Political analyst CK Lal has said Nepal continues to be governed by power-centric rule rather than by the constitution and rule of law, a mindset deeply rooted in history.

Speaking at the fifth edition of the Kantipur Conclave on Monday, during a session titled “Revisiting Nepal’s Revolutions”, Lal said the governing practices established by Prithvi Narayan Shah and later reinforced by Jung Bahadur Rana still influence the country today.

Lal said that after the conquest of Kathmandu in the late 18th century, Prithvi Narayan Shah institutionalised the belief that those who hold power can rule the state according to their will. He added that Jung Bahadur Rana further strengthened this power-centric rule in the mid-19th century by consolidating authority and enforcing governance through force.

“This power-driven principle became deeply entrenched and shaped our collective mindset. Historians often narrate this as stories of great men, and we have yet to move beyond that framework,” Lal said.

He added that although the Sugauli Treaty created an expectation that Nepal would be governed by constitutional norms and laws, Jung Bahadur Rana prevented that transition. Lal said Rana reinforced the idea that the right to rule comes from force, not legal or constitutional legitimacy.

Lal also said an individual’s mindset is shaped by geography, history, economy, systems of production, and culture. Change, he argued, is natural, but the critical question is the pace and direction of that change.