Former PM Bhattarai Advocates for 'Scientific Humanism' and 'Advanced Socialism' in Nepal

Kathmandu. Former Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has claimed that traditional political forces in Nepal have come to an end, giving rise to a new generation. He stated that the country must now follow the path of 'Scientific Humanism' and 'Advanced Socialism' suitable for the 21st century.

Addressing the 'Dr. Rammanohar Lohia Memorial Lecture' organized by ITM University in India as the keynote speaker, he emphasized the need to build a new world order by integrating technology with human values.

Reimagining justice and equality in line with Dr. Lohia's vision, he shared his detailed views on Nepal's recent political changes and global economic and ethnic inequalities. In this context, citing the recent powerful protests by Gen Z in Nepal that toppled the coalition government of the two major parties, Bhattarai described the intervention of the youth as a historical turning point.

Quoting Dr. Lohia's famous saying, 'Living nations do not wait five years for elections,' he stated that Nepal's youth have intervened with all their might against corruption, misgovernance, and the widening economic gap without waiting for elections. He claimed the formation of a new government under 35-year-old Balendra Shah and the election of 26-year-old Ruby Kumari Thakur as Deputy Speaker of Parliament are new political milestones for Nepal.

His conclusion is that despite some contradictions in the ideological clarity of the new generation, it has marked the end of old political forces and the beginning of a new power. He recalled that Nepal entered a new phase after the promulgation of the secular federal democratic constitution in 2015, and he has been advocating for a new alternative force rising above Congress and Communists.

He claimed that the current youth leadership has emerged on the foundation of his 'Five S' principles: Sovereignty, Federalism and Inclusivity, Good Governance, Equitable Prosperity, and Advanced Socialism. However, he clarified that the true success of new youth leadership, whether in Nepal or anywhere in the world, is not determined by how long they stay in power, but by how much they work for the benefit of the marginalized and oppressed classes.

In this context, he pointed out the need for the new generation to re-embrace the ideas of thinkers like Dr. Rammanohar Lohia and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. According to Bhattarai, in the current perspective of growing conflict in West Asia and global geopolitical tensions, Lohia's socialist, internationalist, and humanist ideas are even more relevant.

He emphasized Lohia's perspective that economic inequality must be reduced immediately and development should be viewed not just as economic growth, but as the equitable distribution of resources and opportunities. Similarly, opposing linguistic and cultural monopoly, he recalled that when he was Prime Minister, he addressed the indigenous community's language 'Nepal Bhasa' and the international Maithili conference in Maithili for the first time in Nepal's history. His argument is that, as Lohia said, democracy should live not only in institutions but in villages, communities, and among ordinary people.

Taking pride in his role as the Chairman of the Constitutional Assembly Committee in building a progressive constitution, he presented statistics showing that women, Dalits, and marginalized communities in Nepal are much more empowered than yesterday. Citing the example of about 6,743 Dalit women representatives elected at the local level, he said this is not enough.

Calling on the intellectual class to eradicate the caste system that has been rooted in religious texts like the Vedas and Smritis for thousands of years, he urged them to reflect on Dr. Ambedkar's 'Annihilation of Caste' to end the caste system that has gripped India and Nepal for millennia. Stating that the goals of Lohia's 'Sapt Kranti' (Seven Revolutions) are still incomplete, he expressed concern that despite the development of science and technology, power and hierarchies are being born in new forms.

Connecting Lohia's vision to the reality of the 21st century, Bhattarai proposed the concept of 'Scientific Humanism.' He explained that this is not just an academic concept but a philosophy that combines scientific thinking, evidence-based policy-making, and human dignity and compassion. Stating that Artificial Intelligence, biotechnology, and digital transformation could lead to new forms of inequality, he said that technology must be guided by human values.

He believes that Scientific Humanism will play an important role in bridging the growing gap between those with and without access to knowledge and technology. He clarified that standing on the philosophical foundation of this Scientific Humanism, he has proposed the political-economic program of 'Advanced Socialism.'

He stated that this socialism will be free from the distorted practices of the past, will be multidimensional rather than one-sided, and will be based on the latest inventions in physical, biological, and social sciences. Economically, it will not be hyper-centralized but based on local initiatives under central guidance, and politically, it will not be a dictatorship of any one class but based on a pluralistic, inclusive, and participatory democracy of all classes, genders, and social groups.

Bhattarai claimed that as a much more advanced, dynamic, and open system than existing capitalism and communism, Advanced Socialism will manage human society in the new era.