Keralan Elephant
Dear Maria,
On one of our last walks before you headed to Utah, I mentioned the Indian state of Kerala, situated on the lower southwest coast of the Indian sub-continent.
I think it's sociology and politics are right up your alley - and hold many important lessons for us.
There may even be research applicability to your current program.
Please take a look.
If you would ever like to visit Kerala (where I came within a hair's breadth of attending Leelama and Gerlando's wedding) Mary Wilbur and I -- through Leelama (who works for the Jesuits in California) -- know a large extended Keralan family who could provide insight, orientation and help you "hit the ground running."
Dman 
PS The following passage is from General Arthur Clark's son -- also named Arthur -- a retired University of Calgary neurologist, (married to a deceased Iraqi Christian neurologist) who founded "The Calgary Institute for Global Community." http://www.
Arthur Jr. sponsors a weekly meeting (now a weekly Zoom session) with mostly young people (although I too am an "honorary participant").
Uunder Arthur's adept guidance, they probe a few typically inter-related issues every week.
In advance of the Zoom session, Arthur circulates a prefatory, information-rich email, and -- as a rule -- his own synopsis of a pertinent book.
The following excerpt is from such an email. (If you would like, I can send you this weekly mailing and even arrange for your participation on Zoom.)
Writing this introduction reminds of Alistair Cooke's consuming late life proposal that all major universities establish a Department of Comparative Democracy so democratic polities can learn from one another. http://
Kerala
Wikipedia
(Notably, Kerala is India's most Christian state with a fascinating history dating back to St. Thomas the Apostle)
Wikipedia Excerpts (I encourage you to at least scan the sub-section headings to get an idea of "what's going on" in this unique part of the world):
(The Quora essay about "successful socialism" follows these Wikipedia excerpts.)
In the last centuries BCE the coast became important to the Greeks and Romans for its spices, especially black pepper. The Cheras had trading links with China, West Asia, Egypt, Greece, and the Roman Empire.[60] In foreign-trade circles the region was known as Male or Malabar.[61] Muziri
Merchants from West Asia and Southern Europe established coastal posts and settlements in Kerala.[66] The Israeli (Jewish) connection with Kerala started in 573 BCE.[67][68][69] Arabs also had trade links with Kerala, starting before the 4th century BCE, as Herodotus (484–413 BCE) noted that goods brought by Arabs from Kerala were sold to the Israelis [Hebrew (Jews)] at Eden.[62] In the 4th century, the Knanaya or Southist Christians also migrated from Persia and lived alongside the early Syriac Christian community known as the St. Thomas Christians who trace their origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century.[70][71]
Gender
There is a tradition of matrilineal inheritance in Kerala, where the mother is the head of the household.[citation needed] As a result, women in Kerala have had a much higher standing and influence in the society. This was common among certain influential castes and is a factor in the value placed on daughters. Christian missionaries also influenced Malayali women in that they started schools for girls from poor families.[294] Opportunities for women such as education and gainful employment often translate into a lower birth rate,[citation needed] which in turn, make education and employment more likely to be accessible and more beneficial for women. This creates an upward spiral for both the women and children of the community that is passed on to future generations. According to the Human Development Report of 1996, Kerala's Gender Development Index was 597; higher than any other state of India. Factors, such as high rates of female literacy, education, work participation and life expectancy, along with favourable sex ratio, contributed to it.[295]
Kerala's sex ratio of 1.084 (females to males) is higher than that of the rest of India and is the only state where women outnumber men.[189]:2 While having the opportunities that education affords them, such as political participation, keeping up to date with current events, reading religious texts etc., these tools have still not translated into full, equal rights for the women of Kerala. There is a general attitude that women must be restricted for their own benefit. In the state, despite the social progress, gender still influences social mobility.[296][297][298]
LGBT rights
Main article: LGBT rights in Kerala
Kerala has been at the forefront of LGBT issues in India.[299] Kerala is one of the first states in India to form a welfare policy for the transgender community. In 2016, the Kerala government introduced free sex reassignment surgery through government hospitals.[300][301][302] Quee
In June 2019, the Kerala government passed a new order that members of the transgender community should not be referred to as the "third gender" or "other gender" in government communications. Instead, the term "transgender" should be used. Previously, the gender preferences provided in government forms and documents included male, female, and other/third gender.[305][306]
Human Development Index
See also: Kerala Model
As of 2015, Kerala has a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.770, which is in the "high" category, ranking it first in the country.[6] It was 0.790 in 2007–08[307] and it had a consumption-based HDI of 0.920, which is better than that of many developed countries.[307] Comparatively higher spending by the government on primary level education, health care and the elimination of poverty from the 19th century onwards has helped the state maintain an exceptionally high HDI;[308][309] the report was prepared by the central government's Institute of Applied Manpower Research.[310][311] However, the Human Development Report 2005, prepared by Centre for Development Studies envisages a virtuous phase of inclusive development for the state since the advancement in human development had already started aiding the economic development of the state.[308] Kerala is also widely regarded as the cleanest and healthiest state in India.[312]
