versailles was the negation of what Woodrow Wilson called

the “just peace”. Critically comment on it.
10. Critically analyze that the failure of the ‘League of Nations’ pushed the humanity to World War II.
11. Outline the reasons behind the late entry of the United States of America into the World War II.

Community Work

Nepal and Britain were the enemies to each other in the Anglo-Nepal War (1814 – 1816). However, Nepal
and Britain were friends together while fighting both the first and the second World Wars. Nepal fought the
World War II against the Axis Powers comprising of the countries like Japan, Germany and Italy. Today, all
the three countries are great friends of Nepal. It shows that the friends at present can become the enemy
tomorrow and the past enemy can turn out to be a great friend now in international politics and diplomacy.
Such incidents do take place in community and family as well. Prepare a story with dialogues based on the
above theme and share it in the classroom.

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Lesson Effects of the Second World War
and Role Played by Nepal
12

Early in the morning of September 1, 1939 at 4:45 a.m. the Nazi Germany invaded Poland. It was the worst
fate that humanity would dread to ever face at any point of time in the future. The World War II broke out
on that very day and at that very moment which lasted for five years but its impact is still felt in terms of the
unalterable change it made in the political, social and economic dimensions of human life. The generations
to come will shiver to recount and read the stories of the bloodiest of human experiences and madness of
the dictators demonstrated in the World War II. The battle field of the World War II was not only limited to
Europe, the war fronts were opened as far as North America, Africa, Middle East, East Asia, South Asia and
Oceania. Oceans and seas were caught up in the flames of the war. The Pacific and Atlantic oceans faced
the burns while Mediterranean, Baltic, and Indian seas were turned into battle grounds to test the strength
between the Allied and the Axis powers. The World War II left permanent scar on the human civilization
when the U.S.A. (United States of America) dropped two atomic bombs on the country, which killed over a
100 thousand people. After that with the formal surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945, the World War II
officially came to an end.

The effects or consequences of the World War II are given below:
1. Loss of Human Life: Second World War is the most gruesome war in human history as the total number

of deaths range from about 40 million to 60 million. Most of the experts estimate 44 million deaths from
Allied forces that include both military and civilian losses and around 13 million deaths from Axis
Powers side. USSR had reported maximum number of loss of human life – around 20 million reportedly
lost their lives including both military and the civilian. The infamous ‘holocaust’ took the lives of 5.6
million to 5.9 million Jews – the deadliest racial extermination ever recorded in human history. Besides,
millions were rendered disabled and severely wounded leaving permanent psychological scars and
mental diseases on near relatives of the dead as well as the wounded. In fact, it is almost impossible to
know accurately the cost of war in terms of the number of people killed, disabled, and wounded. Many
nations could not accurately count their losses.
2. Economic Losses: The total military costs in the World War II exceeded one trillion dollars besides the
damage and destruction caused to the factories, railroads, and other business property worth 800 billion
dollars. The war at sea cost the loss of 4,770 merchant vessels, with a gross tonnage of more than 21
million that covered 27 percent of all the ships in existence at the beginning of the war. In addition, war
spending did not stop when the fighting ended because expenses continued for the care of the disabled
and providing pensions to the war victims. For example, in the United States money spent for United
Nations relief, occupation of foreign countries, and veterans’ benefits raised the total cost by another 30
billion dollars. Moreover, millions of people involved in normal production were out of their work and
could not return to their usual work.
The United States spent the largest sum of money – 341 billion dollars - on the war followed by
Germany (272 billion dollars), Soviet Union (192 billion dollars), Britain (120 billion dollars), Italy (94
billion dollars) and Japan (56 billion dollars). Apart from the direct expenses on fighting the War, there
was a huge loss to their national wealth. For example, the Soviet government’s calculation said that the
USSR lost 30 percent of its national wealth, while Nazi Germany impoverished many of the occupied
countries through exactions, plundering and looting. The full cost to Japan mounted up to $562 billion.
In Germany, bombing and shelling had produced 4 billion cu m (5 billion cu yd) of rubble. After the
end of World War II, many countries throughout the world had to rebuild their war-ravaged cities
and lands. Some of the nations which won the war suffered almost as much as those who lost it. The
western Soviet Union and Poland had suffered as much war damage as Germany. Britain, France, and
the Netherlands were as damaged as Italy. In China and the Philippine Islands, the losses were as high
as in Japan.
3. Improvement in Science and Technology: The World War saw improved version of science and
technology applied particularly in the field of production and manufacturing after the end of the World
War II. Automatic methods and machinery replaced costly handwork in a number of manufacturing
operations and production functions. Machines were developed to squeeze and mold metal with
the discovery of new alloys and plastics. Medicine and surgery reported astonishing improvements
with the production of Penicillin. Penicillin is an antibiotic (that destroys bacteria) derived from mold

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(the genus Penicillium) – a fungus that causes organic matter to decay. The DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-
trichloroethane) is another chemical that came in use to combat yellow fever, typhus, elephantiasis, and
other insect-vectored diseases. The chemical pesticide DDT was used around the world from the 1940s
through the early 1970s to kill the crop-eating and disease-carrying insects.
The development of jet and rocket propulsion developed the possibility of air transportation at the speed
of sound. The greatest advance of all was the release of atomic power and its future use for peacetime
benefits like producing electricity and supplying power in industry. Nuclear power was also used in the
new military uses such as the construction of submarines and aircraft carriers. The V-1 and V-2 guided
missiles developed by the Germans during the war proved as a milestone toward the modern space age.
After the war, United States brought both the V-2-equipment and German engineers and with the help
of American scientists conducted a successful launch of American artificial Earth satellites. V-1 Missile
(along with the V-2 rocket) was the first guided missile used in warfare during World War II (1939-1945)
by Nazi Germany in order to attack Allied cities in reprisal for the Allied “bombing attack” against
Germany.
4. The United Nations Organization: The story of the creation of the United Nations Organization
began with the London Declaration of 12 June 1941. The London declaration was the strong show of
the collective political intent to lay down the true basis of enduring peace and to foster the willing
cooperation of free peoples in a world to end the menace of aggression to achieve economic and social
security. London declaration was signed by Britain, Canada, New Zealand amongst others including
several European exiled governments. United States President Franklin D Roosevelt and British Prime
Minister Winston Churchill held a series of conferences to prepare their respective strategies in World
War II out of which emerged a plan to create an international peacekeeping organization with a goal of
preventing future wars on the scale of World War II.
During World War II (1939 – 45), the United States and Great Britain issued a joint declaration on August
14, 1941 that set out a vision for the post-war world. Since that declaration was prepared in the warship in
the Atlantic ocean with the efforts of the American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the British
Prime Minister Winston Churchill, it is famous us the Atlantic Charter. The document is considered
one of the first key steps towards the establishment of the United Nations in 1945. Finally, a total of 50
countries attended the two-day conference from June 25 – 26, 1945 in San Francisco (the United Sates)
to finalize the charter for UNO (United Nations Organization). Poland joined the conference later to
put the signature of assent on the prepared UN charter to increase the total number of countries to
fifty one. The UN officially came into existence on October 24, 1945. The purpose of United Nations
Organization is to maintain international peace and security by sending peacekeeping missions and
by authorizing peace enforcement operations. Peacekeeping missions help willing parties maintain an
existing peace agreement while peace enforcement operations seek to repel international aggression
using military force if required. The Security Council may authorize member countries to take military
action in response to international breaches of the peace.
5. Cold Wars: Cold War is the term used to describe the post-World War II struggle between the United
States and its allies and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and its allies which often brought
the world close to war. Thus, cold war was open but restricted rivalry between the United States and
the Soviet Union and their respective allies after the World War II. These two great blocs of power and
the political ideologies such as democracy and capitalism in the case of the United States and its allies,
and Communism in the case of the Soviet bloc clashed together in political-diplomatic sphere, scientific
and technological development and economic progress. The principal allies of the United States during
the Cold War included Britain, France, West Germany, Japan, and Canada and on the Soviet side were
many of the countries of Eastern Europe – including Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, East
Germany, and Romania-- and, during parts of the Cold War, Cuba and China. There were few countries
that had no formal commitment to either bloc known as neutrals or, within the Third World, as non-
aligned nations. Cold War lasted from the mid-1940s until the end of the 1980s with international
politics heavily shaped by the intense rivalry between United States and Soviet Union. Over the next
few years, the emerging rivalry between these two camps hardened into the formation of two vast
military alliances: the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), created by the Western powers in
1949; and the Soviet-dominated Warsaw Pact, established in 1955. The United States and its European
allies formed the NATO, a unified military command, to resist the Soviet presence in Europe (1949).
The Soviets exploded their first atomic warhead (1949) thereby ending the American monopoly on
the atomic bomb; the Chinese communists came to power in mainland China (1949); and the Soviet-
supported communist government of North Korea invaded South Korea (supported by the U.S.A.) in
1950 that lasted until 1953 as an indecisive war.

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6. Division of Germany and Berlin: After the defeat of the Nazi regime in World War II (1939-1945),
the victorious Allied Powers – the United States, Britain, France, and the USSR – divided Germany
into four zones, each occupied by one of the Allied Powers. From 1945 until 1990, Berlin too was a
divided city – East Berlin controlled by the Soviet Union and West Berlin controlled by the United States.
In 1949 East Berlin became the capital of the German Democratic Republic (known as East Germany
established) whereas the capital of other successor state – West Germany was in the city of Bonn. West
Berlin remained an urban island surrounded by Communist East Germany. Berlin became a focus of
Cold War tensions between Communist countries led by the USSR and anti-communist states led by
the United States until 1990 when the collapse of communism in the USSR reunified Germany. The
government offices were shifted then to Berlin from the Bonn.

7. Women’s Rights: The Second World War came as a major victory for women’s rights advocates as
many women began to work in civilian jobs as men were drafted in the army to fight in the battle. Since
men were on most of the civilian jobs at this time, the military draft left behind a vacuum in factories,
offices, and farms and women, many of whom had never worked earlier, filled this vacuum. As the war
progressed, these women developed their self-confidence and gained a strong sense of independence
by realizing the importance of women’s rights. The women refused to give up their jobs after the War
ended; many of them enjoyed making their own living and not having to depend on their husbands
or brothers or sons for money. Moreover, women, enfranchised in 1944 in France by a wartime decree,
exercised their newly acquired right to vote and gradually improved their economic status. Thus,
Second World War led women to assert for rights at wider level.

8. Economic Reconstruction of Europe: United States under the leadership of U.S. Secretary of State
George Catlett Marshall launched a program of financial assistance – European Recovery Program
(REP) to reconstruct the war-ravaged countries following the Second World War. This is famous as
Marshall Plan. United States adopted the Marshall Plan of European Recovery for following reasons:

A. Europe had been a great market for American goods and without a prosperous Europe the United States
might have suffered a severe economic depression.

B. Western Europe might have used socialist or communist methods to rebuild, without US aid because
Western Europe appeared open to influence by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), which
the United States was beginning to see as its main rival.

After careful planning, Marshall announced in June 1947 that if Europe devised a cooperative, long-
term rebuilding program, the United States would provide funds. United States provided more than
13 billion dollars to rebuild Western Europe. The plan was a great success and laid the foundation for
the European Economic Union (Common Market). The Soviets refused to allow the Eastern European
nations under their control to participate and devised Molotov Plan to keep Eastern Europe under Soviet
influence with a view to integrate communist states in Eastern Europe by providing financial assistance
for economic reconstruction. Molotov Plan is named after the Bolshevik Politician Vyacheslav Molotov
who rose to become foreign minister of the USSR and one of the most influential lieutenants to Soviet
leader Joseph Stalin. Foreign Minister Molotov while delivering the speech at the thirtieth anniversary
celebration of Soviet rule in Russia, said, “The task of our time is to unite all the anti-imperialistic and
democratic forces of the nations into one mighty camp…against the imperialist and anti-democratic
camp and its policy of enslavement of the people and new adventures.” Thus, an economic curtain
divided the continent.

