Scope of Democratic Dissent in ‘Systemic Change’ in Sri Lanka:Critical Insights from the Culture of the National Uprising of 2022

This paper explores the revivalist political culture inspired by a Democratic Communication Ethos that the people endorsed through the Sri Lankan National Uprising of 2022. Witnessing the actions of a passionate people across social classes, it was evident that extremely right wing Neo-liberal as well as Marxist inspired communication methods used by the political establishment and the anti-establishment are no longer appealing to an aggrieved people who need constructive solutions to their real life problems. For instance, Pacifist values appealed to protestors even when the government of President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had violated the Public Trust in line with his Manifesto, undermining credibility of democratic governance. Such a violation meant that the regime was indifferent to the growing socio-economic woes of the people, undermining the livelihoods of key segments of the economy like teachers, fishermen, farmers and even senior citizens, who were impoverished overnight with bankruptcy of the economy. This study examines the scope for a transformative dialogue leading to a New Social Contract as the pathway to restore the socio-political fabric of Sri Lanka, with a resilient, just, and equitable social order for the future.