Kerala

[Property Is Robbery]

I've only heard positive things about the currently in control communist government in India. Could anybody enlighten me to the cons?

[red cat]

I've only heard positive things about the currently in control communist government in India. Could anybody enlighten me to the cons?

And what are these positive things ?

[PoliticalNightmare]

I have been to Kerala many times - a beautiful region. My parents went to the cliff in Varkala before the capitalist market ruined the beautiful location with badly constructed shops, restaurants and industry. However, I still love the scenery, the diverse culture and the passionate energy of the ferocious bargaining that is necessary to make a simple trade (though it can also be annoying).

I did not know that Kerala had a "communist" government though I have not been there for a good year or so.

[Property Is Robbery]

And what are these positive things ?
I've heard they have very progressive gender equality, they have the only declining birth rate in that over populated country, better education etc.

[Sam_b]

Never made it as far down as Kerala during my time in India, but have spent some time in Kolkata where the CPI also has a large swathe of support.

Didn't they formerly ally themselves with Congress while governing Kerala?

[PoliticalNightmare]

What is the anarchist scene like in Kerala/other parts in India?

[Property Is Robbery]

What is the anarchist scene like in Kerala/other parts in India?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchism_in_India

So does anyone know about the CPI and how they've positively or negatively changed Kerala?

[Sam_b]

they have the only declining birth rate in that over populated country

How is this some sort of achievement that the CPI are responsible for? From what it sounds like I don't think you have actually heard anything positive and are just making things up.

For the record I don't consider the CPI particularly 'communist' at all.

[Property Is Robbery]

How is this some sort of achievement that the CPI are responsible for? From what it sounds like I don't think you have actually heard anything positive and are just making things up.

For the record I don't consider the CPI particularly 'communist' at all.
Education of women has historically decreased birth rates (more effective than the Chinese way). Why would I make things up? And if they aren't communist I wasn't aware of that..

[red cat]

What is the anarchist scene like in Kerala/other parts in India?

There are probably no prominent Indian parties or organizations that call themselves anarchist.

[Property Is Robbery]

There are probably no prominent Indian parties or organizations that call themselves anarchist.
Not anymore, no

[Pretty Flaco]

I remember seeing an episode of Anthony Bourdain where he went to Kerala and it mentioned that the leading party was Communist. Although they're clearly not revolutionary, the show did mention that it was one of the parts of India with the least amount of disparity and that was certainly better off than the rest of India. I'm not sure if the communist party was the only party responsible for the progressiveness of it though.

[red cat]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchism_in_India

So does anyone know about the CPI and how they've positively or negatively changed Kerala?

The ruling coalition in Kerala is led by the CPI(M), the same party that has been quite infamous for its regime in West Bengal, and forceful land seizures. At present, it is a well known fact that this party maintains a huge unofficial army that is used to rig elections and suppress peasants and workers. A bulk of this army is presently engaged in fighting the Maoists in Lalgarh.

Kerala is not qualitatively different from the rest of India. The 100% literacy rate is bullshit, as being "literate" in India practically refers to a person's ability to "draw" his name. However, the government there does maintain a quantitatively better education system than the rest of India.

Kerala is the only place in India with a sex ratio of more than 1000. But we should also take into account the fact that the traditional society in many parts of Kerala has been matriarchal. This is why female children are not thought of as undesirable there.

[Sam_b]

Education of women has historically decreased birth rates (more effective than the Chinese way). Why would I make things up? And if they aren't communist I wasn't aware of that..

So what? Are you now just assuming that this was the work of the CPI? If not, why don't you show me some solid facts?

[dearest chuck]

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1991/oct/24/the-kerala-difference/

[Sam_b]

Interesting.

[Pretty Flaco]

The ruling coalition in Kerala is led by the CPI(M), the same party that has been quite infamous for its regime in West Bengal, and forceful land seizures. At present, it is a well known fact that this party maintains a huge unofficial army that is used to rig elections and suppress peasants and workers. A bulk of this army is presently engaged in fighting the Maoists in Lalgarh.

Kerala is not qualitatively different from the rest of India. The 100% literacy rate is bullshit, as being "literate" in India practically refers to a person's ability to "draw" his name. However, the government there does maintain a quantitatively better education system than the rest of India.

Kerala is the only place in India with a sex ratio of more than 1000. But we should also take into account the fact that the traditional society in many parts of Kerala has been matriarchal. This is why female children are not thought of as undesirable there.

Not to be skeptical, but could you back that up with something? I'm not too knowledgeable on the situations in western asia. What I've heard about the communist party in Kerala contradicts what you've said.

[Sir Comradical]

I'm from Kerala and yes it's relatively better than the rest of India because of the reforms carried out by the CPI in the past but more importantly because of the numerous struggles waged from below by ordinary workers. The CPI was progressive in the past but the modern CPI(M) is pretty corrupt (but not as corrupt as the Congress party). In Kerala they first came to power in 1957 and carried out progressive reforms to the outrage of the state's land-owning high caste communities who protested the CPI's policies until Nehru came to their rescue and dismissed the communists. These days they don't have to fear the iron-fist of the central government because their leadership is heavily invested in the bourgeois state. I'd say that if your "communist" party isn't being threatened with dismissal from the centre, then it probably isn't progressive anymore.

[red cat]

Not to be skeptical, but could you back that up with something? I'm not too knowledgeable on the situations in western asia. What I've heard about the communist party in Kerala contradicts what you've said.

It's the same party that is in power in West Bengal, and their Kerala unit is under the same high command.

Google for the land grabs and massacres in Singhur, Nandigram and Lalgarh and you'll learn a lot about the Indian parliamentary left. Here are some relevant links :

http://singur-singur.blogspot.com/2007/05/victim-of-singur-land-grab-commits.html

http://www.no2displacement.com/

http://www.no2displacement.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=121:singur-to-lalgarh-via-nandigram&catid=45:documenst&Itemid=136

http://www.bannedthought.net/india/Lalgarh/index.htm

http://www.countercurrents.org/bhattacharyya070110.htm