Written by Asoka Weerasundara
It is with a profound sense of historical significance that I note The People’s Struggle Alliance’s (PSA) decision to field a candidate for the upcoming presidential election of Sri Lanka. Comrade Nuwan Bopage’s name, added to the already crowded ballot paper, not only adds color and diversity but also carries a weight of historical importance.
For centuries, world politics has been broadly divided into two segments. Scholars and the Public have used different terminology to name these two segments. Progressive and regressive, conservatives and radicals, socialist (communist) and capitalist, elites and non-elites, rulers and masses are some terms used. In the USA, it is the Democrats and Republicans; in Britain, it is the Labour and Conservatives.
The terms’ left’ and ‘right’ carry a rich historical context, dating back to the 1789 French Revolution. The supporters of the Ancient Regime in the National Assembly, who sat to the president’s right, were called the right wing, while the supporters of the revolution who sat to his left were called the left wing. This often-overlooked historical context provides a deeper understanding and a sense of enlightenment about the political spectrum.
If we visualize the political spectrum as a straight line between the extreme right (traditional capitalists) and the extreme left (communists), there is a midpoint. This midpoint, often called the center, is a critical concept in understanding the political spectrum.
As we observe the lineup for the 2024 election, it becomes evident that the right is crowded, and the left is relatively deserted. This short article does not aim to pass judgment on the merits and demerits of the two wings, but rather to underscore the importance of a diverse political lineup in the so-called democracy introduced and imposed by Western capitalists. In this context, the PSA’s decision to subscribe to the left side of the spectrum is not just significant, but also engaging and interesting, highlighting the importance of a balanced democracy.
The right-wing can be further divided into Extreme right, moderate right, and center right, and so can the left wing. It is a no-brainer to realize that all the mainstream political parties and the individuals who are contesting the election belong to the extreme right. One may argue that some are in the moderate right. Though I’m afraid I have to disagree with that argument (as all political ideologies with racism, in my books, are extreme right), let us, for the sake of diplomacy, assume so.
The talk of the town is where NPP sits in the spectrum. I will not address this issue as I want to be least damaging to NPP, as they are a front runner and by far heaps and bounds better than the proven and failed other contestants. Once again, for argument’s sake, let us assume that the NPP is in the center. Still, the spectrum is highly tilted towards the right.
In this context, one must appreciate the PSA’s decision to contest this election.
Why should one put PSA to the left in the spectrum?
Let us take what they have to say about the deadly grip of the IMF that is exploiting the underprivileged masses. To my knowledge, they are the only ones openly announcing the exit from the current IMF agreement. When everyone else on the right side of the spectrum is either silent or says that they will continue with the current IMF agreement with amendments (human face) or as it is, the only one that says the opposite must surely be on the left side.
When Western powers deceive the whole world by imposing a representative democratic system and making us believe it is the only form of democracy, PSA talks of an alternative form of democracy—direct democracy. This, too, is another reason why PSA is different from all the others in the right wing and makes us believe that they are a true leftist alliance.
The constituent parties, including the fourth international supporters – Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) and New Democratic Marxist-Leninist Party, among many other progressive civil groups and activists from “Aragalaya,” are also testimony to where they belong in the left and right division.
There are a few other reasons (among many) why PSA differs from the other contestants who represent the same right-wing ideology.
- Rejecting the neo-liberal free market economy
- Development to be coupled with the protection of the environment
- Their solution to the current debt crisis
- Policy of equality (ethnic issue)
- Modification of Article 9 of the constitution
Below, I quote an article by Ayesha Wijayalath for the Center for Asian Legal Studies-Faculty of Law at the National University of Singapore.
“By explicitly creating a special status for Buddhism, the constitution has produced the category of ‘The Other’. The creation of this distinction has the potential to discriminate in a pluralistic society and to undermine the fundamental principle of equality.”
What are the common allegations against the PSA’s decision to contest?
The first common allegation against the PSA is that by contesting, they would support the cause of the other right-wing parties by splitting the NPP’s voter base. This is a myth. For this article, we placed the NPP at the center of the spectrum, which has won the attention of many of the middle class. It is unlikely for many who are in support of the NPP’s moderate policies to move further to the left. Instead, when the PSA attacks and brutally destroys the mythical ideologies of the extreme right, there is a likelihood of some of the floating voters moving toward the left on the spectrum. The first party they will meet when moving to the left (from the right) is the NPP sitting in the center. They are more likely to vote for the first (moderate) party they meet and, for that matter, a candidate with the potential to win the election. Therefore, the presence of PSA will help the NPP gain more votes rather than lose any.
The second allegation is a stupid one. Some allege PSA for high jacking the Aragalaya because of the name they have chosen for the alliance. Everyone who contributed to the Galle Face occupation movement and all other protests across the country must be applauded for their efforts. Though the final results may have gone pear-shaped, the achievements of the chain of protest activities were historical, and all those must be saluted. The world Aragalaya became popular and was associated with the Galle Face. Yet, indeed, people’s struggle has been a term synonymous with humans for centuries. Looking at the composition of the PSA, I can’t think of any better name to identify them than a group supporting a people’s struggle.
What should PSA be doing beyond the election?
Let’s be realistic. Comrade Nuwan Bopage is highly unlikely to be announced as the 9th Elected president of Sri Lanka on September 22nd.
Then why contest?
Under the so-called democracy (imposed on us), an election is a significant milestone. It is not only a chance for the masses to exercise their voting rights but also creates a platform for promoting different political ideologies. PSA must use this opportunity to the maximum to take the message of socialism (system change) to the public. The message seems to be getting positive exposure among some negative mudslinging, mainly by a few misled NPP supporters. I urge these supporters of NPP to refrain from attacking the PSA as they are complimentary to your cause. They are also fighting against the corrupt establishment, just like you.
I also urge the PSA to look beyond the election. This people’s struggle (with the correct ideology) must not end on September 21st. We must use the election to mobilize and, more importantly, educate the public about an actual system change.
There are no shortcuts to establishing a noble society that will treat all people as equals. It may not happen during our lifetime. But we must do our bit today. Let’s educate the public beyond the election.
Finally, we salute Comrade Nuwan and all other supporters for their bravery in coming forward and expressing an ideology that some believe yet are too scared to admit in public for fear of losing votes.
