How America will collapse (by 2025)

Salon.com has an interesting article by Prof. Alfred McCoy at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Titled, How America will collapse (by 2025), Prof. McCoy asserts the the decline of American empire has begun. While I largely agree that America is on inevitable decline, it is rather difficult to ascertain that decline will be as swift as it is predicted. Among many variables, one problem with projected rise of China as a major super power, discounts the fact that Chinese leadership will face equally challenging times. As the middle class population increases with significant economic power, it is likely that there will be pressure for more open and democratic norms in China. A failure to manage the political aspiration could lead China off the track from becoming the single most powerful country in the world. In addition, any weakening of Chinese State is definitely likely to invite simmering discontent among Tibetans and Ughuirs to the fore and create a huge challenge for Chinese authorities.

The American decline definitely is in progress but decline is most likely be replaced by a more than one country and we might see multi-power world, with China, India, Russia, Brazil, US, and Europe having considerable power within each block.

The alliance of these nations and regions is most likely tilt the favor in one or the other way in a broader global domination chess game.

The most scarier perspective, however, is the rise of multinational corporations as a super power. Given that they actually control or have significant influence over all current States and the rising disparity between rich and poor around the world, their control is in place. Now, the question is whether this indirect control will lead into more direct control, through influence over military and technology.

Langtang Trekking

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Thank you for giving your vote, time, energy, skill and love.

Sarvodaya USA, with 15,784 votes, was one of the runner-ups to win US$ 100,000 on a month long Facebook competition that was organized by Chase Community Giving Program. Estimated 500,000 small non profits were eligible to compete.

Our campaign was a global effort that relied on the dedicated supporters. Young high school students in Kathmandu, spent countless hours in front of their computers, on the street, and at schools, campaigning for us and collecting votes.

Despite the fact that we competed with organizations, which have networks and visibility much larger than ours, our belief in your support paid off. We know we couldn't have made it without you.

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Even though the grant will come from Chase, the school that will be built and communities that will be supported will stand as a testament to your compassion and willingness to believe in good that is around us.

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Their choice: either trek fours hours or no school. Your choice …?

Sarita Tamang, 13, is the first girl in her family to go to school. She might not have an option to complete even secondary education, however. She studies in grade seven in her village in Nepal, about 45 miles southwest of Kathmandu.

Her current school offers classes only up to eighth grade. The nearest school is a four hour round trip trek from her village.

“If I were a boy, it might be possible for me to continue school. As a girl child, I am expected to help in the household chores,” she said. “I simply cannot imagine that I would be allowed to go to school at such a long distance.”

According to UNICEF, only 3 out of 10 girls are enrolled for secondary education in Nepal.

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Rohan Chalise, 18, is an A-Level student at Brihaspati High School in Kathmandu. He feels lucky to have been born in the choices and luxury of Kathmandu. “I feel very sad knowing students of the same age group as mine have to walk so far just to reach school.”



He and his friends are determined to help build the Sarita’s school. Recently, they gathered in a parking lot of a super market in Kathmandu and collected Rupees 40,000 ($550) by washing cars. (Watch Rohan and his friends helping renovate a school)

We need $5,000 to help Sarita’s school, so the school can add classrooms and offer education up to the secondary level.

Our support will help buy cement and iron rods, while community members will offer other locally available materials and shramadana (gift of labor).

Would you help Rohan and his friends in their campaign to build a school?
You can help by:
1. Making tax-deductible donation to the project.
2. Passing along this email to your friends and families and ask them to tell others.

Thank you so much for your support.

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Shisir Khanal

P.S. We are currently competing in GlobalGiving's Global Open Challenge. If we are able to raise $4,000 from 50 unique donors we will be awarded an ongoing spot for our projects on GlobalGiving.org and we also have a chance of earning up to $6,000. Please donate.

For Land, Water, and Forest

“Ekta Parishad Jindabad,” (Long live Ekta Parishad) somebody shouted at a corner.

“Ekta Parishad Jindabad,” a chorus followed.

