Patrick Heller, "The Labour of Development- Workers and Transformation of

Capitalism in Kerala, India", Ithaca (New York): Cornell University Press, 1999.
Pages - xi +277. US$ 19.95, Paper, ISBN 0-8014-8624-6.

This is the first and most up-to-date scholarly contribution towards understanding of
the maco-economic parameters affecting socio-economic formations of Kerala. The
book goes beyond economic history and examines contemporary development
problems that affect conditions of working class in the most successful state of India
in a human development index.

Introduction of the book provides theoretical matrix for examination of class relations,
forms of capital accumulation processes, methods of generation of absolute and
relative surplus value in the agrarian and industrial sector of Kerala. Here, it has
drawn heavily from the intellectual tradition of classical (conventional) Marxism and
the new left of the West European variety. Intellecual heritage of the last three
decades of the twentieth century, of CPI (ML)-far left of Indian variety represented by
Subaltern Studies, Liberation Theology (inflluential in Kerala, Tamilnadu, Karnataka,
Maharashtra, Gujarat, M.P., Orissa and the North Eastern states) and women's Studies
are left out.

While discussing economic transformation of Kerala (pp.10-12), it is important to

keep in to consideration, religion and caste-wise classification of population in Kerala
as they have played very important role in determining division of labour, attitude to
white and blue collar jobs, menial chores and their mechanisation. Out-migration of
skilled artisans, educated muslim youth for business/trade and young women as
domestic workers to the Gulf countries and educated Hindus and Chrisatians as the
administrative staff to the rest of India are determined by caste based forms of and
relations of production in Kerala.

Any discussion of democratisation from below (represented by trade unions, social

movements, peasants associations, tribal organisations) should simultaneously discuss
the affirmative action of the state as the former can, at times, be extremely restrictive
towards women and minorities. Kerala provides a classic example of peaceful
coexistence between the communists (supposed to be non-believers) spearheading
Library Movement, Peoples' Science Movement, Literacy Mission , Liberation
theologist involved in area development and community-based social work and
religious organisations pre-occupied with religious discourses, cultural programmes
and festival celebrations. Author's observation about neglect of child-labour in the
development discourse is apt. But , the main change agents of Kerala have been field-
oriented intellectual cadre who are as comfortable in seminars and workshops of the
experts as they are in the worksites, gram sabhas and Panchayati Raj institutions.
Kerala has provided the most articulate expression of development economics in
India.

Chaper-1 , Classes and States in Making of Development examines, ' the interplay of
the process of state formation and class mobilisation in shaping the consolidation of a
particular form of capitalism'(p.22). Part I provides gender-neutral perspective of
land-reforms, & tenancy reforms (in Chapter 1), agrarian struggles( in Chapter 2),
consolidation of capitalist farming( Chapter 3), cultivation of subsistence crop ( rice,
topioca) and cash crop (coconut and rubber). Discussion on major contribution of
kerala- around 200 varieties of bananas, spices and coffee plantations is missing.

Part II of the book, is on Industrial development of Kerala. It is analytically more

rigorous and factually more useful for area planning. The author should have included
the table on Industrial Classification of the Workforce in Kerala. The narrative on
democratisation of collective bargaining process and non-violence in the wage-labour
capital relations as a result of the efforts of enlightened leadership remains incomplete
if the process of curbing the lumpanisation of the educated malayali youth involved in
trafficking of narcotic drugs and virgin mapila girls, pornography and country lecre is
not revealed. Beedi and toddy workers need occupational diversification.
Conventional practice of coconut plucking and toddy tapping are extremely
dangerous. The state government's interest in integrated industrial parks, techno-
industrial parks for agro-processing and bio-tech parks with ties to university research
institutes with modern research and development practices and careful nurturance of
technocratic and scientific THINKTANK oriented towards practical problems of
economic development will ensure solutions.

Dr. Vibhuti Patel

310 Prabhu Darshan, 31 S. Sainik Nagar, Amboli
Andheri West, Mumbai 400 058, India
Tel: (91)(22) 623 0227, Email: jesani@vsnl.com