Role of Nepal in the Second World War

Following the invasion of Poland, Britain declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. Nepal joined
the Second World War from the side of Britain supporting the Allied forces. The then Prime Minister
Juddha Shamsher JBR wanted to save his autocratic rule in Nepal by supporting the British imperial
power ruling over India at that time. Nepal in fact did not support Britain on political or ideological
basis. However, Nepal fought against the deadly fascist combination of Axis Powers. The Prime Minister
Juddha Shamsher sent the Nepalese military troops of 2,5000 soldiers under the command of Bahadur
Shamsher and others. Nepalese soldiers fought with courage and skill to earn the reputation as brave
Gorkhas. These soldiers while fighting at different war fronts around the world minutely observed the
governing patterns of democracy and the scale of development the foreign countries had achieved. These
soldiers worked for the development of Nepal after they came back to Nepal.
Nepalese soldiers had fought against the Axis Powers consisting of Germany, Japan and Italy at different
fronts such as Cyprus, Greece, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, Singapore, Malaya and Burma (now
Myanmar). A total of 7,544 Nepalese soldiers lost their lives and 23,655 wounded. Nepal had made

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sacrifice by losing a significant number of youth in the World War II. Many Nepalese soldiers, officers
and associated British officers were honored on 28 October 1945 for their gallant performances in World
War II following a grand victory parade. Acknowledging the contribution of Nepal in the War, British
Government conferred an honor of Honorary General of British troops on Prime Minister Juddha Shamsher
JBR. British Government had paid 33.3 million NPR to Nepal as a mark of gratitude and continued to pay
the sum of one million NPR annually. Moreover, British Government honored the brave Gorkha soldiers
with “Victoria Cross” and “Military Cross”.

Soldiers of the Fourth Gorkha Rifles charging in the Battle

Words and terms you would like to know

Extermination (n.): killing or destroying somebody or something completely
Menace (n.): a threatening act; a possible source of danger
Indecisive (adj.): unable to make decisions
Imperialistic (adj.): relating with the political, military, or economic domination of one country over another
Holocaust (n.): wholesale or mass destruction, especially of human life

Activities

1. The Non-Aggression Pact (Treaty) between Germany and Russia undertook to desist any military action
against each other. However, both the countries were found to confront each other militarily in the
World War II in utter disregard to the undertaking (promise) they had made in the Non-Aggression
Pact. Express your views which country committed the mistake by ignoring the promise made in the
Non-Aggression Pact.

2. The destruction of two cities of Japan - Hiroshima and Nagasaki - was caused by the nuclear explosion
and not by the war. Organize a debate competition on this topic. Select chairman, judges, anchor,
debaters and the guests from among the students to start the competition.

3. Draw a big blank map of the world on a chart paper and show the countries which were actively
involved in the World War II. Also indicate the major events and war fronts with dates and years.
Display the completed chart paper on in the classroom.

4. Nepal would have never participated in the World War II, had there been no Rana rule in Nepal in those
days. There was strong bonding between British imperialism and Rana dictatorship based on their
selfish interests. How far do you agree with this observation? Hold a discussion in the classroom. Write
an analytical comment on the observation mentioned above.

5. Compare and contrast the causes and effects of the World War II with those of World War I. Present it in
the form of a table.

363<< Nova Social Studies Grade-10

Exercise

1. What is cold war? How did it divide the world after the World War II? Do you see the presence of cold
war at present? Illustrate with examples.

2. The peace loving countries organized themselves into an organization with an objective of establishing
the world peace and security by avoiding the scourge of war. Which organization was it and how was
it formed?

3. Mutual understanding and dialogue are far more effective methods to resolve the conflicts rather than
resorting to war. Justify the statement in the background of the events of the World War II.

4. Explain why a powerful man like Adolf Hitler committed suicide. What precautions are to be taken by
the politicians around the world drawing lessons from his life.

5. Describe how the Japanese bombardment on Pearl Harbor proved counterproductive for Japan.
6. Explain Why the World War II is considered as one of the most gruesome wars of all times.
7. Outline the relevance and significance of the Marshall plan in relation to the Molotov plan after the

World War II.
8. Cold war was the legacy of the World War II. Evaluate the statement with the help of appropriate events

and illustrations.
9. The NATO is still in existence. Do you think that the ghost of the World War II is still haunting the earth?

Argue with concrete evidences.
10. Describe the role played by Nepal during the ‘Second World War’.

Community Work

The efforts of peace and reconstruction always follow the violent conflict and war. The world history is the
living testimony to this fact. Nepal has also experienced a series of revolts and revolutions led and participated
by the common people. However, the intensity and commitment towards peace and reconstruction appears
to have faltered on the path of their execution (implementation) after every armed rebellion and people’s
movement. Make a detailed enquiry about the efficacy and execution of the peace and reconstruction efforts
after the major revolt, rebellion and political movement in Nepal. Meet the senior citizens and experienced
social workers to seek their views and opinions on the topic and prepare a report on it.

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Lesson Historical Sites, Search for

1 3 Monuments, Preservation and

Conservation of Their Identity

Social Studies is the dynamic discipline in academia demanding participatory learning by visiting different
places, interacting with people from different backgrounds and experiences, and so on. The students of
Grade 10 from the Sankhu-Palubari Community School (SPCS) located in the Kathmandu Valley visited the
historical site of Lumbini and prepared a report on it. Lumbini is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, located
in Rupandehi district (the Tarai region of Nepal).

Title: Lumbini: A historical and sacred site of Nepal

Introduction

All the students from the Grade 10 of the Sankhu-Palubari Community School (SPCS) along with their Social
Studies teacher visited Lumbini on Ashwin or Asoj 25 to learn about the historical, religious, cultural and
architectural significance of the site. There were a total of 35 people organized into a team from our school in
this educational tour. Lumbini is one of the most popular cultural sites in western Nepal. It has the religious
significance not only for Nepali or Buddhists but also for all others who believe in the universal spiritual
virtues of peace and non-violence. Gautam Buddha was born in Lumbini and spent his youth here before he
set out for spiritual quest to attain enlightenment (Buddhatava). Lumbini reminds us about the life of Gautam
Buddha and teaching of Buddhism. Buddhists from all over the world undertake a pilgrimage to Lumbini.
There are several pillars, memorials, stupas, gumbas, viharas, monasteries and sacred ponds having direct or
ritualistic connections with the life and teaching of Gautam Buddha.

Objectives of the Visit

Following were the objectives of this visit:
 To know about historical significance of Lumbini
 To understand fully the legacy left behind by the enlightened master – Gautam the Buddha
 To describe the physical conditions of the existing memorials, buildings and other related sites located

in Lumbini by identifying them
 To understand the ancient society with the help of signs, symbols and sites made available by the

archeological excavations
 To give suggestions for conservation and preservation of ‘Lumbini Development Site’

365<< Nova Social Studies Grade-10

Methodology

Methods of our study involved both the primary and the secondary means:
 Primary Methods:

1. Direct observation of archeological sites like temples, ponds, pillars, etc.
2. Reading the inscriptions and video-filming/taking photographs for deeper insights
 Secondary Methods:
1. Collection of pamphlets, books and explanations given by cultural experts, historians, tour-guilds

and locals
2. Collection of documentaries, films and other video-DVDs available there

Description of findings

(a.) Lumbini is located in the Tarai region of the Province Number – 5 of Nepal. It lies in Rupandehi district.
(b.) Lumbini is the birthplace of the Gautam Buddha and hence stands for world peace. It is the sacred place

for all the Buddhists living in different parts of the world and is the pilgrimage for them.
(c.) Mother Mayadevi had given birth to Siddhartha (the original name of Gautam Buddha) while she was

going to her maternal house in Devdaha from Kapilvastu.
(d.) The Ashoka pillar erected by the Maurayan King Ashoka during his reign in the 3rd century BC (at 249

BC) has inscription carved on it mentioning the fact that Gautam Buddha was born here.
(e.) Lumbini attracted the attention of the world for the first time when the then General Secretary of the

United Nations Organization U Thant visited the place in 1967 and expressed his commitment to
develop the site with the support of the UNO (United Nations Organization).
(f.) The sincere efforts of the UNO and other countries such as India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan,
and China have helped in the construction of library, guest houses, Gumbas, Viharas, main roads and so
on.
(g.) The Mayadevi temple has been opened for general public from Jestha 2, 2060 (May 16, 2003) after the
reconstruction and renovation works were completed. The temple has been built with the measurement
of 28.4 m length, 23.8 m breadth and 13.4 m height. The sacred Pushkarini pond is located nearby the
Mayadevi temple. Mother Mayadevi had taken a bath in this pond just before Siddhartha (Gautam
Buddha) was born. And, the infant Siddhartha too had his first bath in this Pushkarini pond. This is why
the pond bears special religious merits for all the Buddhists.
(h.) The Government of Nepal had celebrated the year 2011 as the ‘Visit Lumbini Year’.
(i.) Lumbini has already been listed as the world heritage site.
(j.) There is a special celebration organized here with a huge number of devotees from all over the world
attending it on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti on ‘Baishakh Shukla Purnima’.
It is our utmost duty to preserve and conserve the Lumbini heritage site. Lumbini gives Nepal a unique
identity in the world. The following measures or ways are extremely fruitful and helpful with a view to
conserve and preserve the Lumbini heritage site:
(a.) Reconstructing and renovating the old buildings, memorials and other structures
(b.) Organizing ‘Buddhist World Conference’ at regular intervals at this site in Lumbini
(c.) Providing the best possible facilities to tourists visiting the Lumbini heritage site
(d.) Going for greenery all around the Lumbini site by planting trees and conserving forest in nearby areas
(e.) Arranging for proper disposal of waste generated in the site and nearby areas
(f.) Taking special care of metal and stone statues of Gautam Buddha in the temples, viharas, gumbas and
other such places
(g) Making list of all the excavated items put on display and handling them with great care
(h) Changing the attitude of people as Gautam Buddha and Lumbini are not meant only for Buddhists but
it is the symbol of teaching and preaching that Gautam Buddha gave for the spiritual growth of every
individual based on the twin pillars of peace and non-violence

Conclusions

Lumbini is one of the most important heritage sites out of the total ten world heritage sites that Nepal has.
The major attractions of Lumbini are: Ashoka pillar, temple, gumba, Pushkarini pond, memorials, and other

366 Nova Social Studies Grade-10 >>

physical structures, statues and artifacts. Lumbini is the historical center, the symbol of nation’s pride and
the sacred place for pilgrimage. It is our duty to preserve and conserve the Lumbini heritage site and leave
it for the future generation in the same state it was given to us by our ancestors. We the people of Nepal
must not fritter away what we have been gifted by the history. Lumbini is the reminder of the time and place
where the sun of inner light called the Gautam Buddha was born whose rays have spread to all the corners
of the world and belong to the entire world.

Words and erms you would like to know

Enlightenment (n.): a state in the inner spiritual progress where peace and calm descends with no negativities left at
the mental level; a state of the highest possible spiritual growth
Renovation (n.): an act of bringing something such as a building back to a former better state by means of repair,
redecoration, or remodeling
Inscription (n.): a sequence of words or letters written, printed, or engraved on a surface
Participatory (adj.): relating to taking part in an event or activity
Fritter away (v.): to waste something by expending it in small quantities over a period of time on things that are not
worthwhile

Activities

1. You must have undertaken an education tour or a site visit from your school under the guidance of your
teacher. How did you plan for your tour or visit? How did you work out on selection of the site or spot
to visit, planning to make arrangements for conveyance, stay and sightseeing, work sheet for allotting
responsibilities amongst the students and teachers in a team, a discussion on the outcomes of the visit or
tour and more. How far the plans mentioned in the work plan during the tour or site visit were executed
(implemented)? Taking clues from the idea given here prepare a fresh tour plan and get it approved by
your Social Studies teacher with or without amendment.

2. Explain why we must find out the backgrounds and contexts of existing historical and religious sites
in our community and neighborhood. Should we make collective efforts to go for searching new such
sites through archeological excavations and attentive observations? Give reasons adding some personal
experiences if any.

3. History has shown us shocking acts of barbarism and demolitions where invaders in the past had
demolished the temples, stupas, statues and burnt the libraries. Such cases are happening even now
when we hear how a beautiful wall sculpture and painting are effaced, a stone sculpture is erased and
other forms of art are destroyed. There are such forces in the world that do not appreciate the work of
architects, sculptors and painters and destroy them all in the name of reforming a culture or erasing the
existence of the old culture.

Nepal has been a blessed country where such forces did not have their sway and the kings in the past
did not destroy the religious and cultural symbols present in the country. Yet, Nepal has seen an act of
negligence and corruption due to which many of such sites having historical, cultural and archeological
significance have been either lost or in course of ruin.

Hold a discussion on the expected roles and responsibilities of the common citizens, especially students
in protecting and preserving such sites. List them on the chart paper and display on the class decoration
board.

Exercise

1. What is meant by a ‘historical site’? What is its significance for a nation and community? Illustrate it by
giving appropriate examples.

