In South Asian politics, dynastic rule has been widely discussed but not cronyism. The rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its current dominance in Indian politics has drawn renewed attention to the role of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), prompting fresh analyses of organisational control in politics.

The Indian organisation in question is religious in nature, but organisational dominance in politics need not be rooted in religion alone. In Pakistan, for instance, the influence of the military establishment on politics is well known. In West Bengal, there was once the dominance of a rigid ‘party system’. These are all variations of organisational control.

In Bangladesh, too, multiple organised groups have attempted to influence or control politics. However, none has yet acquired the capacity to fully dominate the political class.

Under the current circumstances, however, religiously oriented organisations appear to have found an opportunity to compete directly with dynastic politics. This has made a comparison between dynastic rule and organisational control increasingly necessary.

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A physician’s child becoming a physician, or a musician’s child becoming a musician, is generally viewed positively by society. But when a politician’s child enters politics, society tends to view it negatively, and not without reason. That point will be addressed shortly. First, however, one clarification is necessary.