Natural Disasters in South Asia: How Governments Maintain Legitimacy in the Wake of Natural Disasters

The article focuses on the effect of natural disasters on the legitimacy of South-Asian governments. The likelihood of a government to face a legitimacy crisis in a post-disaster context depends on the following parameters: 1) the frequency of disasters, 2) the quality of government response to disasters, 3) the type of political regime. This article introduces two case studies of Bangladesh and India in the aftermath of cyclone Aila in 2009. Both governments demonstrated poor preparation, as well as an inadequate immediate and long-term response, which resulted in public criticism, anti-government protests, and anti-president votes. When opposition parties converted the public frustration into broader political mobilization, the trust to the official governments plummeted, causing a crisis of legitimacy. Contrary to popular belief, democracy may not provide the easiest political environment for effective disaster response. The level of state response depends on the political security anxieties, the extent of administrative effectiveness, the corruption level, the role of the military in the disaster response, the socio-economic issues of the people affected, and the political leadership competition during the disaster management process. This study provides a deeper understanding of disaster-induced political and social tensions in Bangladesh and India. As too much of their energy was spent on disaster management, it diminished their ability to control. Political leaders in Bangladesh and India used disasters as opportunities to strengthen patronage and reject political opposition in affected areas.