Winnability of Barisan Nasional: Un-Schumpeterian Democracy and Political Markets Distortions in Malaysia

Abstract

Barisan Nasional and its predecessor Perikatan have won all Federal Elections and most of the state elections since the Independence of Malaya and the formation of Malaysia. Why is this so? In this paper I conceptualize possible reasons why BN won by trying to create a rough voting behavior model. This rough, simple and perhaps simplistic model contains two parts: the first has the voter as its central element; the second part takes a more macro view. In the context of these 2 models, I suggest that BN’s winnability is due to its ability to control or influence the macro or institutional factors to give it an edge over the opposition parties.