ht centnll¥ con_ cerned with lhe politics of postcolonial idenlllies nlhe' Ilton lhe gm:n l'tVolutioo, although tht """ ..... nl crucially hinges on Iht import.""" of lhe Iau.r for qu6llons of idmlily Ihrough a ronsidention of diJ-roulWS of dcvd opmenl. BtaIUt I'" I't$I of thot book is concerned wllh expliclllng Ihls lkeme. I will not d .... eU on tt.. I<>plc hen; Instead. I would like I<> oddl't5S my chole<: of ""'thods and of lextual ronstTU<'tion. Ha,,;ng "'-ughta groduate ... ml .... ron ..... thods for the past two~eors. 1 hay. been 5Urpn...d al how Hllk mOSI authors s;ty aboul ,hd' m~lhods. When I I'tod an .thnograpl!y, I do no! expNl 10 find I lenglhy discuoMon aboul fidd melhods or even an obligalOf}' discus.s\on Ihro"", into Ihe Inlroductory chapter. lIut what surprises me is IIIaI lhere Is of'en no stol ...... nl .... hOl_ """v.,. about how the dall were obtained. I do nOlllllvcly htlieve thai enumention is In index of quaHly and thaI It.. numbo, of hour. of lnl.me-.; or observalion o. lhe I.ngth and dotal! of surveys ar. n..,~ s;trtly fruitful lndicllorsof thot qualily of 1M ~Irch. Bul l do think tNn ills mlni ..... lly U5Cful l<> Ind icate whelkcr Ihe tIlItorlal for • chapt~r ""as obu\nffi from partlcipant..x.suvallon, survrys. intetvit ...... news I't_ pons. post.rs. or lit.nlure gcncr.ttcd by other ethnognphus. 0... should no! have \0 scan footnotes :and ke<:p g\>CSSing as 10 how IUlhors know whal thty cllim 10 I'tp~nl. In nising 1M,,", questions. I ta)u, tht risk of falling ohon oflh.,.. standards; I>owcwr. I hay. ~ndeavortd to state dtlriy the methods lhall hive u"",,, al tt.. btginn!ng of tach chapter. Elh~phe" have almost f\C\..,r udusiv.ly employed partldpan1ob6crvalion in ,heir ..........gnphs, relying on OIhtr wrilten 50urca such as a",hl~ . ... ws reportS, pamphlels. slatlSliCliI dati coll..,led by States and in1ernalional "-3~""ies, OIlier kinds of audto,isuallnforma,lon. and secondary literalure gm.nt.d by olher ·codcmics. DcsJIitc this facl. partlcipanl obst ....... lion continues 10 bt implicitly CQdcd as tit<: mOSI legitim". 5OUm: of ~.l- data." Therefore. part of my int., CSI in ..eing • more explicit accounl of m.lhods Is 10 C.... I. room for o.:knowlcdging thaI Inlhropologi$lS do and should legltim."I~ u,,", a .... ritl~ of , .... arch method. in pursuing their "-3,nd..,.. How impotUnl a roIc ,th~phy
pla~
In diff(r~nlll$<:.rth P"'j«:lS should dbst"""'inn. nlh.~ em lif. Mm· tives,.nd stlll nth .... nn the analysis nl .. at;"tinl duo nr lexlualanal. )'c:y rely I)ll mighl Mlp r<:ado:~ d«:id. how 10 In[<,· (lTCt ,he ."al~b. OS ... dl OS opc:" up Ihe fidd of possibllllle:s of ....... , "anthropological .""lysis" o;Io(s or should do TM,e is then 1M fUMher qUffiion 01 h"'" nne goc:s aboot ronSlrucl· ing. tUI. CI.. rly, m.thnds of fieldwork a"d t«:hni'lucs of r<:plUm"" tiOll are c~ly li"ked. Both-the claims made In an cthnogntphy and lh. ~ntalinn nl tM .. hllQgropl>c:r~ knowledge_ arc shaped root Ilnly by the kind of da", roIkcted but 000 IIIe "",nner in whick thost oldy obj«:t;";'1 OOnnntatinrlS. Then: is. by n"",•• body 01c.... 'iv. ""(Irk In anthropology lha. drow. IItl:nlion 10 diveno: '1un1iollS nl "'pracnillion: h"", lhe cthllQlrophc, is post. tioned within lhe t.xt. questinrlS or pol)""XaliIY. lhe ocp,,:scnta'iOll 01 ~nd'nl$' vQictS, problems of translation, II><: "st.aging" 01 dialogic enoountus, ronce"" about aUlho~hip. th. usc Ilf PMt<>gTllPb, and oudinYisual l«:hniqu.. , ond omhropologoo' ....pj.m .nd ttSpondenl$. AhMugh I do nol inltnd 10 deal wilh each isstw: bc: .... my positions "" ill b<: Ipparent from 1M mole .. I makt in tM tU I. But I do wish 10 dnlw alte"tion to on<: r... u .. of It.. m,nus.:ript thot truly Mlp explain my position on (ltMr issutS of rcp.tSCntalion. One of the primary go,ols guidingtM .. Icetion nf data,lM "pll$<:nta· lion of data within lh. IU t. and lh. man .... r in wh;.,h I have prtSCn[0," aspired to ""l1t~ a book thal,n""''''ges reinterp ... llt!on, Of course, oil bool<s ... <>pen to reinterpr¢tation. aut I IMnk .hat It!s n:asonable to maintain lhat som<': .. hnngraphi'" allnw g... ater room In. ",reading than nlM .... It gOtS Without sayinllhat aUlb.nls """,fully .. icC! ,..hat dota to pn:s0: found. Should In ~thnograpM' ,cprescnl ill of th,m? Tit. mosl impn0: ",presented? H"", should the clhn<>gTllphc"'" "",... pres-
~nc~ b.
acknowlN.gN in g~ ....... ling I",," dirr~~nl p(rsp"Clh~l Th~ a~ by no mo .... easy questions, and lhey ..sist uni\.Ory TCSpon5cS' the~ is timply no formul.1 10 ""termi .... tilt "right" approach. What I have tried to do in this book is to emphasiz~ diITertnces in ptrsp«:tiv"S on a nnge of questions, la"empt '0 include .. lus'5(>me yOm ' t picos has b..n I tnl chanenge_ I ha"" ufoe< .hat unifies the argument . In other words, In m)' Itxt I do not a!tempt 10 demon""'''e an analytic ma5tny over lhe dat., su.ling olf III tht IU<>Sc .ndJ Into one co"'.. nl, amhontati"" expt..natlon . Fo. to do.., would Nit out alit'" mamialthal did not fil the upt..notion, ""h leh is indeN Ih. "no"""]" process by which !lCl>olarship pmc
"x_
There contin .... to be • fai. ly t..'lt gulf bttw«n Ihe humoni.5lle btnl of mosl poslcolonial Ihco'l' Ind SOCial·scltntific !lChollrship on Igricul. tural ......,. in dLsciplines such '" anlhropology, rural sociology, polilical JO
Introducoloo
"".ne<:, g.og .... phy. and .g!itultu .... l «onomks!' In _lv' II3 my way through . complicated .. t of issut5 having to do with postcolonial cond itions.• h~m .. iv<: fOrm$ of modtmity. .. ilmion of n~W forms of govUI\m~nulity. l,""'avor to employ postcolonial theury on topics with wh;.:h II has normally no. lx,n ass<>ci•• ro. ThOSt studying agriculturt .nd politicol «onomy I r. sk.p' tical of lilt doctors of discourst. who lhey f•• r art too .nta ngkd in tex", and .hwry .hal bt.r lillt. ronn«tion to tM li,'fi and ftars of tlK suO. .hem. In tum . •1>o5c Studying rtprtStnu, Ions and discourstS art "-"ry of tilt m.taphl"ks of p~nc. in , ... dtseription. and analysts off.rtd by ",holars of agrlculture,- My obj«tive i5 to bridge this gop and initia •• a cri.ical dialogue be.wttn disciplines and, equall)' important. to prcs.tnt an lnall"is that could bo useful to fUM her .M obj«tlv.s of socIal mGVe"",ntS; I 1m cUm-inccd that a sha'l"'""d understanding 01 th. fQfCes tho. thrtl.en .0 push .he wor!d~ poor beyond 1M Mg. of survival win help u. ben.. rai.st .hose fot'C<:S. If inlt<>ry, l.minl.1 theory, cullural geography, politi_ <:01 "'''nce. ><>ciulug)', «olugy. hi,.ury. and agricuhural .co""""ks'0 CoMlTO(1 this lu" My obj«tin is to wril. an eth nognophk text .hat employs methods considertd .entral .0 anthropology. as well as methods Ustd mOre f""lw::nlly in adjacent disciplintS, For this reason , people in diff.,..,nt disciplin .. mighl find in this book ",,""'thill3 .hot speaks .0 'Mir chief OOncems .nd methods bu. much that is difreTCnt ," fon:;gn to th.ir way of thinkill3 ahout th_ questiOns. By noW, .t.. coli for ·;III~rdisc;plinary" work i. quile old. 11 is at. rndy more lhan. decad( sine<: G<:enz d«l.red ,enra.o ha~e blurred (I98J:l9-lS) . V'I, Ih. power of instltutional procedura bel", ... hat they 'TC. genuinely Interdisciplinary wO'I'k is Still nO. ,.•.,- common. tne ..,cent enthUSiasm for cultunl studies has ..,en ",holars a'u:mptlll3 to ~muLale II< emphasiS on combining methodological inlcrdl5ciplinarily with activlS! polilical .ngag"",enl. In my own co.." 1 SlaMed out •• tempting to understand 'he class implicatiOns of .he "green n:voluliGn" in nOMh ..... India. ThaI prnj«! ~ me to an examination of Ihe na'u", of .he dc'·elopmen. regime in .he post-Seoond World \lIar period and Ih. world food «unum)'. on .1It one hand. Ind til( detailed clhno. gr.tphlc study of indigenous understandings of agron.om)- and ",,01"11)' Introdu
in OM village in northern India. on II.( other. In showing the tight in«:rwtulng of pl.(nomma usually dubbtd OS global and "macro" and tho$t wnaptualil:«1 OS local and "micro: I ha,'c .Iso .ttempled 10 bring .nlhropl>l~ and tl.(l, (onn"" InlO convt .... tion "ith thost in Olbt. dlsdplincs. Any book . hat UWtOS lhe ",nge of topic!.. diKipliM$. OM Icvels of aJlJ.lysis ... dou this ont will ha.,., s«tions thaI SOme ",.de... "' ill find (~r 10 lheir interest.s than arc othe .... I havc written nch chapter SO that it can bt rud lndcpmdently. and ' ...iII now try to indk.1C which sections 011'" book mwlt apl'ul mon: 10 ...·hich audic""cs. Ttw.;" interested in postcolonl.1ity. ~lopmml, IocaUgIobal conn«.lons. natioJlJ.ll:!im. agricultut:l.l pol;q. social rnov."... ms, 100 South Asia should find the tnti.. book to Ix of inte""it. Tho6c primarily concamd with ag""ian politics aoo global food "'11m", ",HI find ChaplCrs I. ~. and s .o be ..!tva nt. 1'~1c w hQ art struggling \0 Com. \0 tUTTIS ...i . h "the ioo!&enous" might hav. some sympathy wi.h my O...n cffort.s in Chaptcrs 3 and ... For thMc: intcre:st«1 in the $<>Cial histol)' of ttch""l_ ogy, Chaptc ... I. J. and • will ht mO$I. us:>nee"".
J.l.
Introd~
, ".~n
I
P,",",II ..... ""M DoI_IGjlilUlnt
n .his ellaplU I ,uemp' [0 ddtn.,.l . .... lul 1M "postcolonial condition" m.ans fo • ..,me ", ,,,I .ubjects of • "modem" nalkm-sulC. T.k. ing AppagJl'phiC'd by con)" "". u ...1",I. tions of l~u:lhty t hat crisscross global, nation.ol, « ponal, and t.xal level< to form panic"!,, fitlds of pow" l 1 argue 1t...1 the postcolonial period In India is charactcruni by ,..., distinctive eM"""" of th. r
,h.
1M global rtgualion of popualions. bodits. IDd Ihings. of whith & _ ""Iopmml ;. a primary .umpl. (sec also Scou 'm).' H.",. I analyu ,he dtvelopm.n, oJ agnculluu as a ~'i'i",llInk in ,110: forging of a "modem" nation. Global discoufl;<S of d.nlopm""l Ind inlernalional food rqimd play a cenlral mi. In shaping Ih. ""olulion of "'-Ilonal politlts and agtlcuhural praclices "' Illt Ioal\evtl. OM of .ht mo5t ImpoNm _~"S In whkh discoufl;<S of devdopmml have affccted the ev<:ryday liws of Yillag.... in North India Is through populisl poli_ ties, polirit:s, .nd programs. Populism nol only has IIKn 1M med ium in which 1M di5c:OUfl;<S Ind praeticd of development a", (,mvey<:d 10 vllbgtt'S but has also provided on. of tht
w~ ...
II) bt , .. nsfolmd by ,h. inslilUlion.liuUion "f d ......,lopm""'.nd. by Ih. structu ... of In. "-o,ld rood economy in d..., en lhal follmo.-ed 1M Second World Wor. P.,.t.glicu[lu ...·fim" ~,n,· .gi"", ""hich ,'·.nlually defused by. fam Ine Ih.1 led m.;, of so,-.... Ign,)" and ,h. gr."" «,'oluhon . Th. origins of ag .. n..n populism lay In 'his crisis of so""rrignly, whkh is tl>< 5ub~CI " f the S«OM !'I'oion. Th. g ...." «volulion was inSliluted duling Ih. lenu« of Indin Gandhi as prim< mInister, and i, was.' ,hal " cry time lhal 5he lumed II) populisl prognms. To und..· Sland why ,ha, happened, I firsl brioOy e""mine Ihe IhW"' lkollhe"'· ' U« on poputi<m 10 st. I'" link. posiled btlw..,n popuhs m and "tlndtr· development ." NUl , I i"''tSligale whal h ...-as about IMi .. Ga ""hi"s ,nClone and. policIes ,h' l qualified Ih.m as populist . TM seclioo .nd~ wilh a considerahon of how populism was -« """"", -nthi ... ,o... Th. firsl part brleOy sketches. history of the rn",1 important populist peas· .nt pany in Nonh India, Ih. 8haraliya Kranl i Oal (.~ I». AI.. r th. deml5( of Ih. no in t9117 , ' nfW group called lhe 8li.... ly:a Kisan Union ( n u) took o'''~r and orgonized a ""Ti"" of s( "'gimc, ma~lng corruption and ,II<: go.,.emmtnl~ .ntiru ....1 policl"" il$ twO main plank.. Th, u u's Success t<:'Iuh.d from" d.ver comblnahon of sp«ir", com plainl$ with a broader cTili( country ,ook a diffe",n, tum whh the impO!ition of • structu",1 .djust·
".,IS
'0"
Asror'ian
Popul;,m II
mc.m program, 1M oigning of th~ G~lIual AJif".mem on Tariffs and T~ (GATT), lhe aID'enl or a 1>("" kind or planl biOICChnology TOOled in g''''tic engi""OOriwled , "mark.l·lriwdly" dirtelion . Ba-ouse such. polh oymly dcvIal." from lhe hiStory of Ih. "devdopcd" «ront";"'. i l has Ihrown into qu""ion lho pos6ihilily of achicving modcmily IhrouRh mimicry. Is il any wondo. Ihen thaI dcveiopmwI itsdl is In<:rt ...ingly bdngqu$iontd ... ad$nblt gOll1'
To opuk of moo:Ir:mily ill k::s.s 10 i!lvo"" all empirical ~f.rtm thall " ..1£. ~prtMnlallnn 01 Ihe West. In Ihls .. If·rtprtScnlalion. consdously built on • difjt:mtCe with a,,,,,h .. ( Ih. "Oricnl." lh. """I"), Ih. Wcso .. n• •ges ... lbe "model, the pmlOlYJ'" and tho m.... urt of SQl:ial P'""","" (Han 199>:'13) , M Hall ( 199):'77) points OUI, "Ih. is an hiSloricGl, nol . geog",phical. conslruct_' In speaking of "tho 'I'*s,: I rtl.. to ,h ••1fc<;LS of """,monic rtP""""'nlatio,," of It.. Western sell "" h.. Ihon il' subju· galed tradi'ions. T~rO'" 1 do M\ USC lb... rm to ~fcr ~mply 10 a geographic Spac<: bUI 10 I puticular hiscorical COlijugatiOIl 01 place, P""""r, and know\edtt. Th. "modem : Ih. cc1.bnuio!l of Western prog. ress. civiliulion, rationality, and de~elopmenl. came 10 be instiluted as a global pt..nomenon Ihrough colonialism and Ih ...... gh mult iple and di"" .... modr:. of JO"<'manc •• nd dominalion in It.. poslcolonial wo.ld (Hall '991) _ AI",r lho formal dcmlst of colonialism, on. of Ih. ckicl mcclu.llisms by which Ihis .. 1f·~prtScnlatlon has been promulgated has b«n through dte di5curslvc formation known .. "d.~elOpmc:nl" ( FUJUson 1990: Escobar 1~). Do-velopmcnl is a discourse ,hat ..,. kearses. In. virtually unch.ong.d fann, tho cki.f prtmloos of th ...If. "'p1"<:Stnlltion of mod.mlty: tho belitf in teleological narralive.; Ih. id.. thll "progras" oocuTS Ilong • single palh ; lho conviction ,hat "\Vestcm: Induslru.1 countries ha"" already arri~.d II In. lei", (allhougll It would be """" accll nU. lo .... y Ihal lhey "'e", al",,,l" ahady
""'cst'
tlu:",l : and, finally, II>< _ion 1""1 It Is n;Jlkm-5taICS, configured according 10 a panlcula. logic of I~nil.mal txelUSion .nd ccouin concepts of OOY~",lgnly, .hal co"''''' u'' II>< boosis of .nalysl. and action. " 0. .. .1",," m~nl ." in OlhCT ","On:\s. is Orimtalism IflInsform«l into . s.:lcncr for ",lion in tlu: conlem porary world' Thi • •df-",p~n lllion of mOOf1h· em India . as in many ollu:r par15 of I"" world. To live in Ihe villag~ Ihall ha,.., called Alipu. is 10 rotlfmnl in man~ diff,,,,nl conltxl$. shapt<. anc: sdf_n:prCSCntaliOn of moc: ..,If·n:p~nl",ion of modtrnily is a puvaslve and omnlpn::seonl facl . At llu: sam. lime. as will be amply dar In whal follo ...... il don nol mean Ih .. people In runllndla Ind. '" upln: 10 lead . "Western" lives. \Vh.al . Ihen. dotS il mean IQ say , ha, Ihen: .n: Olher ,,",,)"S of being modem ? To Ihe exlenl lhal Ie!tgrapliic space of lli ..... Iion·stal •. So .... hll """,unlll for the diff,n:ncc of "the modtrn" in lndiar e lta.ly. On. of Ih, diITeu:nces lies in Ih, facl lhal Ihe propen i.,. of "II>< mod~m" odumbrot«l .hove undcrspedfy IIll Contmts. Employing. Itkologicaj .... mliv. of histOl)', for '''''mplc. says almost nOllilng of ilS contents. This..-;lS tvldmlln lhe d«p conflicts bel ...... n colonial .nd .... Iio .... lis. lnlerp"tollons of II>c: pasI. i)olh <>f ,,·hieh ,,"n< co mmill«l to lele<>logical ""molives,' There is. however. anolher faclor which 10 my mind ;" far mo", crili",,1. Whal makes Indian modunlly diff(1 Df differrna ilS<:lf is • consti' ''li,'c rnomcnt 1""1 slructures the cxpetimc, of modernil)·. In olher words. what makes lhe: cxp<:rimcc Qf modernily diffen
0"'''
Ag... rian Fopulism
}7
ale "India" pn:dscly ill tl>t narratives of mot",lo",. 1$ many p«>minont inlcll«luals .'" cum:mly doing. 1:'110 oexupy. ~pK' of opposillon c",altd by modtrnlly~ rtpn:. "'lIl.1lion of Itself.' This is not 10 deny Ih. imponlncc of an lculalillg altenutlves to "developmcm ." To the: contrary. It is 10 . rgue thaI tM "'llI'Ch for .Ilentati""'" can begin only by rtgot'()tlslr ocknowltdging tho: imp<>S5ibllity of transcendencc.' Modcmity~ TCpfCStlll.llion of itscll i•• 5OUli~ polteles and the Sln.tggles lhol ensue from those_ UndeTSlandlngs 01 devtlOpmtnl arc larg.ly dtpendent 011 tile stand.rdi.l:ed USC of catain kinds of ogg"'gatc ","tistla.: no,ional income. emplo)"menl. trade. oul· put. population. and SO on. Although no doubt valuable lor SOme pur· poscs, such stali$tics do not always rt"ta\ Whol 11.. aptrimu of "'Uf' day me n>tans lor people III a partlcul.r "dcveiopmen' ",glmt ."
