The present day politics in Sri Lanka needs to be placed and analysed within the global context in order to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying power dynamics that engineers its machinery. Democracy or the voice of the majority had been incontestably promoted by the western capitalists as the best suited system of governance since the turn of the last century. Alternative systems of governance such as Totalitarian, Plutocracy, Revolutionary, Oligarchical military dictatorships, or even tribal consensus systems as found in precolonial Africa have all been frowned upon not only due to its limiting exercise of power given to the people. For instance the tribal system of a common consensus could be argued as a more egalitarian method of governance as it provided the platform for all members without restricting to a majority to give rise to their  voices to arrive at a common agreement. The penchant choice of a newfangled democratic system over others therefore has seldom to do with its “democratic features” embedded in its orthodox character. The preference could be argued as a mere result of its low maintenance cost vis a vis a military dictatorship for example and its greater adaptability in a milieu of geopolitics dominated by market interests of a few global companies owned by Capital Owners. This has crippled the sacred virtue of honour in the political arena and there is no discernible guiding philosophy in terms of political choice. A leadership that would be responsive to the aspirations of the people found in the past is now being replaced by individuals who are responsive to the demands of the Capital Owners.
Unlike in the golden days of traditional democracies this new breed of heads of the state are at liberty to exercise power at their muse, promote nepotism, indulge in corruption as long as they safeguard the two main interests of the Capital Owners. First, the eradication of identity politics, a plaguing threat to globalization as very well pointed out by late Samuel Huntington and secondly the promotion of an enabling environment for global market economy. The power of the people and the much romanticised notion of the rights of the people, which was at the very heart of traditional democracy is now being overlooked to give way to the rise of a new class of state leaders who have replaced the Capital Managers of the Capital Owners. Their primary role as Capital Managers is to cater to the needs of the Capital Owners who use the countries as a playground for their investments. We see the first seeds of this phenomenon taking root with the mass exodus of Indian business giants from India into Sri Lanka varying from Bharti Airtel to Deccan Aviation.
The complete elimination of the Liberation of Tamil Tigers of Elam (LTTE) on the other hand was vital to halt the swamping identity politics and in lieu promote a common identity for all ethnic groups while, ensuring their rights to give them a sense of security and create equal opportunity for all, to be active participants of a consumerist economy insinuated by the Indian and Western Capital Owners. Initiatives in creating an enabling and receptive socio-cultural environment for Indian Capital Owners for instance had taken place in several stages in history. First such steps were taken with the creation of several scholarship schemes for academically outstanding students to pursue tertiary studies in India. At present there are 150 scholarships[1] for students of Sri Lankan nationality in addition to thousands of self financed students who seek admission in Indian universities under the special foreign student reservation or quota system. For instance in the year 2008 alone, over two thousand Sri Lankan students were admitted to Indian universities[2]. Such young people who would later occupy decision making positions in society would not perceive the socio-cultural colonisation of India imperative for its economic mellowing in Sri Lanka as a threat as they would be already partial to India, having lived there for three to four years during the most formative time of their lives. A more recent strategy had been the introduction of Sinhala and Tamil dubbed Indian tele-dramas catering to the common masses[3] which had worked on them with an opium[4] like effect. A myriad of Satellite Televisions through which the middle class and the more affluent westernised audience get an encapsulated dose of India twenty-four hours a day for an affordable price is the latest enchantment.
The malpractices of the recent regimes, nepotism and corruption are all part and parcel of a new era of politics designed to achieve the objectives and goals of the Capital Owners. Insofar as their two principle concerns are being defended, the Capital Owners in fact seem to prefer the unlimited power vesting on an individual leadership as its maneuvering would be less demanding vis a vis a traditional democratic system of a politically conscientious and active populace with power. In this backdrop, it should be noted that the rise of a challenge to the Rajapakse regime in the form of General Fonseka backed by the Western Capital Owners is the inevitable result of the Rajapakse regime’s mismanagement of the contradictions among Capital Owners : ie the existing contradictions among the Indian Capital Owners and the Western Capital Owners. To conclude it could be argued that irrespective of the outcome of the presidential elections 2010, the real challenge and the survival of the next President of Sri Lanka would entirely depend on his skill and genius to effectively balance the two tiered interests of the Capital Owners while carefully steering their internal and external contradictions.
[1] http://srilankatoday.com/content/view/869/52/
[2] http://srilankatoday.com/content/view/869/52/
[3] http://transcurrents.com/tamiliana/archives/348
[4] http://74.125.153.132/search?q=cache:http://www.lankarising.com/2007/12/manipulation-of-media-in-marketing.html