2. Explain why the sites of religious, historical and archeological importance must be preserved.
3. Make a comment on the economic and tourism-related importance of historical sites in Nepal by giving

examples.
4. Write a report on your visit to any historical, cultural or religious site listed as the world heritage site

other than Lumbini.

Community Work

Make a list of all the historical sites present in your geographical area of residence and in its vicinity. Choose
two such local sites and prepare a report similar to one mentioned in the present lesson.

367<< Nova Social Studies Grade-10

UNIT

8

Economic Activities

Learning Objectives:

After the completion of this Unit, students will be able to......
 Review the achievements of the past economic plans and find out the targets of the current

economic plan in our country.
 Evaluate the strengths of Nepal’s economic resources such as tourism, hydroelectricity and so on.
 Assess the possibility of development at regional level such as in provinces and different ilakas in

Nepal.
 Comprehend the role of foreign employment in the overall economy of Nepal and to analyze the

inherent problems and challenges in this sector with a view to overcome them.
 Discuss the functions and utility of cooperatives, insurance, banking, and other such financial

instruments.
 Describe the roles that the tax and revenue play in the development of a country and to develop

positive attitude towards paying the tax in time.
 Define the rights of consumers and act upon those rights to discourage the acts of black-marketing,

cheating and defrauding in the market.

Lesson

1 Current Plan

Understanding Economic Planning

Let us first get the basic idea about plan before proceeding towards the concept of “Economic Planning”.
Plan is all about performing (which involves both acts and/or omissions) any task to meet the fixed targets/
objectives with expected level/standard of performance within a given/fixed time-period. Any plan takes
stock of both the strengths and weaknesses of a country’s economy and then shows the directions (and
methods) to utilize the available and arranged resources to achieve the targets in a given time-period. The
economic plan is related with economic activities like production, distribution and consumption taking
place in the economic sectors viz. primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. Thus, economic planning gives
direction to different economic sectors (like, Agriculture, Industry and Service sectors) to achieve fixed
targets in production, distribution and consumption of goods and services for the economic development of
the country. Economic planning is done by the government that sets targets and objectives for the country’s
economy to be achieved within a specified time-period regarding production, distribution and consumption
of goods and services.
An economy primarily based on central planning (strictly under the control of Government) is called a
planned economy. A planned economy is an economic system in which decisions regarding production

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and investment are taken by a central authority, usually by a government agency. The state under central
planning or a planned economy is called “command and control economy”. In such economies, the state or
government controls all the major sectors of the economy and takes all decisions about the use of resources
by means of central economic planning.

Historical Evolution of Economic Planning

Historically, the idea of economic planning evolved as counter idea of free market economy, the hallmark
of capitalist economy that allegedly promoted system of anarchy and greed overlooking the poor and
disadvantaged. For the first time in 1917 AD the then USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) influenced
by Karl Marx’s idea of socialism (state control of Economy) established complete control over all means
of production and devised the blue print of central economic planning. The five-year economic plan for
the first time was introduced in 1928 AD in Russia (then the Soviet Union). It was the Soviet Government
which alone was empowered to take important economic decisions such as industrialization, quantum
of production, distribution of income, etc. However, it is difficult to practice pure economic planning by
not allowing private sector at all for economic business activities and thereby deploring (condemning) the
market forces as root cause of all evils in the society. Therefore, in Western Europe, economic planning is
adapted to a diversified economic structure (having both socialist and capitalist inputs) by giving enough
room to a dynamic class of business managers and paying due respect to a long tradition of political and
economic liberty. Thus, communist style of planning (highly centralized administrative type of planning
inherited after Second World War from the Soviet Union) practiced after the mid-1950s underwent a
considerable change. Economic planning is an economic mechanism for resource allocation and decision-
making in contrast with the free market mechanism.

Economic Planning in Nepal

Nepal follows the model of mixed economy, incorporating elements of market mechanism (Free Economy
called Capitalism) and planning for distributing inputs and outputs (Controlled Economy called
Socialism). After the fall of the Ranas in 1950-51 AD, economic planning as an approach to development
was discussed for the first time in political history of Nepal. Finally, in 1956 AD the First Five-Year Plan
(1956-61) was announced. Five-year plans have two areas of priorities: economic and social. Economic
plans generally strive to increase output and employment; develop the infrastructure; attain economic
stability; promote industry, commerce, and international trade; establish administrative and public service
institutions to support economic development; and introduce labour-intensive production techniques to
alleviate underemployment. The social goals of the plans stress on improving health and education as
well as encouraging equitable income distribution within the society.
The National Planning Commission (NPC) is the advisory body for formulating development plans and
policies of the country under National Development Council (NDC) Directives. NPC (National Planning
Commission) is the apex institution that prepares the draft of Base/Approach Paper for the forthcoming
development plan before formulating the detailed plan document. It allocates resources for economic
development and works as a central agency for monitoring and evaluating development plans, policies
and programs.
In developing countries like Nepal, we can identify two main features of economic planning:
(i) The governments mobilize domestic resources and raise foreign finance to start and continue the
projects, which are expected to induce productive activities in the private sector. This involves the
development of infrastructure and heavy industries.
(ii) The governments adopt certain monetary and fiscal policies to stimulate private economic activity and
to ensure harmony between the social objectives of the government and the behaviour (unregulated profit
making tendencies) of the private producers and businesspersons.
From the above characteristics of planning in mixed developing economy, it is clear that the market and
economic planning are mutually supporting each other.

Let us have a glance at the latest “Three Year Plan” of Nepal

The Three-Year Plan (2073/074-2075/ 076): This three-year plan is the fourteenth (14th) in series in number of
plans adopted in Nepal since 1956 AD.

369<< Nova Social Studies Grade-10

Background

The 14th (fourteen) economic plan is aimed at fulfilling all the economic and social goals mentioned in the
Constitution of Nepal, 2072 BS which validates the political structure of democratic, republic and federal
Nepal. The present plan has envisioned a prosperous Nepal by stepping up the efforts of reconstruction of
physical infrastructures and other buildings destroyed by the devastating earthquake of Baisakh, 2072. The
five-month long internal political disturbance towards the end of the year 2072 BS in the Tarai region further
impaired the free flow of goods and services to the rest of the country leading to shrinking national income.
The present plan having learnt the lesson from both natural and political disasters has taken steps towards
becoming economically independent by revamping the economic sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing
and services in the domestic economy. Besides, the 14th economic plan of Nepal has fully aligned its goals,
targets and objectives with that of sustainable development goals set out by the UNO (United Nations
Organization) in order to achieve them all by 2030 AD. By that time, Nepal will have already advanced to
become the medium income group country from the category of low income group of country and Nepal
has already made economic plans with targets to achieve at yearly basis. With the adoption of the new
constitution, the present economic plan has generated all the more expectations as people of Nepal want
positive change in their social and economic life without any further delay as they have waited for far too
long to see a turnaround in their life.
Line of thought: National economy incorporating the values of independence, prosperity and socialism to
help raise the living standard of each and every Nepali
Target: To be in the category of middle-income group of countries while being a welfare state with social
justice
Objectives to achieve: Productive economy having a potential to generate employment, lowering down the
incidence of poverty by accelerating the economic development of the country and judicious distribution of
means and resources within the country
Quantitative targets to achieve: Some of the social and economic targets for the 14th economic plan to
achieve are given below:
Major economic, social and physical targets to achieve:

S.N. Indicator/Target Status in the FY Target of the 14th

2072/73 BS Plan in 2075/76 BS

1 Annual average growth rate (in %) 0.77 7.20

2 Annual average growth rate in agriculture (in %) 1.33 4.70

3 Annual average growth rate in non-agricultural sector 0.63 8.40
(in %)

4 Population below poverty line (in %) 21.60 17.0

5 Human Development Index 0.54 0.57

6 Expected Life Expectancy (at the time of birth; In years) 71 72

7 Enrolment rate at secondary level (in %) 37.70 45

8 Literacy rate for the age group 15 -24 year 88.60 91

9 Electricity generation (installed capacity in MW) 829 2,279

10 People having access to internet (in %) 46.4 65

Strategies

1. Transformation by increasing the productivity in the agricultural sector, expansion of manufacturing
industries along with small and medium scale trading businesses

2. Building up strong infrastructures in the country in areas of energy, road and air transport, information
and communication technology, rural and urban development and creating the investment friendly
environment for the third country to invest in Nepal

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3. Working for achieving highly improved and sustainable status in human development by means of
social development, social security and social protection to all the backward and vulnerable castes and
ethnic communities

4. Bringing effective reforms in administrative, social and economic fields by having judicious and
transparent use of public account, clean and accountable governance, sincere public service, protection
and promotion of human rights and showing total commitment to good governance with zero tolerance
for corruption

5. Including gender equality, inclusiveness and environment conservation in policy making and
implementation

6. Using science and technology in all the economic sectors as far as possible; enhancing the capacity of
work at institutional levels in government offices and departments

Challenges

1. Eradicating poverty by achieving high economic growth rate and judicious distribution of fruits of
development across all the castes and ethnic communities

2. Achieving significant growth in areas of human development and uplifting the entire economy by
walking on the path of overall social and economic development

3. Ensuring fair income distribution along with the continuous economic growth by promoting the
attributes of equality-based welfare state

4. Deriving maximum benefits from the demographic dividends by generating more and more employment
opportunities within the country

5. Stepping up the expansion and productivity of the agro-based industries by transforming the subsistence
type of agriculture into the competitive, intensive and commercial type of agriculture

6. Removing the energy crisis from the country, getting prepared to manage and mitigate the impacts
of natural disasters on our economic and social life, and exploring the ways to minimize the adverse
impact of climate change on Nepal and adapting to it by tuning in our economic activities on the line of
changes being created as a result of climate change

7. Connecting both rural and urban regions in Nepal by constructing physical infrastructure and using
that connectivity for economic prosperity in strengthening rural and urban economy

8. Bringing the public services through good governance at the door-steps of the people; managing
the public finances and cooperatives for the welfare of the common people and centralizing all the
development projects and programs for effective implementation

9. Streamlining the public administration at all three levels - local, provincial and federal - so that public
officials are held responsible, accountable and clean in launching and completing the development
work

10. Accomplishing the task of re-adjustment of boundary of provinces and restructuring them as soon as
possible so that government at all the three levels - local, provincial and federal - are installed

Opportunities

1. The promulgation of the constitution of Nepal 2072 BS has institutionalized the democratic, republic
and federal political structure in Nepal. This has brought political stability as a result of which the
country is looking forward to achieve social and economic development.

2. Nepal is endowed with natural resources such as fertile land, sources of water, forest, minerals,
biodiversity and topographical differences. Nepal has every possibility to utilize these natural resources
with the help of science and technology and human skills (expertise).

3. Nepal has achieved success in areas of education, healthcare and rise in the number of population in the
productive age group.

4. The demographic dividend will continue to benefit Nepal for another three to four decades. If utilized
properly, Nepal will not only become the developing country but will reach very close to be one of the
developed countries of the world.

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5. There is an opportunity to get maximum economic and social benefits by using and utilizing the physical
infrastructure already existing and that which has not been put to use yet in the country.

6. It is time to take advantage of all the foreign investments which have come to our country.
7. Half of the total number of productive population has already been the part of cooperatives and

community system.
8. The cooperatives and private sector are keen to join hands with the Government of Nepal to bring

economic development in the country.
9. There is an increasing trend of investment within the country, particularly from the ‘Non-Resident

Nepali’ and foreign investors.
10. Traders, businessmen and industrialists of Nepal are getting more opportunities to open up new

ventures, franchises, industries, and trading houses and make investment in various areas such as
healthcare, education sector, tourism and so on. It is because both the neighbours India and China are
making rapid economic progress and providing opportunities for Nepalese traders and investors to
invest in neighbouring countries as well as in Nepal.
11. Nepal needs to properly utilize the skills, capital and entrepreneurship earned and learned from foreign
employment of the Nepalese workforce so that the skills, technology and capital are combined well to
build up our own domestic economy.