O<>'«uri1y Of _~_ .. hIdt oppo.r
..,do:fin;,,,,,, to< ",~"' n< k_ , ih>rintt;..1j: """', It it. ,, .. .......
...... .... <._ 1(.0" )don>~. - Modrttn$llMto .... ond tbt Cr'di> oIO<>'
Even an a",haeologi~' of · d ..... dopm.nl disrou~· would po ..... to wonru: •• 1 ,h. rtm,"kabk COnstquellCts 01 Ih. apparalu. was pul Inlo plac. al BrtllOn Wood. in '\1+4, wh~n Ih. WOTld Rank'· and Ihe In,erna_ Iional Monet.ry fund ('M' ) Wert , ....,td (Mason . nd Ash""97)'"-l~: l.teicr '98.PO-1) : LumsdoiM 1993), " A rtgim. of devdop .... m took ov'" wh.rt lonnal colonial rule aim. 10 an end. " As newly independenl nations join.d Ihe ubi. allh. United NalKms (t".) . ' hey wtrf: PU' in.o 0 pn:f.hric",d ~Io •. namely, thai of 'untk, d<,,,,lop«l natio ns' (PI..""h 'u'put .... ,os. and bal."". of paymo:nlS-opc ... ting on an altHdy ci>osf,n division of · steto ...· -.g.kult ...... industry. Inl... stnlCtUrt, t... nspolUlion. and .nngy-<=ountrkS ,,-tn: deemtd \0 be suffering from lite: malady of undertkv.loprnelll (Eso::obor t99s:3-" . 1J/ry. I do nol, Ihud o .... inlend 10 summarize Ihtori.,; of develop .... n. but meTeI)' to p;.:k up On a f~w, ltSS--noltd ospul5 Ihal critics 01 .. h«(>mes O<\;d.m .... h.n we osk who.> is being referred 10 whm Manzo ~"" t$ thaI "developmmt· has become a .. If-ovidenl concept. 50 Ihal •...... ry(>n. koows. Insllnclively. whal It Is." In otho:. wonls. what is being ~ h.", ;" the f(>rmation of • CClUin kiM of rable wonls of I..... n I\\io:h. comm.nting on lho: extraordinary effecl5 of Ih. S... llon Woods ITI$lltutinns: "Sctr«ly twenty yurs we .. enough 10 m. ke lwo billion pe 5omeone else by a ... Ialkmshlp (>f C<:tm rol and depende"'" . nd titd .o on.\ own Identily .hrough .. If_knowledge (t9liJ'111) . o!)evdop«l' and "underd.veloped" . .. no. just 'erms .hal lndialt. the position of natlon_.tat.,; in an objt<:-
,""1
tI~t
matrix dcfi.....t by quanlitali'-' indkators,'" 1M formal optl'lllioIU of the dc~clop_nl oppal'llius-ucmplified by the lohlO'S of 1M World Bank) annual 1'tporu-would ha .... US belit~ • . Thtt ore also. ond ' 0 my mind far rna", Importllnl ly, fo"", of idtnliW In 1M "",Icolonial world. To be "'undcrdtY'(lopcd' Is \(I bt. natwnal com mun;' t Ihal Is inlcrk>,. backWllrd. ~ubord;,,"t.<. dt6citnl in C1Ipital an.d ttSOUI"CO'S .• n inadc_ quat.< "",,,,he, of tit< inlunalional ordtr. an.d (by altnsion ) a shabby Imllation of Iht ","""",loped." But "'u ndtrdt ... lopmtnt" Is. condillon IM1 ",,,uis ..,melbing eke as well. It displays 10 Iht """,ioptd a ~Ision of Ihtl' Own po.s4. The ",ason thalli doe:..., iJ lhal countTksI'" assumed 10 r.:.now ecruin "-",blishtd palhs to "dtvtlopmcnL" Somtlimt:> Ihis is c<mctpluallzcd as I unitary, fixed palh " '\111 prcgiY'(n ~ts; It Olhe. limes. Ihcrt may be an ac knowledgmenl of the ~ibililt of I fini te number of mulliple roUl.,. 10 !he sugc of being ·dc~cloptd· (sec especially Nan.dy 1991: ~). I toli •• lhal """b. bmad cha ... <:teri.:.l. ion dots not do jlUlicc 10 ,be di...."'lIt Ind subtlety of "",ilioM found in Ih, d,velopm,nt litennu .... BUIlt has lhe vlrt .... of Ioeusing on ",,_.hing ""hieh is.., bask .nd obvi<>us 1M' i. C1In ""lit lit """rIooked . Whll l wish to emphasiu Is that bow'Y'(t the paths or ..... t.pcs to achle .... dcvtlopment Irt dcscribod. th. mc.ns 10 th., end Is ...umcialion . I focus on the poo ....... growth willi redistribution. particlpuoty dcY'(lopmc:nt. sustainable dcvdopment , .n.d back 10 "mOtUl ,dorm: the coml_nl ele· ment has hem lhal the of development should bt mimicry. To leo"., . folio .... replicate . rtpeal. improve-,h<$C'''' .he ind. cmcnl$ of dcvclopmcnt .n..:ou,...,. Aoo the ~j'Clthal doe:..n tills le.rning_n.d
>1,,",/0'
foiloYl"lng Is II\( nallon-s\2lt.
Dtv<:lnpmcnl Ihus bringo logtlhn Ihe phenomeOOfl IMI JoMn...,. Fabion ( ,jIIj) has ""l ied "ollochronlstn' (th. displactment of "mlle"," In ,he "Third World" to II\( past) with lhal fcatu,. of coloni.1 d\.scourst thai Homl Bhabha {.\1&4) has "nned "mimkry." L1k. ~olonlal mimkry. Sl I~' """'. bt.1 MIt 'l"i't" (Bhabba .jII.p16). Apin. as in C<)ioni.ol mim· iCT)'. one finds 'MI dtvclOpmtnl di"",,,TSC is su btly but pt"".ivcly TII_ clallled.!IO .hat undctdcv.lopm.n. rotIllOlCS nol only cronnm;';: back_ WlIrdnr:r6 bu ••1$0. I"""" posiliml in the globol raci_1 hi.... rrhy. " Yet ...htrns ,be amblv:tlenc. of mimICry produo:ts SU~«:1$ wh" al "nce
TtS<'mbk ,h. wloniul'S ond funcllon as a sourc~ of un""ruinty in 1M au,lt.oritotlvt discourse. hoth faithful image and vinuol menace. de· "<1"""",nl disalutS( pmduC6 SUI>;e<:I na' lons , .... , prGtnt on amhi,... • l.n, Image of ,he: pas! of Ihe •... v<1opt:d ." This temporal disp~,m,nl has p«>found consc:que!>CCS for ,he proj. 'Ct of · ; "b""o '991 ). Nollo"" 0'" · n...,ly born: th.ir trooomie< lOk. till\( to · gm ....• .nd ,heir ma.1«15 and poli'ical sysoems finally ·ma.un:· whe:n ,hey on: full)' 'o.vjs the · dtv.Iopt:d" natlon-su,tS (Manzo '991;14,6)." Thudon:. to be. notion.l.ubjtt' in an · und.rd .... lopt:d (onn· try"_ I to o«upy In "".rd.t.r. minN .ubjtt' position Inle...,.UalN by discuurscs of the nalion """ b).the discourses of development 10 .... hieh , .... , nation is subjtc,N. ,. TI>< tel:S7; Monzo 1991:4 ). In de".I
ovncoml"lof hardship and PO"~"Y, I"" abilily 10 n~,olial~ a ..,ri.. of expe' ioenctS SUCttSSfuHy, provides ,"" s'ory wi,h an <SS(n' ia! (oh~n:nc. which jUSlilit$ I"" moral and polilico! ltadersl!.ip of Ih~ West and which provida .s.V~Iop""'nl willi. an inh=m ltgilimacy, ~pn:scmalions of I"" pasl, Ih=lon:, an: cen'rallO d"'dopmen' namolives: ,~ p' nOi ooly by off.rin, 10 ,"" powerful an amblv.ltn, imag. of Ihemsoo:lvC$ (.... lmO$. Ihe same but not qui,e") buill$wth \hal mimics lhe Non h Am.ria n [ronti.. uperitnct ptmaps an 100 dO$tly. ",thin
Dev.:lcpm.nl discourse shares a grea. deal wllh no,1ons of · P.....~" commonly ~mploycd durin. tilt colonial puiod. Whal makes lilt [>O'twar ptriod distlncth·., . ""n lrom lilt loundi~ 01 institutions ...·hose spedli< lu"".lon was 10 product and propaga.. ideas aoout · d.velop" mc:nl: _ the adumbration 01 a lonnal rom""raliv~ lheory lound«l on oqJ!labie and Iorgcly ahlswrical models By ronl .... l. Ihrories 01 p"'gttSS under colonlallsm, cre.,td on tltt pr<:ml$t of mimicry. remained failhfullO the 'pccifi.cily of the hislorical aperieoc~ of ""nkula, col ... nlzers. The .."",rUblt simil.rilitil bclwttn discussions of ' progrt$S" dUli", th~ colonial HI and ,,,,- of d~dopm~nl today ha,'~ bt:cn ~m' phaslzcd by Bipan Chandra ('99.).nd LIldden ( ,99.1) , Ludd~n. notl",
lhal Ih. ·cognili,'. I(nain" of de,-dopmtnt has ' ",mllnal ",markably Stab!t" ~Intt IIw: urly nln"tenlh ttnlul)'. idenllfies 111< chid fCllutnloe condition must !>. impro"al, 1.3) an i""ology 01 .de",e thl' <;onlrois principles I nd ,..,hniqu".o dleel and ""'lSmt progr<'SS. and (4) StUd«larttl . enllgl"cnN. l.ack ... who would u"" ,tate pow.,. Fo. d",dop' mem and compote for po",., " 'ilh claims of Ihei. abili.y.o effect pTOg' %'<$5" (")9~ : lS'-Sl) . Ludden fun lw:. argues (160_61) lho, IIw: inslilu_ llorul,lruclUrt:§ tho, ""'" 10 nmlu",.OO ,u"ain thls ·cogniti~ ,emoln" "'tTC well in pi", by 190<). Th, ,,, a", IhuHlrong contlnultks to d",dopmom discou.s.. !>.I"'oen lhe colonial and poslcolonial eras. Bu, JUSI as wt neal ' 0 .nond 10 ,htso: enduring I""cms. wC also neW 10 ",m.m"". tha, ""vdopmem discou .... "'as enunciated from mulliple """ilions.nd lhal lh. dangtr of "'prCS.hlng • larg<:. numoo of workcc .... Thc",!o"" tlw: onl)' ",rutlon IQ casin g 1M prt:<Su", Qf popula. lion on the land I~y in dev.loping ind"Sll'}\ which in any ca"" "'p",. ~nl.d " higher Stage of ~"'iUu"i('" (Chond,a '99"&8 89). Although debt ",lid and ",... ney leg;slat iQfI w.", propoM:na nt long·l.. m m. ..uted by , Iw: B"'''on \Vouds i""I.u.iO'" in .h. pas' deead/: , " ""e again dTllwing OUT all.mion 10 Ih. pns.nce of enduring paneTns of social ",lations in 'hc gl"bal
It.. promot ion 01 poival< proputy rights in land. (iiO lho: n countries (h - 8) " It was hoped Ih., pe •• moMnl!}' fixing the ~nll( demand lrom land and ~limi""ting Intu· mediatics bc:rw .... It.. cul,ivalor and the stal. " 'ould provide in«tILi,·.. to lonllon has cotILlnued ul\(hanged , " ilh dlffutnl Infltttlons. unto 1M p""",nt." Among ltadlng .ntic<)loni.lislS, the lwo main pooiIitions on tlot agrariln qutStlon we .. mo .. similar . non .hei. procogonists wouid ha"e dared '0 admit. One side .rgued lhal Ind""'ri. llnllon ....,.. a pru:ondilion lor agTicuhu ...1improvtmCnl. and the OIho:<. Utat ,ho: applic:o.li<>n of so:itnti/k knowledge to agriculturt " .,.. lho: """" "-'lCIII task. giv.n lhatlho: eronomy "'ouid contin"" '0 dep"nd mainly on agrlcu.hu ... In Iht lo",-able lutu ...... In '90t. the Indian Nallonal Con~ pledged lu support 10 agncuhund ' Improvtmtnt" in • t'tSOmlion d«laring "Ihal Ihe G(m ,mmcnl should be pleosW 10 be· ,",ow iU fint and undivided .(ttnlion upon the 3. Ihc R.oyaI Commis1;ion on Agricu]IU.., In lnd", ..,commended tno( ,he g
progrns, and lhe Oppli",,'ion of sci. mifir kno"''''~ aoo .sckmific m, ' l\ods to improH agricultural producli>ily." As w. shall se. ill lhe SIOl)' thaI follo,,"S. th<$< IMm<:5 did not disap""or hut we .. ..invigorated with tho launch of tho: g..."n revolution in ti>( I. It 1960s. But ~me important dirr. .. n= ..... isl«l bol ...... n Ihe progrt:§Siv;'1 nonoliv"" of 1M colonial period and Ih. dcvdopm<:nlaliSl na!Talivcs of Ih. postcoloni
•• _"",Moo_IIPI_""'I"'_W_
IIoIWttn .871) Ind '9>9. the world food .. gim.
based lo,&"ly on . ~pon. 10 [UTOp: from tho 5<: II 1e'
AUSIIIUa • • nd Arg.nlin. " [uroptan impons I)f WI>(.1 """nt up ,lxfl)ld in ,his poriod. a gfllwing demand lhat was "",{ largoly by inc .. ased prodUClil)n in tho seulor colonies. Th;. food .. gim<: collapsed during Ihe e",", Depression . and. new systom came Inll) pl.ee wilh postW:l.' ..el)"'''UCI'''" . The PO"""" food order "'.,.,. 10 provid •• "oble backdrop for Ih.... of dtco lonWlion and "d,>'d opm.m ." hs origins lay in Ih. price supp<>ns giv.n tI) d"mcs.ic prodUC''''n In II>/: United Stal"" during Ih. Ntw Dc.I.nd up<>ns of Am.ricln agricultural products 10 .. build [ urope during Ih. )~ars of Ihe Marshall Plan . Commodily suppon p.ograms initialtd during lhe Ne.., Deal =al«l hug. ,u'1'lu",,". lhe disposal of which Mam. 0 cenl"'\ problem for Ih. U.S. go>'ommenl . Belw •• n 1948 .nd .~. 19 pe",om of Marshall aid was for lood and agricultun: (Friedmann '9\10:17 ). An ' old. foroign .id ....,.,. largd)' r<sponsiblc I"r a nindold i"",.."", in wl..: •• ~I"'ns b(' W(.n I9-IS aoo 1~9. Dy ' 9SQ, subsidized foreign aid constilut.d 60 pe..:ml of .n Ameri""" ogricult"lIl expons ( Frtcdmann .90825 >61). Tht fotm 01 aid 10 Europe-loans In nonC"""(r1lble k>Oll <1Irrenclcs-",2S tI) b( Iller ",n.",hzed wilh Public law ( n ) 430 aid {o Ih( Third World. The .. was a crilleal diff.rtncc b(t"'ecn Marsha ll Plan aid and p~ ~80 .;d. how(vC1". which had 10 d'l)idcd . hI:
...""rian Populism . s
Jill! on providing food for immod\;1le co",umptioll ""eds and for Iud and feni1izu 10 ",build European agricuh uno (Friedmann ' ~"SUi,; '993')6). Rebulldilll!'gricuhu", in Europe, """"e"". , implied Ihe adop,ion of policits 01 domeslic .ubsidi<:5 Ih;u mimk kcd Ihe U.S. model. Oc$pItc the ""&IIi"" effects of such policies on European wh.,., 1m_ pons, li>c Uni,cd StoICS supponcd European protccllon of ,. .. hoa, . nd dairy prod""t$ In exchange lor exempting maize and,.", from impon conlrol$. Ti>c for Ihl. appanontly contl1Odiclory move was ,he growl,,& imponance of lhe Ii~.stodcn' on hybrid com.oo "'YIItan pr0duction. The mood of. nalionally orpnizcd. price-subsidized. import_ conlrolled agrlcuhurol Stttor Implicit in the Common Agricultural Polkr of ,lit Europe.n SUles, lherefore. cocxlslcd with a ' n ",... ' io"'Uy orpniud Uvcstock seCto. lho, intcgr.>'cd Amerioln com and soy produce", with. lransallantlc \iv<:5lock iooustry basN. on faclo'Y-lanning principia. It was only after Ihe cnd of Marsholl Plan aid and .fl.. Iitt Korun War. which absorbai mos' U.S. go"ernmenl gr.>in ",ocks IItI ...·.. n '9}O and ,~). tluLt 1M problem of disposing of ,uTJ>luses Camt '0 be soh'cd Ihrough sal.. to Japan and through aid 10 'he newl)" independent countrics of Asia and Africa, 11,1., of PL -\80, which ",""",ullted lOT llit bulk of lood aid (]O pero:.6<1-71: '9!J' :lil).>t In lhe ptocc:ss. Third World countries lluLl had b«n expo.,e",. '" insignificant lmponc.-s, 0\ 'he end 01 ,he Second World W.. became dependenl on "'!w:al imports, primarily Ihose , vonahl< a' subsidi1.ro rales from the Uniled $talC!. There wtre many "'.so'" for Ihis. not l.asl lha, regim .. could ~p urhan co",ume", and ioouslrialisls hoPPl' ""ilh low food prices, n'. n lhough the dumping of Aml:rican wheat meant lhal the agricultural _lor suffered (Friedmann 1990:18---'9; 199Z:);rz).
rr."m
BUI Ih. main «:oson la)' ~rlu.ps dse,..... «: : in Ihe moods of develop. men' lha, w.«: ""ing employed by lhe newly jndc:~odcnl nalion~ .... t~ of IItt world. Mshould be evident from Ih. d&us.sion '00". «:g.anling debal.,. in roloniallndia. induscri.li"lion signlflN . he 89:9l). il openued wi.h a conviction citac . he ociemific Ipplication of de"clopmen' ex~rtiSot .... ould .110 .... "''''Iy indc:~ndc:nc ""Iion-s... <s 10 le.pfrog th. gradu.list path pros~n,y. o.w:lopmcnt di5Cou~ e.wi_ sio .... d applying Ihe Funlisl spttdup of produetion to 1M soclalengl"".n ng " I nalions. Significantly, t.king the fasl road '0 iooUSlr .. hzahon ..... nl kttping wag"" low SO I.... ' (\omes,;c InduSln.,. could flourish and bypassing Ih. 10",lgn ."".... ng< c"n"ralnl$ to the of capital equipment. In ,his eqna,lon, subsidizal food from 1M Uniled Slales ...;IS. g""""""" btnuse it allowed SI.les 10 sov. all,hcir lorelgn exchange fo, indust",,1 goods. Cheap food fM ,he: ur!)an pmkllri.1 .Iso enabled industrialisu l<J k.ep the ..... g. bin low. It " 'as !>oped .....t the gm",h ol lnduSlI)' would e""ble the lb50rplion of surplus JaboT from It.. countryside, thc",I»' ... ising Ih •• ve ... go: productlvily of laoor. and that it would also lead I" Inc"'~ demand for agricuhural goods. both food and cash crop&. The alternative st""egy. • imil.. ,,, ,ha' being lollowN by posI .... , Euro~ ..... "uld have meant high support prk.,. 10 boost .gricuhu ....1 OUlpU' and. romtqutntly, high lood prices f", Consumo:l"S. Scaree ",. soure." "'ould then have had ." be diver1n/ 'rom pot.ntial induSl",,1 .nds ,n agnculluTC. wlth high food pri= hindering industrial gro""h by inc«:a..ing ,he wag. bill. The im~T\ltiv .. 10 "calch up" for Ihose ""liatI-sta't$ that w= "behind " we", th .... ,.~.,.. dlff.TCn, from ,ho.;.: fIf Euro~.n ""llon-Slat05 "«:building" aftullw: dtSll"U(lion of IItt Sttond World War. PUSI ..... ' food , herdo"" playro • ''''ry im porlalll rol. OOth in Europe and in th~ Third World , bul p.rtICip'01N In very dif. I.",n' "r;olCgic:s "f growth and IttOnstruCllon . Th. model 01 food aid embodied In pc 480 appe.red '0 be an extmsion of M.rsh.ll rlan aid pollei.,., but food aid to th~ Third World became part nf. completely dilfe«:nl set of Slr;olegic , in .. matlonal , sec'o",l.• nd dass ",1'liomhips. This food regime. domln'IN 1»' U.S. co"" ..... iol\Ol .id policies. waS '0 last until the early sev.mi<s and forms ,h. baduln'p .galnst which .gricuhu....1 policies .... en: u, he: Illrmulated In postcolonial l""i".
'0
]>
.id.
-s .....' .In."tn ' . ...' ... . O.. ," . . . . .
