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Lead Article
Illegal Mining and The Politics of Corporate Neo-liberalism
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As the Government of India cancels the environmental clearances to the Vedanta project in the Niyamgiri hills, the role of corporate politics in the country is becoming the focus of the debate.
National
Cabinet Protects Foreign Nuclear Suppliers
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True to his credentials as an obsessively US-friendly Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh presided over his Cabinet on August 20 and approved the final draft of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010, with substantial modifications and additions to allow the
A note on the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster - Part 2
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[ Editor's note: This is the second article in an in-depth 3 part series (Part 1, Part 3) on the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster by the noted activist N.D. Jayaprakash. The author is the Joint Secretary of the Delhi Science Forum and Co-Convenor of the Bhopal Gas Peedith Sangharsh Sahyog Samiti. ]
A note on the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster - Part 1
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[ Editor's note: Pragoti is pleased to publish an in-depth 3 part series (Part 2, Part 3) on the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster by the noted activist N.D. Jayaprakash. The author is the Joint Secretary of the Delhi Science Forum and Co-Convenor of the Bhopal Gas Peedith Sangharsh Sahyog Samiti, a survivor's organization. ]
International
China since 1989 Tiananmen Incident
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Parimal Maya Sudhakar writes on developments in China since the Tiananmen Incident of 1989.
A Critique of the UNSC Resolution on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and disarmament
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If the nuclear weapon state (NWS)-parties to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty are at all serious about implementing Article – VI, at the 2010 NPT Review Conference they would have given binding unqualified negative security assurance to Non-NWS, consent to a no-first-use pledge between the NWS, agree to de-alert all deployed nuclear weapons, and take necessary steps to begin preparations for holding a nuclear weapons convention. Without these binding commitments, every other step would merely amount to an exercise in futility.
Of Cars and Corn: The ominous redistribution of grains between man and machine
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Arindam Banerjee writes on the phenomenon of Biofuels - generated from grains that could otherwise serve as food.
Editorials
Pragoti salutes the nameless and the ordinary
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Pragoti salutes the nameless and the ordinary whose valiance and courage in life and death will not be headlines in the chronicles of the Mumbai carnage. The immediate appeals to jingoistic nationalism and communalism by the hard and soft Hindu right, and the proposals to launch war and pass draconian laws, dished out by the mainstream media, is an attempt to ensure that the people are put through more of such terror. We stand committed to the struggles of the ordinary and the nameless people of India to fight terrorism and all political harbingers of terror.
Support the General Strike on August 20, 2008
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The general strike on August 20 will be a landmark in the struggle of the workers and peasants of India against the Manmohan Singh government that is bent on proving its loyalty to the big bourgeoisie in India and its allegiance to international finance capital and by extension US imperialism. A PRAGOTI Editorial
Pragoti Interviews
I am accused of romanticizing the working class: Anand Patwardhan
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Anand Patwardhan's documentary film "War and Peace (Jung aur Aman)" was screened at IIT Bombay on 30th August 2009. During and after the discussion session of the documentary film, our editorial team member Anirban Ghatak took a short interview of Anand. Anand answered the questions with equal determination and conviction which we are pretty used to see in his films. Here we present the interview.
“हमारी तरफ नजरें उठाकर देख रही है जनता”
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हाल के विधानसभा चुनावों और राजस्थान में वामपंथी आन्दोलन के अनुभवों के बारे में जनवादी महिला समिति की राजस्थान राज्य सचिव और सी.पी.आई.एम की राज्य समिति सदस्या दुर्गा स्वामी से प्रगति के संपादक मंडल सदस्य टिकेन्दर पंवार का विशेष साक्षात्कार।
“Socialism constitutes the only hope for overcoming human misery” — Interview with Prabhat Patnaik
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But what the [financial] crisis [in the world's capital markets] does is to undermine the ideology of neo-liberalism which gives the Left a chance to intensify its struggle against neo-liberalism. And in so far as the recession that is arising will hurt not just the workers and peasants but even sections of the middle classes which have hitherto been beneficiaries of neo-liberalism, the soil for this struggle will be more fertile now. So, the short answer to this question is that the Indian policy-makers left to themselves will not change course, but we have to make them change course. Eminent economist Prabhat Patnaik replies exclusively to a set of interview questions from Pragoti's Editorial Team. Prabhat Patnaik is a leading Marxist economist, and is a professor at Centre for Economic Studies and Planning at Jawaharlal Nehru University. He is also the vice-chairman of the Planning Board in the state of Kerala.
