ANALYSING THE SRI LANKAN CONFLICT USING MICHAEL MANN’S FOUR-DIMENSIONAL MODEL OF SOCIAL POWER Nilanthie Lanka Butler-de Silva BA (Hons), LLM (Hons), MBA/MAppFin (Dist) Submitted in full requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Division of Research and Commercialisation Queensland University of Technology June 2013 Analysing the Sri Lankan Conflict Using Michael Mann’s Four-Dimensional Model of Social Power KEYWORDS Conflict, Michael Mann, IEMP, Power, Sri Lanka. i Analysing the Sri Lankan Conflict Using Michael Mann’s Four-Dimensional Model of Social Power ABSTRACT This thesis provides an overview of the Sri Lankan internal conflict with a view to identifying some of the factors that contributed to the dispute between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The conflict has been variously explained as an ethnic, political or complex conflict involving a number of factors, such as colonialism, ethnicity, religion, economy, politics and globalisation. While appreciating the varied nature of approaches to the issues and the presence of the number of sociological models that are competing in their appeal, this thesis uses the four-dimensional model of social power offered by Michael Mann to understand the causal relationships to explain the conflict in Sri Lanka. It argues that Mann’s theoretical framework helps to highlight some of the interconnected elements that contributed to the conflict. ii Analysing the Sri Lankan Conflict Using Michael Mann’s Four-Dimensional Model of Social Power TABLE OF CONTENTS Keywords ...................................................................................................................... i Abstract ........................................................................................................................ ii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................iii List of Figures ............................................................................................................. vi List of Tables............................................................................................................... vi List of Abbreviations.................................................................................................. vii Statement of Original Authorship .............................................................................viii Acknowledgements..................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Context ................................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Purpose................................................................................................................ 2 1.4 Significance and Scope ....................................................................................... 3 1.5 Thesis Outline ..................................................................................................... 4 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................. 7 2.1 The Conflict in Brief ........................................................................................... 7 2.2 Examination of the Main Themes..................................................................... 10 2.2.1 An ethnic dispute..................................................................................... 10 2.2.2 Rise of an Ethno-political Conflict.......................................................... 13 2.2.3 Rooted in Economic Factors ................................................................... 19 2.3 Conclusion: In Fact, a Complex Conflict.......................................................... 21 CHAPTER 3 THEORY AND METHODOLOGY .......................................... 24 3.1 Mann and Sri Lanka.......................................................................................... 24 3.2 Mann’s Theory Explained................................................................................. 28 3.2.1 Central issue and theory .......................................................................... 28 3.2.2 Four sources of social power in brief...................................................... 31 3.3 Mann’s Work: A Synthesis of Marx, Weber and Durkheim ............................ 37 3.3.1 Mann and Marx ....................................................................................... 38 3.3.2 Mann and Durkheim................................................................................ 41 3.3.3 Mann and Weber ..................................................................................... 42 3.3.4 Conclusion............................................................................................... 45 3.4 Research Methodology Used: Historical Sociology ......................................... 46 3.4.1 Historical-sociological analysis............................................................... 46 3.4.2 Application of research methodology ..................................................... 49 CHAPTER 4 IDEOLOGICAL POWER .......................................................... 51 4.1 Theoretical Considerations................................................................................ 51 4.1.1 Ideology defined...................................................................................... 51 4.1.2 Mann’s ideological power....................................................................... 54 4.2 Ideological Power Organisation and Sri Lanka ................................................ 57 4.2.1 Buddhism and its transformation as a transcendent power..................... 57 iii Analysing the Sri Lankan Conflict Using Michael Mann’s Four-Dimensional Model of Social Power 4.2.2 Tamil-Sinhala cultural competitiveness and the use of immanent morale...................................................................................................... 59 4.3 Sri Lankan Ideology and its Track-laying Achievements................................. 62 4.3.1 The resolution of the contradictions of imperial rule .............................. 62 4.3.2 The control of literacy ............................................................................. 65 4.3.3 The extension of social identity............................................................... 67 4.3.4 The narrowing of the state-subject divide ............................................... 69 4.3.5 The capacity to supersede existing structures ......................................... 70 4.3.6 The control of core social spheres........................................................... 72 4.3.7 The development of military morale ....................................................... 73 4.3.8 Track laying achievements of ideological power and Sri Lanka ............ 75 4.4 Conclusion......................................................................................................... 76 CHAPTER 5 ECONOMIC POWER................................................................. 80 5.1 Theoretical Considerations................................................................................ 80 5.1.1 Economic power defined......................................................................... 80 5.1.2 Mann’s economic power ......................................................................... 83 5.2 Economic Power in Sri Lanka........................................................................... 87 5.2.1 British colonialism and the introduction of the centralised governance structure (1815-1945)........................................................... 87 5.2.2 Independence and import substitution industrialisation (1945-1977)..... 90 5.2.3 Introduction of economic liberalisation programmes (1977-2009)......... 92 5.2.4 Economic power in Sri Lanka ................................................................. 94 5.3 Class Relations in Sri Lanka ............................................................................. 95 5.3.1 The traditional caste system of Sri Lanka ............................................... 95 5.3.2 Classes, sections and segments ............................................................... 99 5.3.3 Class relations and struggles ................................................................. 100 5.3.3.1 Increased class disparities, working class movement and the Muslim and Sinhalese riots (1880-1920) ..........................101 5.3.3.2 The emergence of class and ethnic consciousness (1920- 1950)........................................................................................103 5.3.3.3 The solidification of ethnic dominance (1950-1977)..............104 5.3.3.4 The consolidation of ethnic nationalisms (1977 onwards)......105 5.3.3.5 Class relations and struggles in Sri Lanka ..............................106 5.4 Conclusion....................................................................................................... 106 CHAPTER 6 MILITARY POWER................................................................. 110 6.1 Theoretical Considerations.............................................................................. 110 6.1.1 Military power defined.........................................................................