,.w.' .. "'.M
PwcoIonial di$roUlWS of dtv~lopm~nl in lndLo conttnuM '" rell":l lhe I~nsion belwun !host ... gm~nlll among 1M ruUng (Ii," who <mpru.. stud ind.mrlaliu.ion ot . ll COSts .nd It.o... "'100 .kougll. tNI, b«o~ lnduwi,al g:mwlh W.ptndM on alk<jua.o and .. liablo supplies of food, 1M first tuk of I'" ...... n.alion·st'l~ should be 10 ...Ist 'g""ultur;ll prodUClhily Ihrough I'" applicalion of scimllfi<: knowlcdg., This 1m' !:1on ...., ",idtnl ln lhe very 6"", FIve· Y... PLon ( ' 95' -$6), T'" Dnth Outlin. of Iho Firsl PLon, • discussion docu.mml, mod. ogrkuhu .. , ru ...1 o:kvtlopmon., irrigalion, and po ..... r Its cml.rpi=, losignin, o4J ptftt nl of 101111 uptndilu" 10 ll>e$o: COn<:..RS (Fnnkd '978:86), It iIlaled thaI "the shortage of lood and ""'It rials is .1 pre!C'nl 1M ,",'ukt51 poinl in Ihe C<)Unlry~ ..:onomy" (In Fnnkd '\t;>3:86) and thaI continuing shonagcs in thb S«tor would inhihil I faster lempo of d"""lopmenl in lhe lu.u .. , ThI: Drall Outlin. s.n:s5cd tho ""ed for I"""'.,..dlrrig.lion .oo Iht.pphc:uion of clt<:mic:ol f~nil· lzcr to imp""'. ~\ds" as OS 1M advant"... of lnl.",i". "",rian d~lopmmt: "Those areas should be sc:lea.d ",I>dapn:ad uSC: of inlensi". ""'thood. of rolti''Ilion ..... nol feaslhk btcau... few rarmt"" could afford upcnslv. inputs such as r.. tillzc"" and irTigalion, GI".n 1M high ptrson.lo-Lond "'tlQs, i. was felt lhal . grlrohural produclivity would be bo:.t in=• ....! h)' gi~;ng s"",U r.rme"" Ind agricullural bOO .. rs in«n.lvcs to und.rtak. boo, · int<nsi"" t..:hni'l"t5 10 rai ... )'klds. In Ih. fou r dc:codt5 .nding i~ '\t<4641, ,he ml'linal productivity 01 labo, had dulinro, as had l()(>d produclion pt, capIta (HI)", l!166:\t,J-u6) , "Grain yields ",... Iow, nol only in compartson 10 adVlncm cotlnltYs, bul ",ilb resp«:1 10 counlrics II roughly 'he same stag. 01 dev.lopm. nt. "','ttag< paddy yield. ptr ac .. In ChIna ...... C$lima'M al almost ,,,,1« 11M: Indian 1"",,1" ( F",nkl:l (' 971:1/6) , TM plan thll'i emphasiud II>< produclivily...,nh.llcing polen. llal of land ..form, c"",,",,"'llvcs, community oo'n.a1 ~han,t$. It .!tMd to .. Ihrough communily w.""k>pmcnt P"'8"''''', wilh Ih. hopt lhal from tht Iblrd y<'ar (1'1'5) of .he plan on .... rd, .h. gov.rnmml~ firumc ..1
"'w
w.n
at"
eontribulion would II. ""&ligibl~, ... """ople\ p;U1 idpa.ioo" would en~u ", the .u~ of the sm.ttgy (fTllnkd ,,]3:100-.06). This "itw rn:dved funher s.imulus during .he S«ond Five_Y.,.r Plan , whk h uncknook.n ( "'phei' ,,-rategy of rapid indumu.lintion." Sinc( the outla)"S for the First Plan w~'" constrained by commitmenlS to large infrastn1etura] projeclS inili Oled 11.10'" It wos drawn up. i, """ in the s«ond Fjv<:- Yco. PI.n .ha, a cnhcttn, ldeology and ~tralegy of ck_ vdopmcm "'".. fi"'l articulated by the postoolonial reglm~. In Ihls S'nn egy, .here was on evm more marked shih to .he pa.h .hat PUI IndU5lrial_ iu.;"" fi", •. New invcstmen. in the public ....,Ior, ch ieny for I>cary industry, wos .1I0000.ed at t",·o .nd one- half .imcs lha. of ,he First Plan. 8y con.rast, 1M proponlon of ' 01.1 cx""ndi, .. ", .nocated to agricultu", declined 10 almost half its pmious level (fr:ankel '9711:1)1) . Btt>.u.s< of .Ite pI:oo~ . lmos. ~ngle_mindcd commitment to heary indU51.f)\ th.", we", p""'ions few resources I.ft for invesnn.m In agricultu",. A. the ~me time Ihat the plan nuS WeK redi","i~ an .,.. ;labl. savings 10 II>< indUStrial Sl'ClOf. IMy "'-':'" kttnl)' aware lNoI growth in agrkuituTaI outpul was of crucial importance. Nd ,ru called agriculture: ",ht key . •• one of our plann;~" and pointed ou.th •• "inspitc of an ,hat we No"" to do lor InduSlry. tlu: f'(1 ",m.ins thal'gricul ...", ;" the ..,Iid foundation on which we have to build , It is from agriculture and from lhe can build up our ,urpl"..., increasing prod"":'ion on lhe land lhat fur lUlU '" grow,h- ( Nthru '9!IS:J71)," The: icka lha. industrial g"",,·th ""ouLd spur the demand ogricul. tuflltl goods. combined "ilh a belief thaI InslilUlionol changes in tM ruTaI areas would ",1t<\S¢ fottCS lhat would boost produclivity, ted the pLanne", '" tmphasw: cha~ such osland ",form, the rebuIlding of institulion. of village gO"crnancc on democn .lc principles (,h. pmt. , ,,,"yat syso.m) , ar.d ICnoncy ",form. instoo of di""'t inve;tmcm in agricultural inf ..... true.u", and input or output sub6ldiCS. 11 "',.. <SIi· mated th •• food gflltin r-1: poor 10 incn:: .... OU ' pul. In Ihi' .. gard , lhe exampl, of Cliina loomed largt for Indian poIicymakers. Bc.w«n '9~ and '95.\, various group" of Congrns Piny olli _
w.
'0'
Ag..... n P"I"' Ii>.m
09
llcy. makrno, Chin. provided both a modo1lnd a competitor in Ihe raee for devclopmntt, Chi"" ..... It 1M "some Slllgo:" of do:vclopmuu OS India, II " .... pu ....,ing a policy of "'pid indu.ni.liution along the c1"-'6k model of oqU«pula· tlon prtUIlrtll on the land. un.mployment. and low l..... ls of produCliv. tty; and both countries had 10 mu"1t to find .uffici.nl surplusn rOt Industrial growth and.o g.......,. fon:ign .xchange ~"'e$ '" imp',n much· .... ded capilli ,ood.-! (Fnnltcl '978:110"4'), N~hru atl iroLaIN. IndLan policymokers' amblvalenl auilude loword China mOSI clead y. elg•• to profit from China~ ul"'.i~nct y.. upr~!ng a compeli.i ... envy loward ic ~'~ k ........ for a fact lhal some othe. rountrits hav~ rapidly in<:"':ascd their food prod""' ion in the last f.w y.ars "" ithout any I.. mcndous u"" of ren ilize ... How has China do ... itl China'> rtSOIITt . . in this respecl a .. not bigg~r INn ou ... Chinl is at 1M SOInl: tim. laying fa. grute. OITCSS on Industrial development and h ... ,")' Industry lhan we I ... Yel, 11\q>.", "",,,,,,,ding in incn:aslng lheir Igrirohural produClion al. flSler pace lhan "-e . ... s~,",ry. II shmlld _ br bry"",, mlF I"""CF to do somtI~i"g IIIat Ou.a "'" do" (Nehru '988:)94; emphasis odd. d). Nehru had prn'toU5ly ""IN. lhal ......., differ. of COIIT$( . In our poli.ical and coor><>mic .nueturtll. y.t Ihe proble ........ face • •• QSln,ially 1M ... ,.,t. Tht fmu,", will show whIch ooun lry and wh Ich 51""'I U" of Govern. menl yields grealer results in .very way" (n; emphasis oddtd)." N.h ru~ $1lL,emcnlS underline lbe ImpotUl>CC of postcolonial compe.
. i.ion among "less dl:v~ l<>pcl ,,,un.n tS." Compc. l.ion \>e.,,"«n .1>1: "bac:k ...·.rd" na.ion·stat.. odd. a '''ist to Ih~ insighl llut 1: na,ratl\.., of prog...... lun tilt indus.rialized Wesl_he .1"" ackn""'I«Ig«ltM po<-~ibili.y of muhiple rou •.,; to indumial development. Th~ Wes.ern ex· ampk of "d ....,lopmcn.: wi.h Its long ges.atiOn period. ,,;oS ckarly unac","p.ahk as a ,cml"'rol.rajccw'1'_ At the same lime. Indian In,el_ 1tto". I. since the ' 9lOiS Iud lIftn kttnly aWl'" of tilt inettdibly high g"""th ra,CS achl ..~ 1»- the Industrialization strotrsy of .h. Soviet Union. Perhaps more than tilt Sovle. Union , China . " i.h itS hugo: 'gri" cul.ural Sttlor and high penon-to-Laoo ratio, appe.,-.,d 10 offer . Slra._ cgy . hat adhered ,0 the gene",l model p...s<:nbtd by development orthodoxy while ofierilli a diff..enl. fa .... I".h drew, mou<>vcr. on.1>I: rhetoric of anticolonialism . national sowreignl)'. and .Klf-s"fIid~"'1' » China func.ioned as mood. com~itor. and alternative. I ,oun,'1' "i,h -..... ntially similar"" problfflls. rt-WUftCS. and goa's bUI (and .his " 'as crucial to SOmton~ lik< Neh ru) a d,fferent- nondcmocratic- l"'lilicJ.1
.Iu.
system _
The. Chitu:$t example 0' 'he _'Pni ... ,I"n of .gnorian n:t..ions of prodUCtion . ran into insupcrabl~ dil~cuhiH in India'll 1«I~ral admlnlstra'ive It"".u",." All the ins.itu.ional chonges tlut the cuI_land ruorm. 1_ 31). TIw: l..detS of SI.1C go",;mmen,. "'en: mostly men who we", beholdm to .Ilt dominan •• graru.n d>SSc5 and to men:lun15 who .ra.ded in agricultural ~uc .. lor financial and el«toral suppo"." Dy contrast. tilt dominant ,oali. ion . t,he national 1..,.1 waS mon: .....'11y Inn"en<:<:d by the monopoly bourgeoisie and burea""ra'i, .. nd mlliury eli,.,,; . • 1· thuugh agr-.rian interestS "" ere not em in:ly abso:nt (as tht stClion on Cluudlury Cluran Singh in thiS chap.e, m.. k.,,; "",,"ren.)."
""""".:T.
Even during In. I>cyday of lhe Scco,"", Pun, al !h~ z~nilb 01 In induslfy-licated fOTthe main « n:al c""J"I of the . ubcontincn" rice , mill .. ,.nd wheat. A .tehnologiral "rtvolu.ion" In food production was In In. worlts. I>owc,'u , 0 ... lhat "'as 10 Iu,·~ enormow; cOn.s<:<J.ucnas for th<Slory of Indian ·dc,~ lupmen':
.-_pc.t
t .... _lo .. an ..... _ _ •• u
.••• tutl&ol Tht constq... nca of the ttehnological rtVolution in food p. oduetion known OS tl>c "grun n:volution" have been II>c sub;'c. of heated deha"," My ron<:tm. fOT now, is no. wi.1t . It, Immediate const'lu':I"\"5 of ,Ottn rtVOIUlioll a,ricultu .. in India but with the OSIiumplions it embodied. In ,his s«tlon, I wish .0 demons.......1La. ,he sco",h rOT grun revolution Itthnology and it. $uhKq ... nt imp~m~n"lion d~_ ponded on «rtain ... ken-£UT-gr;mtctl pf(>poSlti(mS lhal combined in equal ""'...... rt a ""rmaliullon of In. U.S. ex~ricn« , Malthusianism, and nationalism. TI>c origins of IIt~ grten revolution lie in lite in,ila.ion ,olhe Rocke_
f~llu Found •• ion in '94' u.~n
"'''''m .....n••o pr0-
vide 'ttbnlnl .~j."'nce for raising yields of ba.k (ood crops.. Aft~ • • ,,",liminary ~lIrvt): 0 lram of four 5C;"nl~, including Nonnan Bor· laug .•",nod wmk In '943 on ""'oding "1M:'ler" ,... ri~ies. Improving ,;oil manag~m~nl pJ-.tlkn. and ' '''rtasing tM productiYit~ of domtMic ani· "",I •. In ,h~ rou...., o(.n. nUII Wenl)' years. 'he M.... lnn program """ to inc","", 'he production of tn. 'hltt ba.ic food.t-<:om, whea' . and beans-by)OO peltenl (S",kman. Bradf.eld. and Mongdsdorf ,9li7:l-o). Mo", IrnP'lnonl . It "'.... W Sf:rve as an exempl.' '0 Third World coun.ri(S in u.in ... ""',;n .nd "'sia of wlul could bt :Kh i~vW by In. 'pp!icItion of "scientific ""'thods" and a toFHlown. production·bast;d Stralegy "'pan from its ''''Iu, as. model. Ihe Mexican p«>gram h.ad mOrt ron· crt.~ dr«ts in tha. hybrid v;orlc.ics brod in Mexico we'" Sl><etsSfully uponod 10 other countries ..;th .imil. r agronomic ",,,,dillo.,. (~.6-}2 ')'
T he", is 0 curious onQrn.l)' thaI lies .1 II!( hUrl of.ll tilt lU.rr:l.tivn aboul Ih. g",en ",volutloll. Including In. $lory lold by In. "th_ an· urg 1~:S). The anomaly Is thaI tn. '~Iion botw.. n lho: .. ory of hybrid cOm In .1>< Unil«l Stal"; . nd Ihe glUn ,,,,·o lu. ion In lhe dc""lop;ng wo,ld ;" Stldom mad~ ClIpHcI •. In !a<:I.• he Itnn "gretn r<:Y<)llltlon" is, OS far as I am ......... , ..."". applittl to ",fu 10 the hybrid com story and ...... r<5
""''''gr.
family fllmlrt'S ("p..~nlll on trac:tors") to what is in ~U«t a pUlling-,mt system in lho: g;"nt machinery of capital. plowing 0 narro ..... furro .... bttw..,n rorpo"'t~ SU1'l'1u,rs of manufacturtd inpms, <)rI On~ si<>< U.s. upc:rir:",<, 5(1 tru.t U lu",.lons as • modd that is .!)scn, frum ddihmotlon yet instrumental in shaJliIl3 the stNtegy to bt followed in the Third World. This much Is evident from th. d=ription of the achicv.:mmts of $clence 2nd t«hnol<>g)' in "the pbt:notnCn.1 pfOgrtSS" o( U.s. agriculture proviIIns) obsc:rvation that tl\( primacy of lnctnStd productivit¥ was not questioned from tl\( mld-I')<>S to the: l,oos" An ldealizw model of how .gn_ cultural research had functiontd In tM Unittd Suttn thus implkitl y SNtped the: ends to be pursuw in the developing w,nld. Such a productivlst tmphasls was reinforctd by an un.bashwly Mal_ thusian v;.w of tht T hird World. Tkt enti .. orgumtnt for i""n:..ing yields was f",med by tht spt:<;t(r of Inc..:asing population ." The narrotive relies on lhe motif "f a ""'t , whkh pit5 food produetion again .. population: '~ l"n, ~ tloe I'.nI,rn >(I""ist, pIIning ~b lmaginal l""
Jmi€ali"" 10 work In i"h<> ~ndo alll~ PrugI'tSS Ni"8 IIIadt by Drtw~ . The ""l(Omc of the "1'l>Ce" is alwlOys uncertal"- Ii is not until tilt nI",,_ ,i,-c reaCMs an clectrifying (limn tlta, lilt ou"om, is onnouncnl.. AI· '<>os1 any ...... from the period could M ch .... n 10 iIlust,..l. this poinl. e"",,,,,I,,,, 08oi/lSll/~n8" (Stakmon. B",dfid d . and MangeisdOlf . 967) makts thc case admlrahly. Aftcr delalling 'he npld lis< of ,I>/: Mexlan popuLa,I,,. In tl\<: dr("'de of the ' 93"S. , I\<: autho ... conclude , -Mr.xlco "eeded more food: !>ow could sl>/: gct il?" (.91>7:: : emphasis added)." Lot .. they annOum:., thot "whe.' pmduc,I.,. has won ,I\<: nce wilh human ttptntluction ... . The pttSCn, popul .. ion is aboUII7<> perttlll of .... ha' i . ....... in 19-4l, hul .... h.at production is "t lust lY> I>"rttlll of what i, "'' as . hcn" (n-7j ). They se' aside 'he Impenonce of land rdOntl h)' noting il5 in.~uoq: -Lo,1d rtdistribution "" s sali,s)'ing thc hungcr 01 thc landl"", for Land . hut wa.. it ""tlsl);ng their hunge' 10' lood 7" (t). Se""",,1 roTlSCquen(:d fonow rm m . uch a stark ';<... Irlo. The first is an entittly ""If-strving one. in lha, il btsto~ enormo~ monl orod poli'icollegitimac~ 10 Ita.rowl)' ddined. In:hnocratic work In.t. mort oft.n titan OOt. di.. mpow.... and depolilidzts th, poor and kads to Inertascd Inequality. No matte, wha, 'he OllIe""",. on<: can always 51"" ' he . ngt! 01 progo-.... In Ihis ltarrati~e. just as on< can local< in th, "population bomb" the diabolical. radaH,cd enemy. to whom ,he thcr_ m'mudeor a""ktlts of ,I\<: (old war had bo:en tnnsfund'· Ahu all, w hQ could argue wilh the loll)' goal of ... dicating bung<. 1 Th~ death kntll of this juslificoti"n "" s sound.d, perhaps more decl5,,-dy Ihan ~', by Ama")" Sen's el~g;tnl tre.tlse on hungOT ('9'8'). which d"",. an ineluctable wedge hel ....un lhe unthin king as&oeialion of inc ....ing food . ""ilability and the e.. dica tion o. rtd ~ction of hu~r. Although Sen is cartfullo delim it his argum<1II 10 fam ines. Iht Implicol ions of his posilion can "'ily he e"'Ulded '0 increases in food production. Slaled Nldly, s.n~ argument le.ds 10 the (onelusion tltat "'hal<-"er Dlhcr r-i. I;V~ effccts may result from gnate, food ",,,ilabil ity. II Is by 1\0 me.ns certain that "ne of them win bo • ~uch'", in I h~ numbo. of ' h~ hungry or Ihe depth of lheir poveny." An"ll>/:. oon""'1"/: pmblem In Malth~lan lerm, is ,ha, popuia. lon oppea ... ' 0 be an Iltdepend.", and e n. , nll ,,,flal)l( . .... ith its o,,'n j""xonlbk logic, unoonnectcd to the distribut;"".1 .nd welfare com«juencu o f the lechniques . nd ""'Ihods of production. The m<:lllpho. 01. nice betw«n pmduCtion and popttLation p"15 ,hem Into "p;oral< ond u!>Connected t1'l>Cks. lhe logic !:>elng tltat if one did Agnort.n I'opuU,m
SS
nothing
.bou. prod"",lon , popullodon would ,Imply zoom aw;oy and
"win" '~ ~
This kaves no option bu. 10 join'~ "Hot" Ind "bn,' populallon by i~.osIna. productkm ••• ncoou. And .he I... cst .... y.o ~ .... pmdlKtlon II '0 _ppfQolO:h 11 In _ .op-down and .echnocra.ic IN.IUItT. In"ohina. onIiNtry ptopk-f.",,",,s Ind IandLoss \abo.Et •. both m("J\.nd womtn-would u.~.oo Ion&..nd dv ...,...I~ """uld ho '00 I11KOOnaln. Thus, I~ rommls&ion appoln.ed by lho Roc~I~lkr Founda.ion 10 chan I dircnlon 100- Muinon qncu.llu", conc.ludtd u.. fnlrsc pogttW_1d. bt INIdr: by llOp-OOwn ."",<»ch (Stakman. Bndfioeld. and M.",.1sdorf 1!I6)":1)). Commis<>on .... mbtrs " ... '" noo oimplc·mindt-d. rttOpl:lng.hI. ed"a ulon .nd ut ....ion IOn... vital mcrmimu. In I lbU' flul JlnI,tgy. Thq condll<>d. Sdmtills of.m make such In argumen. lo. t.sk rcseareh on lho """nds lha. 1M "Mulu" of .... ch ...... rch.'" inM",n.ly unp"" dicu~; howcl'tf. Ihll is 100 .ro.ns~",m I fw:uon fo. 100..: who . like Igricuhu ...1 tckntls~, do "applied" rtMarch. a rat, m::ognlled C>'cn by Kkmlsu ,hcmstl_ . Empl"flngllld' npt';'nu In 'he U.S. rcso.arch f~,em, ttNkuitu...1 sclen. ists p",...,eded '0 IqIIlCOle their mokIVO.., with the morally dUlrg<:d mandr. •• of . ... dleiling hung •• Ind "winning .ht. raee" lpins. popul.1Lon.>I To the nomullu.1on of th. U.S. optri • ....., and 1>bhhllf;"n;..m ...... added • third po.mt Ingrrditnc IUItLolUIllsm. TM dtvdopm.n. of agri. culture ... concdYfli .n.ln:ly in IUI.LonaI .emu; Indoed. the nation constitu.ed .J.. horUon wi.hln ... hlch .U problems were po6«I .nd fOhlt LoAi offcn:d. For uampLc. 'he llICe belwccn popula.lon and food production _ co~lIJ.liud IS OttUmng "1l1rtl~ each nlllon and no. On • &Lot*1 101e. Thus. p-owth In IUI.LoIUII populallon ... pined aplnsc growth In nltionally prodlKed food. noo u.Jd", In.o atCOW"tI.ho: ai5taIatkM\s ... , .... than I""k:ulu groups of di>l'< f$zUM people. Thus. for """mple ..... have Wlemen .. IlH tho
,hi.
