King Sasanka – Sri Lankan Writer & Retired Aviation Professional.

When the new regime announced the cancellation of pension payments for parliamentarians, the public reaction was electric.  The majority went "Gaga," seeing it as a righteous strike against a privileged class. It is a populistically brilliant move, cutting costs and punishing an unpopular elite.  However, while the public cheers, few pause to calculate the long-term adverse ramifications. By stripping away financial security from public office, we risk creating a paradox where a move intended to punish elites actually entrenches them, dragging us back toward a feudal structure that modern democracies, and indeed, socialist movements, fought tirelessly to destroy. The Return to Feudalism The most dangerous consequence of abolishing parliamentary benefits is the "gentrification" of politics. In the 19th century, the British Chartist movement demanded payment for Members of Parliament (MPs) not to enrich politicians, but to enable the working class to serve. Be...