Dilemma of power inside our Parliament

Most of the current MPs are new and innocent as at now. But temptation, among many other things is higher for tangible financial benefits

Some people are born with charisma, like AKD. Charisma is natural and a camouflage charisma is only temporary. The inner self of themselves will get exposed sooner or later. Such people suffer from a split personality. People admire AKD because of his personal traits. He is what he was 20 years ago. This attracts people towards him. All these years, his sincere intent was overpowered by these unscrupulous politicians who painted him as a terror personality and linking terror and JVP as two sides of the same coin

Power is all about having influence over the environment and the people around you. It refers to the degree of control you possess over things, processes and actions of people around you. Your ability to lead depends on the nature and quantum of power you have over the people. If the people perceive you as a good leader then you will have a large number of followers and this number will increase steadily depending on the actions you take and the results that are produced out of your actions. 

There are various sources of power. In a traditional approach to sources of power, French and Raven identify five or six sources of power such as legitimate, knowledge (expert), coercive, reward, and referent (charisma). 

Legitimate power

Legitimate power refers to the authority that a person is bestowed upon because of his appointment to a position in an institution. For instance if you are appointed as the Chairman of Bank of Ceylon, then you receive quite a significant amount of authority to make strategic as well as operational decisions. BOC being a prominent Government institution, the Chairman is appointed by the President. The President himself has the legitimate power to rule the country since he is appointed by the highest source of power namely the Sovereign. This Sovereign appointment carried a single large majority in favour of AKD. Sovereign is the highest exercise of political power. It is supreme and ultimate authority that cannot be overruled by a higher power. All political power is vested in and derived from the people. Our President Anura Kumara Dissanayake hence has a very clear mandate for the legitimate right of authority to rule the country. 

Prior to the appointment of AKD as the President, there was a Presidential appointment which caused a controversy since the appointment was not by the sovereign. Though the appointment was technically and legally correct, it was not endorsed by the people, the sovereign. Hence it lacked people’s support. People’s resentment was expressed very clearly in the subsequent Presidential election when the said ex-President was defeated by AKD. 

This political authority (legitimate authority) also suffers its worth due to “cross carpeting” by many members of our Parliament. They come to the Parliament with people support for a given political party but subsequently join another party by a crossover and the people who supported left in the lurch. 

They are attracted for a crossover due to financial considerations and or for a ministerial post. This we saw happening at SJB when two of its prominent members joining the Government party and were made senior ministers. They crossed over while retaining their membership with SJB. The SJB had to go to Courts to get them expelled. Subsequent to the defeat of their party, reliable sources indicate that one of them is now in a foreign country. The other gentleman is in a state of confusion not knowing what is happening to him. He must be wondering whether he is seated by the rivers of Babylon not wanting to hear the drum of Fernando (ABBA). This guy is however is fun loving and I like him as a person. 

 

Charisma

Another form of power is based on the charisma of the person. French and Raven call it the Referent Power. Here the individual has the power or ability to attract others and build loyalty. It is based on the charisma and interpersonal skills. Some people are born with charisma, like AKD. Charisma is natural and a camouflage charisma is only temporary. The inner self of themselves will get exposed sooner or later. Such people suffer from a split personality. People admire AKD because of his personal traits. He is what he was 20 years ago. This attracts people towards him. All these years, his sincere intent was overpowered by these unscrupulous politicians who painted him as a terror personality and linking terror and JVP as two sides of the same coin. 

Normally people tend to believe terror stories especially when it is connected with JVP uprising in 1971 and then again in the late 1980s. They never allowed the new JVP policy and philosophy to re-emerge. Hence people maintained their status quo regarding their impressions about the JVP. And the rulers were riding on their wheels taking for granted the evil status created by them about the JVP will always remain permanent in the minds of the population. They were successful too in reducing and minimising the political influence of the JVP. But all crimes got exposed especially when the bourgeois start taking the population also for granted like what they did with the JVP. All other parties other than the JVP were inclined towards the bourgeois attitude. That’s their choice anyway. The mistake they made particularly from 2009 onwards was in terms of financial corruption and depleted governance. This was the starting point when the people felt that they are taken for a ride.

