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Research Journal of the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka- Rohana 11, 2019

and English language proficiency were compulsory requirements to join the private
sector. Whereas the high caste Tamil youth possessed such knowledge to a certain

extent, the knowledge of the lower caste youth was extremely poor. Therefore, the

Jaffna Tamil youth felt that they were relatively deprived with respect to the private
sector positions created by the Open Economy. Due to the much-vaunted Open

Economy, a westernized lifestyle and culture were introduced to the cities. These
foreign influences gradually spread among the Sinhalese majority who lived in the

urban areas. Consequently, the urban Sinhalese youth acquired a taste for modern

technology and the western lifestyle. Looking at all this, the Tamil youth realized
they were in a disadvantaged position when compared with the Sinhala youth.

Though western influences mostly had an effect only on the urban Sinhalese youth,
during field visits the researcher realized that most Tamil youth were under the

impression that most of the Sinhala youth were leading westernized lifestyles. They
envied the contemporary Sinhalese youth and believed they received more benefits

than the Tamil youth who were only facing deprivation.

Findings

Relative deprivation and the resulting frustrations have existed among the Tamil

community from the 1970s. When considering the lower caste Tamil youth it could
be noticed that even in the 1970s, all the signs that were characteristic of relative

deprivation as identified by social theorists and political scientists, were manifested

by them. Thus, relative deprivation-based feelings were definitely present among the
lower caste Tamil youth. When considering the situation of these youth in the light

of Walter Runciman’s (1966) observations, it is clear that the lower caste Tamil
youth did not have many of the things that the upper caste Tamils had. Thus, they

felt they were discriminated against in the socio-economic and political sectors vis-
à-vis the upper caste Tamils within the same society. Therefore, it is clear they

suffered egoistic relative deprivation after comparing their individual circumstances

with those of a reference group.

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