PRAGOTI

 Many arguments can be advanced for why West Bengal should have a government headed by a revitalised Left Front government. Several of these reasons relate to the broader necessity for taking forward the struggle for democracy in all its various forms, including both economic justice and broader mass participation. But there can also be arguments that are based on the genuine achievements of the government that has been in power in the state. I propose to consider two of these areas of achievement in particular, not only because they are important for the life of the people, but also because these are largely neglected in the media and therefore do not form a sufficient part of popular perception. 

Well before the global financial crisis finally broke in September 2008, most people in developing countries were already reeling under the effects of dramatic volatility in global food and fuel markets. From late 2006, prices of most primary commodities first increased very rapidly, then collapsed even more sharply from their peaks in May-June 2008. This was not due to real economic forces, but rather financial activity, specifically the involvement of investors in index funds,writes Jayati Ghosh.

In this article,published at MacroScan, Prof.Jayati Ghosh argues that  the struggles over the core issue’ of ‘ land, livelihood, conditions of living and social equality’ need to be strengthened by the left forces to turn the electoral reversal into a stimulus for positive transformation and future growth of the left movement in India

Coalition politics is both necessary and inevitable in India at the current juncture not only because of this diversity, but because of the very obvious failures and apparent of the two major parties. These parties have essentially chosen to follow neoliberal economic policies that have dramatically increased economic inequalities, caused widespread agrarian distress, and made material lives more fragile and insecure for most workers.The emergence of a viable third alternative in Indian politics is therefore a matter of historical inevitability. Economist and professor Jayati Ghosh writes exclusively for Pragoti on the need for the "third alternative".