Plus

Books

Deception in the name of American democracy
The Crisis of American Democracy by David North, published by Mehring Books. Reviewed by Ameen Izzadeen
The militarism with which the United States dominates the world is generally associated with the rise of the right-wing in US politics. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and US military expansionism are all part of a plot devised and executed by the right wing, so that the United States could wrest control of the world's fast depleting natural resources, especially oil.

Colossal failure
Many independent analysts have spoken and written about this plot. But a few have attempted to go beyond the plot and look at the larger picture, which sustains the right wing agenda within supposedly a democratic set-up. David North, chairman of the World Socialist Website's international editorial board and secretary of the Socialist Equality Party in the United States, is one analyst, who sees a deepening crisis within the American democracy.

In his latest book ‘The Crisis of American Democracy’, North espouses the view that the US militarism reflects a colossal failure of American democracy — a failure or breakdown that has made a majority of the Americans passive and shamefully impotent. There must be something drastically wrong with American democracy to tolerate the illegitimate election of a president and an illegal invasion of a country.

The book is a collection of four lectures North delivered over three years — from December 3, 2000 to November 22, 2003 — dealing with Bush's election to office, the wars on Afghanistan and Iraq and the re-election of Bush. It also contains two appendices — one an obituary of Ronald Reagan and the other an essay on the Kennedy assassination. Each chapter is an anti-thesis to the run-of-the-mill commentary on US and global politics.

Democracy in crisis
Reading through the 140-odd pages of the book was an experience in itself – it was as though North had resurrected Karl Marx and Leon Trotsky and got them to analyse the social contradictions found in American society. These contradictions, North argues, have alienated the American working class, allowed the bourgeois democratic elite to take the masses up the garden path and led to the concentration of wealth in a mere five percent of the population.

North, a modern day disciple of Marx and Trotsky and a frontline member of the Fourth International, the global socialist movement, offers a prognosis that portends a period of progressively deepening social, economic and political crisis in American democracy.

If social contradictions, including the inequality in the distribution of wealth, were the symptoms of the crisis, then the historical roots of the problem go back to the American civil war days of the 1850s and 1860s.

The author examines the social contradictions that existed then to prove his point that the forces that inflamed the perverted passion for slavery in America's South had returned to ensure the Bush victory in 2000 — a victory which was never his and which was handed to him only by a questionable Supreme Court verdict.

Social inequality
The social inequality that exists in America today speaks volumes regarding a class conflict. Yet the revolution that Marx had envisaged in such situations is far from happening in capitalist America. The irony is that a majority of the Americans, including the working class, are backing the plunder of Iraq — just like some members of the First and Second International, who not only justified colonialism but also joined the bandwagon of the looters.

The author tries to answer the enigma that is America today by exposing the fallacy of US democracy and uncovering the deceptions that have blinded a majority of Americans who are still dreaming the American dream, little realizing that the combined wealth of the top five percent is equal to the total wealth of the other 95 percent. The book has plenty of examples with graphs to show the gravity of social inequality in America.

The masters of deception are not only the captains of capitalism or the global corporations, but also the political elite in the Republican and the Democratic parties and also the institutions, which are supposed to uphold the interests of the working class. In this regard, North castigates the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) for betraying the American working class. And there are, of course, the agents of the evangelical industry which provides an excessive supply of the 'opium of the masses'. Betrayed by the bourgeois political elite and the labour leadership, the downtrodden, like a shepherd-less flock, turn to the evangelists, forgetting all class-consciousness. In a dazed state, the under-privileged nod their heads in agreement when Bush talks of abstract American values, which nobody seems to know and nobody has codified.

Among the masters of deception are also the mass media, which, according to North, are overwhelmingly pro-war and made no effort to subject the claims of the Bush administration to any critical examination. "It functioned as an amplifier for the dissemination of the government's lies and misinformation," he says.

But the bigger flak is aimed at the Democratic Party, a party, which, North accuses of betraying the trust the working class had placed in it. It is no longer the party of the working class or a party that upholds social justice. The author says: "No serious change in social conditions within the United States is possible without a direct assault on accumulated private wealth. That will not be undertaken by a Democratic Administration, nor will the Democrats begin a struggle against the great corporations that rule this country."

Aggressive capitalism
The book also looks at the weakness of the American labour movement — a weakness that has given an aggressive character to American capitalism. "The violent and aggressive character of American capitalism … is only the most extreme expression of the essentially predatory character of the imperialist system."

The book is essential reading for students of international politics and also for those who are starved of Marxist analyses of American democracy and US militarism.

