Description
How does rural class structure influence the political mobilization of farm labourers? This case study documents the process in Kuttanad – a rice-producing region of India noted for its history of rural conflict. Tharamangalam deals fully with the historical and present background of agrarian relations in India, the character and conditions of the labour force, the rise of the Communist labour unions, and the reasons for their current dilemmas. He offeres valuable insights into the methods used by trade unions and the Communist Party to organize at the grass roots level.
The book is enriched by the author's familiarity with the region and the language, his own extensive fieldwork, and his use of important primary sources. It will provide political scientists, economists, anthropologists, and sociologists with valuable, hitherto unpublished material.