Importance of Economic Planning

Economic planning plays a great role in an underdeveloped economy like Nepal. Nepal at this moment
does not have perfectly evolved market mechanism. In developing and underdeveloped countries,
planning is an essential tool for guiding and accelerating their development because market mechanism
is not adequately developed to function on its own and guide the overall economy. It is not easy for the
market to solve the problems of what to produce, for whom to produce and how to produce solely on
the basis of price mechanism. Moreover, there are situations of inefficient allocation of resources within
a country’s economy. There is also lack of information and rapid changes in the economy. This leads to
excessive uncertainties about the economic events in the future. Considering all these conditions, it is
increasingly felt that the developing nations must adopt development planning to overcome poverty. This
is where economic planning is required. Following points justify the importance of economic planning:
1. Better Economic Insight: The planning authority has a better insight into the economic problems of

the country. It can mobilize and utilize the available resources to develop self-sustaining economy in
the best interest of its citizens.
2. Well-coordinated Program to Initiate Economic Activities: In a country where millions of persons
are unskilled having little or no clue as to where and how to get to work, well-coordinated program
devised by planners helps run the economy of the country. Such kinds of well-coordinated programs
develop smoothly running economic machinery involving entrepreneurs, businesspersons and
workers of different skill levels and set the country on the path of progress at the maximum possible
growth-rate.
3. Controlling Business Fluctuations: All the markets in the world pass through phases of trade cycle
usually noticed in the forms of boom or bust. Certain time ‘bust’ phase of economy can plunge down
into ‘recession’ and can go even deeper giving rise to ‘depression’. ‘Boom’ phase of economy can spiral
into ‘inflation’. Economic planning detects the market symptoms in advance and takes preventive or/
and remedial measures to bring the economy back on track. The period of prosperity (boom) precedes
and follows the period of low activity (bust). Wise economic planning corrects and prevents abnormal
and economically undesirable business fluctuations.
4. Minimizing Economic Inequalities: Widening gap between the rich and poor disturbs the social
harmony by pitching one class against another. Incompatible interests between the rich and the poor
create hurdle in equitable distribution of resources. Through economic planning, such kind of social
disharmony is kept at bay, as poor section of the society is the prime focus of the plan.
5. Creation of Employment Opportunities: Economic planning takes stock of all the available natural
and human resources and utilizes them in such a manner that greatest benefit must reach to greatest
number by creating network of employments through economically viable projects and programs. All

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the able-bodied persons in accordance with their skill levels are gainfully employed to ensure security
of income as well as prosperity of the nation.

6. Curb on Wasteful Expenditure: Economic planning helps in minimizing or curbing wasteful
expenditure made on advertisement, salesmanship, etc. for wooing customers in the competitive
market. Furthermore, no duplication of staff and machinery as found in market economy is reported
to have occurred in planned economy.

7. Proper Distribution of Resources: In the market economy, the resources of the country are utilized
for the production of only those commodities which yield more profits. The interest of producer
dominates over the real need of the society. Producer with the power of advertisement turns the tide
of the consumer’s preference to suit his own interest of profit (Coco-cola, Tobacco Company, Junk
food manufacturers, etc). Demands in the market do not show the real reflection of the true needs of
the society. Other popular consumer items in the market economy are luxurious and life-style items
such as cosmetic items, fridge, car, fancy dresses, etc. In a planned economy, however, resources are
distributed in such a way that fulfils the overall need of the society and must uplift the standard of life
of the poor section of the society. Thus, there is no alternative except to utilize the resources in proper
manner.

8. Discouragement for Artificial Shortages of Essential Goods: In an unplanned economy, the
industrialists and businesspersons withhold the supply of goods and create artificial scarcity with a
view to making profits in future at increased price. Economic planning discourages such malpractices
by having a tab on the market by preventing unscrupulous elements from hoarding the essential goods
to create artificial shortages. Through planned production and proper supply of goods, the prices of
the commodities are not allowed to fluctuate thereby discouraging the unscrupulous elements in the
market to go for hoarding. In regulated planned economy, the formation of trusts, cartels, patents,
price agreements, market sharing, etc are completely banned.

9. Keeping Down the Social Costs: Increase of products to sell them at wider scale to collect more and
more profit dominates over the social costs arising as by-product and side effects of industrialization
in the market economy. These social costs such as industrial diseases, industrial accidents, smoke
atmosphere, and overcrowding, cyclical unemployment and so on are the result of reckless
pursuit of manufacturing to make huge profit in market economy. Economic planning makes the
producers responsible and sensible enough to understand the social and environmental cost of their
manufacturing. The capitalist producers own the responsibility of damage and loss made to human
society and ecology and pay compensation for it. By planning, it is possible to eliminate or keep these
social costs down by taking over the industries as Government-run industries and extending the
range of public ownership in various sectors of economy.

Words and terms you would like to know

Demographic dividend: The demographic dividend occurs when the proportion or percentage of the working
population in the total population is high because this indicates that more people have potential to get engaged in
economic activities.
Allocation (n.): earmarking of something
Alleviate (v.): lessen the impact or effect of something
Revamp (v.): to change something for better; to improve upon something

Activities

1. Explore and find out how central planning is done Nepal. Use self-research and observation method.
Prepare your note and share the same in the classroom.

2. Why didn’t Nepal perform to achieve its targets set out in all the past economic plans? Hold a discussion
in the classroom and then write the reasons.

3. Write a letter to the National Planning Commission mentioning about the major challenges being faced
in the implementation of economic plans.

4. A plan is needed everywhere for managing the functioning of different members in a group. It can be

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family, community, cooperative or business organization or the government. Explain what kind of plan
does your family and community follow. Are you sure that the principle of inclusiveness is adopted in
the plan to regulate the affairs within a family or community? Verify it with the members of your family
and the community to get the answer. Note down the response and reduce it in a paragraph. Read that
written paragraph in the classroom.
5. Nepal has set a long-term vision to graduate from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category by 2022
and attain a prosperous, middle-income country status by 2030 AD. The National Planning Commission
is charting out the economic plan to attain these goals. Hold a speech competition in the classroom to
evaluate if these goals are achievable for Nepal and what are the possible roadblocks to overcome. Write
down the best speech and display it on the school notice board.

Exercise

1. What is a plan? Illustrate the objectives (purposes) of making a plan?
2. Define an economic plan. Briefly describe the background in which an economic plan began to be

adopted in the world.
3. From when did economic planning start in Nepal? Give reasons why economic planning has not been

able to meet the set targets in Nepal.
4. Highlight the major problems which come in the way of executing (implementing) an economic plan in

Nepal.
5. What are the main features of the current economic plan (the 14th plan) of Nepal?
6. Outline the priorities and strategies of the 14th economic plan of Nepal.
7. What do you mean by command or control economy? How does it differ from the free market economy?
8. Briefly describe how the NPC (National Planning Commission) and NDC (National Development

Council) interact with each other while formulating a plan?
9. Economic planning is the ‘blue-print’ for peace and prosperity in every society. Elaborate with

appropriate examples, particularly in context of Nepal.

Community Work

What is the process involved in making a plan in your community? Minutely study the process and observe
the proceedings of making the plan before you attempt to write a report on it. Present the prepared report on
the topic, “Procedures and processes involved in making a plan in my community’ in the classroom.

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Lesson Tourism Industry – Importance
and Possibilities
2

Understanding the meaning of Tourism and being a tourist

Tourism is the tour and travel as the temporary, short-term movement of people to destinations outside the
places where they normally live and work. Tourism generally includes the travelling for pleasure, novelty
(newness), thrill, adventure, experience and knowledge to one’s own life. Tourism is the tertiary economic
activity and hence falls under the service sector. It involves combination of economic activities undertaken by
different service providers for domestic and foreign tourists who visit a country/place of varied importance
such as natural scenery and spots of religious, historical and cultural significance and involves adventurous
sports as well as village and town observation and so on. Tourism involves chain of economic activities and
those who undertake these economic activities are service providers to the tourists like tourist guest-house,
resorts and restaurants, travel-agency and tour operators, etc.
The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people “travelling to and staying in places outside
their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes”.
There can be both domestic tourists and international (foreign) tourists. Domestic tourists are those who
travel from one part of the country to another and reside in the same country. They are indigenous tourists.
International tourists are from different country and visit the other countries as guests. United Nations in
1994 had classified three forms of tourism: the domestic tourism that involves residents of the given country
travelling only within the country, inbound tourism that involves non-residents travelling in the given
country and outbound tourism involves residents travelling to another country. Here, both the inbound and
outbound tourism form the part of international (foreign) tourism.

Tourism in the current economic plan (2073/074 – 2075/076)

The 14th economic plan (2073/074 – 2075/076) has a long-term vision to create a world-class standard in
the tourism sector of Nepal. The current plan aims at increasing the number of tourists (both domestic as
well as foreign tourists) visiting Nepal every year in order to increase the percentage of contributions to
national income through tourism. The role of private sector in this direction is very important. Therefore,
the current plan encourages the private sector to promote and develop tourism in Nepal. Another area in
tourism relates to the development of more and more tourist sites (spots) across the country and turning
rural tourism as one of the best sources for providing employment to the rural people especially the
youth. Along with the above measures, the current economic plan emphasizes on promoting tourism
in the neighbouring countries of India and China with a view to attract tourists to visit Nepal. These
neighbouring countries are two big markets for Nepal’s tourism sector and both of them together account
for one-third of the total world population. The domestic tourists are also encouraged to travel different
tourist spots within the country.
The Tourism Ministry has launched National Tourism Strategy 2016 – 2025 AD which envisages a five-fold
increase in arrivals annually by the year 2025. This strategy has expected the foreign exchange earnings
by the tourism to jump to Rs 340 billion annually from Rs 49.78 billion as calculated in 2015 (to be the
benchmark). Similarly, tourism sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP (the National Income) has been
projected to jump to 9.29 percent from 2.44 percent in 2015.

Advantages (Importance) of Tourism in Nepal

According to Francis Bacon (1561-1626), an English philosopher, “Travel in the younger sort, is a part of
education while in the elder – a part of experience.” Tourism satisfies the insatiable curiosity of man to
explore and know the environment –near and far. Nowadays, tourism industry has become one of the
most important industries of the global economy and Nepal is not an exception to this trend. The economic
importance of tourism to a destination is commonly not measured accurately because the advantages of
tourism extend well beyond the core hospitality and transportation sectors. Tourism also shapes up the
socio-cultural dynamics of life both at individual and group levels to both the guest and the host countries
besides providing economic benefits to local community and service providers in the host countries.
Following are some of the advantages that tourism brings:

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1. Development of Basic Infrastructures: Success of tourism industry depends upon the
interconnectedness of places of tourists’ interests with the help of transport facilities and best possible
order of communication particularly telephone and internet. Furthermore, water and electricity supply
add quality to the stay in the host countries for foreign tourists. Emergency services related with health
problems and perfect law and order situation in the country make the tourists feel secure in remote
places of the host countries. No country or place can become the popular tourist destination unless the
basic infrastructural facilities are not in proper order. Just take the example of Nepal where many areas
of possible and potential tourist destinations in “Far-Western Development Region” and Himalayan
region of Mid-Western Development Region remain away from the footprints of both domestic as well
as foreign tourists because these regions do not have viable all-season transportation facilities and
adequate facilities for tourists to stay there. However, Nepal government has been going ahead with
infrastructural developments, as the country is the popular destination for tourists on World Tourists
Map.

2. Overall Economic Development of the Nation: Tourism in Nepal generates a large portion of national
revenue. Annually, tourism plays a significant role in earning foreign exchange for the economy. Tourism
creates more jobs for locals by bringing in more money to the local economy and government. Importance
of tourism in Nepal lies in its potential of generating and creating employment. The tourism industry
in Nepal employs significant number of people next to agriculture either directly or indirectly. Thus it
is a major source of sustenance after agriculture in bringing economic development to this country. The
tourism industry includes everything that a traveller does on a trip – like eating, sleeping, partying,
attending a conference, renting a car, taking a taxi, shopping, changing foreign currency, etc. It means that
all of the economic activities of farmers, fishermen, cooks, shopkeepers, bartenders, tour guides, banks,
hotels, carnival bands, entertainers, electricians, customs, immigration and literally every job that impacts
directly or indirectly on tourism are part of the tourism value chain. Tourists spending therefore have
direct, indirect or induced impacts on many businesses such as transportation, recreation, entertainment,
accommodation, retail, food and beverages and so on influencing production, jobs, wages and taxes in
the host countries. For specialist events, sports, and weddings the value chain is even greater. In the
government sector, Nepal Tourism and Hotel Management Academy builds up the required human
resources for the development of tourism sector and contributes to rural poverty alleviation through
self-employment.

