ABSTRACT
The overthrow of the Rana oligarchy in 1951 is commonly interpreted as a revolution ending tyranny and inaugurating a more democratic era. In many ways this cannot be disputed: the post-Rana years saw Nepal tentatively opening up after a lengthy period of restricted contact with the outside world. But the Revolution of 1950-1 marked no fundamental social and economic hiatus. Egalitarian ideals found their way onto the political agenda, but those who proposed the creation of a new, equitable society rarely wanted one. Instead, they used the rhetoric of people’s power and the prospect of progressive policies as tools to discredit and dismantle the opposition.
