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bernard d'mello, _arundhati roy, anuradha ghandy, and 'romantic marxism

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Arundhati Roy, Anuradha Ghandy, and 'Romantic Marxism' by Bernard D'Mello This is the fulltext of the introductory remarks made by the author at the Fourth Anuradha Ghandy Memorial Lecture delivered by Arundhati Roy on 20th January 2012 at St Xavier's College, Mumbai. I woke up this morning to the chirping sounds of the swallows. Arundhati Roy seems to have brought in those lovebirds that come in to Mumbai at this time of the year from the cold environs of the North. The lively spirit of Anuradha Ghandy (Anu, as she was fondly known) is all around us that picture of hers reminds me of one of my favourite Bob Dylan songs, "Forever Young". We have here with us Anu's mother comrade Kumud Shanbag. Parents abiding by Hinduism usually give their daughters away at the time of marriage in a ritual called kanyadaan. Comrades Kumud and Ganesh Shanbag, rational and progressive, broke with this humiliating tradition; they raised their daughter Anu (Janaki) to decide what she wanted to do with her life and she joined the Revolution (Kranti). One might call what she did krantidaan, though, I think, daan (donate) is not the right word for it. The Krantikari Adivasi Mahila Sanghatan (KAMS) is justifiably proud of Anu (Janaki). Not long ago, when Arundhati Roy was walking with these comrades, they proudly showed her a photograph of Anu that they were carrying she's dressed in fatigues, an olive green cap with a star on it, rifle slung over her shoulders, and smiling, as always. Anu came a long way, from the Hamil Sabha (the general student body) of Elphinstone College in the first half of 1970s to the Byramgadh area in old Bastar in the latter half of 1990s. For her, dalit, adivasi and women's liberation 1 were part of the fight for "new democracy" indeed, for her they were a prerequisite for any kind of democracy. Just as Anu was shaping this policy of the Party the Communist Party of India (MarxistLeninist) (People's War) in the 1990s, Arundhati Roy created a character called Velutha in The God of Small Things (1997). Velutha came from a dalit, attachedlabour household. But despite his origins Velutha came from the wretched of the wretched of the Indian earth he became an accomplished carpenter and mechanic, indispensible to semifeudal capital's profit register in the small town of Ayemenem. Rahel and Estha, Ammu's children, established a close bond of friendship with him. Ammu was attracted to him, fell in love with him he was a passionate lover, he loved her like no one else could ever have loved her. Velutha is my hero for me, he is the classic Indian proletarian. Despite the exploitation and the oppression, Velutha did what he did with devotion he kept the creativity and imagination in him alive. For him, like it is for his creator, ingenuity and work became one. This characterisation tells us something about Arundhati Roy, Velutha's maker. In the conception of Velutha, I saw, very early on, signs of a romanticism closely linked to revolution in Arundhati Roy as a writer. That subversive intent was there from the very beginning. From The God of Small Things to Broken Republic, Arundhati Roy is throughandthrough a romantic, anticapitalist writer. There is a basic structure of feelings in her writings that touches my heart. I don't know if she will agree with me, but I'd like to believe that Arundhati Roy has embraced 'Romantic Marxism'. I know the ideological censors would be frowning at me; for them, there can never be anything like 'Romantic Marxism'; "comrade Bernard, you cannot mix romanticism with Marxism". I differ and in this I am with E P Thompson. And, with Marx of the Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844 (1959) 2 and his passionate denunciation of capitalism in Capital, VolumeI with a language and imagery that makes the reader realize the need for Kranti. Marx did, after all, also hitched romanticism with his exposition of the structure, the social relations and logic of the inner workings of the capitalist system. At its core, 'Romantic Marxism' brings together Marx's thesis of

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Introductory Speech of Bernard D'Mello, Deputy Editor of EPW on Anuradha Ghady Memorial Lecture

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  • ArundhatiRoy,AnuradhaGhandy,and'RomanticMarxism'byBernardD'Mello

    ThisisthefulltextoftheintroductoryremarksmadebytheauthorattheFourthAnuradhaGhandyMemorialLecturedeliveredbyArundhatiRoyon20thJanuary2012atStXavier'sCollege,Mumbai.

