The only way to reflect on the crisis in Fiji now is to think out the contradictions that the 1997 constitution precipitated. It allowed for bribery and corruption. He could have got above 40 seats easily. Chaudhry s approach in the 1999 elections was to bribe two Fijian parties which the new constitution allowed him to do, and which wrong-footed the political parties led by older Indians. Do not underestimate the power of bribery in democratic elections.
Democracy is regulated by wealth.
It sometimes equals and oft-times partner the power of the faiths. The Indians in Fiji are indentured to the sugar industry of Europe and not to the sugar industry of India. They get money by selling sugar to factories and in the European community. They however migrate to Australia and New Zealand as sugar industry labour. In addition, the Indians in Fiji are nearly all Hindus.