Of dictators and development

Benevolent dictators may lead to growth but at the expense of rights and freedom.

Frustrated Nepalis express a common sentiment: ‘Nepal needs a benevolent dictator like Lee Kuan Yew’. While the benevolent bit is not vocalised, it remains an underlying assumption that the dictator is well-intentioned and public-spirited. Compared to the other rationale for inviting monarchs and dictators—for example, preserving Nepal’s Hindu identity—which is fundamentally exclusive, it is easier to cut some slack to the benevolent dictator call. The call stems from a desire to expedite economic growth and accelerate Nepal’s (economic) development, which the commentator believes has been stalled by the compromises of democratic politics.