"A whole army, though they can neither write nor read, are not afraid of a platform, which they know is but earth or stone; nor of cannon, which, without a hand to give fire to it, is but cold iron; therefor a whole army is afraid of one man."
-James Harrington, an English political theorist
-James Harrington, an English political theorist
Political Breach and Disbelief
After many failed attempts to create a constitution, the political leaders of East Pakistan deeply started to believe that West Pakistan had been restricting East Pakistan from completely taking part in the political and economic life of Pakistan. As West Pakistan started advertising national symbols and national development as an act of progress, the East Pakistani elite felt that this was West Pakistan's own glorification.
Pakistan Military: An Ally in Politics
"The military tended to ally itself politically with the western wing and also had unquestioned confidence in its already proven ability to control any form of political resistance by the temperamental Bengalis. What were perceived as fundamental and rightful claims by one side were seen as threats to core values and rights by the other." (Sisson and Rose 1990).
The Army Takes Over Pakistan
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Based on the numbers on the table above, it is clear that political leaders and parties became generally influenceable to provincial sentiments and groups. The political leaders and parties had support from provincial sentiments and groups and they yet had to appeal in elections. The 1956 constitution ordered the preferences of West Pakistani groups over the East Pakistan groups.
Pakistan National Election December 7,1970Elections were postponed due to natural catastrophe in the east. The elections involved two independent campaigns; one in the east, one in the west, and the most two successful candidates in the election dedicated their energy to a wing of the country. The results of the election changed the structure of political leadership in the country and created circumstances for major figures in politics. In East Pakistan the Awami League led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman won and in West Pakistan the Pakistan People's Party and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came out successful. Due to the fact that East Pakistan won by a landslide, they gained constitutional rights to form a government. However Zulfikar Ali Bhutto refused to allow Rahman to become prime minister of East Pakistan.
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