The Catalyst behind Sri Lanka Downfall Overdependence and the Failure of Protectionism
Main Article Content
Abstract
Sri Lanka shocked the world with a downfall due to an economic crisis. Among the states that had to mitigate the pandemic, Sri Lanka appears to struggle with the situation and as a result of this event, Sri Lanka is in a position of overdue debt with a total of 51 billion USD worth of debt. The inflation was created by economic shortage activity with imbalanced trade records leads to the overthrown of Sri Lanka’s president and as the result produced a vacuum of power. This paper will use of dependency theory to describe the cause of Sri Lanka’s collapse by examining several factors such as civil war, pandemic, oil price rise, and recent terrorist attack.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
References
Abeyratne, S. (2004) "Economic Roots of Political Conflict: The Case of Sri Lanka", The World Economy, 27(8), pp. 1295-1331.
Amadeo, K. (2022) What Is Trade Protectionism? (online). Available at: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/what-is-trade-protectionism-3305896 (Accessed: 2022, September 2).
Amaratunga, N. A. (2022) Export-led economy or import substitution? (online). Available at: https://island.lk/export-led-economy-or-import-substitution/ (Accessed: 2022, September 8).
Anandakugan, N. (2020) The Sri Lankan Civil War and Its History, Revisited in 2020. (online). Available at: hir.harvard.edu: https://hir.harvard.edu/sri-lankan-civil-war/ (Accessed: 2022, September 7).
Arasaratnam, S., & Peiris, G. H. (2022) Sri Lanka. (online). Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/Sri-Lanka (Accessed: 2022, September 7).
Athurkola, P.-C., Ginting, E., Hill, H., & Kumar, U. (2017) The Sri Lankan Economy: Charting a new Course. Manila: Asian Development Bank.
Attanayake, C. (2022) Years of policy failure and COVID throw Sri Lanka into deep crisis. (online). Available at: https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2022/04/24/years-of-policy-failure-and-covid-throw-sri-lanka-into-deep-crisis/ (Accessed: 2022, August 23).
Balkhair, A. A. (2020) "COVID-19 Pandemic: A New Chapter in the History of Infectious Diseases", Oman Medical Journal, 35(2), pp. 123-124.
BBC. (2019) Sri Lanka attacks: The beach paradise that wants its tourists back. (online). Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49674681 (Accessed: 2022, September 8).
BBC. (2020) Sri Lanka attacks: Easter Sunday bombings marked one year on. (online). Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-52357200 (Accessed: 2022, September 8).
Beillard, M. J. (2022) Grain and Feed Annual - 2022. New Delhi: USDA.
Bhardwaj, N. (2022) How Does the Crisis in Sri Lanka Impact India? (online). Available at: : https://www.india-briefing.com/news/how-does-the-crisis-in-sri-lanka-impact-india-24786.html/ (Accessed: 2022, September 14).
Bhowmick, S. (2022) Understanding the Economic Issues in Sri Lanka’s Current Debacle. Observer Research Foundation Occasional Paper (357 ), pp. 1-36.
Bradsheir, K., & Garcia, S. E. (2019) Local Group Is Blamed for Attacks, but Sri Lanka Suspects ‘International Network’. (online). Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/22/world/asia/national-thowheed-jamaath.html (Accessed: 2022, September 10).
Center for Preventive Action. (2022) Conflict in Ukraine. (online). Available at: Global Conflict Tracker: https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-ukraine (Accessed: 2022, September 12).
Chakraborty, S. (2022) Exporters fear payments getting stuck as Sri Lankan crisis intensifies. (online). Available at: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/economy/exporters-fear-payments-getting-stuck-as-sri-lankan-crisis-intensifies-8335221.html (Accessed: 2022, September 12).
CIA.gov. (2022) Sri Lanka. (online). Available at: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/sri-lanka/#people-and-society (Accessed: 2022, August 30).
Congressional Research Service. (2022) Russia’s 2022 War Against Ukraine: Global Economic Effects. Washington D.C.: Congressional Research Service.
