The middle class makes up more than 60% of the population of
Nepal. There has been a significant rise of this class in the recent years, and
it is still in the increasing trend. There are many factors contributing to the
trend and the gradual reduction of poverty is one of them. The gradual uprising
of the middle class has had many positive impacts on the nation’s economy. This
class, however, is the greatest sufferer of the nation’s plight. The nation
being at the transition has cost more to the middle class people.
Life is obviously difficult for the lower class, but it is
even tougher when it comes to the middle class people. They have a prestige
kind of thing to maintain, as it counts more on the middle class folks. Those
from the lower class are rarely concerned about prestige and social dignity
because these things don’t come under even the least of priorities in their
life. They can afford too meager a living, and earning for just two meals a day
is what they have to die for. Their social horizon is small and limited.
On the other hand, life for a handful of high class is
always the same. The fear of having to maintain the social status least bothers
them because they take it just for granted. They have been carrying it all
through the generations. They carry the tag of their family name or the clan
wherever they go. No matter whatever wrong they do, everything slips under the
social tag they carry with them. The tension of the petty chores of everyday
life doesn’t worry them so much.
The middle class folks, however, are sandwiched between the
two tensions of life. On one hand, they have the tension of fulfilling the
daily needs of the family, and in times when everyday a fresh problem is
propping up, a smooth running of the family is still a challenge. On the other
hand, they are desperately trying to climb the social ladder. They are always
running after the success kind of thing. But it is really tough to achieve the
desired success in times when every sector in the country suffers a gloomy
stagnation. This sort of career hunt doesn’t worry the high class honks. They
don’t make the career but inherit it.
Life is even worse when one belongs to lower middle class
and stays away from home in a rented room or flat. They are often at odds with their
landlord because a humanitarian behavior from the landlords is still a far cry
for majority of the people who live in rented rooms. There are only very few
who are helpful and cooperative.
And life is further terrible when the month is nearing its
end. The landlord frequents his visit to the room. The grocer round the corner
of the street, who was too busy even to smile back, asks about their well being
every time they pass by. They can clearly read the message lying beneath these behaviors
but are simply helpless. They can’t act out quickly because they have to wait
for the bank accounts to be refilled by their office.
Life for the middle class is, thus, a hard nut to crack and
it is getting harder with the growing uncertainties in the country.
Durga Gautam
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