    Iwokeupthismorningtothechirpingsoundsoftheswallows.ArundhatiRoyseemstohavebroughtinthoselovebirdsthatcomeintoMumbaiatthistimeoftheyearfromthecoldenvironsoftheNorth.ThelivelyspiritofAnuradhaGhandy(Anu,asshewasfondlyknown)isallaroundusthatpictureofhersremindsmeofoneofmyfavouriteBobDylansongs,"ForeverYoung".WehaveherewithusAnu'smothercomradeKumudShanbag.ParentsabidingbyHinduismusuallygivetheirdaughtersawayatthetimeofmarriageinaritualcalledkanyadaan.ComradesKumudandGaneshShanbag,rationalandprogressive,brokewiththishumiliatingtraditiontheyraisedtheirdaughterAnu(Janaki)todecidewhatshewantedtodowithherlifeandshejoinedtheRevolution(Kranti).Onemightcallwhatshedidkrantidaan,though,Ithink,daan(donate)isnottherightwordforit.TheKrantikariAdivasiMahilaSanghatan(KAMS)isjustifiablyproudofAnu(Janaki).Notlongago,whenArundhatiRoywaswalkingwiththesecomrades,theyproudlyshowedheraphotographofAnuthattheywerecarryingshe'sdressedinfatigues,anolivegreencapwithastaronit,rifleslungoverhershoulders,andsmiling,asalways.

    Anucamealongway,fromtheHamilSabha(thegeneralstudentbody)ofElphinstoneCollegeinthefirsthalfof1970stotheByramgadhareainoldBastarinthelatterhalfof1990s.Forher,dalit,adivasiandwomen'sliberation1werepartofthefightfor"newdemocracy"indeed,forhertheywereaprerequisiteforanykindofdemocracy.JustasAnuwasshapingthispolicyofthePartytheCommunistPartyofIndia(MarxistLeninist)(People'sWar)inthe1990s,ArundhatiRoycreatedacharactercalledVeluthainTheGodofSmallThings(1997).Veluthacamefromadalit,attachedlabourhousehold.ButdespitehisoriginsVeluthacamefromthewretchedofthewretchedoftheIndianearthhebecameanaccomplishedcarpenterandmechanic,indispensibletosemifeudalcapital'sprofitregisterinthesmalltownofAyemenem.RahelandEstha,Ammu'schildren,establishedaclosebondoffriendshipwithhim.Ammuwasattractedtohim,fellinlovewithhimhewasapassionatelover,helovedherlikenooneelsecouldeverhavelovedher.

    Veluthaismyheroforme,heistheclassicIndianproletarian.Despitetheexploitationandtheoppression,Veluthadidwhathedidwithdevotionhekeptthecreativityandimaginationinhimalive.Forhim,likeitisforhiscreator,ingenuityandworkbecameone.ThischaracterisationtellsussomethingaboutArundhatiRoy,Velutha'smaker.IntheconceptionofVelutha,Isaw,veryearlyon,signsofaromanticismcloselylinkedtorevolutioninArundhatiRoyasawriter.Thatsubversiveintentwastherefromtheverybeginning.FromTheGodofSmallThingstoBrokenRepublic,ArundhatiRoyisthroughandthrougharomantic,anticapitalistwriter.Thereisabasicstructureoffeelingsinherwritingsthattouchesmyheart.

