The liberal market's 'big bang' impacting the social whole

Senior Sociologist, Professor Tennyson Perera in an interview with the Sunday Observer noted the sudden exposure to a free market economy that has led to social degeneration. "However, India and Japan were more cautious," he added.

by Afreeha Jawad

Socialising agents such as the family, school, and work place intended to bring about a more organised society are cracking up. Many of today's parents teachers and the clergy regretfully have lost ground in being the role models their predecessors were. The value base that was in these socialising agents have transformed more into a skills orientation.

Parental attention is mainly on the 4As, that infamous, magic number, supposedly, a reflection of genius while, schools run to curriculum heavily streamlined and focused into valueless mechanical learning. Places of worship accentuate rituals devoid of the sublime and noble aspects of its respective teachings while workplaces are filled with competition, 'cut throatism' and self seeking personnel.

We sit and bemoan of heartless medical men, fleecing teachers and 'religious men' demanding payment and even instructing laymen of their type of menu for whatever religious function they may carry out not to forget one's workplace where more often than not top connections decide on unworthy promotions.

Stemming from all this is greater social frustration and if nothing is done about it to rectify the decline, social collapse is inevitable. Not surprising then Sri Lanka - a failed State. How we come into such low levels of existence and what holds out for a better tomorrow was the forte of Jayawardenepura University's Senior Sociologist Professor Tennyson Perera when the Sunday Observer interviewed him recently.

Tracing the causes of social disintegration and degeneration, Professor Perera cited the sudden onset of the '77 market economy as the key initiator of whatever came by way of lost values.

India and Japan, he quoted among other countries were slow in such novel economic absorption. As a result their ancient traditions and value systems remained intact unlike here. "The Japanese are a well mannered people, very respectful of fellow humans and they were able to retain all those positive traits due to the not so rapid exposure to their newly embraced economy."

Japan and India are geographical giants. Under such condition it brought to writer mind of the seemingly impossible task as well of a quick spread in economic innovation.

Then Sri Lanka's physical limitations understandably gives added impetus to the rapid enveloping in the shortest possible time of any externality let alone the free market economy.

As money became the axis around which life revolved coupled with the sudden availability of unrestricted opportunities for money making, the new entrants into affluence saw nothing beyond coins and notes which ran contrary to upholding the traditional value system.

It reminded the writer of the second stage after a lapse of nearly 50 years of a rising middle class - Gamperaliya being the first around which Martin Wickramasinghe wrote this novel. However, what facilitated free market intensity into loss of values was the very powerful media tool which was not around when the first middle class emerged following independence.

Professor Perera quoting Emile Durkheim - the famous French Sociologist pointed out the dangers of a sudden change from traditional, custom bound society into a legally binding, rational, modern one. Anomie or the loss of norms was inevitable.

Crime rampant

"We have evolved into a crime based society. In 1987 we even were rated third in suicide when 8,000 people took their lives. Though there is economic advancement at what cost have we arrived there because morally and culturally we have deteriorated so much," he added.

Describing the forces of modernisation Professor Perera referred to political modernisation that brought in England's democratic institutions and political parties leading to wider participation of people in political affairs, media and transport modernisation that reduced the rural/urban dichotomy accompanied by frequent movement of people from one area to another, the drastic changes in values and attitudes, not to forget the educational institutions that changed the entire social structure from a caste based one to class.

To top it all, privatisation of education has brought in the tutories, technical colleges and international schools bringing out a totally different output - all devoid of values.

The introduction of laws has not helped control crime as many law enforcing officers themselves have connections with the 'top'. Bribery and corruption also are rampant following law's ineffectiveness. Also there's no reading habit for exposure to the world outside. History and literature were dumped - the very disciplines that moulded character.

Record straightening

However, Professor Perera unfailingly referred to the private banks where smooth flow of work is seen following the strong legal and administrative binding in force in such enclaves. Contrary to this are the state organisations where work is disorderly, ineffective and the quest for 'overtime' is rampant.

The coin's other side being poor pay. Nevertheless even with enhanced remuneration there is doubt of a reversal in t he existing status quo as these public servants' attitudinal change for the better is remote.

"How then do we bring about a record straightening," I asked Professor Perera, "What with the non-availability of moral and A-political human capital."

For instance the mason undertaking some contract work halts it quarter way undertaking some other task, the officer in charge of public duty lacks accountability, some other office deposit puts off work eagerly expecting oiling the palm, the school teacher that neglects teaching encourages children into his/her private tutory, the specialist that finds no time to attend to ward patients aims at seeing them in the channel service - makes no difference anyway because the patient is commodified. Priests, that pray for money and those that order 'desired menus' preceding alms giving's, war propagating intellectuals running to personal agenda are among the far too many social deviants that need reformation.

However, ironically only juvenile delinquency, murder, robbery looting and drug possessing are taken as deviant behaviour.

Professor Perera as a way out sees the role of the country's remaining intellectuals as role models for social betterment.

They need not necessarily be those with doctorates but should be independent of politics," he informed.

His main bug bear was the silence of the remaining few that uphold morality - certainly most detrimental to the collapsing social whole.

The significance of Professor Perera's timely warning is not to be overlooked. However, the laws that defend and protect elitists need rectification. Legal impositions towards protecting the social/econ/cultural rights of all citizens is important.

Introduction of laws and its effective implementation to bring to book the elite class - business, political, religious and bureaucratic elite that deny ordinary people's rights by way of bribery, corruption and unfair demands needs urgent attention in the interest of national development.

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