| ID | 147207 |
| Title Proper | Prehistory of violence? revolution and martyrs in the making of a political tradition in Kerala |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Menon, Dilip M |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | The Communist Party of India (CPI) adopted a revolutionary line in 1948, but agrarian insurrection was efficiently suppressed by the newly independent Indian state. The CPI moved towards an engagement with parliamentary communism, and in 1957, Kerala became the first state in the world to elect a communist government to power. However, the idea of transformative, revolutionary violence stayed alive and became the premise for brutal internecine warfare between the Left and its opponents in the northern part of Kerala. This paper argues, pace Benjamin, that this violence must be seen as instituting another law than that of the state, positing the ideal of justice over the mere rhythms of parliamentary representation. |
| `In' analytical Note | South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies Vol. 39, No.3; Sep 2016: p.662-677 |
| Journal Source | South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies 2016-09 39, 3 |
| Key Words | Political Violence ; Communism ; Kerala ; Walter Benjamin |