[lbo-talk] Re: Comments re caste & CP's of India

[John Mage]

Thanks, Hari Kumar. The material you forwarded was fascinating. It's
been a long time since I've had in mind the Bukharin/Mao vs. Stalin
line on the middle peasantry, and it's relevance to the Telengana
struggle is clear. What it shows surely is the very interpenetration
of class and caste analysis that my correspondent was so eager to emphasize.

As to the limited question of untouchability and the fight in Telengana,
there's independent support for the claim made. In my copy of P.Sundaraya,
_Telengana People's Struggle and its Lessons_ (Desraj Chadha on behalf of
CPI(M) : Calcutta, 1972), there's the following on P.127 in reference to
the achievements of the armed struggle in Telengana against the Nizam:
----
"ABOLITION OF UNTOUCHABILITY

Caste distinctions were deep-rooted in the villages. In the struggle
against the Government all people were forced to work and fight
collectively without any distinction of caste and creed and so after this
fighting the evil of untouchablity became easier. In guerrilla squads,
equality and mutual respect were strictly protected. And this changed
the ideas of the people.

Belief in gods, demons, etc., had decreased to a great extent. Specially
amongst the youth, it had disappeared noticeably."
----

And - Dennis Redmond - i *have* let my annoyance with Ulhas' one-liners
get the better of me. We have our disagreements, and i've been often
wrong in my life. The questions of caste and the history of the Indian
CPs, and the role of US/UK imperialism in south Asia, are alike complex,
interesting and important. They deserve detailed informed discussion, not
one-liners (on any of the 5 or 6 sides of the questions).

john mage