Creswell, J. W. (2013) Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches(3rdedition). California: Sage Publications.
Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka. (2020) www.census.gov.lk. (online). Available at: http://www.statistics.gov.lk/NationalAccounts/StaticalInformation/Reports/ts_annual_current (Accessed: 2022, August 18).
Dos Santos, T. (1971) The Structure of Dependence. Boston: Extending Horizons.
Economy Next. (2020) Coronavirus hits South Asia travel as Sri Lanka halts pilgrimages to India. (online). Available at: https://economynext.com/coronavirus-hits-south-asia-travel-as-sri-lanka-halts-pilgrimages-to-india-57138/ (Accessed: 2022, September 8).
Ekelund, R. B., & Tollison, R. D. (1981) Mercantilism as a Rent-Seeking Society: Economic Regulation in Historical Perspective. Texas: A&M University Press.
Ferraro, V. (2008) Dependency Theory: An Introduction. In G. Secondi, The Development Economics Reader (pp. 58-64). London: Routledge.
Frank, G. (1967) Capitalism and Underdevelopment in Latin America. New York: Monthly Review Press.
Friedrichs, R. (1970) A Sociology of Sociology. New York: Free Press.
Fukuyama, F. (1992) The End of History and the Last Man. London: Penguin Books.
Hennayake, N. M. (2019) "The Postcolonial State, Power Politics and Indigenous Development as a Discourse of Power in Sri Lanka", Sri Lanka Journal of Sociology, 1, pp. 17-44.
Hoshkins, P. (2022) Sri Lanka defaults on debt for first time in its history. (online). Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61505842 (Accessed: 2022, September 5).
ILO. (2020) 81 million jobs lost as COVID-19 creates turmoil in Asia-Pacific labour markets. (online). Available at: https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_763819/lang--en/index.htm (Accessed: 2022, August 8).
Irwin, D. A. (2020) Import substitution is making an unwelcome comeback. (online). Available at: https://www.piie.com/blogs/trade-and-investment-policy-watch/import-substitution-making-unwelcome-comeback (Accessed: 2022, September 5).
Kolaczkowski, M. (2022) How does the war in Ukraine affect oil prices? (online). Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/how-does-the-war-in-ukraine-affect-oil-prices/ (Accessed: 2022, September 12).
Kose, M. A., Sugawara, N., & Terrones, M. E. (2020) Global Recessions. Washington D.C.: World Bank Group Research Support Team.
Kuroda, H. (2020) COVID-19 and the Global Economy: Impact and Challenges -- From Asia's Perspective --. Tokyo: Bank of Japan.
Lewis, O. (2022). Experts Say Sri Lanka’s Debt Crisis is a Global Humanitarian and Political Issue. (online). Available at: https://www.directrelief.org/2022/09/experts-say-sri-lankas-debt-crisis-is-a-global-humanitarian-and-political-issue/ (Accessed: 2022, September 6).
Lo, J. (2022). Sri Lanka can’t afford fossil fuels but can’t afford to get off them either. (online). Available at: https://www.climatechangenews.com/2022/07/28/sri-lanka-cant-afford-fossil-fuels-but-cant-afford-to-get-off-them-either/ (Accessed: 2022, September 10).
Lotha, G. (2022). Mercantilism. (online). Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/mercantilism (Accessed: 2022, August 22).
Meiring, R. M., Gusso, S., McCullough, E., & Bradnam, L. (2021) "The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic Movement Restrictions on Self-Reported Physical Activity and Health in New Zealand: A Cross-Sectional Survey", International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(1719), pp. 1-11.
Merriamwebster.com. (2020) Feudalism. (online). Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feudalism (Accessed: 2022, August 27).
Miswood.eu. (2022) Sri Lanka, the tear of India. (online). Available at: https://misswood.eu/en/blogs/miss-wood-blog/sri-lanka-la-lagrima-de-la-india (Accessed: 2022, August 7).
Munro, A. (2022) Dependency Theory. (online). Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/dependency-theory (Accessed: 2022, August 10).