.ha,
"""cgf
'9<{'.
1011o"ing: "Th.... waS hung• • in Mcx;':o in Tha. 'the CQUntry has many of lhe aspccLS cf an overpopulated land' was . videnl 10 all ,,·ho looked below ,he ",rfaco" Ul). NOIw;lhs,anding ,I>wrtes of compora· Ii,... d,.,.ntag•. which would h.ve lmpliN. speclalizalion in agricullural produclion to tau adv.ntage 01 natural eOOo ..,ments. , he go;ol of na· don.l self·suffid .ncy In lood groins ...as . lways pinmQun, In lV..,n ' ....o lution .gricult ur<:." This clearly had 10 do wilh I"" Implicit modd of alVi<"lIhural 1k""lopmem l>ti"3 em pIO)·ed . namely, that 01 the Unhed Sla'es. rolhe. than wi,h expl;,;it ,heorlcs of dla.) Mim;':ry .nd .ttoehroni.m w.r<: inher<:mly contain.d in tM language of "sd.nlilic progrc:s.s: but SO waS nallonalism ." All II>csc Ihemes arc jointly ankul'led in mctaph(>rs 01 , he life q-de of ,he subJecl at>d its famil .. lln lnpdlalion . Stakman . Bradfield , and Mangelsdorf provide. wealth of U.lmples Iltot 1k"",l\5lro te Ihis all '00 clearly : In \94' .• gricuhure "-"'5 lraditional: now it is prug"$ijiv•. "'00 il ",;11 continue to progn:ssi>tcausc It is continually becoming more 5(itntlfic .. , . Rcsn.n:h and education .r<: g...,..,.;ng I",cd",r. . .. M .~ico has r<:achtd its maj<>ril)< ... In \9-43 Mexico was national in SCl<" Ma'CQS ... id in s"".king to the Muican Union 01 As.od"lio", of Engi· ow. or<: no longe, an undcrdc"cloped counlry. but" nation in (ourse of full de,·clopmen,. ",hkh rtquil'CS the professional com""t.ne<: . nd human qualil;'" 01 oil iLS """s." (1\167:9, .~ •• 6. 19 . 178: emphases added)
"..,,-s.
Wh< nallon .... S·subj.<:t. can 'he p"'ria..;:hal family bt fO' bthlnd l The "family of nallons' ~con'titllltd an orderly .Ind hierarchical world com munity in 1M .h.rmalh 01 drroloniution. in which Ih.)'O\I"I< Ih. '~tarded : 'he · ur>dcrdn..,loped: ond Ihose ,,'1>0 had no( ye' TUChed "mojo.. it)-'" "'e~ In grow, wi,h I"" I>rlp of scientific kn""'Ledge, untll lhe~ ruched I'" "upper « h.lons" 01 I'" family and became adulLS through the ruohzation ol lhe lull poltJIliai of I"'ir sons. This is loy no mea", .In
,"'i.
exuaoni;"''Y d.ocumuu ; in fact, it is prtti.sns have been ncitM' Incidcnu.I 00f extranwus to discourses of devdopmtnl in the postWllr era," BetWftTl '9S1 and '9S~, oevuat tum. of R.xkd~lI~r Foundation exI"'fU vI$!tM India to .....s the Silw,tlon of agticultu", ";111 a ~icw tOWlnl "'pliooting tht Mexican SUCtt56 ${(I'Y TM "probltm wilh Indian ag:riculu,,,," WIS, one.: 19a1n, theorizM in terms of food production koeplng up with populalion growth," Proof lhat population had Oul, paced food supply was found in the fact lhat "during the paM 400 yea~ 1M country has surr~",d 4! f.minn .... In 1M Bengal bmine of l~l, httw..,n ov.,-nonnal years of food production" In April 19}6, tht Rockefdler Foundation cnltffli an agrttmenl with II..: Indian govern · ment to "cooperale in tlu: Improvtment of maize, sorghum , and mill.t production and in the development of. modem postgnoduat. ~hool of agrkultu", at tlto: Indian Agricultural Re$c.an::h Institute", New Delhi " ('1-4,). TIw: big btttklhn)Ughs occurTCd not in tn.... 35-66). Progress In bTftdlng wlu:ats approprtalt 10 l""lan coooilions WllS much mor~ rapid than In Mexico bccaust many of the "'..... ies brnl ,h~n: could M ..da_ tively ....Hy lIdaptM In the :suhcon,lntn\. AI the same time thai the trams of agricultural scitntis~ w~n: mak_ Ing b"",kthroughs in bTftdlng ........ Tietles of wheal and ..... iz~ in looia. the newly foundtd In"matk>... t Rto. RLsHn:h Insti.ute (, u, ) In llw: Philippi!>c5, Ih~ s«ond Rockefeller-funded conler .Itc. tM Inter_ national Mliu and Wheal Improvemtnl unit. , CIW _WYT , was "'PO"' Ing lUuhs with high·yielding ... ri:2.t5). Su~u.n'ly, ' wI) O1M' an,.rs fo.tropical IgriCUItUn: w•• c S(, up In Colombia and Nigeril, joinlly fundtd b]i IIw: Rockd.lI.. and Ford f<>undallons, rtSptttlvtly In 'P7', 'M whole prognm was insti_ tutionalized In • massiv. way by tht formation of 1M Consultatlve Group on lnltmallonal Ag""""u",,) Resan:h (CGr.u ). spon..,rnI b]i
.Itt.
'ht Food and Agriculturt O,&"ni.. ,;on ( FA O). ,"" Un itN Nallon,~· "dopmtnl Progl'llm ( UNDP ). Ind th. World B'lIIk. Nil>< i",titu· [jo", ",.rt ... , up In qUick succc:ssion. ,h. mos. in l..... 'ing lor OIl. purposes bting ,h. In'em.,I"".1 Roan! for PI.n, Gene,ic Ro:soun;cS ('BPcRl. founded In '97~ f<J. ,h. purpost. of promoting ",h. va,ion of crop divorsi,y by . ponsoring an in'erna. lonal net .... ork of ge""plasm coli"".lo...: and ,he Intemat io""l Service for N"ional Agri· cultul'lIl R~rth ( tsNU). lound~ ill 1979 "0 hdp strtngtlKn na,ional agricultural programs SO ..... t ~.n:h f6ults bc:ne6, ,hi: Inh.obitanLS of d.vdoping cotmtries" ( Pluckntll and Smith 1'I3J:~'5, ~'6). 'TiKrt is "'" • li. tl. irony in tlK founding 01 an inlernational ~nry ""M5c: goal Is to SI . . ng,hen .... ' lon.1 agricultural prognmLS. AnWwlugy of ""'ional self. suffL(iency con,;nuN. to Iud .he Rockddlc. Found"lon~ P""V"ntS. Impnwing agri<:ultur:al methods. developing "",ional 5C;c,ntislS ."d ill· "i. utlon,. d;-minating 'he ...,,1.. of ..,...rrh nationally and intoma· tionalJy. • nd "hdping e.ch c.... n" y toward Indopo:ndontt in the ... rious pru.s..s of agricultural improvem."," ....rt ,he foundation\ guiding pri"'iples (Sukm.n . 8radfield. and Mange1sd<>rf 19li7'}OS: 'mphasls .dtkd). On 'he DIM . .... nd. genn pla.m colltetions • ..., impomlll beeaus< they·...... to become . k.y to ,he d.bates regarding ecological Impo:riollsm. On. of th. '<"gum,nlS in ' his ,..,In is prCStn,td by Jack Kloppenburg (t~:t,):''' , he crtation of . h. Gr•• n lkvolu,lon .... Star"', ctntCrs kg., 'ht In .. ma'ional Rice Res<:orrh Il\5Ii'u". Into. · national CenICr lor th. Improvem",,' of Maizt and WIt..,) "'.., ,he product not only of an .ffon to introduce capitalism 1"'0 the: country· ~ide but .Iso of tht nttd uHolltt' ~YS'tm.'kallr ,I>( t xotic gcnnplasm "'!uirod by theMalingprog.amsof tlKdevelop«!na.io ..... Once in pIa«, g.rm plasm banks are av~il.ble'o uni'·ershlcs. na,ional rest.n:1t progra ..... aM priv." companlcs ( Pluckn." aM Smith '93~:~t7). It is prtCiscly this Is.;u.-tlt., IS. the access . n;O)·cd by multina'ional seed corporations to germ plosm banks_,n.. has dl'll,,-n ,hi: mos' ct)ntn)o vcrsy in rettn, y. ~",."
,..w
CO""".·
,h.
Co:
'pnt' ... n.. ........
0.,.... ef P',
'_Crl.i. __ ~
uII_
Th. ' ,,, has informal ,be chara"", of IMlan agriculture in , he postind.""ndoncc ""rio(lI;[ of all by considt:l'lItion< of so,..,...,ign'y and redis'ribu'ion. Ques,;on< of sov· ereign,)' loomed la.g. In ,h. emphasis given ' 0 l'lIpid, St...-sponsortd Ap1Inan 1'"",,1.....
.\jI
industrializltlon. But It " ... a ens .. in tn. agricuLturalsuwr that truly challenged the sovereignty of the nation-stat •. By tn. middlo of the ThiTd Plan. It broome progrusivdy cvi<\ont that increas<s in aglicultural OUlpul "'f:re nol occulTing and uMainly would r>Ot eyen approach the ... pKIlnc .. ases hop«! for by Ihe planne ... At the sa"'" I~. Nehru~ dea lh broughl to power a I>CW prime min~u. Lal Ilolutdur Shastri, ....ho waS far mo .. favorably inclined to the agricultural «Cw o.griculturt minlsler. C. Subramaniam. " "OS in favor of a policy basd on pri« incenlMs. bk>cheminllglicuhu"" and "boelling on Ihulrong" _INtt is, cultivawrs al",ady favontb/y posilioned in terms bind and water ttSOU"'<S. Bocginning with IN: 1~_66 5<':_n. ,..boen two hundud m.lric IOns of " 'hell " .... imponed from Mexico a"" planted on a thousand plots, the demand fo r KTV ..cds ""enl through lhe roof. TOI6 and in 1966-67. sharply bringing down IN: 1000l output of lood grains. This, in tum. led 10 significant inc"' .... in food impons. w hkh rose: ,teadily from J-I million 10nsO! wheat in 195610 mlllinn 10... In '96S-66. Although impo", from 1M 5] 10 I ptax United Stal<S n"or ruched more INtn IS ptrttnt nJ dom<Stk OUIPUI, I'" public dl$lribuUon system broome .lmOllI enli",I)' deptndml on PL 480 ",hrat . Proidcnt Johnson fun"', cnmplicoted tht polilical siluation by putting w!>tat suppiitS on a ", I'l,trl .. ther." India ""'" rcquiud 10 tuhmil II> food nttd. ~.ry monlh .• nd lhe prcsidc:nt himsc:lf d .aud I'" shipmml oHood ald . depending on India~ "pmg""SS" In implemenl_ ing "rtfonns" In agricultural .nd fisal poiie)' Ashul ... h Varshnq's ( 1919) co",ful rcsc:arth ..... dc:mo ... l.at«llhat ' ht Indian govunmtn, _ alrndy moYing In tlot dlrution of Johnson. "relonn,: so INtI I" ure from the United StateS did r>Ot alta I'" dirc<:lion nf agtkul. \urol poliq-_ Aftu t!>t wat with Pa\ds.lan in Oclobe. 1965, food aid " ... suspended until Indira C.ndhl made: lhe polillg,11y '.aught dttlsion of dtvaluillj 1M CU 1"1'f:ncy In JUI>C .966. T!>t ""'no .... In " 'hieh Johnsnn 1"'. led Indian lcadc: .. and policymakcrs _ In hasten lite dr\vt 10 food
or
.".tcg.
or
... 1F-5ulfid~ncy to no small aUnt finally, there was the signioonl f.clor liut institutions ,,'h~re o.gri<:ultural sc;'ntistS could breed hybrid S«ds ond ,,"'he ... lheM: sad. could be. duplicated ond commndally pmduetd had betn optl'llling for almost a dtcatk by thot lim~. In addi· lion 10 tM postgradual~ program, < al Pantnagar in Ull... Pradesh (U ~) (starttd ...·ith 1"'= . ... i.tan"" of Ih~ Univemly of Illinois and t"" Un iled Slotes Agency f(lf Int~mallonal Dev.lopment (us~,p I) and the l'unj.ilb Agricultural Univcos;'y (... t up In ludhiana with thc help of Ohio State UniVf:osily). ....~... involved in Intining. 5ftd. pmduc· tion, and agrkulluralo"onslon. Queslions of .sovereignly . l..... ys loomed larg. in Ih~ proIDOlion of lhe gmn re"",lution. The agriculture minister, Subnt1IUlniam. crihct::rtd lhe stn"&}, of institutiona] reform. purs""d by 1M N~hru g""~mm.nl" "more slogan .houling" and argued for. more "pntgmalic" approach. SITUSing lhal the choice factd was ,h. following; · Would you Itke to have , , . high PJoductiofl.nod oU'put. SO Ih .. 1M ""-lion would no longu be dc""fllknt on f<>od aid. National f<>od .. II-suffiru:ncy " ... alS<) Ihc aplicil go;ol of gn:cn revolution agrlcultural .selenec. although 1.1.1_ thusianism . .. ther thon anUco!onialism. ~ the chid moliVltlng factor therr . ....'h.n thc monsoons f.lled 10.- twO succcssh'c yurs. agrlcultural OUt· pUI . wh ich had I"cre.sed al a stcody rate until ,hen. mostly ",,1ng to bringing new arr • • in,o cuitiVltion , Idl prttlpi.ously.Ol Obtaining lid In an lntc .... tionallood regime dominated by ,he dumping of U.s. sut· pi....,. would have mconl acqu~ing to American pre:ssure to change .g.kultu .. 1polky. curb populalion grow'h . and depreciate lho currency (F... n"'l lm:'-'!6-'~)." It was in 'his con tut that the Indian "",em' m~nl hit on th. policy 01 promoting the gmn revolution. 'he high · yickJing ""Aric'ics (KYVS) of hybrid S«d. au, bea.us< It co"".n",,,td on
In: ... already well ~ndo""cd with wat~r l'CSOul'ttsaoo 10.... puoon-' o<-land nllO$, lhe grun .. volulion further exacerba.ed In.orn:gion.l inequali· .~ II aLso inc .. ~ inequalitits within regions boc:aUSt largor farmors """.. beuer poslllooed 10 tau od,.. nug< of tho IItW .tthnology.·' Tho nu, chap'or dtmonsn,.,os how ,ho spur given '0 agrarian capl .. lism loosened the dc: ..... ly interlinkod tits bc,wun landowners and land~ bbours In tht countryside. Together, the rlsc of a class of 5u'P1U5producing rarmers, growing in.tqualities betwetn and withIn ttgiuns, and the rebution 0( ti .. of potronag. c .. ated the .truclUnd condi hot15 favorabk rOt po .... Hst appuls to succud. Thus, any C(lnsldention of the rlsc of ·~n. movemenu: led largely by and in 'he In ...-est of ,he bct.. r-cll' ><:ClOtS of the agrarian populatiofl, has '0 ulcr into account the powc ... of IttUmulation unkashcd by the gn:cn n:volutlon." By now, lnalfSt' of ponits, intet"t$1 group politics, and .he Inten, 01 ~men' polklcs and their implemen .. tlon In: .oplcs .hat ha"e been ",en Inv..-$td In the s.udy of Indian agrkuhure. I will concentrat •• thenlon:, on an extended analysis of dbcoursc:s, Idcologits, and actions p<:tUinlng 10 ,I>( "un n Y1)IUlion by focusing no, mertly on wha, was donclnn also on wha, il m.ant, both to th. kOcmcnlS and I"'lld.. find ,heir way In,,, 'he eY'Crydoy IiYd of village pcoplc1 '>'Ih.t did th~ discourses .nd pro-grams mean 10 .I><ml How wcre thoy intc'Pret..d? It is for this n:a5on that, In the next section , I will COnCcntrat. on tl>< phenomenon of ,..",..llsm. Popullsm", ' M fann in .... hich di'lCOtlnot:< of "dc:vc!opmo phenomcnon, fow h,aY'C anal)~ it ill any ..... il. Und.r ""hat circumstances w;u it
.e .......
Moo scholn . of Indian I"'lities agru that tho '~7' national eltt. io"" s1gnlfied a chaOW In ,he style and conte", of political mobilization in a dlrec. ion oftm turned "populist.· For .....mpl., in her i"ilutnlial book. Francine f rankel allribut.. the t"..,..thirds majority obtained by Indira Gandhi~ party w a politic:al gamble lha.employN ,he language of class 6.
