Passive Revolution in West Bengal
1977-2011
A collection of articles by Samaddar from leading national dailies and journals between 1977 and the downfall of the Left in West Bengal, this books analyses the era of the Left rule, its political decisions and its social and economic viability. Samaddar argues that the Left's rule and its own governmental style destroyed the hegemony it had built up through assiduous work of decades.
A commentary on contemporary history and an assessment of it, this work helps the reader understand, better, the re-emergence of the Maoist movement in West Bengal, the governmental techniques of the Left and the dynamics of popular politics.
The book contains many brilliant flashes of a social scientist. The analytical framework he uses to understand the contemporary history of West Bengal and interpreting it in terms of a sense of heterogeneity of events in a contemporary time scale adds to the value.
A commendable work, comprehensive and remarkable in a way the newspaper columns are woven together into an integrated bouquet.
A valuable contribution to the rich literature analysing the causes and consequences of the collapse of the left front government in West Bengal...Samaddar walks us through the highly interesting period (1977-2011) of change stagnation thematically arranged under five sections...the focussed discussion on particular lapses and fault lines is complemented by an insightful overview of the essential logic of the LF rule and the process of its inevitable collapse.