Nepal is one of the major tourist destinations in the world: A great place for hikers and trekkers.
3. Cultural Exchange: Tourism is the perfect example of cultural exchange as both the domestic and

foreign tourists visit different places where their presence reflects their culture to local community
and in turn they imbibe the essential elements of the local culture of the community they visit. Nepal
receives foreign tourists from India, China, Japan, South Korea, Britain, United States, Germany to name
a few besides having domestic tourists crisscrossing different parts of the country by exchanging each
other’s cultural pattern and getting enriched in the process. Nepal is the centre for religious tourism
for Hindus, Buddhists and other religious researchers thereby bringing religious tolerance in attitude

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coupled with cosmopolitan outlook in approach towards others. In addition to this, tourism helps in
preserving the local culture – folk dance, folk music, folk festivals and songs. This is so because there lies
an economic incentive to preserve the folk or local culture in its total varieties like food (local cuisines),
fashion, festivals and local history.
3. Political and Diplomatic Relationship: International tourism is not possible unless there are good
political (diplomatic) relations between the guest and host countries. Worldwide pattern shows this
trend – as tourist exchange between India and Pakistan, North Korea and South Korea and between
Iran and Israel is not much because of their inimical political relations. Tourists feel unsafe and remain
afraid of their life in the destination country. Nepal has no such reputation in the world and is viewed
as safe destination for foreign tourists except for domestic political trouble. Nepal enjoys good political
relationship with the guest countries whose citizens visit different places of Nepal. This is how Nepal
gets an international recognition and much-needed facelift in the world to remain as “Tourist Hot Spot”
in the world.
4. Scientific and Technological Exposure: Normally, tourists especially international ones carry different
kinds of technological gadgets and equipment to record the events and places visited. Local community
with the help of guides gets exposed to new scientific and technological ideas and the use of technology
that the visitors-tourists carry with themselves. During their average stay of a week, host countries
have enough opportunity to be acquainted with the devices, gadgets and equipment that visitors from
the guest countries offer them. For example, Indians dominate as tourists in Nepal mostly for business,
official travel, conventions and pilgrimage. Japanese, American, German, French, Spanish, Swiss and
Italian tourists visit Nepal for holiday and pleasure. All of them come from the country that is more
developed than Nepal and thus provide us insight into their lifestyle that depends more on technology
than on conventional living as most of the rural and urban Nepalese people do.
5. Positive Change in Our Attitude: Tourism is a unique tool of generating public awareness. It broadens
our outlook to life and moulds our personality by inculcating team spirit, leadership qualities, and above
all makes us proud citizens of Nepal. Tourism provides a welcome change from the monotony of daily
life. It adds spice to the routine life-pattern, refreshes, and invigorates man. A trip to the seaside or the
mountains makes us rejuvenated with energy, helps us escape from the daily chores and encourages us
to return to our work with doubled strength and energy. Tourism is a very essential tonic in maintaining
a healthy and happy life. The natural beauty of the tourist spots soothes and pleases our body, soul
and mind. It gives insight into life and liberates us from the many prejudices and superstitions. The
continuous learning induced by travel and interactions with different kinds of people transforms us.
6. Promotion for Rural Economy: “Home Stay Operation” in Nepal has offered direct experience of
Nepali way of life in the family as well as in community for tourists and has provided tremendous
opportunity of income-generation in rural areas. This has created self-employment opportunities by
promoting rural economy. Hundreds of home stay schemes are in operation across the country creating
a professional network of its own. Tourism is a relatively “labor intensive sector” and is traditionally
made up of small and micro enterprises. Many activities in tourism are particularly suited to women,
young people and disadvantaged groups such as ethnic minority populations. Many tourism jobs are
potentially quite accessible to the poor, as they require relatively few skills and little investment. Some
may also be part time and used to supplement income from other activities. This is why tourism in
Nepal has a potential to eradicate poverty. The mountainous villages in Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha,
Solukhumbu, Dolakha, Rasuwa, Gorkha, Mustang, Manang, Dolpa, Mugu and Humla districts are now
open as tourist destinations.
7. International Facelift for Nepal: The 10th Five-year Plan (2002-2007) of Nepal recognized tourism
industry as the pillar of national economy and stressed upon the need of re-positioning Nepal as an
“international tourism destination” in the world. Moreover, many countries become famous due to
certain areas seen by people coming from abroad, for example, Egyptian pyramids in Egypt, birthplace
of Gautam Buddha and Mount Everest – both lie in Nepal. This is how Nepal gets an international
recognition and much-needed facelift in the world to remain as “Tourist Hot Spot” every passing year.
Nepal Tourism Board and private sector operators participate in various international tourism fairs
organized in India, China, the USA, the UK, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Thailand,
Bangladesh, and Singapore for promoting and marketing of tourism.

The Potentials (Possibilities) for Tourism in Nepal

Spirit of Nepal’s tourism is well reflected in the slogan, “Naturally Nepal – Once is not enough.” World
Economic Forum that prepares the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report considers Nepal and its

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people much friendlier towards foreign visitors compared to India and Sri Lanka. World Economic Forum
has placed Nepal on the 102nd rank in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) – the report
published in 2015 AD. Nepal needs to improve air connectivity and road transportation to have access to key
tourist destinations within the country. Furthermore, Nepal has to ensure sufficient quality accommodation,
resorts and entertainment facilities to attract more tourists from within and outside the country. The British
Publication, Rough Guides, had listed Nepal as number one in the list of the countries that are suitable for
traveling in 2016. “People are slowly returning back to normalcy and the reconstruction works are also taking
place after the April 25th earthquake (2015). Since the trekking trails are in the previous state, the beauty
of the natural resources has made Nepal the number one place,” Guide says. “Home stays established in
different places, with the varied landscape – from Himalayas to the jungles inhabited by wild animals such
as tigers, elephants and rhinoceros has made Nepal the outstanding destination.” Nepal holds the prospects
and possibilities to emerge as topmost destination in the world’s tourism and a key player in global tourism
industry.
The following is the brief description of the prospects (potentials) and possibilities that Nepal holds in the
economic sector of tourism:
1. Great Himalayan Trail and Majestic Lofty Mountains: The region between the Kanchanjungha to
Saipal Himal is called the Great Himalayan Trail (GHT).

It is a single long-distance trekking trail from the east end to the west end of Nepal. This trail covers a total
of roughly 1,700 kilometers long path. The Great Himalayan Trail includes Kanchanjunga Conservation
Area, Makalu Barun National Park and Sagarmatha National Park. This trail in the central part of Nepal
includes Langtang, Gosaikunda and Gaurishankar Himal. In the west, the trail covers all the important
tourist destinations in Manang, Mustang, Mugu and Dolpa. This Himalayan trail provides an opportunity
to observe flora and fauna located above the altitude of 5000 meters in the Himalayan mountain range.
Trekking in Nepal is a major attraction for tourists. The route offers diversity in terms of landscapes,
flora and fauna, people and culture. Tourists get to see great varieties all around the Himalayan trail:
from snow leopards to red pandas; from sub-tropical jungle to tundra vegetation and from Sherpa culture
in the east to the ancient Bön Buddhist culture in Dolpa in the west.
Majestic view of the mountain peaks in Himalayan range of Nepal attracts the tourists from all round the
world. Nepal has eight mountain peaks having the altitude of 8,000 meter or more – that positions Nepal
as the first such country having such distinctions. In descending order, these mountain peaks are Mount
Everest, Kanchanjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho-oyu, Dhaulagiri-I, Manasalu, Annapurna-I. The view of
sunrise and sunset across the mountain range of Himalayas and especially across these mountain peaks
create an experience of paradise on the earth. Golden mountain peak (having a golden luster all around)
induced through reflection and refraction of sun rays (during sunrise and sunset) falling on snow-clad
peaks on Manasalu, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges is lifetime experience – never to fade in human
memory.

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Annapurna Range of Mountains View of Mount Everest

2. Panoramic Natural Scenic Beauty: Nepal’s natural beauty lies in its holistic existence made up of
mountains, hills and plains with perennial rivers emanating from the snow-fed mountain peaks and then
falling abruptly from the hills into the valleys and lakes to reach ultimately to plains with their steady flow
having fertile lands at the banks and dense inhabitants nearby. Forest and wildlife are major attractions for
tourists in Nepal. Kanchanjangha Conservation Area, Sagarmatha National Park, Makalu Barun National
Park, Chitwan National Park, and Bardiya National Park are few of the natural spots that receive a large
number of footfalls every year. Places like the Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Ilam, Bandipur, Jomsom and
Gorkha are never-to-miss places for tourists in Nepal.

Fewa Lake, Pokhara Ilam --Tea Garden

Rara Lake Nepal’s Village: Rural Tourism

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3. Renowned Trekking and Hiking Destinations in the World: Trekking, the younger cousin of
mountaineering, is organized around lower peaks of Himalayas and high forests. Nepal has some of
the best trekking trails in the world, to and around several of the world’s highest mountains, including
Mount Everest. Many people visit the country just to hike and trek. Tourism industry organizes ‘teahouse
trekking’ along the main trails is the most common style, with decent lodges in every settlement (and
between); it is possible to trek in comfort with minimal preparation, equipment and support. There is no
need to camp. Camping trekking is fully organized and supported with a team of guides, cooks, Sherpa
and porters to accompany the trekkers. Tourists love to hike in and around the Kathmandu valley as it
holds the historical sites from medieval and ancient Nepal besides having natural beauty of hills, valleys
and rivers.
The Great Himalayan Trail is the Government of Nepal’s latest tourism ‘product’ connecting all of the
main trekking areas. Trekking beginning from Khumbu to Jiri (by Bus) or flying to Lukla then hiking
to Namche Bazzar – capital of the Sherpa land at the foot of Mount of Everest. Island Peak Trek in the
Khumbu region takes in some of the most spectacular scenery in the Himalayas. Another famous trekking
route goes to Annapurna from Pokhara – lush middle hills leading towards the Marsyangdi River up to
the Manang – dry valley of Nepal.

Tourists are enjoying hiking and trekking in and around the Kathmandu valley
4. Mecca of Adventurous Sports: The one word that aptly describes Nepal is “Adventure”. The lofty
mountains, the ice-laden pine trees, the gurgling rivers and what not have caught the fancy of adventurers for
decades in Nepal. These distinctive diverse physical features in Nepal offer facilities for modern adventure
sports such as Bungee Jumping, Para Gliding, Mountain Biking, Canyoning, and Mountain Flight. Nepal is
the first and perhaps the only country where the sports-event of “Elephant Polo” takes place. Just imagine…
a Bungee Jumper jumps down from a bridge 160 meters above a tropical gorge (narrow valley) with the
Bhote Kosi, one of Nepal’s wildest rivers, raging below is enough to thrill us. Although paragliding is a
relatively new adventure sport in Nepal, yet it has picked up fast in terms of popularity. Nepal provides
some fine opportunities for boating into the glacier-fed lakes up North and down to South in Tarai rivers that
ease into the plains. Mountain flights particularly in the morning except in the monsoon seasons provide an
opportunity to have a closer view of the mountains. ‘Canyoning’ is another adventure sport where one is
able to frolic around the waterfall and be in the midst of nature’s splendor.

Elephant Polo Paragliding in Pokhara

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Mountaineering has been an adventurous sports since a long time in the past. It has been fifty years since
the first ascent of Mount Everest; mountaineering is still a favorite pursuit both amongst the Nepali tourists
as well as foreign tourists.
5. Perennial Rivers and Rafting: Nepal is a paradise for lovers of river sports and river runners. This makes
Nepal an outstanding holiday destination for the average recreational kayakers or river runners. Rafting
in Nepal is usually an experience of being in the ‘wilderness’ because most of the rivers here do not have
highway alongside them providing the pristine and pure showering of experience from nature’s bounty.
Saptakoshi River System (East Nepal), Narayani or Saptagandaki River System (Central Nepal) and Karnali
River System (West Nepal) are used mainly for commercial rafting. Best times of the year for river paddling
(rafting) in Nepal are from beginning of September to early December.

River rafting in Nepal
6. Variety of Cultural and Historical Sites (Locations): Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-
religious country inhabited by 102 diverse ethnic communities with 92 languages and nine religions.
Nepal unfolds its cultural heritage from the Himalayan to Terai regions and tourism development
could transform life of the people living in different parts of the country. Nepal’s multi-cultural heritage
consisting of the social customs and traditions has evolved over the centuries.

