How some nations manage upheavals successfully and others go to pieces

The Sri Lankan transition was smoothly managed. Check Bangladesh for contrast. They forced their incumbent into exile, and installed a mostly unelectable govt of non-political people

On the day Sri Lankans vote to elect their new President in a close election, it is useful to remind ourselves of how maturely and calmly they’ve managed the transition after the climactic events just over a couple of years ago. They are choosing from three familiar faces in their mainstream politics, and there is no instability.

Herein lies a very important lesson: Nations and societies will sometimes have upheavals. Many will self-destruct as a result or go into a rinse-repeat cycle of change and instability. Those who survive — and probably also emerge stronger — will