Labouring in an Illiberal Culture

Via Chapati Mystery, an excellent analysis of the media coverage on Gurgaon 'clashes' by Mahmood Farooqui. I believe this appeared in Mid-Day sometime last week.

Farooqui says -

"If I were the editor of one of the leading newspapers of the country, my most natural reaction on Monday afternoon, as the workers of the Honda factory ‘clashed’ with the police, would have been to ring up someone higher up at Honda to find out what is going on. It would be natural because I might know them personally, would admire them for their entrepreneurial successes and because foreign investment and investor confidence is of the supremest importance.

But above all I would do so because the word Union today only implies obstructive opportunism where the leaders, like so many villains of Hindi cinema, always betray the poor, simple workers. Twenty years after unionism and working class militancy have been buried under the discotheques and bowling alleys of Girgaum, what legitimate concern could any worker have? As the Indian Express editorial pontificates on Thursday, let them work or let other workers do an honest day’s
work."

....

"The workers, though beaten and bruised remain defiant. The media and the commentariat, on the other hand, wants a free and fair treatment for Capital but an illiberal one for labour. Let them then think of India and get on with production, the insurrection can await their children."


Read the full thing.