Tharu Man Tamang with Damphu Ghyaru woman Elderly Man

Many tourists visit the ethnic and tribal communities of Nepal just to have the first-hand-experience
of cultural diversities. Furthermore, various forms of music and dance, art and craft, architecture and
sculpture, folklore and folktales, languages and literature, philosophy and religion, festivals and
celebrations, foods and drinks instill insatiable thirst (curiosity) among the tourists who look for experiences
from multi-dimensional cultural heritage such as Nepal. Nepal has some popular tourist destinations like
Kathmandu Valley, Nuwakot, Pokhara, Lumbini, Chitwan, Dhulikhel, Muktinath, Jomsom, Gorkha and
others. Ashoka pillar of Lumbini, and various historical and religious sites in the Kathmandu valley such
as Changu Narayan temple, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Basantapur Durbar Square, etc are world famous
and reflect the ancient art and architecture of Nepal.

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7. Center of Eastern Religion: Nepal shares common religious culture with India and has been the bedrock
of the most ancient religious culture of the world from last hundreds of thousands of years. The ancient land
of Himalaya known as Aryavarta – had great stalwarts as sages and seers along with enlightened masters
(Buddha). Eastern religion has a deep influence on Nepal – both the Hinduism and the Buddhism have
unique blending in the country with Jainism and Sikhism existing in its independent domain entrenched
with Hindu way of life. Relics and souvenirs of eastern religion not only attract the adherents of Hinduism
and Buddhism from different parts of the world to Nepal but also pull the followers of western religion too
to explore the new dimension in religion. Religious tourism is one of the major attractions here because of
temples, stupas, monasteries, statues and several other places of religious importance.

Pashupatinath, Muktinath, Swyambhunath, Boudhnath, Bouddhadham (Ilam), Satsaidham (Jhapa),
Swargdwari (Pyuthan), Gosainkunda, Lumbini, Janakpur, etc attract both Hindus and Buddhists every year
in a great number.

8. Great Hospitality – Respect to Guests: Visitors in Nepal feel the warmth of friendliness amongst the
common people and local inhabitants. The foreign tourists increase their duration of stay in Nepal and opt
for “Home-Stay” in rural villages in Nepal – all because of warmth of Nepalese people who are renowned
for treating their guests no lesser than God.

Words and terms you would like to know

Hospitality sector: the hospitality sector also known as the service industry includes lodging, event planning, theme
parks, transportation, and other businesses which fall under the tourism industry
Imbibe (v.): to take in or assimilate something mentally
Cosmopolitan (adj.): composed of or containing people from different countries and cultures; showing the influence
of many countries and cultures
Facelift (n.): sprucing up the image; enhancing or improving the image
Invigorate (v.): to fill somebody or something with energy or life

Activities

1. What kind of efforts and activities are being undertaken by the ‘Nepal Tourism Board’ with a view to
promote the tourism in Nepal. Explore the answer from different sources to prepare a detailed account
on it. Present the prepared answer in the classroom.

2. What types of tourist places (sites) are located in the area where you reside? Write down their specific
features and present the same in the classroom.

3. The Great Himalayan Trail has a great learning experience besides giving the tourists fun, thrill and
experience of natural freshness and beauty of the Himalayas. Prepare a news report on it to get it
published in the national daily.

4. What kinds of possibilities and potentials exist in Nepal so far as adventure sports are concerned?
Conduct research and list the adventurous sports along with the short description and also name the
places where these possibilities exist.

5. Show the following data by constructing two separate pie-charts:

Number of tourists based on purposes Number of tourists based on nationality
Entertainment: 50.10% India: 14%
Trekking and mountaineering: 12.3% China: 12%
Trade: 3.1% Sri Lanka: 8%
Official work: 4.1% United States of America: 8%
Religious pilgrimage: 12.6% United Kingdom: 6%
Meeting and celebrations: 1.7% France: 3%

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Others: 16.2% Japan: 3%
Source: Economic Survey: 2072/2073 BS Germany: 2%
Australia: 3%
Others: 41%

6. Nepal has been continuously failing to draw in one million tourists in a year . According to statstics
prepared by the Immigration office at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), 857,352 foreigners visited
Nepal as of December 26, 2017 (Poush 11, 2074) via air route.

Over the years (in AD)

Year Tourists Year Tourists

2011 736,215 2015 554,747

2012 803,092 2016 729,550

2013 797,616 2017 857,352

2014 790,118

I. Construct the bar-diagram to show the data mentioned above.

II. Explain why Nepal is still styruggling to draw in one million tourists in a year. What are the
steps Government of Nepal should take in this direction.

Exercise

1. What is the meaning of ‘tourism industry’? Discuss the benefits of ‘tourism industry’.
2. There is a great potential for religious tourism in Nepal. Justify this statement with the help of suitable

illustrations.
3. Illustrate what kinds of activities have been taken up or are underway to develop the tourism sector of

Nepal.
4. What steps need to be taken in an attempt to increase the number of tourists visiting Nepal? Make a list

of those steps.
5. Mention the roles in points to be played by the tourism enterprises, the Government and the local

community for promoting tourism sector in Nepal.
6. The income or revenue derived from tourism should be spent on the development work at local level to

benefit the local community in Nepal. Justify the statement by outlining convincing reasons.
7. Specify the strategy for the development of tourism mentioned in the current economic plan of Nepal.
8. Eco-tourism involves sustainable and nature tourism. Make a comment on it.
9. What do you mean by “pro-poor tourism”? Explain with examples how it plays a crucial role in reducing

rural poverty in Nepal.
10. Tourism in Nepal, if promoted carefully, has the potential of bringing overall economic development in

the country. Critically evaluate the observation by giving examples.
11. Nepal is renowned in the world for having a number of trekking and hiking destinations. Specify the

famous trekking and hiking destinations in Nepal.
12. A bungee jumper takes a plunge down from a bridge 160 meters above a tropical gorge (narrow valley)

with the Bhote Kosi, one of Nepal’s wildest rivers, raging below is enough to thrill us. List different
kinds of adventurous sports that you would like to offer to your father’s friends who are visiting Nepal
from the United States. Also prepare a week-long itinerary in Nepal with days and time mentioned in it
for them until they fly back to the United States.

Community Work

There must be hotels, transport, home-stay and other such facilities operating in your community for
getting benefits from the tourism industry. How far are the common people from the local community being
benefitted from the tourism activities? Conduct research and make an inquiry for writing a report on it.

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Lesson Water Resources – Important
Source of Energy
3

Introduction to Energy and Its Nature

“Energy is the ability to do work.” Without energy, both survival and growth are impossible at individual as
well as community (collective) level. As an individual needs enough energy to be active so is the case with a
nation. No nation will progress and prosper in absence of sufficient supply of energy. We are well aware of
the fact that we use energy in everything that we do such as walking, playing, reading and even for sleeping
at individual level. So, energy is needed for everything from making a jump shot to sending astronauts into
space. As a community at collective level, we use energy to meet our needs in the households, agriculture,
industry, business and so on. Just imagine there is no electricity to do household work, no fuel to ply vehicles
on the road, to work on machines in industry, to do operations in the hospitals and so on. In such a situation,
a country will not progress at all. Energy comes in different forms such as heat (thermal), light (radiant),
motion (kinetic) and in electrical, chemical, nuclear and gravitational forms. Energy sources are divided
into two groups: the renewable (an energy source that can be easily replenished) and the non-renewable
(an energy source that cannot be easily replenished). Both the renewable and non-renewable energy sources
can be used as primary energy sources to produce useful energy such as heat or used to produce secondary
energy sources such as electricity. The main renewable energy sources are solar from the sun, geothermal
from heat inside the earth, biomass from plants, hydropower from flowing water and the wind energy.
Similarly, the major sources of the non-renewable energy sources are petroleum products, hydrocarbon gas
liquids, natural gas, coal and nuclear energy. Nepal has the hidden potential of the mix of both renewable
and non-renewable sources of energy like coal, biomass, natural gas, petroleum products, hydroelectricity
and the nuclear energy. Nepal has been using the different sources of energy in traditional and commercial
ways. The traditionally used sources of energy are the biomass which come in the forms of Daura, Guintha
and other remains of the agricultural and forest products such as dry leaves, twigs, wood, agricultural
residues and dung. The commercially used sources of energy are petroleum products, coals and electricity.

Water as the source of energy and using it for generating hydroelectricity

Nepal has quite a lot of water resource. Despite being a landlocked country, Nepal is rich in fresh water
sources both above and under the surface of the earth. Most of the rivers originate in the Himalayan
mountain range and flow southwards. These rivers are perennial. There is a great possibility and potential of
generating hydroelectricity in Nepal because of the rivers flowing down the steep slopes and carrying water
throughout the year. The Himalayan range of which Nepal has a considerable part holds a number of glaciers
and the mountain peaks permanently covered with the snow. The generation of hydroelectricity within
the country will lessen our dependence on the petroleum products for energy and will feed the electricity
to our industries, factories, businesses and households. This will scale up the manufacturing activity to
produce more goods and services. Deforestation will stop and Nepal will begin exporting the electricity
to the neighboring countries thereby earning foreign currencies to increase our ‘foreign exchange reserve’.
This will have a positive economic impact on development of transport and communication which will
improve the business environment in Nepal’s domestic economy. Nepalese people in their productive age
group will prefer to work in Nepal rather than opting for foreign employment. Another important economic
sector such as agriculture too will have enough opportunities to get modernized with the easy availability
of electricity and this will further help conserve the environment because the use of hydroelectricity will cut
down on the use of conventional non-renewable sources of energy.
According to an estimate, Nepal has the total potential of producing 83,000 MW of hydroelectricity from
its rivers and streams. And this accounts for 2.66% of the total production of the world’s hydroelectricity.
However, the economic and technological status of Nepal has the capacity to produce 42,000 MW of
hydroelectricity. In the context of hydroelectricity generation in Nepal, three major river systems Kosi,
Gandaki and Karnali hold tremendous potentials and possibilities.

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The Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectricity Project
The following table reveals the possible and actual capacity of generating hydroelectricity from different
rivers in Nepal:

S.N. Rivers Theoretical possibility (in Technological and economic possibility
Mega Watt or MW) (in Mega Watt or MW)
10,860 MW
1. Koshi 23,350 MW 5,270 MW
27,360 MW
2. Gandaki 20,650 MW 880 MW
44,370 MW
3. Karnali & Mahakali 36,000 MW

4. Other Rivers 40,000 MW

Total 83,000 MW

Source: Central Bureau of Statistics

The table above reveals that the rivers like Karnali and Mahakali have the highest potential to generate
hydroelectricity. Nepal also has the possibility of building up multi-purpose projects in the Hilly region to
get other benefits in addition to generation of hydroelectricity.

The water resources in Nepal

Although Nepal has an abundant amount of water resources, the countrymen face the shortage of electricity
because the flowing river-waters have not been utilized to generate as much hydroelectricity as required in
the country. The supply of electricity is less and the demand is much more than the actual supply. We have
a constraint on institutional, human resource and financial capabilities as a result of which we are lagging
behind in the generation of hydroelectricity. The erratic supply of electricity commonly known as ‘load
shedding’ throughout the year is the regular occurrence (norm) in Nepal. A total of 829 MW of electricity
was produced (generated) in the FY 2072/073 BS. It is just the 1.00 percent of the total potential of generating
electricity in Nepal. Of the total production of electricity in Nepal, some 689 MW is connected with the
national grid and the rest is generated and utilized at local level. The 14th economic plan has set the target of
generating 2279 MW of hydroelectricity.

The history of generating hydroelectricity in Nepal is not very long. The first hydroelectricity project (with
500 KW capacity) was installed in Pharping in the year 1968 BS. At present, only 56 percent of the total
population of Nepal has access to electricity. The electricity covers only 2.56 percent of the total consumption
of energy from different other sources. The households top the list in consuming the electricity in Nepal
followed by industries, businesses and others.

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As has been mentioned above, many of the Nepalese citizens are still compelled to live in the darkness.
The Government of Nepal has not been able to manage enough capital, technology and skilled manpower
to launch new hydroelectricity generation projects in required numbers. Some of the political parties and
their activists vandalize the project sites and incite the locals to obstruct the operation of the hydroelectricity
projects which forces the foreign investors to give up on the ongoing projects. There is a lot of difference
of opinion regarding the choice of the country and investors in order to hand over the project. And, there
are no investors from within the country to work on the hydroelectricity generation projects. This is the
reason Nepal has not been able to harness its water resources in order to generate sufficient amount of
hydroelectricity in the country so far.

Words and terms you would like to know

Glacier (n.): a large body of continuously accumulating ice and compressed snow, formed in mountain valleys or at the
poles, that deforms under its own weight and slowly moves
Steep (n.): sloping very sharply, often to the extent of being almost vertical
Lag behind (v.): to slacken, to fall behind others
Harness (v.): to gain control of something and use it for some purpose

Activities

1. Present the list of conventional and commercial sources of energy in the classroom.
2. Write a letter to one NRN (Non-resident Nepali) requesting him or her to make capital investment in
Nepal for building the hydroelectricity generation projects.
3. Organize a debate in the classroom on the topic, “The best alternatives or ways to address the problem of
energy crisis in Nepal.”

