otto's war room banner

otto's war room banner

Friday, November 06, 2020

HAIL THE IMMORTAL CONTRIBUTION OF LEGENDARY COMRADE JAN MYRDAL ON PASSING AWAY FEW DAYS AGO- 30 OCTOBER- Part 1

HAIL THE IMMORTAL CONTRIBUTION OF LEGENDARY COMRADE JAN MYRDAL ON PASSING AWAY FEW DAYS AGO WHO WAS A BEACON OF LIBERATION SHIMMERING THE SACRED FLAME OF MAOISM. MAY MORE  BLOOM LIKE HIM.

 

By Harsh Thakor

Without doubt Jan Myrdal was one of the great revolutionary intellectuals of our time and his writings and works will make a permanent stamp on the democratic and Communist movement worldwide. Myrdal was a master at interacting and relating with the common people, thus giving a very accurate reflection. His style of writing was lucid above all it could make readers decide their viewpoint independently, similar to Brechtian technique in theatre. I may have had important disagreements with him but have deep admiration for his open mindedness and down to earth attitude. Myrdals' personality won the hearts of people worldwide touching the core of their souls with the red flame of liberation. He was a beacon in shimmering light of liberation to extinguish the neo-fascism encompassing the entire globe. Sadly he left us forever a few days ago. However his spirit will live on forever to enable new roses to bloom.


We must congratulate Myrdal for his death defying courage in touring Dandakaranya or Chattisgarh, which is the hotbed of Maoist Movement and state proto-fascism. In Red Star over China with the daunting courage of a military commander he toured the Indian region of Bastar and interview leaders of the Communist Party India (Maoist). In spite of being 85 he trudged himself to traverse through the most hazardous regions both geographically and politically. His voyage was like a resurrection of Edgar Snow entering China in the 1930's in Red Star Over China or Felix Greene going there in 1950's in The Wall has two Sides.

Earlier in 1963 and 1970 he made visits to China under Chairman Mao and shimmered the true light of the experiences of how the people were liberated there like few men ever did. In his books Chinese Village, and China-The Revolution Continued, he exhibited absolute accuracy of detail on the people’s lives and countered the false bourgeois propaganda with the sharpness of a sword.

I can never forget his talk in Ludhiana in 2012 which was one of the most inspiring ever by a political commentator. In a most balanced manner he summed up the positive aspects of the movement in India and the glaring weaknesses. Myrdal insisted that the Indian revolution should never adopt the Russian or Chinese path hand must carve out a unique strategy of its own. In his view India will have a distinct form of fascism from Europe or even China under Chiang Kai Shek.[1]

Today in the view of Myrdal India had virtually entered a new epoch in the Communist revolutionary movement if you asses the strength of the people's guerrilla army and the existence of a unified party. No writer ever conducted such in depth interviews touching every facet of the Movement. His first visit to India was in 1980 when he met the Communist leader, Chandra Pulla Reddy.

In 1989 erroneously he supported the counter-revolutionary firing by Chinese troops in Tiananmen Square on the protesting students and was eclectic in not understanding the reactionary nature of China under Deng Xiaoping.[2]

 

RED STAR OVER INDIA

 

The book Red Star Over India is balanced not indulging in hyper praise, romanticism or scathed criticism thus reflecting objectivity.

Very classically and coherently it refers to anecdotes of events of past history of the world be it Europe, Russia or Asia. It makes reader get the sensation of the movement in Dandakaranya being an integral part of world history. In accordance to the given situation it dialectically evaluates both the similarity and dichotomy of pats history with the present.

In chapter 'Present Civil War in India" he illustrates how in essence India negates a truly functioning bourgeoisie parliamentary democracy but still recognizes certain salient features of liberalism. Ironically he even critically appraises Mahatma Gandhi, who in many ways appeased British colonialism. Very boldly as contrary to many intellectuals he recognized some salient liberal features of India in terms of freedom of expression as even compared to Europe ad America. He recognized that India still had a liberal space, which is of course fast changing in the recent scenario.

It deeply delves into India's colonial aspect touching the nature of the anti-colonial struggle and superficial nature of 1947 Independence. Myrdal was critical of the mechanical approach of Rajani Palme Dutt before 1947 as well as of the Communist Party of India. Myrdal felt that Palme Dutt towed the line of the Comintern or British Communist party and put the aspect of dalits and Adivasis in the backstage. Strangely he had kind words for Jawaharlal Nehru, praising his support to liberal ideas.

With deep historical insight he touches on the writings of Karl Marx with reference to India, chartist movement in Great Britain, experiences of Ho Chi Minh and anti-colonial struggle of Vietnam as well as the emergence of fascism in Europe and counter resurgence. He traces the paths of the eras of French, Mexican, Russian and Chinese revolutions with relevance to current situation. He elaborated why Marx supported the 1857 mutiny in India .The 1946 Naval ratings strike, and Quit India movement was also covered pointing out in light of Liberal democrats like Nehru only upholding the 1857 revolt after these uprisings.

