The faces of the revolution that has shaken Nepal are not those of seasoned political activists, but of teenagers and young adults. These unlikely revolutionaries, many born after 2000, have demonstrated a political potency that has taken the country’s establishment by complete surprise, proving that age is no barrier to challenging power.
This “protest of Gen Z” has been characterized by its use of modern tools and its deep-seated impatience with the old ways of doing things. They organized on social media, created viral content that shaped public opinion, and showed a fearless willingness to confront security forces on the streets. Their tactics are a world away from the traditional, party-led politics of their parents’ generation.
Their motivations are also distinctly generational. They are fighting for a future that they feel is being stolen from them by a corrupt and incompetent older generation. High youth unemployment is not an abstract statistic for them; it’s a personal crisis. The hypocrisy of the elite is not just a political issue; it’s a moral offense.
The government’s initial response, a mix of condescension (banning their social media) and brute force, showed a complete failure to understand this new political force. They treated them like children who needed to be disciplined, not as a legitimate political movement. This underestimation has now cost them dearly, as these teenage revolutionaries have successfully brought the government to its knees.