ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

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Civil Society and Nation State-In Context of Globalisation

In Context of Globalisation Ajit Roy The problematique of the recent interest in civil society is how the latter can defend its autonomy against the many forces that are eroding its autonomy. To understand this problematique, this paper first attempts to delineate the processes of globalisation and then to develop an approach to understanding the concept of civil society, before e valuating its contributions to the struggle against globalisation.

CPI(M) Ideological Renewal Given the Go By

6,147 of them detained under PSA and the rest under TADA. Obviously persecution is preferred over prosecution. The director- general of police M N Sabarwal said recently that in the past five years, 9,599 persons were killed, of which 5,118 were militants. 1,446 were security personnel and the rest civilians. To enable the security forces to undertake such tasks in defence of unity and integrity. Jammu and Kashmir spends Rs 185 crore annually on 'security related activities', and funds to the extent of Rs 400 crore arc diverted from the plan to the non-plan side. Little is done to end 20 hours of power cuts in the valley in chilling winter.

End of Political Immobilism

The assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh had opened a new path when, in a triangular contest, the Congress and the BJP were simultaneously humbled. The results of the latest assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are significant for the confirmation of the historical advance of this yearning for a third force.

Uttarakhand and the Left s irrelevance

Not only are the communists and the left totally absent from the field of action in Uttar Pradesh and the national capital, they have nothing to offer which would distinguish them from the rest in relation to the Uttarakhand imbroglio or, for that matter, its inner core, the Mandal issue.

WEST BENGAL-Bankrupt Landlord s Bailiff

The perceived correlation between Jyoti Basu's summer vacations abroad and convulsions in West Bengal may perhaps be viewed as an objective testimony to the chief minister's crisis-management talents. Be that as it may, the distinguishing features of this season's eruptions are their multiplicity and the clearly exposed roots of some of the issues in the existing socio-political structure.

Human Rights Issue and the Left

THE human rights issue has today turned out to be a ping-pong game in the diplomatic field,, more in the literal sense than the diplomatic sense, introduced by China way back in the 70s in political vocabulary. In other words, the human rights issue is today a stink bomb that is being constantly lobbed into each other's court by different nations as well as contending forces within a nation. While the Chinese had used the game of ping-pong as overtures to build up friendly contacts where none existed earlier, the human rights game is being played today mainly to tarnish the opponent's image.

National Relations in Soviet Union-Theory and Practice

In the erstwhile Soviet Union, the most fundamental pre-condition for the socialist solution of the national question in a 'proto-socialist

Pressure to Curb People s Movements

Ajit Roy THE recent round of elections in the four northern states and the territory of Delhi is being deservedly subjected to critical analyses in the country and abroad. There is almost universal agreement that the outcome as a whole is a severe setback for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its brand of semi-fascism. There is also a large measure of agreement that the party and the cause it is identified with still have a lot of mass appeal, that they both may be 'down', but are not yet 'out'. The indifferent response to the party's call for bandhs in different states in protest against the jailing (although really in five-star comfort in a posh bungalow) of its top leaders in connection with the criminal proceedings for the violent demolition of the historical Babri masjid a year ago has reinforced the above broad conclusion.

ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS-New Thrust of Caste Mobilisation

collectorate, it was converted into a dharna. When a group of representatives went in to meet the collector, they were stopped by a police cordon, which did not deter them. As they broke the cordon, the police responded with brutal lathi-charge, seriously injuring at least 50-60 people, who sustained fractures on their arms, legs and head. The crowd dispersed to a nearby school. When they gathered again at the dharna spot, they were lathi-charged once again, litis time another 100 were injured, in the same manner. The dharna continued, despite the repression. Organisations like Narmada Bachao Andolan, Shetkari Sanghatana, Khedut Mazdoor Chetna Sanghat were amongst those that had attended the rally.

Maoist Baggage

a substantial amount of relevant information, is generally well aware of the issues involved and takes a balanced view of the role of service TNCs in the global economy and the likely impact of LDCs. It notes that while the services provided by TNCs may be necessary for LDCs to compete in world commodity markets, establishment of branches and subsidiaries is contingent on having an adequate supply of skilled people as modern services are skill-intensive. It also states that the pos sibility of factor substitution is more limited in production of such services. Therefore, LDCs could not become internationally competitive in production of services as they have in the production of goods through using their abundant cheap labour. Many services are capital-intensive so that their employment potential would be limited. The MS volume is much more ideologically driven. While the first part is interesting and the analysis rigorous the sector and country papers are disappointing.

WEST BENGAL-The Buddhadev Affair

The Buddhadev Affair Ajit Roy Whether Buddhadev Bhattacharya will ultimately survive the pressures and manipulations of the vested interests in the West Bengal CPI(M) whom he has provoked remains to be seen, but the issues his actions have brought into public view cannot be easily brushed aside.

Understanding Capitalism

than 30 years ago), but only equal availability of drinking-water, medicine, educational opportunities and certain elements of social justice.
But Beteille draws from Sen's discussion of "the pervasive diversities that affect the relations between the different spaces" the further conclusion that we cannot have equality in every space, and very little is to be gained by repeating such catch- phrases as 'all men are created equal'. Hidden in this politic and polite bow towards diversity there may well be a special pleading for the status quo. No one in his senses would advocate equality of status for parents and children, doctors and patients, teachers and students. But it is also a fact that in recent decades there has been a great erosion of patriarchal mores in these relations and dialogue is more and more replacing command in those spheres of human interaction. The folly of equating diversity with inequality is revealed when gender-difference is used to support unequal status. Equality after all is a juridical concept, while diversity is factual. The great mistake lies in twisting the factual to yield a juridical statement. Equality in India at this moment prescribes equality of opportunity and treatment, status and right, regardless of diversity in gender, caste, religion and race. Further, individual diversities are irrelevant in this discourse of equality which does not threaten such diversities.

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