Declining Sri Lanka

DETAILS : 

• Author : Rajiva Wijesinha
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cambridge University Press India Private Limited
  
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ 29 June 2007
  
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
  
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 8175965320
  
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-8175965324
  
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 550 g

ABOUT THE BOOK

Declining Sri Lanka, written by the astute academic and politician Rajiva Wijesinha, is a searing analysis of the political, social, and structural decay of a nation that once held immense promise. Wijesinha traces the trajectory of Sri Lanka’s post-independence history, arguing that the country’s decline was not the result of a single event, but a steady erosion caused by narrow communalism, the centralization of power, and a failure of leadership across the political spectrum.

The book is particularly critical of the way the "Executive Presidency" has undermined democratic institutions and fostered a culture of impunity. Wijesinha, drawing from his unique vantage point as a former Member of Parliament and a witness to various peace processes, examines the missed opportunities for ethnic reconciliation following the end of the civil war in 2009. He explores how educational decline, economic mismanagement, and an increasingly polarized foreign policy have left the island nation vulnerable. It is a sobering, intellectual autopsy of a state struggling to find its identity amidst systemic corruption and the ghosts of its past.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rajiva Wijesinha is a distinguished Sri Lankan academic, writer, and former politician. Educated at University College, Oxford, he has served as a Professor of Languages and was the former Secretary-General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP). Known for his sharp wit and fearless commentary, Wijesinha has authored numerous books spanning political analysis, history, and fiction. He is widely respected for his commitment to liberal values and human rights, often serving as a critical voice within the Sri Lankan establishment, urging for constitutional reform and genuine national integration.