    Idon'tknowifshewillagreewithme,butI'dliketobelievethatArundhatiRoyhasembraced'RomanticMarxism'.Iknowtheideologicalcensorswouldbefrowningatmeforthem,therecanneverbeanythinglike'RomanticMarxism'"comradeBernard,youcannotmixromanticismwithMarxism".IdifferandinthisIamwithEPThompson.And,withMarxoftheEconomicandPhilosophicalManuscriptsof1844(1959)2andhispassionatedenunciationofcapitalisminCapital,VolumeIwithalanguageandimagerythatmakesthereaderrealizetheneedforKranti.Marxdid,afterall,alsohitchedromanticismwithhisexpositionofthestructure,thesocialrelationsandlogicoftheinnerworkingsofthecapitalistsystem.Atitscore,'RomanticMarxism'bringstogetherMarx'sthesisof

  • alienationwithhistheoryofvalueandweldsthesewiththebasicstructureoffeelingsthatsuchaconsciousnessevokes.

    Letmenowsayafewwordsaboutthetopicoftoday'slecture"Capitalism:AGhostStory".CapitalisnotaworkofMarx'simaginationsoalso,andI'msure,Arundhatihasarealstorytotell,andit'sgoingtobeapassionatedenunciationofreallyexistingcapitalism.IfweweretolookatcapitalismfromaromanticMarxistperspective,wewouldsee,aboveall,thetotaldominationofexchangevalue,the"coldcalculationofpriceandprofit...overthewholesocialfabric...thedeathofimaginationandromance,...thepurely'utilitarian'...relationofhumanbeingstooneanother,andtonature".3Whatshouldbereciprocityinhumanrelationsloveforlove,intimacyforintimacy,trustfortrust,asitwaswithAmmuandVeluthahasbeenreplaced,incapitalism,bytheexchangeofmoneyforcommodities:accumulationandpossessionisallthatmatterstoday.Indeed,beauty,nowdefinedbycapital,hasalsobeencommoditisednothingremainsunsulliedbycapitalism,itslogic,anditsbasicstructureoffeelings.Humanbeingshavebeenturnedintowretchedbeingsphysically,psychologicallyandspirituallydehumanised.

    We,theAnuradhaGhandyMemorialCommitteemembers,areoldfashionedMarxists.Wecontinuetoinsistthatwealthcomesfromtheexploitationofhumanlabourandnature.ToquoteMarxand,keepinginmindtheimportanceheassignstoecology,includecapital's"sucking"ofnaturetoo:4

    Capitalisdeadlabour[andoutofplaynature]thatvampirelikeonlylivesbysuckinglivinglabour[andextantnature],andlivesthemore,themorelabour[andnature]itsucks.

    Valuethenisnothingbutcongealedlabouranddefunctnatureincarnateincommodities.And,inthecontemporaryworldcapitalistsystem,wewitnesstherealsubsumptionoflabour,nature,andevendemocraticallyelectedgovernmentstofinance.Yes,thebondmarketsthefundsandfinancialinstitutionsthatbuygovernmentbonds,notthepeoplewhoelectedthegovernmentsareabletoverysignificantlyinfluencepublicpolicy,foritistheywhospecifytheconditionsunderwhichtheywillbuythosegovernments'bonds.Indeed,themainfocusofcorporationstodayisfinancial,andhere,withquarterlyreportingonamarktomarketbasis,shorttermnetworthisallthatseemstomatter.Addtothisstockoptionsbasedremunerationofthosewhomanagethehugefinancialportfolios,monetarypolicydesignedforthebenefitofhighfinance,andrisinglabourproductivityalongsidestagnantrealwages,andtheresultis"traumatizedworkers","indebtedconsumers",and"manicdepressivesavers"5highonProzacandViagrawhichkeepPfizer'scashregisterringing."Humanity"hasbecome"anappendageoftheassetmarkets",myfriendJanToporowskiwrites.6WeareremindedofwhatPaulSweezyandHarryMagdoff(theneditorsofMonthlyReview)wroteintheaftermathofthe1987stockmarketcrashintheUSanditseemsappropriatetoparaphrasetheirwordstoapplytothepresent:"Themess"theworldsystemisinflows"fromcapitalism'sruthlesspursuitofunlimitedwealthbyanyandallavailablemeans,whetherornotthesehaveanythingtodowithsatisfyingtheneedsofrealhumanbeings."7Indeed,capitalismwhichhasmetamorphosedintoalifethreateningdiseasehasbecomeathreattohumanityandotherformsoflife.Theonlyremedy"isatrulyrevolutionaryreconstructionofthewholesocioeconomicsystem".8