According to the 2011 census, Kerala has the highest literacy rate (94%) among Indian states. In 2018, the literacy rate was calculated to be 96%. In the Kottayam district, the literacy rate was 97%.[313][8][314] The life expectancy in Kerala is 74 years, among the highest in India as of 2011.[315] Kerala's rural poverty rate fell from 59% (1973–1974) to 12% (1999–2010); the overall (urban and rural) rate fell 47% between the 1970s and 2000s against the 29% fall in overall poverty rate in India.[316] By 1999–2000, the rural and urban poverty rates dropped to 10.0% and 9.6% respectively.[212] The 2013 Tendulkar Committee Report on poverty estimated that the percentages of the population living below the poverty line in rural and urban Kerala are 9.14% and 4.97%, respectively.[317] These changes stem largely from efforts begun in the late 19th century by the kingdoms of Cochin and Travancore to boost social welfare.[318][319] This focus was maintained by Kerala's post-independence government.[150][188]:48
Kerala has undergone a "demographic transition" characteristic of such developed nations as Canada, Japan, and Norway;.[189]:1 as 11.2% of people are over the age of 60,[188] and due to the low birthrate of 18 per 1,000.[320] In 1991, Kerala's total fertility rate (TFR) was the lowest in India. Hindus had a TFR of 1.66, Christians; 1.78, and Muslims; 2.97.[321] The state also is regarded as the "least corrupt Indian state" according to the surveys conducted by CMS Indian Corruption Study (CMS-ICS)[322] Transparency International (2005)[323] and India Today (1997).[324] Kerala has the lowest homicide rate among Indian states, with 1.1 per 100,000 in 2011.[325] In respect of female empowerment, some negative factors such as higher suicide rate, lower share of earned income, child marriage,[326] complaints of sexual harassment and limited freedom are reported.[295] The child marriage is lower in Kerala.The Malappuram district has the highest number of child marriage and the number of such cases are increasing in Malappuram. The child marriages are particularly higher among the Muslim community.[327][328] In 2019, Kerala recorded the highest child sex abuse complaints in India.[329]
In 2015, Kerala had the highest conviction rate of any state, over 77%.[330] Kerala has the lowest proportion of homeless people in rural India – 0.04%,[331] and the state is attempting to reach the goal of becoming the first "Zero Homeless State", in addition to its acclaimed "Zero landless project", with private organisations and the expatriate Malayali community funding projects for building homes for the homeless.[332] The state was also among the lowest in the India State Hunger Index next only to Punjab. In 2015 Kerala became the first "complete digital state" by implementing e-governance initiatives.[333]
Healthcare
Kerala is a pioneer in implementing the universal health care program.[334] The sub-
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization designated Kerala the world's first "baby-friendly state" because of its effective promotion of breast-feeding over formulas.[340][341] Over 95% of Keralite births are hospital delivered and the state also has the lowest Infant mortality rate in the country. The third National Family Health Survey ranks Kerala first in "Institutional Delivery" with 100% births in medical facilities.[342] Ayurveda,[
In 2014, Kerala became the first state in India to offer free cancer treatment to the poor, via a program called Sukrutham.[345] People in Kerala experience elevated incidence of cancers, liver and kidney
Religion
Main article: Religion in Kerala
Hinduism is the most widely professed faith in Kerala, with significant Muslim and Christi
The mythological legends regarding the origin of Kerala are Hindu in nature. Kerala produced several saints and movements. Adi Shankara was a religious philosopher who contributed to Hinduism and propagated the philosophy of Advaita. He was instrumental in establishing four mathas at Sringeri, Dwark
Historians do not rule out the possibility of Islam being introduced to Kerala as early as the seventh century CE.[356][357] Notable has been the occurrence of Cheraman Perumal Tajuddin, the Hindu King that moved to Arabia to meet the Islamic Prophet Muhammad and converted to Islam.[358][359][360] Kerala Muslims are generally referred to as the Mappilas. Mappilas are but one among the many communities that forms the Muslim population of Kerala.[361][362] According to some scholars, the Mappilas are the oldest settled Muslim community in South Asia.[363][364] Most of the Muslims in Kerala follow the Shāfiʿī school of religious law while a large minority follow movements that developed within Sunni Islam. The latter section consists of majority Salafists (the Mudjahids). There is a large Keralan diaspora in the Middle East.[365][366]
Ancient Christian tradition says that Christianity reached the shores of Kerala in AD 52 with the arrival of Thomas the Apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ.[70][367][368][369] Sai
Judaism reached Kerala in the 10th century BC during the time of King Solomon.[381] They are called Cochin Jews or Malabar Jews and are the oldest group of Jews in India.[67][382] There was a significant Jewish community which existed in Kerala until the 20th century, when most of them migrated to Israel.[383] The Paradesi Synagogue at Kochi is the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth.[384]Jainism
Buddhism was popular in the time of Ashoka[387] but vanished by the 12th century CE.[388] Certain Hindu communities such as the Samantan Kshatriyas, Ambalavasis, Nairs
Quora Question: "Is Kerala a successful example of socialism?"