Exercise:

1. Make a list of all the benefits that we derive by utilizing the water resources in a proper manner.
2. ‘Nepal has the great potential hidden in its vast reserves of water resources.’ Justify the statement.
3. What are the causes of not utilizing the water resources in Nepal? Illustrate them.
4. Make a line diagram to show the data relating to the hydroelectricity generation capacity in Nepal.
5. What types of activities and efforts are to be undertaken for developing hydroelectricity generation
projects in Nepal? Illustrate them.
6. Is there any prospect for Nepal to earn foreign currencies by exporting hydroelectricity to the neighboring
countries? Present your views in points.

Community Work

Pay a visit to a locally operated hydroelectricity project in your community. Observe its operation and collect
facts and details regarding its cost, problems and challenges along with the views of those who are getting
benefits from this project. Prepare a report on it and present it in the classroom.

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Lesson Foreign Employment

4

Foreign Employment: Meaning, Nature and Scope

Foreign employment is all about being in economic activities outside one’s own country. A foreign worker is
a person who works in a country other than the one of which he or she is a citizen. In other words, migration
of the productive workforce to another country for employment is known as “foreign employment” and
those who migrate for foreign employment are called “overseas migrant labour force”. According to Foreign
Employment Act, 2064 BS (2007) of Nepal, “Foreign employment” means employment which a worker gets
abroad and “Worker” means a citizen of Nepal who gets into foreign employment. “Foreign employment
business” means a business carried on to provide employment to citizens of Nepal abroad.

An employee taking a short break from work in foreign land
Every day more than 1,500 able-bodied Nepalese citizens leave their homes for foreign employment in
search of better lives and better opportunities in foreign countries.
Migration of people is an international phenomenon particularly from under-developed (and developing)
countries to developed countries mostly for economic opportunities. Millions of people from around the
world (especially from the developing world) are leaving their usual place of residence for seeking better
employment opportunities and supply food for their dependents. Nepal, at present, is no exception to this
trend. Globalization and integration of regional economy have given impetus to the growing mobility of
workers across borders. With the emergence of liberalization and open market policies adopted by Nepal,
a new trend of migration for ‘overseas employment’ has picked up. This trend of going abroad for employ-
ment increased due to political instability and weakening of the domestic economy in Nepal. The ten long
years of civil war from 2052 to 2062 BS and struggle to institutionalize the democracy even after the resto-
ration of democracy after the success of People’s Movement II took a heavy toll on the efficiency of the do-
mestic economy. The workforce in their productive age group could not find employment to their liking and
satisfaction in Nepal as trade, industry and business have not grown to their maximum potential. Moreover,
a huge number of youth seeking employment every year is another challenge that the domestic economy
of Nepal has not been able to meet even today. The Nepalese youth are leaving the country for foreign land
both for study as well as employment. At present, they do not see their future bright back home in terms of
realizing their dreams and to meet the essentials of life. Therefore, the migration of Nepalese citizens outside
the country for foreign employment has not stopped and it is still continuing.
The notion of foreign employment started in Nepal after the Anglo-Nepal war in 1814-1815 in the early
19th century when British Army in India began to recruit Nepalese youngsters as British Ghurkha. Foreign

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labour migration for non-military purposes started in the mid-19th century when many farmers in Nepal
migrated to India to work in British tea plantations in Darjeeling and the forest of Assam mainly to avoid
excessive taxation, oppressive production relations and widespread poverty. In the 20th century, after the
boom of oil industry in the early 1970s in the Middle East (West Asian Countries), migration to the Middle
East countries from South Asian countries has picked up. Nepal did not stand behind and joined the mi-
gration race to Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. (United Arab Emirates), Qatar, Kuwait,
Bahrain, Oman, Iran and Iraq. Commonly, they are famous as “Persian Gulf Countries”. Today, Gulf coun-
tries are the major employers for Nepali migrant workers. In addition to the Gulf countries, Nepali migrant
workers have gone to the other south East Asian countries like Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore,
Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China) for gainful employment. As a whole, there are a total
of 109 countries besides India, which have consented to accept Nepali workers. In fact, no major shift has
taken place in overseas job markets in a decade as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and
Malaysia put together hire over 90 percent of Nepali migrant workers. Nepali foreign job markets have
grown three times in the last one decade but there has not been any significant changes in the quality of jobs
– 70 percent of the Nepali migrant workers are still unskilled, some 29 percent are semi-skilled and only one
percent fall under the category of skilled labour force.

Nepalese youths are leaving the country for foreign destinations in search of better education and job.
It is not difficult to spot the people in our society who have been benefitted by foreign employment and do-
ing really well after returning home. At the same time, we have examples of those who have suffered a lot in
terms of personal abuse and financial cheating in the hands of contractors, employers and law enforcement
agencies. The foreign employment has mixed baggage of both boons and banes to offer. It unfolds the plight
of migrant workers and their families in Nepal as bane while to some it rewards them with high standard of
living and better opportunities in future for the family members as boon. In the paragraphs that follow, both
the positive and negative aspects of foreign employment have been highlighted.

A Short Story of a family with a member in foreign employment

Kabita Chaudhary lives in Morang district of Nepal. Her husband Krishana Bahadur Chaudhary has
been earning his livelihood by doing stray jobs here and there as a laborer in the neighborhood of his
village. Having found most of the youth from his village working in foreign land, he began to try for
getting employment in the foreign land. He got his passport ready and applied for a work visa to work in
Qatar – a Gulf country in the ‘Middle East or West Asia’. After getting his visa application approved, he
reached Kathmandu for taking a flight to Qatar. A established ‘manpower agency’ located in Kathmandu
congratulated Krishna Bahadur Chaudhary for getting an employment offer from one of the renowned
companies in Qatar. After making the payment of one lakh rupees, he got his contract ready with his
signature of assent. As mentioned in the contract, Krishna Bahadur was to work in a furniture company
with the monthly salary of 40000 NPR with free lodging and food facilities. He was supposed to work for
eight hours every day and a promised holiday for two weeks in a year to visit homeland with free two
way air-tickets. It was a total shock for Krishna Bahadur when he discovered the truth after reaching the
site of his work in furniture industry.

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Whatever was mentioned in the contract paper was all false. The salary was much below the mentioned
amount in the contract, and it was a real struggle to survive in the deserts of Qatar. He spent two years
with great struggle there and returned to Nepal. Somehow he was able to pay back all the debt he had
taken for going abroad. On the advice of his friends and well wishers he decided to do something on his
own in Nepal. He applied for bank loan to start a dairy farm. He started his dairy business with ten cows
in the beginning. Now the number of cows has crossed thirty. Krishna Bahadur Chaudhary has taken two
Bigha of land on rent to manage and accommodate his expanding animal husbandry and dairy business.
He also managed to have a milk collection centre in the village. He is doing brisk business by selling milk
to villagers and has developed good distribution networks to supply milk to the neighboring villages as
well. He has now provided employment to at least five people and many other people have joined his
distribution network to sell the milk as retailers to customers living in the neighboring villages. Krishna
Bahadur Chaudhary earns a minimum of 70000 NPR every month after deducting the costs of running
the dairy business. His family members no longer struggle for meeting their essential needs. His two
daughters and only son are studying in one of the best schools in Biratnagar. They live in a hostel there.
As a whole, Krishna Bahadur is successful today. This is how he has proved that entrepreneurship is the
answer (alternative) to foreign employment. All the Nepalese citizens must learn a lesson from the exam-
ple of Krishna Bahadur Chaudhary.

Positive aspects of foreign employment in Nepal

The positive impacts (effects) of foreign employment
Foreign employment seems to be the best alternative for the people of productive age-groups in Nepal.
The demand for Nepalese labour abroad has relieved the unemployment problem to some extent in Nepal.
Remittance money has helped in reducing poverty, creating economic security and enhancing social status
for the households whose members are working in foreign land. It has helped Nepal maintain foreign ex-
change reserve thereby addressing the BOP (Balance of Payment) problem in the national economy. Further,
foreign employment has reduced the excessive burden of workforce on agricultural sector and extra labour
force not required in agriculture has been shifted to work in foreign employment. This has increased the
productivity of agricultural land as less number of people are dependent on land. With the money earned
in the foreign land, new agricultural tools and technology are being introduced to the agricultural practices
in Nepal. Remittsnces in Nrpsl account for 30 percent of the country's gross domestic products (GDP). The
foreign employment has brought the capital investment, entrepreneurship, managerial skills and new tech-
nology to Nepal. The workers who return to Nepal after spending years or months in foreign employment
are either semi-skilled or skilled workers who are the asset for the country. Most of the returnees from for-
eign employment start their own enterprises and independent businesses in Nepal as a result of which the
domestic economy of the country gets stronger and the national income goes up to increase further. Besides,

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these entrepreneurs apply the skills they learnt in their own enterprise or businesses to give training to
others and become the source of employment to many. Most of the migrant workers take loans to complete
their process to fly to foreign land in search of employment. In such a condition, the foreign employment
not only removes the poverty of workers but also the entire family members of a worker. Uddhab Danuwar,
28, is one of them. A native of Panchkhal Village of Kavrepalanchok district, he first migrated to Kathmandu
and worked for a pashmina manufacturer for a few years. Uddhab was employed in the coloring and dying
process there in Kathmandu, and earned Rs. 15,000 a month (USD 154). Having worked for few years in
Kathmandu, he flew to Saudi Arabia for an employment opportunity at a hotel where he currently earns
1,800 Saudi Riyal (USD 480) a month. This is a positive impact of foreign employment in removing the
poverty and helping the members of the Nepalese community to meet all their essential needs. “With my
meager income back home in Kathmandu, my family and I could hardly survive. Here in Saudi Arabia, not
only have I been able to cover my expenses, but also save some money to send back to my family,” says
Udhav Danuwar.
Even the Government of Nepal uses some portion of remittances sent by the Nepalese nationals working
abroad in building the infrastructure such as roads, bridges, canals, hospitals, schools, etc for providing
better facilities to people in general. Thus, remittances have been playing a pivotal role by relaxing foreign
exchange constraint, increasing contribution to GDP (Gross Domestic Product –National Income), strength-
ening the balance of payment situation of the country and reducing the prevalence of absolute poverty in
Nepal.

Negative aspects of foreign employment in Nepal

Most of those who go abroad for foreign employment are youths and adults (19-35 years) as more than 50
percent of those working abroad belong to this age group. Mostly, men in their productive age group mi-
grate to foreign country. Nepal has been continuously losing both men and women with healthy body and
intelligent mind who could have otherwise contributed to the nation. Since most of the men in foreign em-
ployment do not get enough time to spend with family members in Nepal, the emotional and social life gets
disturbed. Traditional values, cultures, family bonding, and Samskaras (traditions) are slowly and steadily
getting diluted and impure in terms of their intensity and meaning. The commercial utility of things and
persons has become more important than the observance of Nepali cultural ethos and values. Fair numbers
of reported cases with regard to breaking of marriages, infidelity, uncontrolled young children, suffering old
members of the family and so on are coming up daily through different sources.

The negative impacts (effects) of foreign employment and the remittances
Heavy dependence on the remittance in the country’s national income is not a healthy sign for the growth of
economy. It is the sign of sick domestic economy and in the long run it will destroy the economic structure
of the country. It is because the remittances are the income generated outside the geographical boundary of a
country and the sudden rise in the ‘purchasing power’ of the households receiving the remittances in a least
developed country like Nepal will encourage the purchase of more number of imported goods and services
which will once again drive the remittances away to foreign country. The manufacturers of the imported

390 Nova Social Studies Grade-10 >>

goods and services will be benefitted more than the local manufacturers of goods and services. Most of the
families who receive remittance do not invest it in productive sectors like farming, cottage and small-scale
industries, etc, rather they go for “consumption expenditure”. Foreign employment in Nepal has contribut-
ed to widening the trade-deficit in the country as influx of money from abroad has increased the import of
consumer items without consolidating the manufacturing base of the country. Therefore, it is unwise for any
developing country like Nepal to place remittances at the heart of their development strategy. A multi-di-
mensional approach is needed for attaining long-term sustainable development in the country in which out-
ward migration for foreign employment is just one constituent element instead of being the main element.

