The traditional approach of teaching politics in Sri Lanka has been based on concepts of executive power (President & Cabinet), legislature (Parliament) and judiciary (Courts) with mention on media as a supporting entity. However this traditional approach is no longer adequate to analyze and identify the intricacy of contemporary politics. There is buzz in the society that politicians having interest in money, however immerging greater threat is the influence of business regimes on politics resulting crippled democracy.
Business and politics
For a long time, business has been intermingled with politics in different flavors. However, politics had been the dominated factor while businessman tried to get politicians’ favor for business gains. It had been largely localized effects with limited influence on policies. However the trend has changed drastically where business has dominated over politics. With the advent of multinational companies with multibillions of wealth, the image of politician has been scaled down to a servant of the powerful business regimes.
In open market economy, business is operating merely on profits and these multinational business communities have no or very little national interests. They are capable of manipulating the politicians of various levels as simple as pawns in a chess board.
For healthy democratic system, the leaders must be emerged from the grass roots level and matured in to true political giants. Contrary to this natural expected phenomenon, in contemporary politics, these business regimes select their so called future national leaders whom they can easily control according to their tune. The international politico-business factors also play a part in these selections.
Marketing of mere characters
The next big challenge faced by the business community is to sell these so called political leaders to the nation. The task is easier when the people are less knowledgeable and politically divided on narrow grounds. However, it becomes tougher task when there are true natural leaders born out of common people are in the political arena. Marketing is the no stranger for businessmen and it is this same tool they use to inflate and sell their so called leaders to the common people to buy their votes.
They are well capable of presenting a feeble character that does not have a back bone and leadership qualities to fight against terrorism or insurgency as ‘prince of peace’ or ‘gentleman politician’. They will transform the white feather of a feeble person into an image of a pigeon for peace. When the person lacks the national touch, he will be marketed as person with international support. The leadership is no longer natural; rather he may have to act upon various plans presented by marketing campaigners.
Controlling the media
Media is no longer playing mere supporting role for democracy, but it has become key influential entity supporting marketing campaigns for political parties. Some of so called free media organizations are directly managed by businessmen affiliated to political parties while other media organizations and so called free lance media personals are indirectly funded through INGO and other organizations. These media institutions no longer broadcast news in original form but with its political flavor. They collectively take up different marketing campaigns according to selected themes at different times. These media organizations never hesitate to do experimentations in the form of ‘Super Stars’ by creating and selling characters as popular figures to the society and then they will apply the same approach in selling their politically bankrupt super stars to the deserted society.
If one needs to be a responsible citizen, he must clearly understand this political-business-media-marketing phenomenon and its operating mechanism. Then only he can use his vote intelligently rather than been a slave of this politico-business mafia.
Ref:
- Film - Guerrilla marketing by Jayantha Chandrasiri
Business and politics
For a long time, business has been intermingled with politics in different flavors. However, politics had been the dominated factor while businessman tried to get politicians’ favor for business gains. It had been largely localized effects with limited influence on policies. However the trend has changed drastically where business has dominated over politics. With the advent of multinational companies with multibillions of wealth, the image of politician has been scaled down to a servant of the powerful business regimes.
In open market economy, business is operating merely on profits and these multinational business communities have no or very little national interests. They are capable of manipulating the politicians of various levels as simple as pawns in a chess board.
For healthy democratic system, the leaders must be emerged from the grass roots level and matured in to true political giants. Contrary to this natural expected phenomenon, in contemporary politics, these business regimes select their so called future national leaders whom they can easily control according to their tune. The international politico-business factors also play a part in these selections.
Marketing of mere characters
The next big challenge faced by the business community is to sell these so called political leaders to the nation. The task is easier when the people are less knowledgeable and politically divided on narrow grounds. However, it becomes tougher task when there are true natural leaders born out of common people are in the political arena. Marketing is the no stranger for businessmen and it is this same tool they use to inflate and sell their so called leaders to the common people to buy their votes.
They are well capable of presenting a feeble character that does not have a back bone and leadership qualities to fight against terrorism or insurgency as ‘prince of peace’ or ‘gentleman politician’. They will transform the white feather of a feeble person into an image of a pigeon for peace. When the person lacks the national touch, he will be marketed as person with international support. The leadership is no longer natural; rather he may have to act upon various plans presented by marketing campaigners.
Controlling the media
Media is no longer playing mere supporting role for democracy, but it has become key influential entity supporting marketing campaigns for political parties. Some of so called free media organizations are directly managed by businessmen affiliated to political parties while other media organizations and so called free lance media personals are indirectly funded through INGO and other organizations. These media institutions no longer broadcast news in original form but with its political flavor. They collectively take up different marketing campaigns according to selected themes at different times. These media organizations never hesitate to do experimentations in the form of ‘Super Stars’ by creating and selling characters as popular figures to the society and then they will apply the same approach in selling their politically bankrupt super stars to the deserted society.
If one needs to be a responsible citizen, he must clearly understand this political-business-media-marketing phenomenon and its operating mechanism. Then only he can use his vote intelligently rather than been a slave of this politico-business mafia.
Ref:
- Film - Guerrilla marketing by Jayantha Chandrasiri