In part 'To Dandkaranya in the manner of a novelist he relates how he put his first foot in the sacred area of Dandkaranya and the emotions and vibration she experienced. Here he reflected on the roots of Indian culture planted in Ramayana which the European left forgot about. A reference was made to the contribution of historian D. Kosamabi. Myrdal felt that Indian history or culture could never be ignored. Subtle references were also made on Marx on India.

In section 'What Independence" he recounts the crystallization of Kali Ghosh into a full fledged revolutionary in Bengal from the 1920's.Myrdal described how he combated those in the Congress who abstained from demanding dominion status. Kali went on to work sabotaging Bengal telegraph lines. The Meerut conspiracy transformed Kali into a Communist. This mutiny was a turning point in an Indian party being able to function as a component of the Communist International in 1934. In August 1930 Kali was arrested by the police and deported to London. In this chapter he portrays Jawaharal Nehru in true light, highlighting the influence of Anglo-Saxon or Fabian culture in shaping his life.

In a chapter 'What terror ' very illustratively he explain show the actions of Maoists were essentially counterattacks to the neo-fascist political and economic oppression on the Adivasis blessed by the Corporates. It gives even non -Maoists[3] a vivid illustration of why the Maoist movement in reaction to the semi-fascist state that masquerades in being a genuine democracy. In deep depth he has described the oppressive living conditions of the Adivasis as well as the monumental democratic revolutionary forms of power installed by the Maoists Myrdal does ample justice to the relentless spirit of the C.P.I.(Maoist) in confronting the neo-fascist rulers by organizing armed resistance at the hardest point  

In chapter 'In the Camp' he touched on how the Maoist redressed the aspect of mass line and made a subtle comparison with the resistance of the Paris Commune .The topic of leadership of the party, secret functioning ,work in urban areas and a unified Communist party was redressed here. Very poignantly he also highlights the striking similarity of the Indian Maoist party with the Chinese party in the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, confronting subconscious determining of reactionary values among the masses as anti-Marxist Freudian approach.

In Chapter 'The standing wave' the "Geneva Convention' in light of respect of human rights was discussed. Here Myrdal described how the Indian rulers broke all it's norms in terrorizing Adivasis and executing Maoist cadre. A striking comparison was made between the experiences of the Paris Commune and India in 2010. Myrdal pointed out that in 2010 Intellectuals came out in support of the oppressed unlike the 1871 period.

Myrdal insists that the Indian revolution should never adopt the Russian or Chinese path hand must carve out a unique strategy of its own. In his view India will have a distinct form of fascism from Europe or even China under Chiang Kai Shek.

Today in the view of Myrdal India had virtually entered a new epoch in the Communist revolutionary movement if you asses the strength of the people's guerrilla army and the existence of a unified party. No writer ever conducted such in depth interviews touching every facet of the Movement.

A heart evoking chapter 'Singing the poetry of the people' was written on India's revolutionary writers and poets like Cherabanda Raju and Sri Sri. The chapter narrated the evolution of Cherabanda Raju through the Naxalbari and Srikakulam struggles to become one of the founders of VIRASAM. In the dark days of the emergency his poetry and voice created tremors in the camp of the Congress rulers, challenging the fascist arrests. Sri Sri's emergence from days of Progressive writers Association was summarized. Sri Sri was not merely an intellectual but also participated in important political actions. It described how Sri Sri confronted orthodoxy blending romantic modernism with religious Shivailtik poetry, with his work Suptaasthikalu. Having origins in post modernism and surrealistic experimentation Sri Sri turned to delving the true root's of people's culture. His works played a major role in illuminating the flame of Naxalbari from 1970 and formation of Revolutionary Writers Association. 

In 'Leaving the Guerrilla Zone 'He describes that his exit of the guerrilla zone was more arduous than entering it, with many more government patrols. Touching the core of a reader's soul he revealed the vibrations penetrating within him longing the red flame to encompass the whole of India. His heart literally did the talking when he bid farewell to Comrades he would never meet again. He made a reference to The Iron Heel which Socialist readers at that time found very pessimistic. The author here projected Socialism was meeting an impending doom like the suppression of the Paris Commune. Myrdal felt that India could well be destined to face the same fate.

In concluding chapter 'Negative Possibility,’ he summed up the emergence and extension of proto-fascism and it's roots in colonial or neo-colonial tyranny of the pas enslaving the proletariat worldwide. He illustrates the coherency of neo-liberalism world wide breeding fascism. A subtle reference is also made to the Bhumkal uprising of 1910. Myrdal points out the weakness of the party not able to organize masses outside its orbit. Otherwise even the 25 % of population comprising the dalits and Adivasis can face the same fate as those movements which had reversals.

