Publication

This paper uses the rebel-to-party transformation theory to explain the Communist Party of Nepal's transformation. The theory holds that rebel groups, contingent upon the mobilization of support and resources to ensure their survival, transform when they are able to adapt their wartime mobilization strategies to the peacetime context. This study expands the theory, claiming that rebels also transform in response to economic opportunities. Testing the three factors on the Nepalese case, this study finds them supported and concludes that economic rationales deserve highlighting in the theory.