Abstract:
The study examined the polity and political dynamics in contemporary Sri Lanka by focussing on
the historical evolution of the political dynamic. The polity is referred to as a politically organized
unit. Politics are the activities associated with the governance of a politically organized unit. It
deals with decision-making in a group or other forms of power relations. Since human beings
decided to form a politically organized unit (state), the establishment of political institutions has
occurred. Subsequently, due to the function of the political institutions, political actions, peoples‟
behaviors caused to determine the politics. Historical evidence shows the polity and politics of a
country could dynamic according to the constitutional, political, economic, and socio-cultural
factors. The problem of this study is that what are the significant dynamics that can be identified
in contemporary Sri Lankan polity?. And what are the factors that affected political dynamics?
The study is utilized the qualitative method. The data has been collected from secondary sources,
and the content analysis method is used for the analysis. The study found that the political
dynamics have occurred since the establishment of a state in the country. Moreover, the existing
political system has been formulated by constitutional, political, and socio-economic reforms
introduced by the British and post-independent governments. The escalation of political violence,
consolidation of ethnic-nationalism, the rise of democratic authoritarianism, escalation of cyber
politics, the collapse of the traditionally dominant political parties, and rice of new power
coalitions have been identified as the political dynamics in contemporary Sri Lankan polity. It also
found that the country‟s recent political dynamics have primarily been determined by the
constitution introduced by 1978. Apart from that, ethnic unrest, nepotism, fragile political
institutions, and lack of economic development have been instrumental for the political dynamics
in contemporary Sri Lanka.