Moreover when the country was officially declared bankrupt and the untold misery the population underwent in terms of acute shortages of basic foods coupled with hyperinflation, they were pushed to the wall. When they turned back they saw the JVP as the saviour! The voluntary Aragalaya movement put the foundation for a revolution that climaxed for the then President to flee the country! But yet the bourgeois were holding on to the Government. The people were powerless except living on the hope for an election. 

The charismatic leader in the form of AKD was like a tsunami which attracted a sea of people affiliations towards the newly formed NPP. In essence my point of emphasis is that this Power of Charisma is more powerful than the other sources of power classified by French and Raven. AKD’s ability to build interpersonal relationship is remarkable. His sincerity and his preferences impressed almost the entire population as subscribed and confirmed by the results of the General Election in the latter part of 2024.

Referent power

The level of referent power is further enhanced in a person thru his conviction and commitment towards patriotism and nationalism. Needless to say that AKD and his team consider these two as the pillars of their party philosophy. This attracted not only all the likeminded people but almost all the mass population in its entirety. 

Expert power 

The third source of power identified by French and Raven is the Expert power. Expert power is derived through attaining broad and deep levels of knowledge, skills and experience in a particular field or area of study. This acquired source will make you an authority on the subject matter. People will look forward for expert advice and direction from this person. 

Expertise is an intellectual property of the expert. Hence it is a sacred asset for him or her. It should not be exploited for personal benefit if that expert is working for a person or an organisation. Very often some expert professionals suffer from a deep sense of “divided loyalty”. For instance, the organisation may want the finance director to manipulate the final accounts to hide certain facts and assumptions used in the preparation of the final accounts and the finance director may not want to do this since the company is a listed company at the stock exchange. He is in a difficult situation fighting between his loyalty towards his organisation versus the Institute, say the institute of chartered accountants. 

Divided loyalty is a dilemma for professionals working with the Government and the public sector institutions. There are numerous confrontations between the Ministers (not excluding a few Presidents) and the experts (say the ministry secretaries and chairmen of organisations appointed by the political heads). In the past we have seen how the ministers try to exert undue influence to revert the opinions and views of the experts. Very often the expert surrenders (fearing losing their position or even demotions and transfers). It’s so sad! We have seen this interference by the politicos happening in many fields like for instance imports of medical related items or even a decision in favour of cremation over a burial.  

AKD and his senior team are fully aware of all these manipulations and corrupt practices. They must take a strict stand on this and prevent their own ministers and MPs falling into this trap. Stringent disciplinary actions must be pre-warned now than later. The members must attend given orientation programs that inculcate ethics and morality. The expert must be fully committed to highest levels of ethical standards and the politician must learn not to force the expert with undue influence. In the past we have seen a few Presidents too have influenced the experts to take a reverse decision against their conscience. AKD has a serious responsibility in this regard. In addition to the Policy of Pirisudu Lanka, he must also ensure a Pirisudu Parliament. I must place on record that most of the current MPs are new and innocent as at now. But temptation, among many other things is higher for tangible financial benefits. “Beware”! 

Reward power

French and Raven identifies Reward Power as one which gives the boss the liberty to reward his juniors for their effort in work. A good remuneration package coupled with other benefits will motivate the juniors to perform. The reward is considered as an effective motivational tool especially when it comes to promotions and other career progression programs. Rewards in terms of incentive payments, overseas trips, medical and other fringe benefits including provision of meals are all considered necessary and the boss has the power to decide on these motivational factors. 

In the case of our Parliament members, these privileges have come under criticism from the general public. However I am of the opinion that all members must be entitled to a vehicle, which vehicle must be allowed for their personal use as well. The previous Governments took this necessity as a prestige want and provided super luxury vehicles to the Ministers coupled with generous allowances associated with their travels. AKD is very mindful of this extravagant facility but saying “no” for vehicle for the MPs may have a dent on their social standing of being a member of parliament. Many other rewards such as unlimited fuel, posh canteen meals, paying all forms of utility bills, allowances applicable during official foreign travels, etc. etc. need a critical evaluation.  

French and Raven were writing in the 1950s. This classification remains relevant even today and provides a superb analytical tool for a critical evaluation of sources of power and its relationship with emerging leadership styles.

(The writer is a former Deputy Director General of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka.)