Superiority claims generate conspiracy theories to explain past defeats

Evidence

Associated with the belief that Sri Lanka is a nation exclusively for Sinhalese Buddhists is the notion that the Sinhalese are superior vis-à-vis Tamils and Westerners and that historically both groups have been responsible for repressing the Sinhalese, to the point even of colluding during the colonial period. Such conspiracy theories partly help the nationalists explain how, the superiority of their ethnic group notwithstanding, predominantly Sinhalese Buddhist Sri Lanka was vandalized by South Indian regimes and thereafter colonized for nearly 450 years by European powers. Sri Lanka’s impressive civilization under its ancient kings is thus valorized and Western accomplishments ridiculed. In short, all things Sinhalese are more virtuous and noble than anything promoted elsewhere. — Neil DeVotta, Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalist Ideology, 203

Categorization

• XREF: Directly relevant to manufactured-enemy thesis: the Sinhalese construct Tamil-Western collusion narratives to preserve a threatened superiority belief; connects to the reader’s broader question about threat-hardened convictions and backfire. — connects to: Documented historical injustices make group conspiracy suspicion a rational default — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 172; Conspiracy theories give concrete form to a group’s sensed loss of power — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 58; Political losing raises a group’s propensity for conspiratorial reasoning rather than causing it — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 756 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Conspiracy theories reconcile Sinhalese superiority claims with humiliating historical defeats #exemplifies (0.95) — Neil DeVotta, Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalist Ideology, 203
• Political losing raises a group’s propensity for conspiratorial reasoning rather than causing it #qualifies (0.75) — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 756
• Conspiracy belief functions as a coping mechanism for groups facing loss and marginalization #expands (0.75) — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 146
• Weak suppression evidence reinforces rather than weakens conspiracy belief. #expands (0.70) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 433
• Conspiracist logic makes denial itself confirm the conspiracy #expands (0.70) — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying, 56