Reflecting on various liberation struggles and their successes and failures, it seems to me that the struggle for liberation is not a struggle to privilege a new set of prejudices, but also to liberate the oppressed from their own set of prejudices. This is the meaning of Gandhi's Swaraj, and liberation struggles have succeeded or failed to the extent they have recognized this. That is why Jinnah's Pakistan is a failure, why the Arab Spring disappoints, why the liberation of al-Sadr in Iraq from Saddam Hussein has not led to anything positive; but why Mandela's South Africa does seem to have moved forward. Likewise the successes and failures of European and American feminism, and the American struggle against racism can be likely traced to the extent that this idea of Swaraj was implicit in the movement.
Friday, June 07, 2013
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sadhana · 616 weeks ago
Have a caveat though. In our 'heathenish blindness' we say:
"That is why Jinnah's Pakistan is a failure"
Define "failure". If the purpose was to privilege a certain set of prejudices, Pakistan is a smashing success.
macgupta 81p · 616 weeks ago
Blockbuster or a real coup are perhaps other appropriate terms. You could say they were shooting for success and people are just blown away by their achievements.
:)
sadhana · 616 weeks ago
Swaraj for Pakistan was the freedom of Muslims of Pakistan to do things with whatever reference to Islam they chose and with ZERO reference to Hindus and other non-Muslims. They have achieved almost absolute success in that.
India's realization of swaraj is by contrast nowhere as close to absolute success in its stated aims.
What is the point of holding Pakistan up to standards that the Pakistan movement did not set, unless Pakistan itself decides to be different ? The Indian habit of saying 'all religions are equal' is analogous in its blindness.
macgupta 81p · 616 weeks ago
If Pakistanis want to measure their success by other yardsticks, they are welcome do, but I do not take them seriously.
Sadna a · 616 weeks ago
macgupta 81p · 616 weeks ago
Sadhana · 616 weeks ago