At a glance, people who were chanting the slogans looked feeble and powerless. Many didn’t have sleepers, showing cracks on their feet. Wrinkled on their faces told the story of hardships and struggles.

When they chanted the slogans, their fist clenched, a sudden determination emerged on their faces.

“Land, water, and forest must be under people’s control” another slogan emerged.

They were the people of Ekta Parishad. A Gandhian social movement active in India. Championing the rights of marginalized communities (Dalits and indegeneous communities) in India for their land rights.

Similar to Sarvodaya Movement in Sri Lanka, Ekta Parishad is a social movement and a federation of 11,000 communities spread over 12 Indian states. Like the Sarvodaya Movement, rooted in Gandhian values, Ekta Parishad is dedicated to non-violent social change. Their programs are geared towards building gram-swaraj (village self-governance) and local self-reliance.

Re-Birth In India: Experience at Gandhi's Ashram

“Dai (elder brother in Nepali), you know I thought I had done everything in life. I have a wife, two children, and have done many odd jobs. I have been active in politics and also in social service. I have done everything,” Astaman said.

“I had thought that there is nothing for me anymore and would some how live this life for my children,” he continued.

“But in these last few days, I have realized that I am so young and the world is full of possibilities, I have to learn so much and there is a lot can do.”

“This is my re-birth dai,” he concluded.

It had only been three days in India with us.

Astman is young. Only at 23 years of age, he has become a father of two. He dropped out of school after fifth grade because there was no school beyond that in the village and his family couldn’t afford to send him to another school. “The choice was either for me to study or let my siblings,” recalled.

Nine of us of Sarvodaya Nepal, including Astaman, had been to Sevagram in India at Mahatma Gandhi’s ashram. In middle of India, Sevegram is small village where Gandhi had decided to settle in 1936 to promote his rural development programs. He had wanted to live among the people to ‘uplift’ their conditions. After more than seven decades, Sevagram ashram remains an attraction to students, tourists and seekers.

Our team was in India at the behest of Prasad ji, International Training Co-ordinator of Sarva Seva Sangh, apex Gandhian Institution in India. We were there to learn and deepen Gandhian thoughts and philosophy as we begin to undertake Gandhian ideals into action in Nepal. To get to Sevagram, we had taken an overnight bus from Kathmandu to Bhairawa, a town in Nepal by Indian border. Then, we booked a Indian SUV to get to Gorakhpur, about 3 hours journey. Our journey to Sevagram was more than 24 hours by train from Gorakhpur. For many this deep into India (and outside of Nepal) and train ride was the first.

For a week in Sevagram we got to see the Ashram and its environment. The kutis (huts) that Gandhi, his wife and several of his disciple use remain intact and well persevered. Many residents of ashrams follow a daily routine that includes prayers at 5 am, work at the farm (3 hours daily), prayers, study and light meals – three times a day at 7:30, 11 and 5 pm. The meal prepared with locally grown grains, vegetables and cow milk were amazingly delicious.

Along with Prasad ji, we learnt from several other Gandhian scholars about the current state of the world, the impact of globalization, neo-colonilism and relevance of Gandhian ideals in today’s world. We saw several rural and small enterprises, some vibrant and some at the verge of collapse, that still embody Gandhian ideals of local self-reliance. We visited research centers and universities building small scale technology to support rural life.

It was a week full of learning.

However, for most the learning came from being at Sevagram and seeing how Gandhi lived. His small hut made of mud, stone, and wood. Apparently Gandhi had asked that huts be built only with local materials. His slipper, and the serenity of environment, and many people who continue to strive for an ideal.

A week later in Kathmandu,

“I understood that violence is not just about killing, it’s about an attitude,” “I have been a lot less angrier at my students,” Ramesh, another team member and a school, added recently at a reflection session.

“Every time I see products on the shop, I am now more aware that they are not just simply goods but vehicle of exploitations,” Rameshwar added.

In many ways each of the nine people who travelled were affected deep inside.

Rebirth in small ways.