Democratic dynasties? Internal party democracy in Bangladesh

Abstract

First of all, this paper explores the rationale for internal party democracy, highlighting the ‘school for democracy’ argument. Second, it identifies three crucial processes as determinants for the level of intra-party democracy; a democratic process for the election of leaders, for the formulation of policies and for coalition making. The first is emphasized. Third, the quality of intra-party democracy in Bangladesh is analysed in terms of party leadership selection and the prevalent practice of dynastic rule. The overall finding is that the degree of internal democracy of political parties in Bangladesh is weak, due to the electoral parties’ weak organizations, strong centralization and prevalent informal decision-making processes controlled by a limited number of party elites (dynastic parties). This general result has important implications regarding the prospects of democratizing party politics and consolidating democracy in Bangladesh.

Political Dynasties in Democracies: Causes, Consequences and Remaining Puzzles

“…Others instead investigate the roles played by a country's democratic institutions (e.g. the existence of candidate‐centred electoral systems, or the organisational weakness of parties) and the (de)centralisation of candidate selection processes (Smith, ; Chhibber, ; Amundsen, ; Chandra, ).…”

Women’s Participation in Bangladesh Politics, The Gender Wall and Quotas

“…With the office of Bangladesh Prime Minister rotating between two female heads since 1991, there is perhaps no better time for the country to make comprehensive inroads into improving the legitimacy of women in politics. Although the rise of Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia to Bangladesh’s highest political office was due to their links to political dynasties rather than women’s progress (Amundsen, 2016; Chowdhury, 1994: 100; Chowdhury, 2009: 555–6), their symbolic status as powerful women, and thus as role models, provides scope for reconfiguring women as worthy political figures in the country’s wider societal consciousness. However, the deeply divided political scenario of the ‘battles of the Begums’ (Khan, 2018: 156) has distracted from this potentially positive perspective.…”

Political Leadership Transmission Practices by The Political Parties from 2006: A Study of Democracy in Bangladesh

“…From the study of Amundsen, ( 2016) contains important issues related to the democratization of party politics and the possibility of consolidating democracy in Bangladesh. The enmity among the ruling alignment and the main opponency party, the tendency for violence, the complete disregard of the rule of regulation, the detrimental significant of parliament, the street protests and the growing religious militancy have all been affected (Amundsen, 2016). In Bangladesh, more than a decennium after the nation assign on a second journey towards forming a peaceful republic society, the events of 2004 had growth scrutinize about the future of democracy at nationally and internationally.…”

“…This researcher is making a secondary resources study to find out the gaps/ problems above mentioned political crisis in Bangladesh, especially on democracy for power transmission practices by the political parties. The structural spaces of the nationalist school include the notion of scientific and diversity concerning geography, geographical diseases, rules of practice, and federal programs, positions, and attachmentsnationalist living within external structural space and autonomy (e.g., government and interested organizations), party support, and social roots (Amundsen, 2016). The first research question to be work on this study; How the political parties transforming their leadership?…”