ThisbookexploreswhyNepal’shydropowersectorisoneofitsfewdevelopmentsuccessstories.Unlikemostother’developing’countries,inNepallocalfirmsdesignandbuildhydropowerfacilitiesusingNepaliengineers,buildersandlabor.Nepalhaslargelyavoidedthetrapwherebymostpoorcountriesareforcedtoacceptenergyinfrastructureprojectsthatareforeigndesigned,fundedandbuilt-typicallyresultingindebt,dependencyandunsustainability.Ittracesthestrugglebetweentwocompetingdevelopmentparadigms:onethatemphasizesgradualnationalhumancapacitybuilding-attheexpenseofspeedandefficiency-andanotherthatemphasizesrapid,large-scaleinfrastructurebuilding-attheriskofunsustainabilityanddependency.Atstakeiswhetherwhatpassesfor’development’benefitsthecountriesinwhichitoccurs,orthebanksandinvestorsthatfinancecapital-intensiveprojects.WhatWentRightbringsavisionforsustainabledevelopmentintovigorousconversationwithdevelopmentstrategiesthathaveproventobelessproductive.
COUNTRIES DEVELOPING DEVELOPMENT RIGHT
