KATHMANDU: A renowned Harvard professor lobbied for the right to property, peace and rule of law in Nepal here today.

Speaking at a programme organised by Ace Institute of Management, Professor James A Robinson from Harvard University highlighted the importance of property security for any country to grow economically.

The professor was here to present a talk on the political economy development in Nepal. Professor Robinson is a world renowned expert on political economic development research. He has studied and researched different patterns of economic growth and development of various countries.

“Peace and rule of law along with a strong constitution, public goods and politics in Nepal can help the country to get economically sound as well as politically secure. The collaboration of political power and significant distribution of power to the people is the first step to a political and economic revolution,” he said.

Doing a comparative study of Britain and Nepal he stated that the people need to be empowered before a state can grow and emerge as a success. “People need to be given education, health and property rights hence protecting them from exploitation and infringement of economic growth is vital,” said Prof Robinson.

Nepal is going through an economic as well as political transition. According to Prof Robinson there should be a structure of power as well as constraints on power. He also stated that countries which have distributed power to the people and the governing bodies as well as constrained power have seen a vast political and economic change as well as stability.

“When a country is going through a transition like Nepal is currently, power needs to be dispersed as well as constrained at the same time. There needs to be a breakdown of the elitist structure of economic institutions and improved pattern of discrimination and exclusion,” he added. He is here to study the political and economic situation.