Dr. Sangeeta Mathur focuses on the working of the Panchayati Raj System in Nepal where it was introduced in 1962 as an alternative to party politics. She looks into the reasons for its failure there, arguing that though it aimed to work for stabilisation of grassroots democracy, it was for continuation of the traditional authoritarian regimes under the leadership of the monarchy. She explores alienation of social groups from the power structure, the opposition of the political parties to the system, and concentration of economic power in the hands of the political elite. She, however, states that the socio-economic development policies envisaged inculcated the spirit of democracy in the people.