Over the weekend, the world awoke to the shock of the terrible devastation caused by the earthquake in Nepal. The death toll continues to rise, now said to be more than 5,000 people. Aside from the cost in human lives, the powerful quake has also laid waste to innumerable buildings, leaving many homeless. Tent cities have been set up in Kathmandu, and even those who were fortunate enough to have their homes spared from the first quake are staying there, afraid that violent aftershocks may still knock them down.

Video of recovery efforts this week have shown the world two Nepals. One persistent image is that of volunteers using their bare hands to dig through rubble to uncover the bodies of neighbors and friends, as hope for finding survivors dwindles with each passing minute. A second is of helicopters shuttling back and forth to Mount Everest to rescue the handful of wealthy adventure seekers and their native guides from the avalanche caused by the quake.

Nepal is a country of cripp...