By Shawn Fernando –

These are unprecedented times in Sri Lankan Political history. A hopeful, and idealistic left wing party has captured not only the presidency, but a solid two-thirds majority in parliament. For the first time, Sri Lanka will get to see what a left wing party does with the power to completely remake the political landscape.

But one does not have to speculate as to what the policy direction of the country will be. The NPP presidential manifesto is publicly available. Over the course of over 130 pages, it lays out in detail what the legislative priorities of this administration are. I took the liberty of reading this document, and as an American-born leftist, I am deeply impressed.

The manifesto represents a wide ranging and ambitious set of policy goals. The successful implementation of those goals would result in large scale transformations of life in Sri Lanka. From political culture, to economic strategy, to diplomacy, to agriculture and transportation, this plan has prescriptions for issues large and small.

During both recent elections, criticism of NPP policy tended to be quite surface level, continually asking the same “gotcha” questions like, “Will the NPP continue with the IMF plan or not?” It is a refreshing change of pace to read a document that answers those questions (and many more) with the nuance they deserve.

Given that many will not take the time to read through this document or the other associated policy papers which are available on the NPP website, I would like to take a moment to distill my impression of these documents. Furthermore, I would like to explain why these policy positions have the potential to transform Sri Lanka and fundamentally alter its position in the world.

First, I believe that these documents reflect an understanding of the true economic bind that Sri Lanka faces. They diagnose the problem correctly. Corrupt decision makers have squandered foreign loan money on boondoggle investments and wasteful vanity programs. As a result, Sri Lanka is spending huge amounts to service debt on unproductive investments. This, coupled with a reliance on foreign goods, means that Sri Lanka spends far more than it earns.

Second, I believe these documents reflect a realistic set of policy proposals to reverse this trend. They outline the proper treatments. These include stringent anti-corruption measures, enhanced social protections for those most vulnerable to economic shocks, and revitalization of key sectors of the economy through targeted investment. These policies, taken together, are a comprehensive plan to enhance Sri Lanka’s earning potential while avoiding the most painful effects of austerity.

Third, and most importantly, I believe these documents reflect the philosophy that is necessary for a paradigm shifting government. They understand what a healthy society should look like, not only on a material level, but on a socio-political one. This, for me, is the most impressive aspect of the NPP.

The previous paradigm for Sri Lanka, much like other countries in the so-called “developing world” was laid out implicitly in the language of development. There is a “developed” western world, to which countries like Sri Lanka must aspire. Any future that can be envisioned must, by the internal logic of development, tend towards the present state of the west. It must be a future with widening roads, and widening inequality. It must be a future where Sri Lankans burn more fossil fuels and embrace the privatization of public services.

One can see this paradigm at work in the massive, wasteful, white elephant projects of the previous regime. From the Lotus tower, to Mattala airport, to fossil fuel based power plants, previous governments in Sri Lanka prioritized the appearance of westernization over any coherent strategy.   

But this is, quite simply, a trap. Any country that embraces this model of development uncritically is doomed to eventually suffer the same credit crises faced by Sri Lanka. Indeed, it is this haphazard approach to development that led to the current economic moment. Sri Lanka is not only a debtor nation, but a nation that must spend 25% of its imports on fuel to keep operating. By comparison, fertilizers account for 1.4% of imports, and pharmaceuticals only 3.4%.

A country cannot free itself from reliance on the west by becoming addicted to the trappings of the west. Freedom can only come by recognizing value within your own borders and investing wisely to grow that value. This is the simple truth that the NPP has exhaustively outlined in its plan.

Now that this plan has been outlined and the power to implement it has been given to the NPP, there remains a deep political challenge yet to be faced. The Sri Lankan public, both at home and abroad, must understand and accept the future that has been laid out before the country.

It is not a future of ubiquitous luxury cars, or of conspicuous wealth from shady connections. It is not a future where the few continue to thrive while the many suffer. It is instead a future of reliable public transport, bike lanes, and middle class freedom. It is a green future, where children of all backgrounds from all parts of the country can get a proper education and proper healthcare. It is a future of steady growth based on broad-based human flourishing.

It is a future I, for one, look forward to seeing in the months and years ahead.