The children of politics
The first lady on the scene was Srimavo Bandarnaike. Srimavo was a befitting successor to her assassinated prime minister husband, Solomon Bandarnaike. Her brilliant husband Solomon through out his three-year term from 1956 to 1959 was in the thick of trouble over the official status of Sinhala language.
His wife Srimavo, initially known as the "weeping widow," served longer, fared better, and attained a worldwide stature. She was the first woman prime minister of the world. Her singular success was hosting the 5th Non-Aligned Summit held at Colombo in August 1976. Chandrika Kumaratunga, the daughter, paled before her mother. It would be fair to say that dynastic succession did not overshadow the personal merit of the three of them.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. India has four in all, if one counts Sonia Gandhi as the lady behind the prime minister. Jawarharlal, Indira, Rajiv, and Sonia. The patrician Jawarharlal Nehru is the ultimate standard for all his personal attributes and worldwide stature. He had the most gifted of minds and was a consummate politician of the British model. A Fabian socialist, he believed in gradualist approach.
His daughter Indira developed under his wings. Although, in sharp contrast to his style and substance. She was endowed with an unforgiving resolve, a combative temperament and a condescending stand. Her beliefs strongly mattered to her and the means did not bother her. It was to say the least radically different from the approach of her father. Jawaharlal left behind many followers and friends and virtually no enemies to swear vengeance.
Indira started the rift in the Congress. She started by snubbing Morarji in supporting VV Giri's candidature for the presidency behind the back in place of the official candidate Sanjiva Reddy. As she rose she relied on personal allegiance and relentlessly pursued what she believed in. It led even the juggernaut of a party Congress to be routed in the polls for the first time by the Janata Party in 1977. The score was leveled Morarji became the prime minister and Sanjiva the president. The rest is history, a tragic one for that. Even the most benign of persons Rajiv was assassinated. Fortunately, Sonia has learnt to cash on the dynastic legacy by trusting others with the job.
Parliamentary democracy, judging by the British model was born out a need that power is not to be owned but to be served. Power is best served in trusting and trusted hands. It should therefore be a mater of broadest possible choice. The concept prospered over the years and produced two enduring institutions, the parliament and the monarchy. It was the politicians and their leaders that were in the centre of it and contributed the most. The political offices were never a matter of succession. There were one or two instances of grooming the offspring but I do not know of any succession to the office of the prime minister.
It is certain that the region did not inherit the dynastic legacy from the British Raj. This is something that has grown out of the heritage of the region. The Bhutto political dynasty of Pakistan turned out to be self-destructing. Both the father and daughter Zulfikar and Benazir received the best of education and distinguished themselves for their intellect and enlightenment. A highly conceited man and gifted one at that Zulfikar was wily, flamboyant and unscrupulous. He would not stop at anything for getting his goal. He was struck down by his destiny. The daughter Benazir is rather unlucky at that. Even though she is not reckless and scornful like her father Benazir was overwhelmed by her circumstances.
The dynastic legacies of our country are stagnating under the dark shadow of the tragedies that brought the two ladies Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia into politics and into power. It would be fair to say that none of them ever sought to enter into the maelstrom of our politics. For a daughter of the house and a housewife their performances speak well of their effort.
Sheikh Hasina has a populist approach like her father. Her easy informality is much useful in galvanizing her party workers for combative political programs. Awami League has therefore continued to remain the most vigorous of our political parties. She has done well to wait and see how the other lady is doing in grooming her son.
Khaleda Zia on the other hand has proved to be more successful than her husband in expanding the party that BNP is today. She is a greatly determined lady and an indefatigable campaigner. This has benefited her party in electoral prospects. There is however a personality cult about her that makes her party dependent on her. Besides, her decision of inducting her son into the hierarchy of the party proved to be against the interest of building party structure. The elders felt marginalized and that led to a rebellion. And now BNP has a challenger in LDP.
In parliamentary democracy the party is the engine. Discipline in party structure is therefore of great importance. Lateral inductions disrupt this discipline. The clannish nature of the societies of this region encourages dynastic succession. Naturally political stability and growth suffers. The root cause behind it is the culture of personality cult with its two banal attendants, mistrust and favouritism. Political tragedies therefore continue to visit the countries of the region. The ills occur when the leaders submit to the indiscretion of owning democracy. In the end what we see is dynastic democracy.