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Point of view by Prof. Ashley L. S. Perera

The dawn of a new year generally brings hope and expectations to the people of a battered nation even in a state of utter despair. Most people hope against hope that this year will bring in some relief to the suffering masses and usher at least in some modest degree of prosperity.

These expectations are fuelled by the political leadership which attempts to make believe that its style of governance is in the process of leading the country to prosperity, which of course is quite contrary to the ground realities. Even when the bleak prospects are quite apparent people are conditioned to believe optimistically to the purported good times ahead. This pantomime play is well supported by political stooges of all descriptions who in turn are rewarded by government favours and public office.

While the government in power invariably boasts about the so-called virtues of their rule, the opposition in waiting does not hesitate to focus attention on the numerous irregularities of the government. It would vigorously expose the inefficiency and corruption of the government and the ineffectiveness of its writ. However experience suggests that when in power it too succumbs to the same pervasive style of governance.

Reflection

This indeed is a refection of the political leadership of this country. Irrespective of the political parties that have been in power in the past decades almost every political leadership has been mediocre, adventurous and short sighted with a high propensity to create more problems in the course of governance than it could possibly solve. The administrative machinery which in the past was manned by efficient and dedicated personnel has lost much of its glory due to political interference in appointments, promotions etc.

In recent times some ambitious university teachers have joined the fray. They have issued signed statements to the press requesting the public to vote political parties fancied by these academics without giving any reasons as to why the public should do so. This is a public display of bovine stupidity because such a request particularly by academics should be well reasoned and the outcome of scientific analysis. It should be the responsibility of academics to present well reasoned observations for public consumption. However such a rationale is out of place in a pervasive state which requires its people to be rigorously partisan to gain political recognition for career advancement.

Hypocrisy

Why is it that the political leadership in this country submit to hypocrisy? Why is it that this country is nowhere near the claimed prosperity? Why is the public sector in this country so utterly inefficient? Why is the private sector, contrary to general belief equally or even more inefficient than the public sector? These are but some of the pertinent questions that demand answers.

Gunnar Myrdhal, a Development Economist, who examined the reasons for economic stagnation in developing countries has discovered that under-developed countries are all, though in varying degrees "soft states". He observed that this is a significant feature among other conditions that together make a country underdeveloped. He contends that without more social discipline development will meet great difficulties, and in any case be delayed.

The term "soft state" is defined by Myrdhal to comprise all the various types of social indiscipline which manifest themselves by deficiencies in legislation and in particular law observance and enforcement, a wide spread disobedience by public officials at various levels to rules and directives handed down to them, and often their collusion with powerful persons whose conduct they could regulate. Corruption is a major element within the conception of 'soft state'. These several patterns of behaviour are interrelated in the sense that they permit or even provoke each other in circular causation having cumulative effects.

Soft state

Myrdhal further states that laxity and arbitrariness in a national community that can be characterised as a "soft state" can be, and are exploited for personal gain by people who have economic social and political power. While the opportunities for large scale exploitation opened up by the 'soft state' are of course, only at the disposal of the upper class, even persons quite low on the social ladder often find such opportunities for petty gains.

The real and very serious dilemma concludes Myrdhal gravely, is that there is little hope in South Asia for rapid development without greater social discipline, which will not appear without legislation and regulations enforced by compulsion. All these countries, independent of their type of government, have in general placed many fewer obligations much less effecting upon their people than have Western countries.

Myrdhal's well argued essay is an authentic description of the affairs of most developing countries of the South Asia Region. Sri Lanka in particular which fits in very well to the definition of a 'soft state' can be considered a pace setter in this regard.

Let us examine a few glaring examples - Provincial Councils which were introduced as a solution to the ethnic problem of the North by the then government amidst violent protests by political parties in the then opposition continue to function in all provinces except the North for which these were specifically meant.

Ironically a majority of those clinging on to power in these Provincial Councils are from the political parties which totally rejected them initially. This meaningless duplication of structures of governance at an enormous cost, which this country could ill-afford has only benefited some politicians to realise their personal ambitions.

Cabinet size

Another matter that has received the attention of politicians when in the opposition is the size of the cabinet. This country is probably having the largest Cabinet in the world. Politicians see this only when they are in the opposition. The British Government has a Cabinet of twenty three Ministers. The Cabinet of the United States comprise of only fourteen Executive Secretaries and the Indian government has a Cabinet of thirty two which comprise the Council of Ministers. The size and the population of the respective countries show that successive governments in Sri Lanka have no sense of proportion.

A further depressing aspect is the quality of debate in our national legislature. It has indeed been a treat to listen to some of the parliamentarians of the past. But currently it is disgusting to listen to most of them at debate which often end in fisticuffs. This public display of appalling misbehaviour of our representatives in parliament has manifested itself with a vengeance in the behaviour of not only university students but also schoolchildren not to mention some members of the general public who tend to disregard law and order and all norms of civilised behaviour.

The politicization of the public service has lead to its deterioration. The 'Parkinsons Law' which states that work expands to occupy the time available reigns supreme in most government departments. Public corporations are among the worst affected because they are in most cases invariably headed by defeated politicians or the contacts of those in power. The war apart the continuous economic mismanagement and wasteful spending have significantly contributed to the monetary and fiscal chaos in the country.

Consequently the fiscal and monetary policy over the years have caused immense hardship to the poorest segments of the society. The effect of these policies on the pensioners is nightmarish. The income derived even by university professors who retired in the nineteen eighties is below the current poverty line.

Private sector

The private sector which has expanded in some areas at the expense of the state sector has miserably failed to deliver the goods. The belief that the private sector is more efficient than the public sector is a myth at least in Sri Lanka. The private sector of this country mostly comprise of crude businessmen who do not seem to possess the imaginative and creative abilities associated with enterprising entrepreneurs.

The pervasive features of the socio-economic, political and juridical environment give a dismal picture of the emerging development scenario for the year 2003 and beyond. It is imperative that the country needs to take appropriate steps for the strengthening of social discipline and overcoming the inherent inhibitions and obstacles as a prerequisite for development.

(The writer is Senior Professor of Town & Country Planning).

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