P"""",lonbl D
thmugh th<' pmmisf: of ~I<:al, but (k""",,,nk . «<",umic t<:form_ Sit<: 51r",,"S thaI Iho nmpaign copilaliud on Indira Gandhi. imago as • Iud .. e<>mmiucd <0 <,<"""mle and "",,;..1 ",fOTlll (,jI73:.'!-t-n). SimiLa,l)~ Uoyd Rudolph aoo Sus.onm: H()tM' Rudolph a'Stu: lhal tho un_ cxp«l.d SW::CCS6 of her party o,,-ed mostly to looira G.ndhl' "compaqtiv<, . d, ... nt'ge as Indio • •;only natluna l pulitical p<1'$Onalit1' .nd tho: dteision 10 match h<,r p<1'$Onahly 10 om: si mple and appt.ling slo&on. "~move povon1' !Goribi luuaol ( ..... ToIl S) . The SIr,tegy of iTlCOfJ'OralIng tho popular classes hy appuling t<> dlst ributl,~ g""ls .nd soxLaI Justice has bun 5ttn as the distinc. ;'.., fe,n ut<: <>f populisl polltics_ TM",f<>re . a consi(kTllh<>n <>f "p<>pulism" may help u. shtd ",me light On tho: pteu]i., 1(k<>I<>&ieo l f""""tion forg..! by Indira Gandhi In the ",ake <>f Ihe d.mioe <>f lnoditional Congl'CS6 politics. ",hi.h ",as b;t;cd <>n distribuling fa"" ... '" supponors in lit<: classic p;tuem <>( pyramld.1 machine poli. ics. Populism mar hov. signirocd • chong. in th<' .. )'Ie: aM c"nlenl '" polilical mobill •• lion . but whot did wcli a change Imply fo r Ihe dc'·... <>pm<'nt uf the nall,m-St.tel Tho: slgnificano:e nf Indi ... Gand hi. ""pul;" m, I "'ish '" Irgue:. Lay in that il ..,p~m.d. quantum loap in lho: disKminatioo <>f discourses of de,·d <>pnlem. Th;" .... ulted not <>nl)' fmm ho .." USC <>f Ihe m.SS media but .1", fm m finding ,,",W .ud~r>Cc5 who won: ttttptiVC: to populisl mtSSl~. Ppmcnl discourses <,nt.red Ih. <,,"'ryday lift of Ih. ",,,,I poor_ Populi"'" ~".j "UAdtvd""",ou_ " lid o", going on 10 e ~.mlnc huw populism has functiont<: expf mod.mity f<>, pe<>pl. in ",,,,I • ..,as, t ""ill briony dw~lI on Ihoor\es of populism. Th. study <>f populism has uk .. Latin Ameoo as Ih. H Cmplo l'}' co .... Among tit<: La~r countno:-. tit<: Ihinits and fon in wit_ n.-.l thc phcn<>mena of Peronism in At-genllna. V'rguism in 1!r.>.il. and Co rd<:nlsm in M. xleo (Collie . ..... 7: 0.,;" t99>: TOrT< '99>;j88: Lac· l.u 11177: Addman 1(94) ,'" P1. umaniut;"" and impon-subslilullng ind uSlrializalion accompanied mass mobillz.tion_" Apan from making mnntelio", 10 urbanism and 10 a panicut., pha$( of <,conomk · d.v<,lopm.nt : . hwrtes of populism usually imply Ihat "Ihe: m ......• I.., manipulated I>y chotismali< k ad.,.,.. th.t populisl c .... lilions lypi""Uy COll'iist of ,·. n inl. multidass .11;"""0:0;, ,hal ",. dipul;"t rhe. _
one IImS no! II linking lo~ chsses 10 a unified roling class Ihrough deml)CT3UC proc~ b971) and OJ TtlLo ( 1965). in dlff,renl ""'ys. aUribule Ih. list of populism 10 a lock of synchronicilY btro.... n rconomic , social. 000 political dC\1:lopmtnt_ TIlt "dc:mollStnulon &«1" of Western <:onsumption practitt!: tnnsbt .. into I ~""Iuhon of rising upttuoli""," that lhe !OJ",,-ly matically restore "normal" politics-thaI is. a politiCS of In<:o'VOntion in whick IItt dc:mands of the ~boltCTn would nol txctcd Iht cal"'bil_ itles of the cwnomio: system , In otheT words. rconomic development would """0" the synchronicily thai had hotn Iosl bttau.. mod.m technologies of communication had pTOmaturely ... Iscd ,Itt upc:cta-
tiolU ohh~ Third World, poor. By definition. populism was a PMno"",_ non tmot cha ... cteriud "mmsition.ol" ","",itti., and enmplified tilt un'>sy and un ... bl. ba!aMe b.,tw«n modtmization and tradition. In tn. telwlogi<:ill nomti'·' of modern ization theory. the .,.,..,ntual .nt.....1 01 Third World peopl., into Clionol. mod.mi •• lion tMorisis openly aclmowlcdgcd th:tt the expc1"kn« of modernity in the Third World CQUId no. p0ssibly mimic the mythic ""mtiv. of European d~.lopmrnl be"""," "in"llectuals of elgh,eenth. or ni .... t.. mh.«nlUry Europe Or ,he: United Sta,cs ... did not h:t,., ,he opponunity to imi"," more Idv.nced na· tions" ( Ol Tdla 1~'43). HowcvCT. unlike the dtpmd!SIl as much to. de",rmi""'"",S" of developmen, .. to a crisis "of the dominant idwlogi<:ill disrourse which is in tum pan ol. more general social crisis," I" such I crisis, a fraclion whhin tbe domlrum' bloc seeks '0 lmp""" itS hevmony Ihrough I dir«' appeal '0 the m~. Alth0"3h .11 populist discour-5(S have In common tlit fellUrt ,h:tt they .pealt in tlit name of "~he people: nol aU discourses Ih:tt speak f.,,- "tho people" Irt populMt (Loclau 1977" 72-iS) , In particubr, ,h.rt is I differ.nc. betwan dominant blocs that consoli. dot. tlitlr litgemon)' by Intorpor.,,;ng "the people" .. an order of diff. renCe ond populist blocs Incorporale Ihem as an .ntithetlcal foree, In the: lonner. "tho people" fonn po.rt of. stratified. multidass alilan.oe th:tt stcltS to diffuse Or dislocate ,he: "nsiolU bet,,·... n th. diffCTCnt stru<,u ... IIOClttions repn""ption of the world on 1M m;t of soci
,ha,
PopuliS! ooolillo<>5, by (OnnaSl. depend on ),b nichnan discourses lhal divldt socklf inlo an"'gonWie fitld.: 1M pcople ""rsu< II><: oUgar. chy, Blunl (one of the "Iradilional" Hindu nam .. for India) Vtrsus India. One pole Is aUlhemic. good. mMll. juS!, I",e, responsible: tht orM. is iNlUII><:nlic. fo",;gn. tvil. " njuS!, immo",l, faise. at'ld i.respon. sibl • . Such. discourse luves no room for oompromi.., or dialogu. becallMudusion is its rounding principle (Tom: '991;)99-..u6). 11 is a pobrll:ing disroursc lhal"..ks nol 10 "".nualt or soften 1M hard tdgts of ronflicl belween c]au-s, r.>Cts. elhnic groups, linguistic .om munilll:s, at'ld ",Ugio", groups bui lO build on II>ost conflicts b)' defining a common enemy, Conuoincd wilhin Ihe (usually) disparaging ",fen:n"", 10 popuhsm lOS I polllicol pbcnomena Is 1M n:cognhion that such a discoursc of opposilion, widdcd in the Nlme: of large: major1lits (tspcct.11y histoticlily undo:rprivlleged majorities), unl.ashes, 0. h.s Ih. p<>Itnti;l.l to unleash, po~rful social fo=_ The SUgg<Slion of 5 of populism. the danger thaI Ic:ad.". ... ho $IOU dtSIructlve, mus "nge. may .... unable 10 control i,_ This has somelinll:S bun the ..... y in .... hich lhal ue mpb. of populiSl polilia, P1:ronlsm , has bun undentood ." PopI
I"nmd tnn w""" .11"" Slalt I..... tl, Iopuli .. rhet"";c to ott_1 01«10 ..1 suPJXlf1. (Fr,onk.I'9;r8:;!IIS), Aht dtbod •• t p<>11s in ' 967, the Clkid for ....hich the pany had long slood. A growing Mruggk he.w•• n tl>< well" ellab];"'td lead..,.. " f til< pany. on tht on. sid •. and til< primt minister and }'Qung .. dicols In the pany. on ,he other. ( ulmina,td in the ~Igruo_ tion of Mo .. rji Desai as < an un •• pn:todly p<>putar .... p as il id.n h. fiunge<. mo .. radical poh'it ians Tl Th ..e months l.t ... Indl .. G.ndhi dissQl\'td Parllamtnt and ulltd for frnh ' man)' 5<:a· sonod obst .... er:s fo..,cast t""l tndi.. Gandhi\ CongttiS would obtain a majority in the n....' Padio""'nt (Frankd t978 :Ul; Rudolph "nd R~ dolph I'J08PlS). Indi .. Gandhi ..... nt on an unp ...,<demed. lony-on ~_day campaign tom. • ddttiSi"ll SS<:S to delinr , h. vOtc • .os
_n.
,h.
,h.
t~ Cong~
hlstomlly did,.b. ",.m ""... thrir ~ad", to make a diTttt .""eol to "tIM: people." TI>. appa.l .uC<:«dcd beyond anronellimagination . Her panr swept to pow •• wilh 'SO stats In lhe SIll-member toi< s;'bha. mo ... lhan Ih. two-thirds .-.quire. ~olliStilUtion. The old Congl"OSS bg" were rouled. owining only sixtet:n SCats In r .rli./mnt (Frank.1 1978:~SS)_ Indira Gandhl\ populist. pelSOnalisl . • nd pl.bisd.. 'Y p<>1it;"s had won lhe boule ( Rudolph and Rudolph 1!I8r. 1j>- ...,). The (I ndira) CongrcM Working Comminee ~d the dawn of a "new his.oric shu.tlOn which brought IntO th¢ national Jnainst .... m '"2St m~ of , hi: W""lttT-Stt1io1liS of ~ty" ( Frankel lons:~S9).'· Why did the old Om, gT"" machi ... fall,o deliv.r ,he _~ Ih .. ' i.... ] Whal "'.,., II>. implic" 110"" of thi$ fact for th¢ '''''''lI''1la of • dilf.... nt model of peasom polilics, one not SO strongly dependent on uiSting runl di\CS but On Ih •• m'!JIng, upwardly mobil. middle: alSlCS] Wilh a cleo, popular mandale and a two-Ihirds ""'jority in Pari;'· .... nt. Indira Gandhi """,ed Immd the constitulional gUlTllnttt$ of propenr" a fundam.nlal rlghl as a puludc: 10 lhe ... """",1 of privy pUT5CS In o...:cmbcr "". In Ih. SOme: monlh. a war wllh Pakis ... n ",. suhtd In its pa"lIton and the C$tabltsh ..... n' of ,h. n.w n.llon-s ...,. of Bangladesh." E""" mo ... so than .h.< g.......1 .leeho",. , he . ..... vote highlighted lhe complc\l: breakdown of clitntislic politic!! as the Judc:rs and .......... " ... Iives 111M sta.. l....,\ historically consisled of ",ral dil ... Franhl ('978 : ~;t3) lakes the ~nlts OS demonstrating , n.t "the awahn, 1118 of numbo:rs of the rural poor to. desi ... for 11M: implemen ... tion of new princlplcs of ~ualily and panld!",li"" had taken polilical fGnn_ " Rudolph and Rudolph ( ' '/37=1)7). how<:v.r. _ It mainly as .vi, d.n« of tIM: s.uCttM of "pl.bisd... ry politic!!' ratlM:. In.n cw..·hasc:d mobUlzalion, VICtOry at th. polls did hllle to transform the Indira Con. gress into a porty that was institu tionally capabl. of .ff«tivdy imple, me:nting Its proml.sc. to Iw:lp th¢ poor ( Kohli ' '/37).'' It would be a mls ...k. to Inf.r frum this. vet. that ,h. popullst -promises mad. by Indira Gan.dhi w .... j U>t qnlcal p<>SlUl"CS intended to dcliv ... the vole.. If one looks 01 specific policy m....u~. many new p.--ogr:ams we'" SUrtM in .his period. In , he nut d'"pt.r, I .,,'" thaI it ill nol enougb to judI" I...... programs .. "f.ilu ....• according loMan, dard ~rilo:ria of"program managom.nt." Sn~h an .... I\lOtion docs not do JU5lic<: 10 tn. ..."",rkoble polillcal d1eru of th~ purportedly ·f.iled" }IWIlarns. F"mhl (Jons'4~I1) points oul thaI Insteod of cmb;lTilrategy that would achlf:v' tn. obj«tl"" of g""",th with m1lstributlon,
'0
la".
no....
61
P-.:olonlol Dev
.he govemmcn. CSS(n.ially ""coupled .hI: .wo g();\ls. pursuing SUlndord policies of providing incen.ivcs for iooUSlrial gnnv.h. on .hI: On( hand. and thinly di.sgu~ "'ollare progranu wru,.., main &",,1 ...... ..w..... lribuli<Jn. on Ihe olhu. Populist pm~roms .• Mrdo .... signaled. shifl in 'M dominanl conceplion of "devolop"",nl : ",hieh had bttn defined largely in termS of canali.ing savings for pTOduc';,'" InvCSllnentS into prim.ry goods.nd in f..... lruclu ... Not only did populism gi'" .. dl.... programs legi.imacy in a model of developmen •. II made .hem politi. cally CSS(nlial. As early .sJuly ' '.17'' •• few month.. btlo ... Ih •• lttlions. Indira Gandhi ex •• nokd .he pIlot p"'gnun for the Small Farm... ~,·(Iopm.nl AII"DC)' ( U UA ) 10 aimOSI twilCf: the numbo:r of disuiCt, aM approved an addi_ lional fony proj«1S for .he ag.ncy for Marginal ","""".. and Agri<"ullu ...1 Labo ... rs ( ..... e). Soon aft..,. the deCtkms .• enosh Scheme for Rurol Employment (csu ) w:lS lnaugu ... ttd in April t!n' .0 ge ..... ra .. empIO)·mm. lor one thousond people in each diStrict In lhe country. In ~lCf:mber jus. befO<e the sta •• e1«, lons .• Drwgh.-P",ne Areas Programme ( U~A~) ...... st.nN. in ...""my-four dis.ricts. Th. n.teffect of these programs on ru",1 po,·. o y WllS probably not Significant. Fr.m_ kell a~menl of tttcs.o schemes pu15 the emphasis in ,I>< righl place: "On the .... hol •. the ,enlrat «5umplkm of im_ p<>'Ierished poniciponl<, but couk! not ertal. addi,ionaI oppQfllln;· .ies lor produc.ive .mploymc:m '0 no.isc: .helr income: permanently'" (''.1]8:. 9'.1). [n the ncxt coupk of ye..-s, at leas. SOme of t~ wdfatt schemt:'l had found th.ir w.y 10 small f.rm ..... and landkss laborers, " F,om the discussion SO fat. «lUin Ih.mes ,lull link populism .... ith 'M reformulation of d.nlopmml goals and prioritit:5 tna'l" with 1"',• •lcular clari.y, TI-.. Congres6 .."s historlan rich. SImilarly. her ,.., .... to abolish po-'''f signaled on md to.I-.. elas6 com promise Implicit In , he machinc poli.icsol,M old Congr<S5 . which .....
"m.
domlnal~
by locally J>O"'·~rful upper castes and d assos. In ilS ~mpha.Lo on ""cluslon. lhe inc0'P" .. I;"n of "Ihe poor' as .n . nlilhedcol force. ilS M.lnichat.n characle.izahons of ( erlaln fractions of Ihe f".mer ruling d.w'S and um.n mo.,.ytd inle~ .• nd lIS p"l'SOlnalislic and messiank self-pon ..ll. Indl'" G.ndhl\ dlscouT$C h.ad.n lhe fcolu"" usu.lIy .1U'lbuttd 10 populiom. Unllkt popul LoI m""emenlS. ~'''''.•he lndi'" Congress mad. no eff,," 10 inslilUtionalizc ilS ideology in orga· nlutions within 'M f'Ilny. e. ""pt by way of In.roducing ntw pm. g"m15"host primary on.ntlUion _ ",w.rd ."cI.1 wdf..... H"",·cva. whereas OIMT scoolars hav" san Ihis failu", 10 build instllutlons as proof lha, Indi'" Gandhi used populisl slogans me.. ly 10 fo'EO' win_ ning cltttor:ol COIlll.ion in tM sb<>n run. I .hlnk It is mo .. usdul to .hink of it as shoping Ihe kind 0( development "'gimc: that ","s eventually pul intO place_The redislribulh-., progr.o.ms .hal we.., implcmrn •• d.s pan of her populist plalform. such as the S"",II Farmers IXvdopmtnt Age....". and the Drought_Pro.,. A..,as Programme. w=. d<:spil•• Mi. small ~, 10 profound . nd unfoK$ttn co"""",cncn for ."dal ..J,uions .1 the gtas5 fOOU. As will SOOn beeome evidenl .• h. Innsl'orm.ltlons of ,<dol ",lations b.."..sh' abou. by populist programs we.., Iink~ 10 lhe 'PP' ''Prialion and rodeploymc:nl of develop"",n, disCOu~ by Earm..s groups ltd. In ,urn. by well_to-do owner_cultiva.ors. Conlempora ry obscrvns. joum.olisu .. well »schol.rs. intaJ''''ttd Indira Gandhl\ mow \(Iward populism in Ihe 'v' elec'ions as. " ",k. of genius, lhe..,by furtM. rnlMlliohing h •• image of political "",,,Ie, ne55_ MO$l accounts emphasized $lTUggles within ,I>< ",aim 'If high ",,!ilia I" aplain why. swilch '" .uch a ilratcgy became 0 m.n •• of politicol survival. ufl "",thoul .he organlulional ha<e "f ,I>/: Old Con&'"'S, Indira G.ndhl, .ided by tM Int.nsivc u... of tna$S media in 1M form of pos•• rs, film slide:., nodio news, and s<> forth , made di",C1 oppuis '" rural vat.tS_ Tit./: unap"o:.n -aoplured" by 1M poIic;" .nd organluUons of aisling pa"i~. 1Xv.10pmc:nl for of the ulensi(m of okvdopmen. d&ourse in . populist direction Ic:avn an impotUnt '1Uts1ion unans"'-.,rcd. AI·
ha.·.
.hough I. accoulIlS lor .he ao:. ions 01 • specif..: I~.dt •. Indira Gandhi. i. dOtS n". sMd much Ilghl on why IXIpuHst apl'uls . U(:ettdtd. In OIM. w,,,ds. if _ at<:.O undc ..... nd wh •• m.k"" populis.appul, suCttSslul arod ".. hal lhoy m~a n'o "Ih~ pwpl~" who.t<: bti"ll.pp..led TO in Ihese dis<:<>uTScS or d<,-dopmo:n •. we have .0 go b(yOM II\( ",alm 01 elil~ poli.i<:< arod policy olol."",n\5., Thc next >«Iioll is devOT.d ' 0 ",ha, "Indira Raj" mc. IIT.o.M .uboITcm in a north Indian village. Und"J.lII~di~g
n.....,."
P"I"'Ii.<m 11"''''Sh "R«'l"iOll ,,~d lIwnve.-sa'i"n_ W'h~n I .. Iktd '0 gruups of l<>wct_ ",.Ie lIIen. ,h.y would Oft.1I crilicize I.... lbaku" buT ""oIy did so '0 Ih.i, to«, Ouring my lasl research .rip In ' 99' -91, allhough 'he young., gen. ration "'as cO"'iderahly I.... inhibited. ,hi. " ......ill lal)!Cly 'ru. of Ihe older g.... ra'ion. Many lo ...·er-<..,.~ pwpl~ ,old mt ,ha, .h~i. Ii~ ;mp!'O"nl considcrabl)' during Ih. 'enu", of Indira Gandhi, Outing. "'indsw~pt and 0'-~"'0Sl "",nsoon al!cmoon ,,,,,-ard ,.... end 01 July 1!1'\1~. I "'as si u ing omsid. Ih. ",uloshed owned by lour ja.. v hro.t..rs and ,heir l.militS." Two of .he older g....... ion .h.rt. along wilh an as.sottm~n' of ' .... ir sons. grandsons. aM ... ighbors_ On.
w.'"
M""""", cLouds
01 rltt brorltt .., Choru, pur It rhis "'~r' "MOM of all [lhe lhoku ..'] power h .. been slosht
SdlblulM Cas,t pct>plt. ,he: dist"'" ""min;suou;,," ",",n' a con' ingtn, of polic(l1'C'n who c:r.m~d OUI ""ar ,he: harijan MUS<':S. Thty ~t:lynl.long ~nougll ' 0 ~nsu'" , hal lhe: thakur got tht messogc Ihot he: could nol Intlmidale Ihe barij"lIS e""epl al his own peril. Thi. incident ""used ",''v",,, in 1M wholt ar.. and indlCl .. d I>ow far Ihlngs had eh.anp for all conwnM. Its ""I .. , by 1_ in , "" immediale goal of pro'~ng lhe: ban';'n households lhan in Ihe fart lhal il syml>oliud a draJtic change in 'ht r.gimC'scornm[lmenl to laws lb., had long been on Ihe books bul ""rely,nforced. Apa" from co"""'e chlnl"" in ""mini.. ralion. 1M govern",.. .. t Ilso tmplo)'w 1M radiO.O symbolite. change in Its ,,;llingnCS6to enforO< ."" low. A. Coo, .. poinlM QU' . 1M mass rntdia was used.o convty lhe: message. 'Don~ hano ... lal>o..,rs; giv, Ihem a proper "'-ag<: don~ pc._ ",",cu,e ,hem; eradica,. un,oucb.bility: "'Ofk tog ••""" " '1Int .h, satru: laws W<." the: Stated policks 01 the Congress ev<:. sina: ind.~nd.n~l"
TM answ.r was .hl. sudt may have h«n so. hu, 1><10.., Indira, ,he effa, of . ...... ""Itmtllts ....... minimal. Duling Indino~ raj. ,vcrything was done sa'islactorily. I was Ih." provided wilh ,ht following example, -Earlie •. 11he: lh:akursl uS<':d '0 commat>d pcopl. to do unpaid laboT Ibr,,,,,T] . We hod '0 goand work ,"" ... ~tn whilt our own ficlds WtIt neglected. If we dldn~ go. ,hey Insulted u •. Now. Ihey do .h. sa",.. thing bul i1 d~n\ work Now .h, _it'y;s hten" •. EvcryOl>( k .......... ,h. law. J lISI .. Ih.y .... d whal is in Ih. ncwspa~ ... ",do our child ...... So now ~''}mle knows ,,"'rything. 100 I",,,, Imo.... llh . .... no such Ihing [as 1>
n
wlttn la~ numbtl'll of k"" u . ad_ mlnismolivc s..rviccs. An uPI""r-cosle informant blamrd Iitt govern"",nl for c.... nglnga s)"SU'm of orde.ly hieran:hy 1....1"even lhe Muslim kings and lhe English did nOI di5lurb." II\c"'b)· inctuSlng corruplion. He emp\lllliud. lhe poinl wilh I coupkl. "Bringing unlou.chlble!< inlo Ihe sut./1s to ["",.._ COfTUplion by sp;>tcs" !Shaasan "",in .hwd"", ~o z....".,.vHdin IM,auu"","""'." A"",her UPp"f<,"" It....· kur) Infomuont. wko altribulN lhe origins of government pohc;.,. on be....lf of Scheduled Uosln 10 ,he pm:>e<:upo'ions of Mahatma Gandhi. wenl on 10 argue lhal Indira Gandhi, d.. lh was di,..c!ly lied 10 hu promotion of II>. Iowu aStes. He dolmed lhat h.. """"'ins. ~Int Singh and Saro... nl Singh. hInd by lhe government beau.. lhey _,.. Schrdulcd Casle and Backwud Cas,e. n;spcctively" JUS! as Beanl Singh and Satwanl Singh had lurned out 10 he untN Slwo. lh)·, he im_ plied that 011>.. 1ov.,,' -cosIe peopl. would bite lhe govcmmenf~ hand In ,..Iurn for what it "'"IS doing for them. Part icularly a""'n& 11M: Ihakurs, lhe .. ...." an unmlsukltbl. tone of binemcss loward policies JItlUiv«l 10 he nsporl5ibl. for lhe erosion of Ihd. po,,"e •. And . Onec agoin . lhe pe'Wn held Il>O$l ~iblc for this ""as Indira Glndhi. Yet If lndi", Gandhi lO"IS the first ""Iionalle.d.. to seize upon """u· liM po!illC$ as a mHns 10 consoHd"lc power. Ihe .. 500n devdop«i "I'I""'ltional movemen15 that SOUghllO do) the same lhlng. In the d«-ade IfIC. Indira Gandhi first introduced "Garibi hat..,: the mosl imporumt socbtl """,emenlS in India w .... led by well·to-do farmer.;. aniculalill3 th¢ IntCf(SlS of th¢ countryskk agalnsl the cilles (. - T. Bross ed. '994) WItt .... Indira Gandhi~ populism mounled an altack on 1M fl;Ju,.. of -nalional development" to ,..ach Ihe poo •. the farmers movement would ta~111M: f.l1l1J"t of dn-elopmenl 10 ,..ach 11M: counlrysid~ aM. in par· ticula •• farmcn. who we,.. thus ... pnscntod .os an unhary caltgory.