Namkoong, Y. (1999) "Dependency Theory: Concepts, Classifications, and Criticisms", International Area Review, 2(1), pp. 121-150.
Nationsencylopedia.com. (2022) Sri Lanka - Overview of economy. (online). Available at: https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Sri-Lanka-OVERVIEW-OF-ECONOMY.html (Accessed: 2022, August 5).
NATO. (2022) Collective defence - Article 5. (online). Available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_110496.htm (Accessed: 2022, August 5).
Ondaatjie, A. (2022) Sri Lanka Inflation Rises to 60.8% as Dollar Crunch Persists. (online). Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-29/sri-lanka-inflation-climbs-to-60-8-as-dollar-crunch-persists?leadSource=uverify%20wal (Accessed: 2022, September 10).
Onuf, N. (2017) "Center-Periphery Relations: What Kind of Rule, and Does It Matter?", All Azimuth, 6(1), pp. 5-16.
Peláez, C. (2008) Globalization and the State: Volume II: Trade Agreements, Inequality, the Environment, Financial Globalization, International Law and Vulnerabilities. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.
Prebisch, R. (1949) The Economic Development of Latin America and its Principal Problem. New York: United Nations.
Press Trust of India. (2022) Sri Lanka Economic Crisis: Lucrative Tourism Industry Bears Major Brunt. (online). Available at: https://www.outlookindia.com/business/sri-lanka-economic-crisis-lucrative-tourism-industry-bears-major-brunt-news-209455 (Accessed: 2022, September 8).
Rotberg, R. I. (1999) Creating Peace in Sri Lanka: Civil War and Reconciliation (World Peace Foundation Study) . Washington D.C.: Brookings Institute Press.
Statista. (2022) Leading tea exporting countries worldwide in 2021. (online). Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/264189/main-export-countries-for-tea-worldwide/ (Accessed: 2022, September 10).
Thomson, H., & Hechter, M. (2022) The Rising Influence of Economic Nationalism. (online). Available at: https://www.discoursemagazine.com/politics/2022/05/06/the-rising-influence-of-economic-nationalism/ (Accessed: 2022, August 9).
Trading Economics. (2022) Sri Lanka Exports of articles of apparel, knit or crocheted to United States. (online). Available at: https://tradingeconomics.com/sri-lanka/exports/united-states/articles-apparel-accessories-knit-crocheted (Accessed: 2022, September 13).
Tradingeconomics. (2022) Sri Lankan Rupee. (online). Available at: Tradingeconomics.com: https://tradingeconomics.com/sri-lanka/currency (Accessed: 2022, September 6).
UN Social Protection Working Group. (2020) Tackling the COVID-19 economic crisis in Sri Lanka: Providing universal, lifecycle social protection transfers to protect lives and bolster economic recovery. Colombo: UNICEF.
USDA. (2021) Sri Lanka Updates Foreign-Origin Wheat Import Requirements. Colombo: USDA.
Vitharana, S., Kandegama, & W., W. W. (2020) Do Oil and Gas Sector Economic Policies Influence Economic Growth in Sri Lanka? From Innovation To Impact 2020 - FIFT 2020 (pp. 1-5). Colombo: IEEE.
Williams, D. P. (2008) Security Studies An Introduction. New York: Routledge.
WorldBank. (2022) International Debt Statistics. (online). Available at: https://datatopics.worldbank.org/debt/ids/country/LKA (Accessed: 2022, September 8).
WorldData.info. (2022) Inflation rates in Sri Lanka. (online). Available at: https://www.worlddata.info/asia/sri-lanka/inflation-rates.php#:~:text=The%20inflation%20rate%20for%20consumer,rate%20was%208.3%25%20per%20year (Accessed: 2022, September 7).
Wu, Y.-C., Chen, C.-S., & Chan, Y.-J. (2020) "The outbreak of COVID-19: an Overview",Journal of the Chinese Medical Association, 83(3), pp. 217 - 220.