The author does not subscribe to the view that everything changed after 9/11. He claims the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan were the results of calculated moves which were part and parcel of a foreign policy pursued by US administrations dating all the way back to that of Jimmy Carter.

Written in a language that brings out the journalist in North, the book upholds the virtues of socialism and slams pseudo socialists such as China, which, according to the author, has made a significant contribution to the survival of American and world capitalism at the cost of the Chinese working class.

The book, published by Mehring Books, can be ordered online. For details visit www.wsws.orgr www.mehring.com.

Blowing up and bursting society's paper bags
Village Funerals are Fun and Other Trivia by Nalin Fernando. Reviewed by Carl Muller
"Village Funerals are Fun and Other Trivia" by Nalin Fernando, is a collection of sideswipes. To Nalin, I am sure, the world around him is peopled by hee-haw donkeys and naked apes that go ha-ha. It takes a journalistic keen eye and inward chuckle to know who goes hee-haw and who ha-ha. It's all like beauty in the eye of the beholder, and Nalin has made merry. This collection is as refreshing as iced thambili water, pungent at times, the tales told with a rollicking air. Humour, it is said, emerges unbidden with the words that are made to jump through hoops, and this is where Nalin has capacity in full measure.

The many offerings are selected articles he wrote, he says, "as a working journalist attached to the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon.. and to Upali Newspapers Ltd., after I retired from the daily grind in a newsroom. "I quote this because I was struck by the words "working journalist." Now, what have we? An assumption that there also exist non-working journalists? I have been told that in legal circles, and below the bench, there are "suruttu lawyers." In many newsrooms I inflicted myself, I came to recognize the "layers"- the good story - chasers, the careful hard-working writers of news copy, the "yes, sir, yes, sir" cap-in-hands who aspired to be press secretaries to rising politicians, and the belly-up-to-the-bar boys who worked equally hard in watering holes in the byways of the Fort.

In his Foreword, Tissa Devendra, who delights in tales of yore, tells it all. Then why write at all? For once, can I be a non-working reviewer, read Tissa's Foreword and say to myself: "There, that says it all." But I must do Nalin justice, old Royalist that he is, who is now, as he says, counting his nuts on his coconut plantation. I will instead deal with the language. "On a Slow Boat to Bombay" [pp 4-6], his first morning on the boat deck is quite captivating. "I had to hold my hands to my eyeballs lest they popped out, wondering how much shorter ladies' shorts could get and how much smaller bikinis could shrink”.

His encounter with "A Barber Son of a Greek" [pp 16-19] is a dilly and his description of the Scots as told in his letter to William de Alwis of the "Ceylon Observer" tends to give one a faraway look: "[Soccer] seems the same. We throw bottles; so do they. We try to kick the ref; so do they. Our supporters of the losing side invade the pitch, sit down and play cards; they merely invade the pitch.. we knock down a neat dram and rinse the glass with soda and chase the arrack; the Scot knocks his whisky down and squeezes his glass into his half-pint of beer before chasing it.. these hardy Scots chase neat whisky with beer and it's called 'arf and 'arf."

Of the Irish - "In the Land of Blarney and Blue Eyes" - pp 26-31: "I thought it was only in Ceylon that people put things off until tomorrow. They thrive on it in Ireland." Nihal tells us of his mates in the "Observer" newsroom ["The Last Days with the Tribe" pp 32-38] and of those Lake House stalwarts: It is after these savoury times that Nihal turned to feature writing.

In "How to Avoid Saying 'I do' " [pp 39-44], we have this gem: "Acquiring the state of matrimony is as simple as eating a pineapple. Any man on two legs can do it. In fact, men with only one leg have done it."

In "Cameos in Onion - Small and Big" [pp45-48], he tells us of the family furores in the time of an onion shortage: "Claude [sounded] like the mating call of a gecko falling off the wall." There were no onions. He sends the kola to borrow some. Servant: The lady says no onions to give.

Claude: What, what, what?
Servant: The gentleman said you could borrow his new car, but no onions to lend.” As you see, this collection - and it runs on for quite a spell - is cast in the mould that hee-haws and ha-has. I see no point in doing a Little Jack Horner, sticking in a thumb and pulling out plums. This is a pie of another calibre, meant to be relished slowly, hands waving an adagio of sheer pleasure.