1>l.:I"""",,'.
w.,..
Struu,les over 1M meaning.nd dirttlion of tkvelopnKlII a bibitnl in populi>( polilles dcmonstrat. II>. dcgru to .... hkh -dcyclopm.nt" was 1M (MItrome of st"'tcgk po!illc:ll cho;.:es. and nOt I Itthnocrotlc sol u. lion 10 nallona! problems of po·... n f Ind sov=ignly. hwin Gandhi al1.mpted 10 consolidat. a hegemonic bloc by InOO,"""nting 1M poor LnlO' ... gtme of dcnlopmenl based on polic;es of impon-substltutlng industrialiution and Slate cOlllrol ov.. lite ttonomy. The:io. .fforts. however, did no! go wilhout ~h"lI.~. In ",,,,I .te.... ""nicul.r!y in Ihe
surplu"p,odudng .Ial.. of Punjab. Ha'y.ma .• nd w .... m U P . this ch.al· leng<: COme in thl: form of fann .... ' drons to coMlrucl a coumel' I1cgcmonic bloc that employed populisl d;.rourses of d~k:>pment. This "'as mallif..1 in ,..,ious famu:TS mm·, ,,,,n,, tn.t identified tho: chid conln>diclion as tn.tlxt ,,·un Sha,," and Indi •. tM. COUlltry and the city. Pupulism was, thus, not JUSt. projttl of the rul ing ~mc but .lso deployed h}' opposilional groups 10 conSlrucl alternatives 10 the ruling c""lilion. As "'e slutll_. it is opposilional populism, ... the • •n.n the appeals to the p<><>r inhiated by Indi ... Camlhi.• n.t n.~e glItho:red sl~ng'h .ince Ihe .orl ~ sevenli... TheK a~ lwo parts in Ihis "":Iion. In Ih. fiTSI I chn",lcle Ih. rise of "pcasant" polilics by c<.m unlr.u lng (In Ihc Ideological ami intcllttlual dirtttw n given to it by its chid proponenl, e haudhary e ll.nll Singh. I uplo", Charan Singb~ ' ClioM and pronouncements In some deuoil to . ~pbln Ihe evenlS thaI led 10 Ih. dominance In "pea ... nl" politics of substantial owru:r.c uhl"",OTS belonging 10 lho: middle ~C$. Signifi. camly. Cha ... n Singh an icubled • critique of domlnanl models of den lopmenl and "'en managed to found a political pan )' based un Ihat crilique. It "" os nol umil.ft.T iii. duth, ho ...·"..., lhal tr.c idrological ground that he h ad helped p~pa'" "ould be ulililed • ...,assfully 10 mobili... <;<);I1i. lon of runl groups. The succ~ of .nligo,.. mmelluol populism depended nol o nly on Ihe wullh c"'aled by Ih. IIlffn "~Olulion but .Iso on Ih. legilimacy provided 10 a conniClual «pmenl." lIul Ihls COBStrucl ion of . un;lary "Shanl\" is stnfed ",i.h , he .. nsions that t'(t. v.d. ru,..1 no"ho", lndia.nd i. built on powerful udu.;on. bo""d on Ihe inlers«tlon of gender domination wi,h cas .. a"d class ru l(. ~lp,_.h... ' _ _
D_"''''.".n'.r"l. articulo .. a run l crilique of de_
Tho: first orp.nl .... political JUrty '" "dopmenl .nd Kpn:s e ha .. n
. .""ri." Populism
i5
Singh .• velenm eonguss l.w" Idt 1M Con&"," Pa'ty shortly aflu I~ tLttdons of 19'67. bringing down the gn of Ihe inleTCSU of lhe londowning pc .... nlry, Cn.ran Singh's pc,.".nal ambllion. as wtll as h is advocacy of "peasant" causes . ...,.. consist.ntly foiled by opposing im.... t groups wilhin lhe UP~. In Ih. d « llons of 1~. lh. OXII cme~ed "'i lhin juSl 1.... 0 yurs U 1M Ia~~ opposition party in the u . ~gislaIU'" .... ilh mort In.n • fifth of 1M populaT vOl • . Its support was particularly strong In th. "'~Im'l parI of 1M SLlle, .... M'" It polled :411 - U; 199}).· ' Challln Singh~ cr-tdcntlals u a "pt:.... nllcadcr" ..... '" fo~ Ihro"3h .Iifetim. of poIitial .... ork and lnl(llttlual prod""' lon 1n.1 oonsistcnll)' articulaled the ";'wpolnt of the landowning peasanlr)'." II .... ouid i)( no uoggcradon II> Ny tn.ln.:. mo", lhan anyone else. was Il:5ponslble for laying lhe ground fo, the Ialer cmugell« of "peasanl" poli, lc:s. As early as 1911. he Introduced th. Agrkulcunll Produce MlrkelS Bill 10 protect lhe dirttt prod""u from '"Ihe r:apas<,nltt. Iindlofd by , I.ering Ih • ..,. Zamindari Abolillon A(t of ISIS' Ihrough lhe IcgislaIU" . MOil: Ihln Inylhing d~. lilt b mlndarl Abolition ACt si",alcd Ih. Congress's "";\!ingncss to 0ppose tholo,&" I.ndloms. ..,hI> Iu>d domlnalCd vill.g. 1If., in favor of the d~ of small landlords and ...·.11.I0-Qnellld..... l. ing owncn 10 hereditary tenanLS. These we .. lhe groups , hal "" ould Lalt,lonn the mlin I:»sls of the • KD, tradillonally agricullU1':&1 middl. or "backw;ud" caslCS like the J&IS, Ahin, Knrmis, Yoda,'5. and GuJal'5 (Duncan 1918:44). TM Zaminda,i Abolition Ac, _ conslstenl .... ith Char:an Singh. conviction thaI . gricuhu .. had a c.nlral rolt to ploy in the devt k>pm"n. "f tM nation and that agrl(:ultllr.ol growth depc:ndcd on provlding i"",nliv.s I" 'M ac' IIOl rnltiVltlor and prol.cting him f, om usutious Iondlonis and traders." As U. minisl" fo ••evenn. and agrieullull: in IS1SJ. Char:a n Singh ~c-d I"" opponunily oITercd by a Slrike of village Land rttord k«pers (l"'Iwdrl$] , who "..,.. cotLSi
il)'." LaM <:<)nsoliffi1 lion "'"as I p",coooition to such ",plLOI_lnl~nslv~ inves"ntnts in .gricuhu", as th~ sinkIng of tube ,..'Us,· Finally, dunng the food cri~i!; of 1967. he ",Iuctandy ,nforted the Go"emment of India', food procu""""m schc:_ . hUI h. did so in ~uch a "'''y thl' it paid producc.-s a pri<:<: fot , Iuoir Output Ih.a,,..as comparable "it ll wh.tlhey mlgh' h.a,·c bc<:n obI( to obLOin on the m.a,~, 1 Tluo tTllruf~r of lond to ""..... -CUltiVlltO.-s . the consolidaliQn of hold_ ings, dec ...1SC5 In 'he Lond "'vcnu~ In rcal Icnns, and suppon pri.ces ........ th. pTCC<Jndilions 1n.1 enabltd the adoption of green revolution technology b)' rieh and middl~ p..",nlS, As I sh.a!! pttS<':n'ly <:<)Otend, the "pac k'g'" of policies introduced " ilh lhe hlgh.yieldi", ,.. netics enabltd this segment of the pwever.•he el(nu:n ts for tluo consolidation of what Is sometimes disporagingl)' ",f~rrcd to as. -kulak" popul ism ....... already in place. eh.a",n Singh was its chid ideologue and arthi1ect. H~ consist.ntly l'1!Utd that his aClio ns weI'<: on beh.alf of all ""m ben of the "fIrming community." Although;t was abundantly clea. that his policiQ would disproportionately b.:ndil lbe nch pusaml)'. his discourse steadfastly ... fused to ""knowledg, any such d;ff~"'nt~tion (B)'R:S '988). The populist cI.ments in Chann Singh~ poli tiCS Ims. oul of • ca... ful d.lin.alion of tM forces 'oppo5tm man.agtd 10 utl'lCt, Ihrough a vlrict)' of morally or legally dubious means , the w rplu. th.at Iegitimato1y bclongtd 10 the rarmer. The", Is no doubt tha, his poslti(mS against lhese groups foun.d rnona OCc am"", a hroad speclrum of II\( rural population, iocludlftJllhe rural poor, Cluran Singh strongly opposed the ... organLt.a lion of aglicUltllft along in.dUStriallincs through. for tumplc, the ...... ns;..., use of ....g. b oor and lluo dc...,lopmtnt of la,,. m«hanlzcd farms (Byres 1983:t7S;>6) ." Hc also opposed coll« ' i,;z.otion. by which I\( meanl th. CSLOblishmenl of farming COOp<"'tlvCS based on th~ Soviet modtl, wi th 1,'1!' farotS coll.ctively work.d by a com mur>c, Against both these models. h. used argumem •• bou. the gre.... productl,ity of small holdings (the famous "in,..,rsc" "'Iltionship b.:twttn fa"" sl". and yield pc. uni, of b nd) and th. fail ..... of "''''''''';21,ion 10 ioc"'_ prod uctivity, CapiLOIism and collecli,i1:ation, with tluoir prcsumption of st . .. <:<)01rol. WCft ",prncnted as funhning urban InlC...sIS agairul all the runl people (6)'R:S 1988:079) . Ch.aran Singh thus implicitly "";cul.ttd the S«IO",I inte..,;" of Igncullu ft through. serits of opp"Sitions l4 Oll\(~ wko w. ", Si:<:n as ;advancing (urba n-based) industrial or .... ,. i01.rosu.
.•
Agranan POl"'Iism
n
,ho,
H~n<~
M Iorgtd a discoul'SC' n::pr.... n'.d an urhon .nd industrial modol of na,ional d ~vclopm~n' as Inimical to ,h~ in'~~ts of .he majori.y of ,M populo'ion lived In rurollndia.·' TM n:D\o.uCCQS in gathuing more .han a fiF.h of th~ popular vo.~ In liP In its very firs. eI«.ion in 1969. ,I>< hlghes' of any ,,,m·CongrtlS Party 'lnc~ lndtp"ndtnc~ was gain.d, .ignalt:rian InleTCSts. T..., nex' dcc, lons In 1974 made II clea' ,hal ,hoe uo's initial SUCCtSS was no, a flash in .1>< pan. Qnc., again, 1M no polled men:: .h.n a fifth of 'he popula, vo, •• despite stn::nuOUS elK.onl .fforts by Indira GandhI ami ,h. <:<:n,,,,1 leadership of the Congress (Il.-- '9S0:41~-'6) . The nD merged with .he Janata Party in the hi$'Dric winning coalition of 1977. 'M firs, oon· Co"3""'-i govunm.m to rule: ,,,,, COUnlry. bu. ,h.n spli' "If from 'M Janola Party and oon"",w the 193<> ~lccti<>ns a5 Ihe look Dol, onc. agoin ""I>oring . 1 _ JO pcn::.n. of th. populo, '·0'..... When ,h. nD was founded in '961. the '«hnological revolUlion known as the grttn revolution was yet be widely promulgalOd in western U.tar I'r.>dcsh . The sU"ta ofthe p<'aSlIn.ry tha' ownffi belwttn 2_S and 17.S ac["t3 oflond . the backbo ... of ,,,,, UD , "'en:: also 'OOse mOS, f.vorably posilloned.o employ.he new .echnology 1Ic<:aus< the <:apl,al investment rntuired to sink •• ube w<:1I. csscnlial fOT' 'lO""y and n::H. able soorc. 01 Irrigation , was quite La~ . those who hod land to offer as ool!;ole",1 had less difficul,y in Dbtalning loans. O n ,he OlMT hand, a tuM w<:!1 beame a profitable inve:S,m.m only because holdings had been oonsolidaw:L . he me,., 1000 lha, oould b<: reliably irrigated " i ,h 0 ........n. the t... its fix<:d cost pcr uni, of ou.put. The agg"'gal. ou'pu, of whcal Jumpcd beaus< of ,he I>(W ,~chnolol!.Y. and food grain produc. 'ion quickly ",ach.d level. whic~ ~MUrtd th., ,he shortfall of '966- 6, ...·ouk! nev•• b<: 'epeated"' For .ht b<:"eHlIT pcas,onlS, the new I«hnology wa>. g",at boon. The "packa&c" policies inlroduc.d by ,h. g"v.mment includ<:d no' only price guI",nl«S fo r OUlpU'. 'hus ensuring 'Mt g",at incn::.SC'S in OUlput .... ould not.-.:wlt in pric~ dtprcssion . but.t..o . un.idies fo r inpulS such as chemical f."iluers. A. the s,ome time ,ha, 'his 1>(: .... technology ~n· abltd rtcll fa"""rs to obtain Larger ... , .urplu.... it also made 'hem mo,., d~pcod.n. on g",·cmmcn. polkles and ptOgntntS. Suddenly. 'he .uppon prict anno,mu d belo", the growing ..ason "'as no. me,.,ly tl>< OOI>CCTn of an clile Sla.ion<:d in Delhi bu, <>f ,be cnll", d a•• of farm",", with markctablt surplu.... Changes in Ih •• upport pri«. as compared wi,h input prices. In effecl indcx<:d .he ,erms of ""de fOT .he agricul.
,-as.
'No'
'0
"r
71 l'ost«>loniot D<,..lop"w:nt>
1"",1
_ w•. If 11K support prire msc fasl •• lhan IhI: COSI of inpulS, i.
~ullOO
in a distribution of inco"", in fnor of agricuhu"" If it msc mO", $lo,",ly, It amount"! 10 a d~ facto tax. Thus, not JUSt farm locom ~ hut also intersecto",l dislribulion effects cam. 10 Mng<: on Ihe le,-d 0(
suppon p''«s. of diff.",m _tors of th~ coonomy thaI we ha'", 10 undersland the growing OTp-niuti,,,,al ahllily and milltanC)l of · p.. ~nl· groups. ThaI II>( I>(u u..ofT ~tn(nlS of IhI: fU",1 populallon w.n: a powen u! polilica l pn:scnce" becomes clur bu m an incidenl sum mndlng dis£ussions in 11K Planning CommiS$ion 10 tax agricultural incomes as a means 10 rais<: go.'em"",nl Intakes • ...·hirh W,," unoqui"""olly "'j«IOO by the prime minis.. r." Choran Singh himself emplO)-ed 11K g"",,;ng po....,r '" lhoc pc .... nt lobby 10 ""at <11«1 in struggles within IIK)onata coalilion ahu il cam( to powe. In 19n." Fort"! to resign (rom his post as minlstu o( I>omc aflairs in '973. Cho",n Singh sougl.. 10 tkmonsl ... te his p<>pulaT suppon by organizing an ~nol1llOUS rally of · pc .... nts.· On his s<:vcm y-o<;ixth binhd.y on December lj. lW8. a formers ... Ily ""as held in N.w Delhi. whk h ...-as a" ended by an (SIlma lOO on. mill;..,n farme ... moslly from n.ighboring states, in Whol "..," pcrhops the l:Irgc.nTllYOO Ind i. ... vi!lag<s as Ihe ' colonies" of it< d lles. In Its aftcrm",h . Cho ... n Singh ....-as hastily ",induct"! into the cabin". as miniSlU of 6nan« and tkPUIY prim( minis •• •." In the budg", tha, h. p"""mOO to Pullament shonly IhI:",ahu.• budge. lhot an a.ss<)(iale dcs<:ribal as poW'Ming · ,h. hn:a,h of the flCOpl. and tn. .mell of tM ..,il: ht cut 1M duty on ch.mical fu_ lilize", by half, ffllu«d ",,>;es on agricuhu",1 C<juipmcnl. and ;""rcased govomm(nt "flCnd itu .. on rural d~clrification 000 dairy fann< (Byo-.:s It is in 1M. comnt of th.
d~v.!opm.nt
'988:163 )· ......... politic. _
...... 10 ..... " _ _
Shonly . htr ChoTlln S;ngio passtd a"'lty in ' 9117 , "v'Tll! pwpl •. including hi' ""n. Ajil Singh. 51akrd lheit c1.lm .0 lhe pon y ,hat M had h<1prd round and hod raised. to 5" ,h promi,..n, •. FightS OVCT wl>O would In· herit the lioI< [)allego'), kd 10. splil within tM party, But it ....-as not in 1M rtalm 01 parliamenlary matu:"'''' tin~ , hot ' pcasant" politiCS in northern Indio " 'liS 10 find its resurg."'~. Thot "'m~ wlth 'M founding of IhI: Bhorali}'lt Kisan Uni"n. o. UII. a nonpany "rgani.t.a, ion led by Mah.ndTll Singh li b it . a ruTlll ja' I.ader from 1M pt'05]>UQus ca",,_ and wh ... l_growing di5lri~t of MuufbmagoT in .... estem Utlar Pradesh. tOO At Apanan Popul;"m "
1M ~mt lilm llult the Ki... n Union ( a. the nil i. oflen caU«I) WllS &'IIMrin, strength In U P , very similar mOVemenlS hosed in the rich P'=osatIlry ""rt milking IMi. p'tStncc fell in olhu SUI.,.. The tnMI impolUnl of l~ In Ihe last f..... )..... ha~ bun Ihe SMlbri Sang.o.tha"" led by Sh.rad Joshi in M.harashlfll ~nd the K2rn .... 1<.o Rojy> Ryola Sangha led by Or. Nanjundaswamy.'o, In 1989 a m.. Ung 10 con_ "e'" I unified ""lto",,1 pc_nl --u,lion d ...... thiny fanner o""niza\iom from I_I>.., dlfferml SIOICS.'" AII,~ oopni.alions relied heavily on Ihe .tr"lum 01 O"'ncH:uitivalOl'S " ilh subs!an lial holdings for Ihrir COt¢ support. a fael rtOtttcd in Ihtlr consbtcnl demand 10 I'll;'" outpul prieC$ and rtducc Ih. c,,", of Inputs. Of lhe various fealures of Cha",n Slngh~ ·pc.... nl" disoouISC, Ihe 0"" mosl emphasized by suCttSSOr mOVements points 10 III<: dual ""t" .. of IhI: country's dtvclopment. The Itader of lhe in"uemial farmel'S movemenl In Maharashlra. Shar.ul Joshi. very clta,ly ,nkul'led Ihe division bo:twttn '1Iha ... , " and "India. " Pemap" laking a cue fro m dual-cconom)' model.,he argued thaI ru ...18ha... 1and urban India WeTC IwO dilTeTCn' counlries. ".. The Imem WllS 10 contrast ,he vernaroLar name denoting IhI: onIl""ry, 1M runl. the linl, tradilion. ,he "TCaI" country of . mal1 l"'osatIlS.nd ogrtcultu ... l labortl"5, with 1M W""em , urban , industrial . inttmltionll1y orirnted. modern nalion-State . TMs division was in_ 1Cnd.r:d 10 highli&hl the "urban bias" of do:velopment policies thaI Ila"e rcsuhcd in. widctUn, g.o.p bel",",n urban dvo..,n.", woo ....ork for the ,tate Ind industrill ....:Ion.nd "'Ill) folk .... ho work in 'he agriruitunl secl"". This d ..... li.y betwttn !l1la"1 and India , as _ .hall ...." monlgod to coal"," I varlC1y of diJ"'tmaello", upcricnccd by dlff.TCnt classes and scgmcnts of the ",,,,1 population tum. uni""), fr.o.mcwork. In itS ability to m;lp dilTe,..,n. g,lcV1ln= InlO a Singular anlith .... i., i, fune lloncd IS a truly po,,·.riul oppositional populism . II "'' U oppositional in that lIS chid tali" was the govemment. which it ""'UoM of failing 10 deliver on lIS dtvtlopmenlll promlM:o. Pe... nl populi.m insisted lhat the: inte ....... of "India" systcmOlk"l1y un
eo
POOkOIoniaI Dcv
10 flU, $inc. il would od"~,,..1y .ff.tlth. ",... 1 popubtlon. Th. alV"" un populism <Sfl<'uscd by pnsanl groups. IhrmOrt, autmptod I far. rtuhlng critique of dndopmrm models, one IhIIl quilt c~ loOUght 10 build I ""modrm" llluiOfl llutl was not • ~Ie imlUltlon of"lhr WCSI," I now ",kc a c"-, look al ptlO!oO.nl populism Ind lIS ",1I.iollto Ihr lCtions of Ihr J'l5iIn Union II thr ground I.....L My §OUrra for Ihl$ analysis:m in" ........, with lho ~IS of ltv vill.&. in -ston u. whrR I did fiold .......k and "'pons In ~",*,ul;l. """"P"f'(" In th( area.
