vision-lk
Poverty Aggravation
Poverty is a problem that is in the domain of distribution of wealth. This is an area where ideologies that are dramatically opposed are vying for dominance. Our choice of the ideology even drives our international relations and diplomacy.
India and Sri Lanka were partial to Russia and played the non-aligned card for safety in international affairs. After the end of the cold war, the non-aligned movement lost its relevance, primarily because it was partial to Russia.
Our old aristocracy had embraced leftist politics and the SLFP and the SLPP are still partial to the left. The SLPP gains its strength from China. Wrong footwork.
Buddhism is capitalist. If you are born to rich parents, it is because you accrued good Karma in a past life. Marxism is against private property. The two ideologies do not mix. If you think they do, that is called delusion.
We have been dancing on a floor that is not merely crooked, but has no foundation at all. Greed has driven our policies and culture. Our education has not taught ethics or philosophy to the population. Our universities teach that the purpose of politics is to capture power — to impose your favorite political ideology on the people. They have ignored ideology in favor of greed.
Our left leaning politics has kept us on a materialistic footing. They believe that there is no God, so you could make money by hook or by crook as long as you can get away with it. As a result, we have a few powerful rich. The poor quality of education has resulted in a powerless and slavish middle class that is hardly entrepreneurial. The majority of the people are poor.
If we are going to be fair to everyone, we have to adopt a utilitarian approach. You can earn money for your contribution to society. You should also have the freedom to decide how you want to contribute to society. You need liberal democracy with market capitalism.
The French Revolution has not happened here yet.