The political crisis in Nepal can be understood through the simple science of fire: for combustion to occur, you need fuel, heat, and oxygen. In this case study, years of government policy and neglect provided all three elements, leading to a predictable and devastating political firestorm.
The fuel was the massive population of discontented young people. With a 20% unemployment rate, this demographic was a vast reserve of flammable material. Their frustration, hopelessness, and anger at the system had been accumulating for years, creating a highly combustible social landscape.
The heat was supplied by systemic corruption and flaunted inequality. The constant friction caused by a government perceived as unjust and self-serving raised the social temperature to a critical level. Every new scandal, every display of elite privilege, added more heat, bringing the fuel closer to its ignition point.
The oxygen that allowed the fire to erupt was the government’s ban on social media. This act fanned the flames of discontent, providing the final element needed for the explosion. It was an act of pure provocation that unified opposition and directed the public’s rage. The lesson is clear: when a government carelessly combines the elements of social combustion, it shouldn’t be surprised when the nation catches fire.