8M .............. ''''''''. The COnlfUI brt_«n 81ut .... 1 and India finds OIV JIO"'~rful W. in Ihr cridq", eM ..... rbon biH; ,n pinl"! thr COUnll}-.I& against II>( cu)' Undr. thr Lr .... rship of Ihr J'ilan Union. this critique has brm up...-d In man)' ....}'I.nd somrtimes leads 10 oYC" .,.;olen« btl ...... n .;11.&." and urban lrou~. Ontc .uch l...n.knl Ot( QUnl &lvtn by lhe chairman of the to ...... municipality, Ihr ... wall .1.1"1 dispult betwttn Ih, lownshlp and ,1M: ........, of a.hop in lin: main ...... ,ket. JUSla, lhr ..... n .. of the shop and Ih, mu nldpaU.y Well: aOOul lo R och a compromise:. ORme Kison Union aclivist. appro.chrd lin: own .. and off,red l" td for falling 10 pay ~k Ioms Of \.OX .... ~ arrested KNn Union volunl ..... from politt custody, cloMd IO"tmrntnl ,,·hn.1 ptu"C~ «nl"rs if lhey rnnoidtrrd thr pu .cbast pri<:t In bot 100 low, ' !rlpped .nd .... rm'ro" a polia: insptClo. for righl hours . • nd htld anotlw:r dlstricl offinal captive for ,,,"tl~ hours. inl("fCSIing. from my f'(rspo<:th"t, " howlhr dnth of Bul ,,'1111 is _ Ihr "iian Union Klivisu ..-.s coru.rruedlOS a "oonfrontMion httw«n , ht fanne" and ~hc ..,..' of rhc populllion." Tbt ptcsklml of Ihr ......... ~ chamber of rnmrntftt .... ted: ' uu volunl«rs in Ihr """""ndillS YiI_
' ''1.0
lages are rudy 10 confront anyone bolonging 10 Khair IOwn. Today Ihis Olm ...!gn is dirttled .gainst It.. u!'bon population of Khalr. tomorrow Ihis Is going 10 spread an 0'..,. Wr$ltTn Ultl. rr..cksh "'" Of COIlne, mark~1 10""" ""~'" esptti.ally offtnSi'''' 10 ~nl acli\'Ns beea...., they housed m~rcham., long cOll'iid~rcd ptOpl~ ""ho ~sed IMir guilt and knowkdgt of tt.. m.tket 10 "honchan&<, farm«s. Ranbi. , a lat "mlddj., rarmtT" living in Alipu., was an ~nlhusiaslic suPPOrl~' of 1M Klsan Union , In a convelSation Ihal look pia« in lal~ luly 1\1'89. he talktd of!ht importa""" of obtaining a good suppan price for whea, from lhe He r~h WI by uniting, farmers could IuIve I say In fixing tM SllHng price of 't..ir produc~. He co.mISI'" such. si,ua· lion ravorably wilh It.. prt\"1Ilenl con luI in which merchants fixed pricr:s. "If you takt your ... hoat 10 Iitt morktt ; '" lold rut , ·on~ lrader win ntgotiatt the: price with al>Olhe:, while you Sit on a sick. Then. ht win COme 10 you and say, 'ht managed to get you a good prke, but h wasn\ e.. ),'" Ranbir ftll liull Ihe farmu was powerless in Ihe t nli", ntgotillilon. Surcsh, a bnohmin who owned a . mal! plot of about Iwo ;acres, ga~ me a slmila. reason for why formers we'" .",~ 10 motchan ... Ukt others in Allpur, Su. csb was nol an aclivt suppon • • of 1M Kts.n Union. In fact. unlilu: Ranbir, t.. was nOI e,·tIl Inclined '" view ,h. Kban Union f.""nobly. Ntven he!en, he admined lhal the organi""hon _ doing much good W<)rk. H ~ upbined Ih .. lhe <",,!ti\:l with mer· chanu al"O!!t from lhe: '!uotion of who should bendil rrom the proctcd~ of farming. The Klsan Union ""''''Iy maintained . hal the merchants we", ",.ping "un""" "rr" profi~ and wanlM to ensu", Ihat procttds from .he salt of farm commodities ,,·.nt InlO the hands of f.rmers the:msclves and nol of middltmen. The merchants of . he lIta.hy 'own. ht added. had lritd. 10 .,,!il lhe Klsan Union ;n tkeir "'&ion hy cruling divisions btt ..·ttflltadtrs ..ithin Ih. or-ganlution . Th. plOj-' b;ockfi",d, however, and 1M union had no .... organized. "",ins! 1M n .. rchanlS as _II as ,Itt SUit. Not ~~ryo"" ,har.d Iht perception htld by Surt:'ih . oo Ranbir ",. gardlng tht tffiooq of Ih. K;san Union. A group of thaku, mon In Alipur told m. that It.. K;san Union could not fac~ up 10 Ihe gov~rn. mtnL Tt..y said that ~ undrtd.s had bftn killed ;n I~' firing al Khair. ~~n though offirilll ",pons .nd neWS bulltli", claimed . hal only six had died.: Ih. polke look an the bodies and dumpcl lhem somewhere; I~ty had ntver be.n found. Th. I<;""n Union was no malch ror tho governmenl. Ttw: thakurs. long Ihe domlnanl landlords and poIiti(:a1
govern""'''',
!.
_loniolOn.lop" ..,,"
f",u In Aliput. had b«n hoshl. I" Ihe Kis.an Uni<m Mao ..... Ihty "' ''' il as an upnssi"n "rial ...... ni"n. The pRStnce "r mtRchams was nm lhe sule n:aS<>n fot th. pusanLS' ,.. ... th against uman ConleIS. Ott"" rt:Stntments harb"'M by pnsants fQCUsM " " th. btU.. i"fnstruclur< av.ilablt in cih.s. Th. vasl diff..· .nco in wUC>llional and "",dicol f.dllti<s. as well as tht "na",ib bllity of d octrit JUS' tIM: te>ch,rs wlm ,,"'.. rcsp,msibl< but th. poor ~(>nd;tI"n of schools in villllg<s. This despi •• tM £aci that 1M f.rm.r wa S the "Iru. (>"'ntf" of this ooUnl1')'. G.ngapn ",d addw , "A fa""", "'ho sptnds hi< day "'oed· lng Is as intd hgtnt as the Chid MlniSl" . H. is ru)t a fool Out villag. child ren slw:>uld "",ive c ~acdy I'" same educa. lon as that anUabit Ii) tho child«n of miniSters . nd Industrialists in Del hi. W. cannoTt(>k"". this st.pdaughllm""t. "I" An Op---Ed pi.,.., in ar.otht. ""macu· la' r><wspape •. the BlJ ..... Times. advancw a Similar complaInt: -As rat as the qu<slion of opening Ih~ ga ... of ed """lio" . health , dvic ameniti<S. and knowledge, and of the ability 10 take adVll n' .gc of these. the farmer Is at a dis,..kantago- I . , T h~re "",re .IS soy, -W. " ,m l .0 ,,11 . he govern menl , hat lh< Yillages should bt . upplitd .Itt"icily tw.nty-fou, ho"''' • da~. just os Delhi is'He highlighltd Ihe in«jua1ili<s in Ih. gov~mmenl:S 10;0" collrgl",n" 0, ""riu, n orr.• posilion . lso adopted by al mOSI all olher rarme", organi:atio",. f or e""mple. Sha.,d Joshi led ~~'j"'~ ~li (libt ... ti"n ftom d.bt) agibllions to do th. ",m. in M.ha .... htra. S;""•• disproponionat. amount of I""M w.« mad. 10 ' host rarnu:", who had SOme bnd as ,,(>lIatenl , tl>< (~ 1m· pH.. ti""" of th.,.. "8i"'lio"" .... d u r. A_ h., major argument lhot fed Into the "urban bias" Ihesis was lhol
I""
Ag ... rlon Populism
'l
tho It"'" of tl'led from a ... tio of I,S in 19S' to approKimalcly lin 193). In other words. instead of . dec..,a.. In tht In~uality 01 workcos' incomes be,w.m sectors. the.., had btcn an In· in the \hiny )· ... rs following the FiOSt Plan. Vet it WII5 not just in critiqUH of "u,ban bias" thaI the du.listic >;e ,,· of aM ilkn(ificalion " illl "Bha ... t: OS agaInst "India: found eKIHtSSlon. Apart from "'p~ing a range of grirvaned. t ..... discou....,; a)", cr.· atw a poonlcular kind of subject ~it lon. One whose mo,..l burlngs we.., quit. diffe..,nt from lhose found In "India." This ".... the vinu. of tho.. who we.., poo' , politically helpless, aploitw. but who. on gaIning po"'~. ..,fuse to explolt It. The ImpliCit COn\T"St ,,-..s with 1M hlgh·handwntSS. arrogance. and corruptinn 01 the pow.rful . both gOvtmmcnt officials (a lavo,it ....'S"t) and the urban bourgeoisie .'" co ...... nt theme in th. Poverty- and lhe lack of political d;soo.,.-sc of nkah. lhe I..der of the Kisan Unlon. Wluon osW about the role thaI the K!san Union would play in lhe electiOn!; in '939. he trpliW: "What can the former do to changt clccto ...1fonu"",? look at them-they a.., 50 poor. Ihey an nnly list.n ,,·hen we sptak. no) m O.., . W. haye no pow." ."'" It is as if the JIO"erty of the farm ..... iconici:"" by thel' clothes ("look at them_ they a.. 50 poot"). Is also what ..,nde l'S them mute_ unable to ,.,pn:otnl thei, imernts or dcsirn ("they can only listen") , Their app"ar;mcc . the ..fo ... rq>TCScnLS both th.ir JIO"trty and ,he lack of a politi""l voice . But then Ihe..,;S" subtle transl• ..,nce from ,he po.... ny that ..,nders the peasantry mut~ to its lead" ("they co n only listc" whcn " ·c .ptak .. We hav, no p"".~r"), By . .. ti.,. of 'nnsposiltons. tl>< iold in Ihe village cklibomuoly worc 10m dothes as he went about his work.
""'as.
PO""'- "'"" .
~
Pooooolonial
Dn-dopm
When . in lhe Course of C05<' villoge men woo had ob,.incd jobs in 1M cil)' signified Ih.lr sUOlu. b)' we.rlng lroU51:IS .nd • shin ralher , lun Ihe p"Jama·ie m.n. vilbgu or a ci.y . Iickn. Whal. person WWI to $tInd Oe money M obuincd from sha recropping in a bonk as qukkl)' as possible, He did not kttp Iny utensil. or ob;ccts in the house that would mak<: his ......lth visible, In faci . he pref. rred to Stll)' in dd,t for nominal .mOUntS W IIu, ptOIllc would continu. l<) ",ganl him as poem: he was pointing 10 • highly charged signlf",r whOSt ... codlng ......s probably ;nt. 'P",Ietlpl~~ of tM -farmt'" ......s conn(Cled 10 the effon to "",,,pe ...1C his self·.-espeCI!s"'aai>I!i"""," I."' ThroUJlt il5 lOClivili<5 of m.... pro,.. t ond non<:ompliall<'e with ",v~m_n' ""uI._ .ions. ,he Kison Union ......s .".rnpting ' 1> - tta",,,i<en tht pride of Iht peasant.- In .nolMr incide", bet"'ttn Kison Unio" activm. a nd the polict OVCT Ih. kid .... pping of a young Muslim woman. Nalyma. the p0lice had ... ponedl~ pushed ' hrtt ' '''Ctors belongIng to peasan' actlvisl5 inl" a conal nu. Ih. lown oCllhopa ;n Muzoffamaga. DistricL nkail ",ached Ih. 5C~ n. b)' the s ide oC.1Ie c.n.1 shonly ,helftfu:r . nd. along "ith lhousands of f........ who joi...-d him. procuded 10 lay aom)) for
aoo
Agrarian POJNllsm
8S
It.. "rttOYtT)' of Nalyma." Pointing to It.. suhm<:.-gN tlnl5 _ identlfim with dl<: IJ:KlOrs. wlt<:n:as tit<: ost .... lbl. n:ason for Ih. galhmng " .... 10 add ...... Ih. kidnapping of Naiyma. Taking up the caus< of on unk"""", Muslim woman may h.... had 1M 5I.Dtogic Im.m of consolldaling th. Kisan Union, posilion as an organization of fannCTS thaI crossed ... ligious lines. BUI il was also ... · laIN to dominant di$couT5<:$ about molo II<:tng tlod to Iho sue· etWful eomml of f.ma~ ..." ....111)( It ......, widely rumoml IMI Nalyma' ".bductor'" ..as It.. ... latl"" of . pow<:nul mln;';I•• in Iho UP ... bIIKt. Hena:. th. Klsan Union was pmlmlng the: inability of malo ~ ...... nl5 I<> "prot,..,t" tho:i, worru:n ogalll5l "'prtStnt.atlv<:s of tit<: StO\(. Naiyma beam. tho muM I<> mobilize peoplo. but h.. misfonurn: was d;,;plaO. tcnt ico... 01 tho "sclf-n:sp«I" of (male) ~...... m•. , " 11 lc:r officials. But. 1M: wantcd them to "come .nd sec whal thei' minions h.d don. to the pusant' so:1f. TtSpttI ,"',. 11k.ail TCputedly tmphasizcd tho p""'.rlOSSIl<SS (If tht ~as· antry and Ihd. suffering al tM haMs of urban rulers, Ht told the gatMrcd f.rm... thll tho city-bascd go""mmont 1"",,,,,",'1 would n~e. provide ...1 justlc. for the farmer. II. AftOT the body of the abducted Nllyma was found. 11kait vowrd IhattM sttugglo 10' tM fOTm.t~ so:1f. n:spect would conllnuo. He elaimalthat benu.. 11M: SO"emmcnt was dishonest. theirs would b<: a pm'ncted Sttugglc. but "". In which 1M: was «>nfid' would .vcn, ually triumph.'''' U.ho.n commc:nUto~ noccd how Ihese themes of povcny and help1Q6n<SS. along with the perc.ption of injurtd pride. l<:nl a "monl" chane, ... 10 thc r:vocotion of "lIh,nt" struggling .galll5! .n all·]IO".. riul "!ndla."' " Th. I.gol systcm was Itsdf ..en as complid ! in Ihls proj..ct of domination. Th us, 11kalt n:j..ctal a priori th. gtWtrnment"s d Tons at adjudication by SIOying. "No dispute can ever 1:>< n:5Olvai "'tisfae· .orily by ltgolit)'". il can 1:>< .. ttlcd only thmugh a ..arch for tht truth 1_1Icll< Ju
ho,,,,,
inlcrp~led
in. Sln;gnllo ....'lOrd mcans-cnd calculus. O,",wlng Imm lite K"",n Uni(m~ m.:lOriC and Imm modc:mluu lon lheory 10 lnvcn Man<. "Ii' ... «>nduded:"A modernizing state can ignore this kind of rural backlash only al i15 0"'" ptri l. But bdore il ( .mp","sis on Ih. p.,..rty and h.lpl<:»lI<:» of Ih. ptas.anl aM II>< mist ... tm.1I1 of "Bha"'l" al Ihe ""nds 01 "India" fonned the ground On which the Kison lJnlon mad. 115 appeals 10' ptasant unlly. This point ...... fo«dully cmphasiud 10 m. by Ranbit. th. j at farmer In lrud"".d ••• IIer. who ...'lOs a sympatlli.e. 01 the Klson Union. H.....id that th. unioll of bus conduct" ... and Ih. uni"n of " .. dc tSe"uld swr woo-k when IhC}' ",.. nted to. bill forme .. did not h.ve IhOl lultu'1' For INU m>OOlI. Ih. govcrnmcnl did not do m""h to he lp lhe ptaSOIlI5. If the Kison lJnion was sucrcsslul. he cI.imed. it would becom~ so strong lhal It would ove" um the: gtw.mm.nt. Th. K"",n Union had <...ated a 5c:n5c: of tOll"he. n<:» among pe .... ntS. and unl,y ,,-;os lbe only ""r in which ptasantS could gain somc power. If you pk would Sland behind }"OU lO ~nSu ... yout SUC«S.S. ThaI was uactly whal ,h. Kisan lJnion wa S doing. 1" lho: vocabulary 01 village rs. "gelling )·om work donc" ;n .... rilbly ... rer.-N to ma ll(rs po:r. laining 10 gov~rnmcnt depa'''",,''''. M~mb< ... "f Ih~ K!$an U" ion pointed OUt tha I thCJI were can:ful not lO .bu", the " ... nglh gained Ihrough collectiv. action and thaI thiS was ~ow ]><>I,.nt< diffe.ed from governmcnl officialS. For ~x.ampl •. whon the NoiJ"!1 1 .gitation "".s almost al ils cnd. lhe gonrnment S"n l • crane t" IIh.op> 10 fish OUt the sun\u:" t~.uo ... from their " .. Itry g"lVts. Ik · nu ..... m",·al of the lractors would !\av. dtp.i,·ed them of the m06t p"werful symbol " , ,he admi"L< ptosontry. howtv .... KiSOR Union .ctivist< ~rrounded the era ... and p ... vcn,ed It from laking out Ihe tractors. Speaking at tilt rnd of the campaign nCa. Ihe Bhopa conol. likait talkw .boul how Ihe Klson Uni"" had hrought
the ad minist .. tion to its kIlnS. Although IMy had SloPl"'d In. admin" lsl"lion from dolnl whal il pleased. Tik"1t tlIIph.asln;d lhat th~ Ki",.. Union did I>Ol ..ish to t.. I""&,,n, o!>Qu, 11$ own stttnith. tk thtn:hy urwk,li~ 0..., big dirr~ "na the con.ctiv. SI.",,&th of pt_ ams arid lltt buttluc ... \ic f'O"'"f: t oJ ,h. State . Once 'Vin .• ht demonstrablt dirr.",nct b
bt,,...,...
