Neo-Liberal Reforms, the Ethnic Conflict and the Decline of Liberal Democracy in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sri Lanka’s post-civil war politics have been marked by verbal and physical attacks on moderates, tightened state control over the media, and political control over public institutions. The period of conflict, in particularly its most decisive last stage spanning several years, was the most polarized and contentious in terms of both ideological and physical violence. The chapter analyses recent developments by focusing on three key factors: (a) post colonial social, economic and political developments, (b) more recent economic reforms under the influence of neo-liberalism and (c) the long standing ethnic conflict that led to the steady militarization of Sri Lankan society. It is argued that the recent erosion of a liberal democratic system of government is the result of a combination of circumstances, some of which are recent developments while others can be traced back to the first few decades since independence.