Theory and Praxis
On Democratic Centralism
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In the recent period, alongwith a number of critical discussions on the electoral set-back suffered by the CPI (M) and the Left in last Lok Sabha elections, there have been some questions raised about the practice of democratic centralism as the organizational principle of the Communist Party. Such critiques have come from persons who are intellectuals associated with the Left or the CPI (M).
Since such views are being voiced by comrades and persons who are not hostile to the Party, or, consider themselves as belonging to the Left, we should address the issues raised by them and respond. This is all the more necessary since the CPI (M) considers the issue of democratic centralism to be a basic and vital one for a party of the working class.
Instead of dealing with each of the critiques separately, we are categorising below the various objections and criticisms made.Though, it must be stated that it is not necessary that each of them hold all the views expressed by the others. But the common refrain is that democratic centralism should not serve as the organizational principle of the Communist Party or that it should be modified.
Read More in The Marxist. The article is also attached as PDF.
The 2009 Elections and Challenges before the Left
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Prabir Purkayastha's article on the Left, 2009 Elections and beyond. Originally published in the Centre for Policy Analysis' journal.
Re-envisioning Socialism
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The quest for human freedom requires a transcendence of capitalism. What is important, however, is the overall vision that we have of the socialism that will emerge, one which accords centrality to human freedom, which remains continuously “open” and untainted by ossification in any form, and which constitutes an unleashing of democracy and a perennial engagement of the people with politics.
The article, originally published in the Economic and Political Weekly is attached along with this post.
Political Economy
Public Private Partnership in Infrastructure: A Critical Analysis
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Public Private Partnership (PPP) is the new matra for infrastructure development in India. It is argued in official circles that this model is efficient and can solve the problem of infrastructure for the country. Amitayu Sen Gupta provides a theoretical critique of PPP.
The Risks of 21st Century Stagflation
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Well before the global financial crisis finally broke in September 2008, most people in developing countries were already reeling under the effects of dramatic volatility in global food and fuel markets. From late 2006, prices of most primary commodities first increased very rapidly, then collapsed even more sharply from their peaks in May-June 2008. This was not due to real economic forces, but rather financial activity, specifically the involvement of investors in index funds,writes Jayati Ghosh.
Source:
TripleCrisis Robert Pollin reviews Prabhat Patnaik's book, "Value of Money"
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Prof.Robert Pollin, Economics Professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst reviews Prof. Prabhat Patnaik's latest book, "Value of Money". The review is attached along with this post.
Reviews
Images and Politics in Peepli Live
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"Peepli Live can be accused of the same crime that it accuses the media of – just scratching the surface of all issues it could in an hour and a half without really trying to push the envelope of discourse on any front, neither the role of media, nor agrarian crisis or indeed the crisis of Indian politics itself", says Tejal Kanitkar in a review of the movie in this post.
Avatar: Cinema of Liberal American Guilt
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Films like other performative cultural forms can speak the language of its own times, in which they have been created and situated. As a visual reflection of society in which it is contextualized, it can speak both covertly and overtly about the past and present world, and albeit can articulate politics and reflect upon philosophy as well. James Cameron’s Avatar, a mainstream Hollywood blockbuster is not an exception in this regard. Maidul Islam writes in his review of the film.
Das Kapital: An Inspiring and Timeless Work
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Students' Struggle, the organ of the Students' Federation of India has been carrying a section roughly titled, "The book that inspired me". Economist Venkatesh Athreya recently wrote in the section, how Das Kapital inspired him.
Commemoration
16 August 2010- A Tribute to Narayan Surve
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A poetic tribute to the revolutionary Marathi poet Narayan Surve by Pallavi Chavan. The poem, originally composed in Marathi, has also been translated in English by the poet. Both the versions are included in the post below.
150th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore: the Universal Poet
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May 9, 2010 marks the 150 birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, one of the greatest poets and thinkers India has ever produced. In the present day World, riddled with war and violence, his writings on universal humanness and peace are more relevant than ever.
The multi-cultural educational efforts carried out by Tagore became an inspiration to educators around the world, and schools following his philosophy of human unity were created in many countries.
Lenin: The Lodestar
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Prakash Karat, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) writes on the legacy of Vladimir Lenin on the 140th birth anniversary.
Diaries
On the US Decision of Withdrawing Combat Troops from Iraq
Wed, 2010-09-01 12:03 — Dhananjay
The war which was started on fictitious evidence of Iraq possessing Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD) destroyed the life of ordinary Iraqi. Even going by the official figures in last seven years of American occupation some 70,000 Iraqis are killed. The secular fabric of Iraqi society was purposely smashed which resulted into ethnic conflicts and presently it is the hurdle for peace and tranquillity.