Yes. And also no. It depends on how you define socialism. Libertarians and far leftists are united in the purist notion that a society can only be “pure capitalist” or “pure socialist” and both sides will, no doubt, proclaim the state of Kerala “a miserable communist hellhole” or a “capitalist welfare state” respectively. Exactly the same kinds of full ideological duels, involving much dictionary hurling, happen in discussions on the Nordics and Venezuela.
The truth is though, “pure capitalism” and “pure socialism” are ideological constructs. They don’t actually ever come into being, not even when proclaimed by ideologues. All societies have mixed economies and this is very pronounced in democracies, where even communist parties end up following a reformist path of compromise and strategic socialisation.
Kerala is a good example of the success of a socialist government pursuing a policy of strategic socialisation based on class compromise--just like all strong example of Modern welfare states operating “social market economies”.
Kerala is not economically a socialist region, in fact, it is dominated by private capitalism but, as it is just one state of India, a side-effect of the more unionised, conscious work force has been that it is difficult to attract investment, as capitalist firms prefer the easily exploitable downtrodden workers of other states.
So Kerala is both a success story and a non-success story. For socialists of the democratic orientation, we can point proudly to the fact that Kerala, one Iof the poorest states in India, has the best Human Development Indicators in the country. Keralans are well-educated, literate, healthy, politically-engaged and conscious.
However, libertarians can point to Kerala’s low GDP and sneer that it is being held back from development by its unionised, ideologically driven work force, who make big demands of capital, refuse to work for low wages, and even chase away industries they don’t like. As a result, many companies don’t invest in Kerala and many workers end up moving to other states looking for work.
This is all true. Far-left socialists and libertarians alike will point to this as a compelling example of why socialism and capitalism don’t mix. As a socialist myself, I will agree that avoiding class war, capital flight, and other problems of a socialist-learning mixed economy is a major problem.
It can however be done and, I believe, must be done in a developing democratic country, although this involves pursuing an ostensibly moderate path that also keeps the capitalists happy, while implementing measure to socially contain capital and empower society and democracy to bind it in a democratic social contract. This is the strategy best identified with classical social democracy.
There are a number of countries that have attempted to develop democratically using a kind of social-democratic strategy of development and, done well, I believe it is the most successful route for a country to take. Costa Rica was a paragon of stability and human development in an extremely troubled region for most of its history and balanced its strong socialist movement with a socially-embedded capitalist class that was willing to work with labour to attain social peace. And there are other example, of course, the best ones obviously being North-Western and Central Europe.
The balance is, however, always delicate and dynamic. It is a system of compromise in which class struggle continues but is manage and mediated by the state to avoid class war. Where this breaks down, you get tragic examples like today’s Venezuela, or Pinochet’s Chile in the 1970’s and 80s. A government that wants to tip a mixed economy decisively in favour of socialism needs to plan for war, unfortunately.
Kerala (turning back to Kerala) has retained its social democratic compromise but at a cost. And this cost is somewhat inevitable when a region that is part of a large country and economy is attempting to develop a system that the actors are free to defect from.
Whether you look at Kerala as a success of socialism depends on what ideological lenses you are peering through. İn fact, the Kerala example is complex and illustrates the real-world complexity of these issues. People use terms like “capitalism”, “socialism” and even “social democracy” as though they were absolutes. They are really not. The world is composed of many complex interlocking, often conflicting, sometimes symbiotic systems and understanding this opens up a richer range of political and economic theories based on observation that transcends the dull ideologically-driven duels of blind ideologues. https://www.quora.
No comments:
Post a Comment