    But,thefailuresoftherevolutionsofthe20thcenturystareusintheface.IhavetakenmoretimethanIhadintendedto,andlestIbecomeabarrierbetweenthestarspeakerandyou,Ineedtoquicklywindup.Letmethennotmincewordsrevolutionisaboutexpropriatingtheexpropriators,and"forceisthemidwifeofeveryoldsocietypregnantwithanewone".9But,andmoreimportantly,revolutionisalsoabout"humanemancipation".Ithastocreateasocialistsensitivity,asocialistconsciousnesssoformsofviolencecrueltyandbrutalitywhichnegatetheveryendofrevolutionmustneverbeapartofthe

  • means.Now,whilethe"seizureofpower"andthestrategytoachievethisseemtobethecentralpreoccupationofrevolutionaries,weneedtorememberthesewordsofMarxfromTheGermanIdeology(1932writtenin1846):10

    Bothfortheproductiononamassscaleof...communistconsciousness,andforthesuccessofthecauseitself,thealterationof[humanbeings]onamassscaleis,necessary,analterationwhichcanonlytakeplaceinapracticalmovement,arevolutionthisrevolutionisnecessary,therefore,notonlybecausetherulingclasscannotbeoverthrowninanyotherway,butalsobecausetheclassoverthrowingitcanonlyinarevolutionsucceedinriddingitselfofallthemuckofagesandbecomefittedtofoundsocietyanew.

    Rightly,Marxwasmoreconcernedaboutthe"humanemancipation"thatmustcomeaboutintheprocessofmakingtherevolution,thekindofemancipationthatmakesofusanewkindof"human"being,apracticenecessarytofoundasocietythatisegalitarian,cooperative,anddemocratic.

    Withthis"brief"(ha,ha!)introduction,mayIinviteArundhatiRoytotakethebaton.

    Notes

    1ScriptingtheChange:SelectedWritingsofAnuradhaGhandy,editedbyAnandTeltumbdeandShomaSen,DaanishBooks,Delhi,2011.

    2OneshouldalsomentionMarxandEngels'OntheJewishQuestion(1844)andTheGermanIdeology(1932,writingcompletedin1846).

    3SeeMichaelLowy's"TheRomanticandtheMarxistCritiqueofModernCivilisation",TheoryandSociety,Vol.16,No.6(November1987),p892.

    4KarlMarx,Capital,VolumeI(Moscow:ForeignLanguagesPublishingHouse,1954areproductionofthefirstEnglisheditionof1887,editedbyFrederickEngels),chapter10,"TheWorkingDay",p233.

    5RiccardoBellofioreandJosephHalevi,"MagdoffSweezyandMinskyontheRealSubsumptionofLabourtoFinance",2010,atcemf.ubourgogne.fr/zoutils/documents/communications%202009/AHE.pdf.

    6JanToporowski,"TheWisdomofPropertyandthePoliticsoftheMiddleClasses",MonthlyReview,Vol.62,Issue4,September2010.

    7PaulM.SweezyandHarryMagdoff,TheIrreversibleCrisis(NewYork:MonthlyReviewPress),1988,p.55.

    8Ibid.

    9ThisishowMarxputsitinchapter31on"TheGenesisoftheIndustrialCapitalist",inCapital,VolumeI.

    10www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1845/germanideology/ch01d.htm.

    BernardD'Melloisdeputyeditor,Economic&PoliticalWeekly,andamemberoftheCommitteeforthe

  • ProtectionofDemocraticRights,Mumbai.

    URL:mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2012/dmello250112.html


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