The Gist — Jonah Blank: “Very Quickly and Then Very Slowly” in Nepal

Host: Mike Pesca
Guest: Jonah Blank (Author, Asia expert)
Date: October 3, 2025
Theme:
An in-depth look at the recent social-media-fueled political upheaval in Nepal, where a sudden wave of Gen Z-led protests led to a change in government. The discussion explores the roots of the uprising, the role of technology and inequality, the history of Nepal’s democratic struggles, and the prospects (or lack thereof) for meaningful long-term reform.

Main Theme & Purpose

Mike Pesca welcomes Jonah Blank to analyze the dramatic and ultimately ambiguous revolution in Nepal, driven by dissatisfaction with entrenched elites and sparked by the government’s attempt to curtail social media. The conversation unpacks how technological, economic, and generational tensions combine in Nepal’s unique context and why the pattern is “very quickly and then very slowly” when it comes to real change.

Key Discussion Points

1. Social Media Crackdown and Gen Z Uprising

• Social Media as the News Source:
  • Blank explains that in Nepal, social media is how most people—especially young people—get news and information, with traditional outlets largely irrelevant.
    “In Nepal... most countries, probably social media is where people get their news, where people get their information.” (11:09, Blank)
• Trigger for the Protests:
  • The government’s attempt to restrict social media was perceived as an attack on both freedom and fairness, given the visibility of the ruling class flaunting wealth online.
  • TikTok was uniquely targeted, but enforcement was inconsistent, as “everybody's got a VPN” (13:45, Blank).
• Populist Resentment of Inequality:
  • The public saw the elite flaunting ill-gotten gains while their own prospects lagged, fueling anger. “You get a lot of the wealthy showing off their new wealth on TikTok...and then the people who don't have all these goodies don't like it.” (12:27, Blank)
• Immediate but Shallow Victory:
  • The protests succeeded quickly, ousting the government, but lacked organized leadership or a clear ideology.

2. Historical and Political Backdrop

• Democracy and the Monarchy:
  • Nepal’s monarchy was abolished in 2008 after a period of constitutional monarchy starting in 1990. The monarchy, while not especially repressive, was removed in the wake of a family massacre in 2001.
    “The entire royal family was virtually killed off in 2001 by Crown Prince Dipendra...for a whole interesting story of reasons, he basically slaughtered most of his family.” (16:11, Blank)
• Political Factionalism and Stagnation:
  • The same handful of political parties and leaders (Congress Party, UML Communists, Maoists) cycle through power without delivering change or legitimacy. “They all were corrupt. They all basically just were perceived to be in it for themselves and not really delivering very much to their constituents.” (20:05, Blank)
• Economic Challenges and Exodus:
  • Remittances from citizens working abroad are vital; economic growth is uneven, and many must find menial work overseas.
• Lack of Trustworthy Institutions:
  • Neither the government nor the military is widely trusted—Nepal’s changes are superficial and the real power structures remain unchanged.

3. Long-term Prospects and Cyclicality

• Skepticism about the New Prime Minister:
  • New PM Shashila Kharki, a former Supreme Court justice, lacks a power base; the military’s role as kingmaker is noted. “She doesn't really have any kind of power base. She's only put in at so that it wasn't one of the other three parties, all three of which are utterly discredited.” (23:19, Blank)
• A Pattern of Fast Flash and Slow Reform:
  • Nepal experiences “mutinies” that ignite and end rapidly, but meaningful reforms stall. “Nepal is a place where things tend to happen very quickly and then very slowly.” (26:06, Blank)
• No Lasting Movement or Ideology:
  • The uprisings lack organized leadership or vision, likened to a “flash mob that overthrew a country” (25:50, Pesca).

4. Memorable Analysis & Thematic Reflections

• Geographical Challenges:
  • Nepal’s mountains and localism hinder both central authority and rapid modernization. “It can take you weeks to get from Kathmandu to the other side of the country if you’re going by bus, which is how most people would go.” (17:41, Blank)
• Heroism and Labor of the Nepali People:
  • Despite systemic woes at home, Nepalis are globally known for resilience and reliability, exemplified by Gurkhas. “You can go to Hong Kong, you can go to Singapore, you can go to the Gulf and you’ll find Nepalis undertaking some of the most important security missions that the wealthiest people in the world do not entrust to anyone else.” (22:25, Blank)
• Endemic Political Inertia:
  • Even after radical events, progress stalls—“it took them seven years just to write a constitution...largely just on paper.” (26:16, Blank)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Social Media and Class Tensions

“What they really cared about were things like TikTok, where the incredible new wealth is just being put out there in people's faces...the people who don't have all these goodies don't like it.”
— Jonah Blank (12:27)

On Nepal’s Unending Political Circles

“They just keep on sort of failing to deliver anything and then getting voted out of office in the next election...None of them really did anything. They all were corrupt.”
— Jonah Blank (20:05)

On the Nature of Change in Nepal

“Nepal is a place where things tend to happen very quickly and then very slowly.”
— Jonah Blank (26:06)

On the Absence of Organized Leadership

“It was like the first flash mob that overthrew a country. And I would have to guess that that does not augur well for the possibility of real, lasting, effective change.”
— Mike Pesca (25:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [10:24] — Start of interview with Jonah Blank
• [11:09] — Social media as main news source
• [12:27] — Social class resentment, TikTok, and government backlash
• [13:45] — Ineffective repression; everyone circumvents bans
• [16:11] — The fall of the monarchy and royal family massacre
• [18:54] — Overview of political parties and their lack of ideology
• [20:05] — Cycle of political stagnation and corruption
• [21:36] — Nepal’s potential vs. its actual trajectory
• [23:19] — Kharki's prospects and military’s central role
• [26:06] — "Very quickly and then very slowly" pattern
• [26:16] — Difficulty turning upheaval into real change
• [28:36] — Closing remarks, regional WhatsApp group joke

Episode Takeaways

• Nepal’s latest “revolution” is yet another instance of swift, disruptive protest followed by likely incremental or cosmetic change.
• Social media is both the platform for dissatisfaction and the battleground for government legitimacy, making generational and economic divides painfully visible.
• Despite regime changes, Nepal remains hindered by factional politics, lack of accountability, and weak institutions—any real transformation will be slow and uncertain.
• Jonah Blank’s closing wisdom encapsulates the pervading sense of déjà vu: “Things tend to happen very quickly and then very slowly.”

For listeners or readers new to Nepalese affairs, this episode provides a lucid and sober assessment of why sudden revolutions often fade into the same old problems—and how social media is reshaping both awareness and revolt, even in the world’s most remote corners.