n. Folil~,.. of -Dtwl..cisdy in i'" allack ()!l lhl: failure 0( the p .. vious regime\ de""lopmenl efforts to g<> fa. enough in improvl,,& the li\"f:S of ,"""" In whOSt n.ome they ........ t..inl lIunchtd, namely, the poor. Bul slit did not put illlo place on cfftttive mtthanlsm by ...·hiC1ll st .... l.gies which PUI iridnstry first and. whith deliberalely 1
sympathetiC ,0 , he union. FOT exampk. Surcsh. , he b ....hmin farmer d<$(:rilxd above. loki m< tho, ' M main achi ..... emen' of ,he Kison Union had bo:CII 10 """"'" ,,,,",ern men! officials. H• .aid tho, ""Mn o/fi""rs of the Electricity Boo rd "needlessly" ha~ fanners by th"'a'ming 10 cu' off t!ttl. d«tric connections fo. nonpa)'menl of duu. 1M Kison Union inl'rv~ .ff«tivd~ to pnvrnt thot from hoppcning. H. f.1t thot'M "main purpose" of ,he Kison Union had been the elimina,ion of bribery. Naresh. the govemmcn. employee we met earlier "'ho malnl.linN a s«. ond job." a sharttroppu and ddibt .... tdy . ta)"M in deb, "" as to &I"" 'M impr=ion of btillJl poor. felt tho, the main purpose of the Kisan Union was to figlll Injustice. As a jat, ht was particularly suppo.tlve of the Kison Union and fdt that its mn.sage of formen uniting '0 acl in thei. common interes. made. great de.l of sense. 1-k appreciated ,he b e"ho, the Kl01 '0 pay ,hoi, doe,rk duc. and land taxes. d oc,ricity officials had come to 0 nelghboring villa~ at>< w~nt '0 disukts when: tlte Kison Union "'"as really Slrong .• uch as Muzaflamagar or Meerut. one ","ould Ott tnat ,ht vil1agC$ thon: enjoyed an uninterrupted. supply of elcc" icity. No government offtcial dar<:os. . "'.... For ,hd. pan . g",",e.nment offtcLois did no< lil
got IMi' way
by employing Ih. I.ICIic:s of hooligans IglLlld.:lgardi l. No
government off>cIal would willingly place hllD5Clf In a position when: he would he ~ubJttlrd to sU(h "hooliganism.' Yel corruption. conc.ptualized as • f.ilure of Ih. go,ernment~ abilily to Implement ilS polides. was nOlthe Oflly sou..:. of dissatisfaction ",;th "·dopmcnt fol_ Iowfli by successive n:glmt5 in Ind,[,(ndtnt Jndia upn:s.s«l doubt lboul lhe ""Iue of concentrating on indll.'lUillization. The follo ...·;ng critique Ippeared in alocal vernacular ncwspopcr: The qutstlon n:mai ... why the condilion of the [,(" s;ont ;, ..·lul II i. dcspiu:}8 yea ... of planning in which SO much of the discussion has focusrd on lhe progn:ss of apullun: .nd tl\( de".lopmcnl of v;t!Il&<:f. H.v. lhe he",,615 of development been unable 10 r,,"eh lhem 1 Whal hop['(r>cd to lhose n:sourt:cS thol ....en: s['(nl In the name of .gncullun: and f.rm .... ? .. IlI I is evidentlhot 1M con_ cern for agricultun: ho, bttn I sham. whcrus tM lruth is lhal from .,.-cry viewpoint lhe farmer has heen discriml ... ted against .nd apt<:ulture has bun dellbe .... tely ltept bock ...... rd compared with industry and other seclors. TMre Is no need 10 deny Ih. facllhat Ihe price of grain ....... delihe .. toly h pt low right f..,... 'h, Mgin _ lIing so lhall"" urban populalion and ind ustria) "'"Orkcrs could he protttud from the burden of upcns;v. food. The rt$ull$ ha,.., bun predictable: the priu of oth • • goods has risoen sharply compan:or 10 formulaiC his w<:11-.nirulal.d crilique of lhe model of development followed in India .i""e indopcn_ d<",,(_ The question was not one of Implementing e.d~ing policies boiler bul of COmplelely changing course bcnu5t Ihe .ntl ... model of development discriminated agalnsillw: agricuhu ... l !\eCtor_ Thl~ crill""e fout>d tangible uprcssion through demands Ihal lM suppon price of wh"l. lhe chl.f cash crop in the a ... o. bo ... Ised and lhal subsidies for
_n
f."iliz.r, ..... t.t. and . kcuicity bt inct<:astt! . This "'''S ~ a taClic at Ltasl tO $I.m. if nm u~.I'St. the discriminatory tuat"",nt of agricultu~, TI>< agitation for high .. OUtput pric'S ,,-as, in fact. 0 .... of I.... most suCttSYul su.... gi.,. of IItt KI.. n Union in "'·'S"m UP. Wbtn lhe govemmc:nt fixw lilt pun:has< price of wh .., al Rs II) p.. 1acTOM 1M 51... bord.. Ihom,..lv.,. and 5<>ld it Ol1lhe olh., side. caming. ho oo.om. profil In Ih. proc~. The Ki .. n Union~ usc: ollhe '''ry dlsooul'St of developmenllhat """ bttn employw ..... legitimi.;ng 'l"... gy by tilt poslcolonial SU1< Mm· onSl .... 1<,s thaI 1M munings 01 h.g.monic idrologios are n~cr $Iablc:, Tbt abmt~· 10 uanlrulat< d",.lopment Inlo an oppositional discou... Ihat cholkng.. lh. coh.rence Ind .. ability of Ih. ruling bloc reli .. on a succ~fu l im'e<5lon 01 its claims_ Indi... Gandhi~ populisl ' PP""'is had .Iready succcssfuHy be.n nunuredlnto declO ....1 s\OCCcss. cou ld not be , .. nkulat"" 10 an opposiliorullMOlogy. TIw: Kisan Union d id this not only by judging 1M projecl of d".lop"",nt to ho,·. f.il.d by ilS 0 ..... 5u nda,ds. esp«iaHy in ilS .ff«15 on the majority OI IM India" popula· tion hving in rural a.-us. but als< K.... n Union did manage to cohc", • remarkably dispa"'l< '" of COI>(:'ms and subjttt positions.
";sa,,
Divi.;on. within Illwrill-j«tl A1IMUgh th. Kisan Union was ,..marbbly succcssful in f""Xing a multidas.s. multicast< .mane. ,hoI Slmultan<1 Musil ...., th. re "'.... other lault lines in rural socIely thol It "''as
unabl. 10 popn ""'"". In fact, 11\0, v~1'}' sourc~ of Ihe Kisan Union~ strmgth-Its fOOltdnoss In 1M con«ms, ideologies, and idioms of Iht ownc:r-le on SOfl\( of thts¢ diYislons. "Iumpling 10 demonstrate why the Klsan Union sucettdrd or falttd to oyerrnme tM f"""lufts lhat tun through the tunol.",.. of weotcm Uttar rr.dtsh. Understanding 1M nature of these spliu within Sharat may help uS undnstand whetMr 1M Kisan Union~ critiques of ck""lopmcn. ~'" limrd at bridging ,htsc fissures 01" al comoIidating the dominance of a panlcular group. Despite 115 univf;rsallzlng claims. dc>1:lopmc:nt had ""I'}' diffeTent consequences for dllTe""'l groups wilhin IUIliI aTCa$. TM",for M"monIc blot. Pemap" lhe ~ remarub!< aspect of II>< Kl$an Union~ "".ivillcs was its abili,y 10 51..ddlc lil.c divide bo:,wccn Muslims and Hind us.'''' It did so not by denylllJll Teliglous di!Jcr brought together key leaders of 1M u u such as S...,.ml Om · vuh. the dislticl prrsidcnt of the Bijno. unit. who favortd tho: saffron garbol Hindu holy men, and Ghulam Mohammrd, the Musllm district p .... ldent of lhe Muuffarnagar unil. A ,"",uta.... ,,-as Invarbbly prc5cnl on the dais al pIlbllc mcclinp.''' Tht , Iog:m cQnslst~nt1y employfll at Kison Un;"n ..llits darin"ty combined tht ",ligious ,iogans of MusH.",. and Hindus. From the d. is. SOmeone would shout "Allah..Q.Akba,: 10 which 1M golMrtd croW'OIIJ in Slsauli. Ghulam Mohammtd. who conducttd ,he monthly meetings. jokw abuul the 51ercotypc:s.nd beliefs of Hindus and Muslims. somethlng thll roo m.tjot poliUcal lcadcr wQuklevcr dart do in pIlbll(.LJ' Inslud of anempling 10 ckny 1M imporun"" of Teligion or proclaim ILS ITTClevan« 10. its purposes. Ihe Kison Union otrr:s$rd ,hal only by btillJll I good Hindu or • good Muslim could 0 ... also be a good hum;on being.' ''
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To achi.v. Hindu· Muslim amily. how.,'''' on. h.os to .II" bey(>nd pub· lie pronoun«mcnts. I flCl n01 lost On Ih. Klsan Union. Aplin from .nsuring tlu. Muslims «""pied \e>de",h;p pos;.I"ns within tile ~ni· zalion. ,he Kis:ln Unum also played an Icti"" role in media ling dispultS betw.. n groups. Som.times these dispu1<S spin.d "" U Imo Int.rclass (<mflie,- In Modh Kunl "illageln M'.",'. lh .... arose. diSpute be' ...... n Muslim jal< and ""rIJlns when 'M bnu installed. s,atue ..r Iatt "'-IiI lcadu OJ. 8. R, Ambtd1t all conmclS lxl_ . n lhe cuitl''''llng cli SSCS. who formed lhe backb<>n. of . t..: u t). and 10 ...... dOS5cS we ... amicably """,l"ed_ In f:oct. ,h..,.., "'lOS an irrcv«able .true,unl len5ioll bet ...... n It..:m tlu, OflCIl proved unbrldg•• blo. In Clupnuli vil!.g. in Mo."" . ,h. village coultoCil lpa"',""ym] domin.,ed by jlt farm.", att.mpted to fix Ih. ""'ges of hariJan laborers II. ril • •hat "'lOS ..... o .•hinls 10 four.fifths of Ihe gonng marke, ""'g" Thcy Ih"'almed 10 punioh any f.rm .. ",,110 vlolaled th. o"". m.nl. In addition. they ",fu....J '0 allow Il bo",.. who did nO\ consent to work for Ih. k>w~, wa~ I" gather ff« grass itom Ii>(ir fi.Id •. In ""'pon-;t. ,h. luriPM caIlMI"'i. own pIIncluyat and an· nounced . II~ of ...... ge NICS fo, diffe",nl kinds of work. all of ...·hieh ........ higher lhan lhe going marl
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aU laOO,..,rs. Somt a,.., hig laOO,..,rs. SOme ar~ small."'" Similarl)·. ",twon I5ktd w"'thtr his org.tnintion ,..,pn:s<medlhe imtrnts of aU farmtrs or j ust the rlcher on ... h. ,..,plied: "Who is tht rich larmtrl l h. ,.., i. no rich farnw:r. This hoUSl: W~n:: sining in ht:longs to a fanner who is comidtrm lho: third ricMslln .his villag. of peopl •. And yet he docsn' even haY<: .8 acru of land_tho: edUng."'" TIkali , herd o,.., denied that tM,.. s ,ructural an",gonlsrns . mo", ,he: rural population by pointing '0 the:i. common nttd to upend family labor in farming acttvid... '0 work wil h ,he:i. own hand •. Own .....::uitiv;llors w.",. by dtliniUon. IlloOft Hh landl ... labo,..,os and marginal farmers by vinue of ,''' fact thaI tMy did thrir 0'WTl work. I put the: same '1uestions to Rlonhir when two was .. Iling m••bout all 1M wondtrful things thoot the Kisan Union had don• . FiM . Ranbir chal1mgn1l'" su~tlon lhool tht Kisan Union may ha,-. horn pining agrlCll!tuthts and nonagriculturist5 &gai"'t each othe: •. R.anblr ,old me that ""e'YOM was a farnw:r thtSt doY'. ".v.n !h. m.n:hant Ibwtlya ! who owns one hundred hlghas [approximately Wtltm ac...,.] is a (atmu." When land consolidollon!ee bc:tw~.n small .nd large fanners. The small farmer U,," WI'" fo. Imp,lon; SO docs the large on • . The ..... ll lannu puts chemical Imil"er on his field.; so docs ,h. bigge. Is !ha, 'h" small farm.r has • small ir>eom. Ind lhe large farm« alalJ!C 0l>C. Even!f ,he smlll fa rmerdoes no, ijtU hisou,pu,. he is ..ill. peasant." Ranbl.\; point was thl' all cl,sse of pe''''ntS had . COmmon intCTU( in such policies ... input subsiditS. If lmga,;"n ",,,, •• was c!>.. ptr. eMmieai fen il"'r inupensive .nd plentiful. and ,ra.ctors ,0 plow IKIds readily .,.. lbllk, ,h.n it would MMfi,all farmers. no, jUSl. .ich one, Unllh TIkai,. howCVCT, Ranbi. did nol pn:,tnd th."h. Klsan Union supponed1andkss bOOn:rs 15 ",tiL He said ,hoo, if l. bo,..,,,, did no. own any land. they had little """"' .. to panicipa'. in Ki",n Union activities. H. poinled 10 Ihe fact tha,ln a n<"ighh<>ring village. " 'hieh " .• • dominated by jots. an 1M villag. commons (land hl:longing to Ih. gram ""","">'<11 ) had !:>ttn given ,0 schools and college; iru;,.ad of the land_ kss. The... ,.., seVtn schools. nd collcgtS Ihen: . Iw: <>0'«1.. and ,h",.. hav.
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manogcd '" ... k~ .way all ,h~ I.nd fn)m redis'ribu 'iv~ ends I"~ri:owrs. h. did 001 belin.., that .ht positions of f.rnt.C ... an.d landlw; IoOOrt tS weft t>«e>satily a"tagonistic, He wid me .h .. . ho gov«nmon. wa. doing i.s best 10 im p""'" Ihe living condi.ions ofloOO'-' tS 1'54,/taar "",:<1.:>0"", Iw up"etS "f 'he Kison Uni"n denitd even ,ha,. Hi,..nd", .• youngja' m.1I from I villag<: w"'- Iallds odjoointd Alipur, " 'as WpiCllI 01 ,ht young.r ge ....... ion of Kisan Union ad,-oca'es, H. was studying ,,,,,,ard .n undetgf3du"e Olnl • pietu", of pc_n l5 ~s ,he mos' "'pl"i,td dass. "ne occup);ng ,he rung or ,he runl socio«onoml< hi ...."'hy. If nOl,rue ,,,.:]a )-, he implitd. it would I)( ,rut IOmorrow. I)(ClIU.. 'he ""''''' H uhi"",,," condi,lon m. k"" him undc. · would guaranl« his child,..n a brigh' im-eSt In th~ cultural capi,al fUlU ft. It ..... no. just .ho divid< be,w«n o"'-n~,,,,uhi'"I0''' and agoicu l,ural IoOOn tS ,h., "'-OS fnugh' with ,cnsloll. E>-~n wi,hin ' he COl~gory of I.ndowning pc.",nl5 . heft """.. dlffeft"""" be,w«n large I.rme~, on one side .•nd small .nd medium ones. on ,he OIhe •. AI.hough.1I pco5' .n" w;.h • marketablt su'plus had a common illlens, in hight ..... rpur
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prietS and oJl rhos< woo farmtlias fo r inputS. peasantS with Ia'i~r landholdings ~1<XKI tO gain ",lalivdy m= from ,bt Kisan Union\ o:\o:m.:m ds (Hasan and P"nai k HJ91). Local officials of 1M Ki$;an Union we,e s<:nsili'''' to IhtSt diffe",nllals. For uample . •1t<: Klsan Union branch in Jatpura. Buland.hahr Di....ict. had organiztd a mel'ling during ...·hieh 'My decided to launch. campaign api .... t d<:>wT)< TM I"",,e. of the bronch apptaltd to Ttlmum ... durabln had squeezed poor and middle pca.sanlS .specially ha rd. With lit<: . "" il· ability of an illCKosing numbtr of giflS tha, could o. had (0 bt pu.· c"-W because Tikoit had told him-a lhakur_tha, ".he Ih:akurs spend "lI lhei. mo""y On wed· dlnplnstead of investing il ill farming, ' The eld.. ly man had .... p<>ndtd
by sayillj! Ihal Ih~ ,hakurs didn~ have any Ino .... y 10 in''($1 in anything beeau ... ,he only poopk who had mon~' .h~ days _mM It> ""' P ts. Anolher ruson wh)" Ih. lhakurs wU,", againsl Tikail \III'a. INn be had d.liberalely snubbtd Ihe ,hakur chid mlnlsler by n'" allow'lIj! him 10 addrus • Kison Union rally In Muzaffamagar. "Ev'/l if your e/lc my " .... 10 com. 10 your door. you a .. ""l igM 10 osk kim 10 sil d"".., and 10 offer him "'rnothing 10 C.I," offered Vi .. ndra. (me of the mort oplniolU lM of Alipur~ residcn15.'" It ""'S compkltly unacceptoble fM Tiklil 10 have ,ra,ed • diSdllj!uishM ptrson In ,ll(h a rude manner, "This Is whtrc he S!>oWM hi. }
Tho Piau oj r"'riarr~y. I ILav. already dealt " ilh those c""lusions ILaving '0 do with Iandkss labortrs.lowc. Casles, Ind the poor, Now I come to One thaI was SO dttply embedded in Ih. dlscoursors of ' '''' Klsan Union IILaI il """,ptd ... fl. ~ive oommenlory altogetner. Thls ...'OS tbe conjug.. Ii(m 01discOUrses of pla« and paINn:hy. self.evidently "roolnl" in 1M Idcology of Ihe upwordl)' mobil. ELlckWltrd Ct6tc group" th.1 fonned 1M hackbone of 1M Kison Union . In the Summer of '989. Rojlv Glndh l. Slill prime minister. im\ilulw. pollC)' 10 rtln~lgoral< ~m.g. governance [".,n
,noms _rr implcmcmed . l""eO(nt "ru,...1 dnT!opment ; he proposed !hat .11 lhe money In • new scheme a.lled tMJawaha. Rojgaa. YO.!>IUI Ua .... kar Employmtnt Sd.. mc) Ix allocated diTCCtly 10 vinag. ~rnan 1",,"""""1. In 'his ..... n ..... 'M money Intended for ~illages would not Ix siphoned off by co",,]>! oflictal •. Whtn nklt it I. .... a.ked for his oplnio .. on Rajiv Candhr. ""ncharati "'j sehc ..... h • •• plied: "Only a man ..·hose lint of suc~on is clu •. who nn >ttl off his I"'tulUl gntndr.IMr and gota. gntndfa.Mr\ lUme: .... ilhou. a .Iip, atn suggt;$' I"'nchaya.i ,...j. A po.neha)"'1 is ru .. Of! patria",hal Ii...,., no. ma.rlarchal. Rajjy Candhl has OOme .0 power .hrough his mo. her-eve .. • kanjan .... hose !su"lxa:lte 0. li ... agoJ lint is quito dca. is btue. than such a rna" . . .. Wha. tight thm dot:. the prime: minisur Nt,·. to announce I"'ncha)"ltl raj l"'· In T1kah~ formula.ion. RaJiv Candhl bckcd legitlmacy 115' Indc:. bttouse M had · com. to ]>01"•• ' through It;., moth.c •." Sine.: i. WTSc thon an untouchable. who at Ju.t had. clear lint of ""tri.archal desoc:ent. Acconling to libit. any person .... ho did not und.c .. tand this (,,,,,If-evid ... t) principle was Inhcrcmly ul>C[ualifled 10 talk .bout. 0' ins. itult. ""nc~"lti noj. Signili. atntly. libi!). own pow .. base as .ho head or the Salian [{""p. a ron·
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Those who h.ve no n....g. !h",-~hoI! hoyt no right to fly the lUtiolUl flog. If Rajlv Gandhi docli no. announce his IIn.age: by Augustl~, then he too should not touch Ihe national flag .... \ do not .....n! to oling mud at .nyone. I do not hold any grudge: agalnso you l Rajiv Can.dhi,1 bm "T mu.t MVO • record of tM hn"OW" !J'lUM] of the roun,,)'"s prim. mlnlstt. Thtrefore. RaJiv Gandhi should announe.: which vilbgo he comeslrom. in ""hich .ta ••• hat Yi.llag. is Ioatlni. and what lh. lUlI\CS of his fath.r a"" gnndfalher an: . . .. The flClthat you do not IIlk about your lather. this muSt be you. rnothe.~ fault. not yours . . . . He who has no lincage ~ould notaUcmpllO b<smi",h tho. spiritual l\llion !ri<>tI"""y .1 .""hl'~ "" .at".1J. , ..
Wh .. I ha"" loostl~ transLuro a. "Iinug~" also connotes ". St:nst of pia",," or "b.longing." The lack 01 rootroness ,,·hlch Rajiv Gandhi aemplifi.ed and which. 1».' nt~nsion . • miCtcd at"""'''''oo h~e in "India" was rcvtalcd by his I.ilu", to claim d~nt in ' e"", of a patrian:hal lineal:(:. In this disrom ... , place and palria..,h~ are completc1~ In •••" changeable: to have Oil. i. to have the o.he •. That 15 why the shih Irom .....·hid, ,;lIagc he ,om"" from l.ndl in ,,·hich .!!, is Jo. catron '0 .....·hat ,lit: n.mes of hi' I. lh., .nd grandf.."", a,e" is COm· ple.tly transpa,em . To know you. "nag< and '0 know the name of your g"mdfa,he ••". . he same thing. The", we'" ... veral "'lSOn . ...·hy social . nd g.ographlc locotlon come IOgt. he,. Almost all marriages in .his pan 01 wCS'ern U P wen: aoga mOUS. Mos. marriro ,0uples.1so ""idoo virilocally. T"" sys,em of in· heritance """ pa'ria..,hal and copan:en.ry : onl)' the son tt«ivtd an equal share in his paren ...· P'of"" 'y. Thus. a d.ughte, was gi~.n dowry, m.rTitd nu ... ldc ,he ,·iII'ge. and usually mewed to ""r hu.bonds ,·ill'g., A son. by contu.s, . inherited In rqu.l ,hare of 'he land .Iong with his bro,h • .,.. ''')'00 in his la,hOTs villag•. and bTough,. wile from .no,h... p!>.,e. '''' Therefon:, '0 know )'Our villag. and '0 know the names of yOUT mal. ancestors "'·os ". boo: a man whos< an'«MentS and social position wen: knowable. No' to know .hese .hings w'" to b. rootloss, one no, lit evm "touch ,he: national nag."'" That ,his was nelthe, an iwl. l