The Political Demography of Nepal

Abstract

Political demography is the study of the political effects of changes in the size, rate of growth, distribution and composition of a population.' Among the more familiar demographic differences between developed and less developed countries are that the latter have high fertility, mortality and morbidity rates, larger families, a young population and, therefore, a heavy dependency ratio, and fewer older people. Among the more typical social and political consequences of these differences are that less developed countries are often faced with a restive youth population, annual increments to the labor force which exceed employment opportunities, growing fragmentation of land holdings and increased pressure on the land, rising demands upon government for social services, and increases in per capita incomes well below increases in the gross national product. This article will analyze some of the long-term political consequences of rapid population growth in Nepal. The starting point for our inquiry is that though the demographic changes taking place within Nepal are, in the main, similar to those occurring in many other less developed countries, the political framework within which these changes are taking place is significantly different. It is necessary, therefore, to describe first the Nepal political system, and then examine some of the demographic changes and the impact these are having, or are likely to have, upon the political system.2