Arun Ferreira's review in Economic and Political weekly on Red Star over India in 2012 is a must read for readers .It explains why the book is a kind of an epic .and does full justice to the Indian Communist Movement.

 

WEAKNESSES OF RED STAR OVER INDIA

 

Still In my view the book did not sufficiently throw light on the aspect of the 'mass line' and the development and revolutionary development of base areas. Nor does it adequately touch upon the question of the Communist party. It is almost as the leaders of the Maoist party are giving the answers on this with Myrdal merely being a spectator. Myrdal did not reflect a personal study of how alternative revolutionary power was achieved and revolutionary democratic functioning enforced. 

Although highlighting contribution of Charu Mazumdar it makes no mention of the struggle for mass line of Tarimela Nagi Reddy-DV Rao. The subjective weakness of a party not re-organized is not highlighted with a view projected that the task is already accomplished, through formation of the C.P.I. (Maoist). 

 It also does not give the reader a clear stand on the nature of Independence in 1947 and is apologetic to Nehru, who was in essence an anti-communist reactionary. Strangely he had kind words for Jawaharlal Nehru, praising his support to liberal ideas and terming him as a liberal bourgeois democrat. However he forgot the tyranny unleashed by the Congress party under Nehru in the Telangana armed struggle where the Communist forces were literally razed to the ground, doing a demolition job with no stone unturned. Nehru’s moral pro-Hindu stance and subservience to colonial masters was untouched before 1947.

A proper evaluation was also not made of the comparative democracy in the regions of Dandakaranya and those of the base areas of the Chinese Communist party before the 1949 revolution.

 

CHINA: THE REVOLUTION CONTINUED

 

In this book Jan Myrdal returns to village Liu Ling with Gun Kessle which he visited seven years ago in 1963. In a classic research documentary of meticulous detail he does justice to how during the Great Proletarian cultural revolution revolutionary democracy penetrated regions not traversed before in human history. With living examples he narrated how a new epoch was virtually ushered in mankind's achievements with illustrations of experiences of various people in Liu Ling. It was truly remarkable the manner in which he penetrated every sphere of the people’s lives proving the cutting edge of the line of Chairman Mao Tse Tung over that of Liu Shao Chi.[4]

 

LIU LING SEVEN YEARS AFTER AND THE POLITICS OF THE THRESHING MACHINE

 

He discovered how the standard of living rose in the Cultural Revolution. In 1966 stone caves were built learning from the example of the Tachai brigade. Earlier in 1962 only earth caves existed .The stone cave is an unusually stable and well insulated stone house. The new buildings were more roomy. It is easier to plan a family here.

In 1962 drinking water was inadequate while now it was readily available, and good even when not boiled.

Every villager now had a transistor set.

A threshing machine was now running day and night which greatly accelerated speed of production. Earlier grain was grounded by a donkey pulled mill. Before the Cultural revolution loans were needed from the state or peoples commune. Now Investment was made by the peasant's own capital which they attributed to study of Mao thought. Major expenditure was conducted by the revolutionary Committees of the Peoples Communes. It is the revolutionary committees that took the final decisions in public mass meetings on planning a building.

Production had spectacularly risen from 160 tones in 1961 to 240 in 1965 and 325 in 1969.The brigade's collective funds rose to 160,000 Y.

On 18th October a bi-weekly study meting was held studying quotations of Chairman Mao. It decided to begin with Song of the Helmsman. The lesson was used to guide the peasants ideologically in the Autumn harvest, in relation to imperialism and feudalism.

A 180 degree turnabout took place in the administrative structure. There was a united and directly elected management .The revolutionary committee which worked under permanent supervision.

 

 



[1]蔣中正 or 蔣介石

[2]邓小

[3] For clarification, following the philosophy of Mao Zedong, 泽东.

[4]刘少奇

1 comment:

NinalDavisq said...

The more people you bring into the site the more you are helping OBW. DO NOT just create multiple accounts hoping that will help your original superstar. If a GM even feels that the 'friend' you introduced is you, your superstar will not get any credit for bringing people to the site.

When they talk about "Fairy Tale Endings," they're almost certainly referring to this story. Or possibly some sort of football game. This is the dream of every little girl (and some little boys) that one day they too can rise up from the dirt and become a pretty pretty princess.

Having an STI can increase your risk of becoming infected with HIV. Use condoms every time Cheap Jordan Shoes For Men you have sex. You can Cheap Air Force Ones also talk to your health care provider about pre exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Coach Outlet Sale "When you're stressed out or tired, it's very easy to forget when your hand goes into the cookie jar," Coach Handbags Clearance Michael Kors Outlet Online says Marisa Sherry, RD, a registered dietitian in private practice in New York Ray Ban Sunglasses Sale City. "Are you being honest with New Yeezy Shoes yourself about taking just one handful here and there? When you have a cup, are you really having one cup? Most drinking glasses hold about three cups. By the end of the day, it all adds up.".