The most interesting puzzle of post-civil war democratization is why those who benefit from the status quo accept the transition from an existing system to future democracy following the negotiated settlement of war. The literature has focused on structural contexts during and after civil war out of recognition that democratization in war-torn countries is distinct from political transition in non-civil war conditions. However, a variable that is neither explicitly addressed nor examined is the adherence of citizens to democratic stability. To explore the attitude toward democracy expressed by citizens who are protected and patronized by the incumbent, this article examines public opinion in Nepal by employing data from the Asia Barometer survey administered between September and October of 2005. In the Nepali civil war, those Kathmandu residents who had high income and great worries about domestic order and the economic situation favored a democratic settlement that would guarantee political and economic stability. The establishment of democratic institutions was preferable to the continuation of war, because the stalemated war not only weakened security in urban areas but also transformed the socioeconomic system favorable for them.