The Paradox of Thrift and the US Economy
Tue, 2010-08-31 10:09 — subhanil
A short note on the concept of Paradox of Thrift and its misunderstandin
Thinking Clearly About the Public Distribution System
Wed, 2010-08-18 15:07 — subhanil
A blogpost on the erroneous assumptions and conclusions about the Public Distribution System or how I continue to one-sidedly debate the Economic Times and its writers on inflation. Cartoon, courtesy The Hindu newspaper.
Fooling People in the Name of Economics
Tue, 2010-08-17 16:14 — subhanil
A blog post on an erroneous interpretation of inflation in India in the Economic Times newspaper.
A Lucid and Animated explanation of the Crisis of Capitalism
Sat, 2010-08-14 14:46 — srinirAn animated explanation of the global crisis of capitalism and its various explanatory formats. By David Harvey, eminent social theorist and Marxist.
Peepli Live: A Review
Sat, 2010-08-14 14:28 — subhanil
Once in a while a film is made which does not try to sell you a dream but rather shows you the inner contradictions of the society that we live in. (This review contains spoilers)
Dangerous repeat of history
Fri, 2010-08-13 14:33 — srinir
"History is repeating itself in West Bengal, with Maoists, the Trinamool and the Congress doing what they had done in the late 60's and early 70's. And it will not be history repeating itself, first time as a tragedy, the second time as a farce. This time around, it will be a much bigger tragedy." Prabir Purkayastha writes in Newsclick.
Despite Sardiha
Thu, 2010-08-12 13:08 — srinir
The people of West Bengal should ensure the defeat of the aims of incumbent union railway minister for riding a violent tiger - that had mauled to death nearly 200 innocent civilians on a serene night near Sardiha two months ago.A blog post.
Live Streaming of Extended CC Meeting of the CPI(M)
Sat, 2010-08-07 12:11 — srinirLive streaming of the Extended CC Meeting of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) being held in Vijayawada.
Free Trade Agreements: A backstage entry for neo liberalism
Fri, 2010-08-06 05:28 — tikenderIt is shocking to say that the UPA-2 government is vigorously pursuing its agenda of neo liberalism by keeping the people of the country unaware of the deals it is signing under the Free Trade Agreements with European Union and Israel. Though the successive WTO meetings have failed to reach a conclusion as far as trade barriers are concerned following a stiff resistance by the developing countries, still the Indian state has taken the bilateral method of clinching many such deals . Quite interestingly , the WTO with all its imperialist agendas still had transparency in the multilateral agreements being pursued. But here we have a situation where except the government no one knows the fallout of FTAs in the country. It is only with some materials being published in Europe and elsewhere that we come to know the seriousness of the situation. In this regard a round table conference was held in Delhi with four peasant organisations and some individuals in the organisation. The following resolution was passed.
India – Pakistan : The Talk That Failed
Thu, 2010-08-05 11:57 — Dhananjay
South Asia suffers from several ailments in which peace between India and Pakistan has become a question, which is getting complicated with time. During the visit of Indian foreign minister to Islamabad an aura was created that now the two countries will resolve all the outstanding issues and we will live in tranquility.
More on the (Proposed) Food Security Act
Tue, 2010-08-03 16:37 — awanishIt is surprising that the NAC-recommended press release does not reflect any spirit of the strong social-political action behind the mobilisations around the food security issue since last few years. More distressing is to hear such discussions when the country has been witnessing high inflation fuelled by higher levels of food inflation. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the fears of the proposed FSA turning into a sham and, in turn, only used as a rhetorical cover against the opposition has almost come true.
Hungry Millions and An Insensitive Government
Fri, 2010-07-30 18:16 — indranil.preview_0.thumbnail.jpg "petrol hike_1 (1).preview.jpg")
The entire country is reeling under terrible spell of inflation. Prices of essential commodities and food items have reached historically high levels. The Government has done too little to control prices. A blog post.
Cause for Pessimism
Sat, 2010-07-24 01:42 — srinir
A blog post expressing frustration at the political developments in the Republic of Nepal, as its Realpolitik driven political class still struggles to formulate a Constitution despite the deadline of two years for the Constituent Assembly passing by.
Promode Das Gupta Memorial Lecture: Communist Party and 'United Front' Politics
Wed, 2010-07-21 16:52 — subhanil
Video Recording of Promode Dasgupta Memorial Lecture delivered by Prakash Karat, General Secretary, CPI (M).
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