A work intensely charged with humility
Volume 1 of Literature and The Arts, the selected writings of Regi Siriwardena edited by A.J. Canagaratna. Reviewed by Frances Bulathsinghala
Volume 1 of Literature and The Arts, the selected writings of Regi Siriwardena edited by A.J. Canagaratna was launched recently in Colombo. The book brings to us an essence of the social insight, literary criticism and creative productivity of Regi Siriwardena, a man who could be described as the Sri Lankan phoenix rising out of the ashes of the colonial era.

Radhika Coomaraswamy in her introduction to the book refers to his poem 'Colonial Cameo'. It deals with the typical and abhorrent attitude of a generation weaned on placing colonial thinking on a heavenly pedestal from which we see many still loath to step down.

Maybe before any deeper delving is done into the book itself, one should begin by closely looking at 'Colonial Cameo' to understand the formation, direction and culmination of Regi Siriwardena's brilliance in the diverse roles he played in the literary arena.

My mother pretended not to hear that insult
The snobbish little bastards! But how can I blame
them? That day I was deeply ashamed of my mother
Now, whenever I remember, I am ashamed of my shame

The poem is a reminiscence of the day his mother who only spoke Sinhala, dropping him at school saying gihing ennang. Her farewell to her son in her mother tongue had brought forth a peal of laughter and jeering retorts of gihing wareng from his classmates fed upon the nauseating thinking that Sinhala was the 'servant's language (which many up to now nurture with bourgeoisie ardour). This thinking has spawned generation upon generation and in the present day context, 57 years after Independence from the British, it is certainly not unusual to find certain 'classes' flaunting ignorance or semi knowledge of Sinhala, the language of their birth.

To Regi Siriwardena, it is this early tension of dealing with and finding answers to the national humiliation that formed him as an anti-imperialist, drawn to Marxist intellect and traditions. This sensitivity of his to the proletariat, to the oppressed, is seen throughout this volume of his selected writings, in both literary analysis and his creative works, poetry and short stories. His mathematical mind (we are told in the introductory passages of the book that he was a brilliant mathematician) cuts through and dissects pretensions, snobbery and rhetoric.

A look at his essay on the English novelist Virginia Woolf, titled 'Virginia Woolf : A fresh look', is an example that runs throughout his literary criticisms of this ability to calculate literary nuances. He is quick to perceive social snobbishness covered up in the mantle of literature as well as condescending approaches to those of the lower social strata which could well be passed off as empathy. Referring to Woolf's "A Room of One's Own', where the author cites a room of one's own and a financial security of 500 pounds a year as requirements for a woman to be a writer Regi in his essay states 'When I read these lines of hers, … I think of George Eliot, sitting down to write her first stories in the single room she shared with George Lewes after a lunch of plain bread and butter - I wonder what they would have thought of Virginia Woolf's desiderata. Would "Wuthering Heights" and "Middlemarch" have been greater novels if their creators had enjoyed Virginia Woolf's gentility?

Regi Siriwardena known for his ascetic lifestyle, of reveling in the simplest form of living, abhoring luxury, except for his books and classical music, personally related to writers who battled with poverty and whose creativity nevertheless thrived on this continuous battle because they related with society beyond comfortable drawing rooms. Many of these writers, (an example is Anna Akhimatova of Russia - a poet held by Regi as one of the best, sprang from social oppression and dictatorship. His analysis on Akhimatova and her contemporary Marina Tsvetaeva is indeed poignant of the hardships writers of that era in Russia had to face, under the death hunt for writers who opposed the menace Stalin wound round the country.

The collected literary criticisms and theories published in this Volume give the reader views on writers who had made their imprint throughout the globe, from then to now and comes close to being hailed as a mini encyclopedia of modern literary analysis, covering the local context as well. Papers on his delving into the correlation between Marxism and literature and cinema (international as well as local) makes the book interesting reading indeed, carving into our minds the insightful ideologies of Regi Siriwardena and bringing us closer to the many facets of the man. His own creative works, sixteen poems, three short stories and one drama - make this Volume, a just tribute to a genius and a boon to the countrymen he has left behind to mourn his loss.

Enlightening reading
Vesak Lipi (2005). Edited by Upali Salgado. Reviewed by Manel Sarathchandra
The month of May is sacred to all Buddhists. The magnificent lustre of the Holy Triple Gem is heightened in this month of Vesak, as Buddhists all over the world reach out for renewed solace. They spend more time on wise reflection on the virtues of the Buddha Dhamma and Sangha.

Vesak Lipi (2005) the annual bi-lingual Buddhist publication brought out single handed by its Editor, Upali Salgado leads readers, both the novice and the initiated on the fruitful path of right thought-Samma Sankappa.