Sufferings of the Nepalese Workers: Negative Aspects of Foreign Employment

Lately, foreign employment has turned out to be a bane for the Nepalese workers. Many of the migrant
workers live in foreign country under tense mental conditions because they have to send money home
to pay the debt and fulfill the demand of family members. According to the International Labour Orga-
nization, more than 5,000 Nepali migrants have died while working abroad since 2008 AD. It is no more
unusual for Nepali migrant workers in the Gulf meeting with rough deal and torture in the hands of their
employers. For example, Anita Shakya died during the time she attempted to escape wrongful confine-
ment in Kuwait. A manpower held her in illegal confinement. Anita jumped out of a window in order to
get free but she died in the process. Unfortunately, four Nepali housemaids died in the month of October,
2017 AD prior to Shakya's fatal attempt to escape. Migrant workers often live in cramped, unsanitary
conditions, and many workers complain of excessive working hours and unpaid wages. This has been
found that their passports are withheld by their employers. This is certainly a violation of human rights.
Many a times, they are beaten up, physically abused and psychologically traumatized. They lack valid le-
gal documents because many of them are trafficked. Traffickers do not bother about the safety of migrant
workers and just look for making money.

Traditionally, it has been rare for Nepali families to permit women to work abroad but in the past decade,
more and more women have been leaving the country for foreign employment. Many Nepali women who
leave the country for work return with stories of exploitation. Every other day, we read news reports of
one or the other Nepali migrant woman worker suffering in foreign soil. The Government of Nepal needs
to be very vigilant about such cases and tighten the loopholes in the system to save the life and money of
Nepalese workers struggling in the foreign land.

Preparations and Precautions Necessary for Foreign Employment

It is an utter foolishness to rush for foreign employment without taking any precaution in a bid to avoid
deception and cheating in the hands of manpower agencies and the employer. Thus, advanced preparations
are to be made in accordance with one’s own need and family background. Blind imitation of others who
are working in foreign land is disastrous in many cases where Nepalese men and women take short-cut
routes to get trafficked to the foreign land only to go through the ordeal of their life. First of all, the aspirants
of foreign employment should make full enquiry and investigation regarding the process (and procedure)
involved to go abroad for the employment (job). One should never try to adopt illegal channel to move out
of the country to reach the foreign destinations. In such a case, a person is legally barred to get any legal
protection both in the destination country (foreign land) as well as in the motherland Nepal. An aspirant for
foreign employment must keep in touch with the agencies and institutions functioning under the Govern-
ment of Nepal such as the Department of Foreign Employment, Foreign Employment Promotion Board, etc.
A person having the desire to go for foreign employment must be physically fit and emotionally matured
in addition to having a level of knowledge and skills to work efficiently in the foreign land. All the neces-
sary travel documents such as passport and other vital identity such as citizenship card must be kept with
utmost care with extra photo copy so that reference to the essential documents can be easily given in case
the original documents are lost. The district administration office helps a citizen of Nepal to get a passport
issued after filling up the form and paying the fixed amount (fees) for services being offered. Only a recog-
nized manpower agency which has been certified by the Government of Nepal to send the workers abroad
for foreign employment should be contacted. A person going abroad for foreign employment requires his/
her educational certificates, proof of his/her skills and experience, and the attestation from the manpower
company along with the copy of the work contract to be presented to the employer and the embassy of

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Nepal in the foreign land for keeping the legal record. It is always better to approach the manpower agency
personally and make enquiry about the nature of work available in the foreign land, the cost involved to go
there, salary and other facilities which come along with the salary and so on.

Before one goes for foreign employment, s/he needs to get complete health check-up from the hospital or
health centre which has been authorized by the Government of Nepal to do so and get the medical certificate
regarding one’s own health status. The Government of Nepal has made a provision for getting compulsory
life insurance before one goes out of the country for foreign employment. One should never forget to join the
orientation program before flying to a foreign country. An orientation program provides all the necessary
information needed for a person to adjust in a foreign country as one knows in advance about the public
laws, code of conduct, work ethics, socio-economic conditions of the country, cultural understanding with
the knowledge of the traditions and customs of the common people in a foreign country and other such
information. One must not leave one’s own country for foreign employment without getting approval for
working in a particular country.

Any Nepalese citizen can go to a total of 110 countries in the world for foreign employment. A Nepali citizen
of 18 years of age in case of male and of 24 years of age in case of female is entitled to go to the foreign coun-
try for employment. A Nepali citizen must report to the Nepali embassy after reaching a foreign country.
In this way, a Nepali citizen working in a foreign country gets protection all the time from the embassy of
Nepal in the event of any accident or mishap.

Words and terms you would like to know

Impetus (n.): the energy or motivation to accomplish or undertake something
Meagre (adj.): unsatisfactory in quantity, substance, or size
Infidelity (n.): unfaithfulness or disloyalty, especially to a sexual partner
Cramped (adj.): inconveniently or uncomfortably small and confining
Unsanitary (adj.): a dirty or bad state of public health conditions
Traumatize (v.): to cause somebody to experience severe emotional shocks or distress, often resulting in long-lasting
psychological damage

Activities

1. Your one or the other relative must have gone for foreign employment. Meet with him and discuss the
problems and challenges the Nepali workers face in the foreign land.

2. Hold a discussion in the classroom on the problems being faced in foreign employment.

3. Prepare a dialogue on the preparations and precautions required to be maintained before going for
foreign employment.

4. The poor conditions for Nepalese migrant workers in the foreign land are well known. Yet, the lines
of people hoping for a new life abroad keep getting longer and longer at Kathmandu’s international
airport. What measures or steps are to be taken in order to reduce dependence on foreign employment?
Hold a discussion in the classroom and then write down the final conclusions.

5. “Nepal Government should already have started focusing on re-integration of returnee emigrants into
Nepali society. Returnee migrant workers bring back with them not only capital, but also skills and
expertise in different areas. But they are not getting enough opportunities and platform to apply their
skills. The government can play a vital role in creating such an environment.” Suggest the steps which
the Government of Nepal should take in order to absorb the returnees in the domestic economy of the
country and get maximum economic benefits from them.

6. It is estimated that the country would need around 300,000 workers for reconstruction work to be
carried out during five fiscal years: 2015-16 to 2020-21. “Cities like Kathmandu for long have been facing
shortage of workers and many Indians and Bangladeshis have been working in Nepal due to shortage
of domestic workers within the country as most of the Nepali workers prefer to work in the foreign
land. Hold a discussion in the classroom how to convince the Nepali workers to stay in the country and
get benefitted by the work opportunities available here.

7. A team of the International Relations and Labour Committee of Parliament, which returned home

392 Nova Social Studies Grade-10 >>

on March 28, 2017 after conducting a field study in four Gulf countries, stated that, “there is a nexus
between human smugglers and employees of DoI (Department of Immigration), an agency under the
Ministry of Home Affairs”. This dangerous nexus sends Nepali women to various countries. Over 30,000
women from Nepal have reached Saudi Arabia illegally to work as domestic help and the number of
women reaching other countries through the illegal channel operated in collusion of DoI employees and
smugglers is equally high. The parliamentary team had left for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the
United Arab Emirates on March 18, 2017 to study the situation of Nepal workers in the Gulf countries.
Over 200 women are smuggled daily into different countries including Syria and Iraq where a ban has
been imposed to send any Nepali worker. It is a matter of grave concern that DoI employees have been
working hand in glove with human smugglers in Nepal.
Hold a discussion on various aspects of the present issue in the classroom and strongly recommend
the measures or steps to the Government of Nepal with regard to checking the illegal immigration of
Nepalese men and women to Gulf countries and their subsequent exploitation in the foreign land.
8. Remittances form the backbone of our economy, accounting for almost a third of it. But it is becoming
increasingly apparent that this boost is occuring at the cost of Nepali nationals abroad. Discuss it in the
classroom and write down your conclusions.

Exercise

1. What is meant by foreign employment? Explain its usefulness (utility) in the context of Nepal.
2. Prepare a news report illustrating both positive and negative aspects of the foreign employment.
3. What is the importance of foreign employment? Present your views in points.
4. What are the possible precautions to be taken while going for foreign employment? Specify in points.
5. ‘Foreign employment is full of challenges. Justify the statement.
6. Write a letter to your relative who is struggling in the foreign land in foreign employment. Also mention

the measures or steps which have been taken by the Government of Nepal for regulation of foreign
employment sector with a view to helping out the Nepali workers struggling in the foreign land for
earning their livelihood.
7. Highlight the roles to be played by the Government, manpower agency and the civil society in order
to regulate and manage foreign employment to overcome the existing problems and challenges in this
area.
8. Male migration to foreign land for employment has had both empowering and disempowering effects
on women and their position in the household. Critically evaluate the statement with supportive
illustrations.
9. Migration has generally been economically beneficial for migrant households but it has also played an
important role in further facilitating broader socio-political changes already underway in Nepal. Make
a comment on the observation by citing relevant evidences and examples.
10. Discuss both the positive and negative effects of remittances on Nepal. What is your view on this issue
of remittance-driven economy of Nepal?
11. List the current problems and challenges being faced by the migrant Nepalese workers. Highlight the
steps to be taken for overcoming (solving) the problems and challenges being faced by them now.

Community Work

Fix a meeting with a person from your community who has just returned to Nepal after spending at least
two years in foreign employment. Ask him to share positive and negative aspects of the foreign employment
based on his personal experience and other co-workers and collogues. Prepare a report on it and submit it to
the principal of your school for final evaluation.

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Lesson Cooperatives and Its Economic

5 Importance

Understanding the meaning and nature of co-operatives

A cooperative is an autonomous association of individuals united voluntarily to meet their common eco-
nomic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly and democratically-controlled enterprise.
So, cooperatives are businesses owned and run by and for their members. It does not matter what is the
status and capacity of an individual member in a cooperative (also known as a cooperative society). The
members constituting a cooperative may be the customers, employees or residents but all of them have an
equal say in the business of a cooperative and a share in the profits earned by a cooperative. Businesses in
cooperatives are not based on the commercial interest of earning profits, rather the cooperatives go for val-
ue-based profits. It means that earning profits is not the primary goal of a cooperative. The primary goal of
a cooperative is to help out the members by providing goods and services and to reach out to society with a
spirit of welfare by rendering services. Generally, businesses and industries run on the basis of competition
guided by the “I win and you lose” principle. It is not so in case of a cooperative because cooperative busi-
nesses are run on the basis of ‘cooperation’ (not competition) guided by the principle following the notion:
“All of us win together.” The International Co-operative Alliance is an independent, non-governmental
organization established in 1895 AD to unite, represent and serve co-operatives worldwide. The Alliance
is a global voice and acts as a forum for providing knowledge, expertise and coordinated action regarding
co-operatives. The International Co-operative Alliance developed the definition, the values and the seven
principles of a co-operative in the conference held in September 1995 in Manchester (United Kingdom).

Cooperative values and cooperative principles

The functioning of cooperatives is guided by the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality,
equity and solidarity. The cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social
responsibility and caring for others.
The cooperative principles are the guidelines by which cooperatives practice their values in their day-to-day
dealings:
1. Voluntary and Open Membership: Co-operatives are voluntary organizations and hence are open to all
individuals. The members use their services in cooperatives and are willing to accept the responsibilities of
membership, without any discrimination concerning gender, social, racial, political or religious status.
2. Democratic Member Control: Co-operatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members,
who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. Men and women serving as elected
representatives are accountable to membership. In primary co-operatives members have equal voting rights
(one member, one vote) and co-operatives at other levels are also organized in a democratic manner.
3. Economic Participation of Members: All the members democratically control the capital of their co-oper-
ative and make equitable contribution to it. At least part of that capital is usually common property of the
co-operative. Members get a fixed return or limited compensation, if any, on the contributions they have
made individually towards the capital of a cooperative. Members may decide to allocate surpluses for vari-
ous other purposes of the cooperative.
4. Autonomy and Independence: Co-operatives are autonomous organizations controlled by their members.
As the self-help organizations, they can decide to cooperate with other organizations or tie up with them
for raising funds for their activities. They are free to work with the government or the civil society or even
business houses. However, there is a word of caution that under no circumstances the values and principles
of the cooperatives are to be flouted or violated.
5. Education, Training and Information: Cooperatives provide education and training for their members,
elected representatives, managers, and employees so that they can contribute effectively to the development
of their cooperatives. They propagate the nature and benefits of cooperation amongst the general public,
especially the young people and opinion leaders.

394 Nova Social Studies Grade-10 >>