Abstract:
By this study an attempt is made to examine analytical''/ a
certain aspect of the relationship persisted between the
establishment and maintenance of the state hegemony and the
deterioration of the Sinha1ese-Tami1 ethnic relations in the
first two phases of political development 19^8-1956 and 1956-1965
of the country since independence.
Specific attention is paid to identify the basic
-characteristics of the post independent Sri Lankan state by
using the concepts developed by Antonio Gramsci as a theoretical
tool in the first phase of this study. -The legacy of the .British
colonial administration in the formation and moulding of the
basic characteristics of political society and civil society of
the state is examined in this context.
At the second stage, the attention is paid to unravel the
political background prevailed in connection with the competition
persisted between the United National Party and the Marxist
parties for the political hegemony in the first phase, and mainly
be tween tfie Sri Lanka Freedom 3arty and the UNP in the second
phase, examining specifically enactments of the Citizenship Acts
of 1948 and 1949 and the Sinhala Only Official Language Act of
1956. The instrumentality and effectiveness of these legislation
on the establishment and maintenance of the state hegemony is
thus emphasized.
* ' :v , . • .
At the third stage, by examining the above factors it is
envisaged that the impact of the Citizenship Acts and the
Official Language Act in fairly instrumental in the deterioration
of the Sinhalese-Tamil ethnic relations which eventually has
paved the way for the current ethnic crisis of the country.
Thus, the study eventually concludes that there was a close
relationship between the establishment and maintenance of the
state hegemony and the deterioration of the Sinhaleae-TamiT
ethnic relations of the country in the period under review.
