India, Oct. 9 -- Nepal is a young democracy with big dreams and limited jobs. That mix makes it easy for outside actors to shape public mood and opinion, often without people noticing.

In recent years, the most visible foreign player has been the United States, which, through aid, NGOs, scholarships, training, and policy tools like the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has been active in Nepal. Much of this work is presented as "youth empowerment" and "good governance."

However, on the ground, the US' activities can deepen social divides, especially between the urban and rural youth, pulling politics toward street-level confrontation rather than steady institution-building.

US support in Nepal moves through many channels such as t...