tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7024210672199702325.post1167296841591582916..comments2024-03-28T15:07:22.673+05:30Comments on Shoot First, Mumble Later: Arundhati Roy, colonialism and the spectre of MarxGirish Shahanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16877402074547726173noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7024210672199702325.post-9630233254494822602012-04-06T20:49:35.403+05:302012-04-06T20:49:35.403+05:30Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Vijay.Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Vijay.Girish Shahanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16877402074547726173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7024210672199702325.post-87672422743855136932012-04-06T18:09:36.690+05:302012-04-06T18:09:36.690+05:30I personally have read very little of Arundhati...I personally have read very little of Arundhati's writing, so will not say anything on that. But I do wanted to share something i am trying to understand and feel relevant here; which is that perhaps getting an understanding of 'capital movement' is now more important then ever. When the world is now in domino position. There may not be a grand scheme in place to rule the world but there certainly is a scheme to keep capital moving ever more freely through invisible hands. And pioneers of well known foundations were involved in encouraging, cementing, supporting this very idea. <br /><br />And today when one thing goes wrong in one place the rest of world keeps guessing what went wrong and at the end average citizen ends up taking the brunt of the mess. Still lot of careful study required for me to really put concrete examples but network of tax havens and who controls them just might be a good beginning to study this. I just wanted to put something out there, which has taken my attention lately. <br /><br />Thanks for reflecting.vijay sekhonhttp://vsekhon.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7024210672199702325.post-85085534860874793552012-04-06T13:13:31.558+05:302012-04-06T13:13:31.558+05:30In annotating Roy, I left out my own viewpoints on...In annotating Roy, I left out my own viewpoints on the relevant issues, and it was probably a mistake to make it such a narrow rebuttal. I've criticised belief in free markets in other posts and in my Yahoo column. China, however, is not an exemplar of the free market. The displacements you speak of are usually for government-mandated and often government-run projects like the 3 Gorges dam. Millions of people were displaced for development projects in India long before the era of liberalisation.<br />Again, don't read this as a defence of laissez faire.Girish Shahanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16877402074547726173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7024210672199702325.post-43935825137322802962012-04-06T13:02:16.661+05:302012-04-06T13:02:16.661+05:30The chief problem with Roy's article is that i...The chief problem with Roy's article is that it's a piece of bad journalism. She tailors details to fit her convictions, which are watertight and absolute. Of course corporations, governments and NGOs have agendas. But in weaving together this narrative of conspiracy, Roy commits the fallacy of reification. Her painstakingly long piece is ultimately a piece of lazy journalism because it operates only at the level of ideas. Where are the facts? And how substantial are the details that she has presented? <br />However Girish, while your point about capitalism generating wealth is something that Roy should have addressed, it's simplistic to let it be at that. While the free market does generate wealth even for the poor, it comes at a huge price - exploitative labour practices for example. Middle class Chinese might be able to afford Apple products. But that is made possible by people working over 60 hours a week in terrible conditions, large scale displacements for 'development' projects that leave thousands poor and so on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com