Unlike what we usually encounter, an appreciable factor in this publication, is the great strides the Editor has taken over the past 21 years in presenting each year an increasingly valuable Digest - as he prefers to call it. This is evident not only in the layout of the attractive cover, but also in the informative contents within. The regular reader will recall the early slim editions with the simple white cover. But since then the editor's painstaking efforts have made Vesak Lipi a feast to the eye and an outstanding contribution to the noble cause of Dhamma Dana.

This year, the glossy cover and a folder inside shows two beautiful reproductions of ancient Temple wall paintings in Galle and Kuruwita respectively. They are highly skilled efforts of two talented young artists, and it is commendable that they too have been given due recognition.

Most of the literary contributions are from regular erudite writers and provide an array of material in verse and prose; ranging from light to insightful philsophical themes. Two very interesting articles in the Sinhala section are Ven. Yatirawana Dhammarama's article on development of Metta and Ven. Sirisumana's Arahat Ananda. The former stresses on some vital aspects of Metta Bhavana which readers should digest carefully.

This is very topical because today most people do not pay sufficiently serious attention to the initial conditioning of the mind which is conducive in effecting the desired results of Metta Bhavana, but consider it only as a roll-off chant. To those keen on or already engaged in meditation, this article provides clear points for consideration.

The other article on Arahat Ananda, is a fascinating cameo of a much loved Buddha Puthra, who as the writer claims is an exemplary epitome to be followed by all responsible persons. Eternal gratitude springs in our minds as we recollect Ven. Ananda's colossal mental feats as the Treasurer of the Dhamma, thereby preserving the Doctrine for posterity.

In the English section too there are many interesting articles some of an academic nature. But space constrains me to dwell on five of them only. The commemorative presentation by a very learned monk on the subject of Dhutanga Livelihood will be of use to readers because it is not a very familiar topic. It is a well researched article and it was quite revealing to learn that contrary to popular belief Dhutanga or severe asceticism is not found in the Vinaya texts but only in the Commentaries.

It was also pleasantly surprising to read an interesting and topical contribution by a Retired Major General of the army. He was, of course, well known for youth rehabilitation work. This article provides answers to many controversial questions in the minds of a mainly peace loving people caught up in the ravages of a long drawn-out war. It must be mentioned that it augurs well for the Sri Lankan army and I'm certain it is a precedent, in a soldier obtaining a Master’s Degree in Religious Studies.

The third article is regarding a contribution by the Editor himself. Royalty Meeting Three Sages is an unusual and thought-provoking article, especially relevant to us Sri Lankans. How I wish our contemporary rulers had even a semblance of the magnanimity of those mentioned here. A line that caught my eye was, "Kings who showed deep respect to the Maha Sangha for their learning always seated themselves not on level but below the wise man." This is quite in contrast to today's situation, where not royalty but ordinary laymen seating themselves on par with the Sangha is commonly seen on electronic media and also in Parliament.

Milinda Panha is an ever-green topic and the Editor's efforts to present a readable and informative article must be underscored. Rajitha Weerakoon's effort to trace the authorship of the chronicle Deepawansa is interesting.

However, besides all the aforementioned, the distinctive feature that enhances the overall quality of Vesak Lipi - the icing on the cake as it were - is the inclusion of beautiful photographs as the ones earlier mentioned of valuable reproduction, and others taken by the Editor himself. His recent pilgrimage to Myammar (Burma) has paid dividends. One of the most entrancing photographs of a stupa that I have seen, is the one on the Swedegon Pagoda by moonlight. It is a work of art, a work of love and evokes so much Saddha. Yet, another striking colour photograph is that of the ancient Pindaya caves near Mandalay, where there are thousands of gold gilded Buddha images of different sizes, placed at different elevations.

A final reference must be made to the interesting little anecdotes in the miscellaneous section, which will certainly attract every reader. The flashback reference to the tsunami, brief but apt will no doubt evoke in the discerning mind deep thoughts of veneration. It vividly encapsulates the infinite incomparable wisdom of the Thathagatha and we humbly raise our palms together, appreciating the strength of being followers to face the travails of life with fortitude.

To conclude, Vesak Lipi (No. 21) is, no doubt, the result of much effort in the right direction. However, providing more articles in the Sinhala section and smarter Pali proof reading could undoubtedly improve the value of this high quality Buddhist Digest. Those interested in obtaining this Digest could contact Mr. Upali Salgado, the Editor, at 29 Deal Place Colombo 3.

Back to Plus