Some things come with the territory of being a Malayalee (which is what they call people from Kerala, one of India’s southernmost states). I have been surprised when some non-Indians recognize it readily as “that communist state in India”. Of course, that is what it was first famous for, when the people elected into power, for the first time in the world, a Communist government (in the ’50s)!
Being probably one of the most oppressive of all the feudal states in the subcontinent, there was only one way it could have gone - up! When you consider that Kerala was never really under the British empire, you could imagine the antiquated customs and rigid caste system that would have existed here in the beginning of the 20th century. The British, even if inadvertently, had made some positive changes to society in the rest of Indian Subcontinent. Kerala, unfortunately, missed that boat.
With a large population being pushed around by a small number of “upper caste” people, it was naturally an easy starting point for external reforms and ideologies. First came Christianity and Islam, and later, Communism. In fact, a whole millennium before the Crusades, Christianity had flourished in Kerala. Similar was the case of Islam. Even so, hardly anything changed until mid-20th century. Therefore, the people of Kerala then found Communism appealing, heartily voting a Communist government into power, and they brought about a number of brave and good reforms. But unfortunately that is where it stayed - It is still living in the 1950’s…!
Trade-unionism, coupled with misrepresented Gandhian principles, this state now shuts down more than it works. Governments back strikes (shut down not only the striking party’s own establishments, but they also insist no one else can work at that same time!) called by their affiliated trade unions. The Opposition parties also have their own trade unions, who wait for those days left out by the Government, to come up with their own rounds of disruption. Consequently, when the Opposition comes to power, nothing really changes!
Any signs of globalisation and reforms are instantly labeled “bourgeois”, and shunned. You just need to look at the state of the roads in Trivandrum city to know the extent to which corruption and indifference take place in Kerala. You can instantly recognize 2 kinds of roads - one built by a private external company, and the other by the government’s own contractors. The former is smooth, built extremely fast, and have lasted years. The latter is full of ditches (by the use of insufficient amount of materials, the rest probably having been siphoned off to be sold in the black market) and built by 100s of labourers, over prolonged periods of time! Of course, the concept here is that the more people used to build, and longer it takes, more money goes to the people. It is for this same “socialistic” principle that the private external company was thrown out, citing some silly issues, in favour of the more expensive, slower and lesser quality option! That is socialism for you!
Probably the only thing that can save this state is Economic pressures, that too external ones alone. That is evident in the backing that some large scale “bourgeois” projects are starting to get from the Government (funnily enough, when an opposition party, which heavily opposes such projects, comes to power, they miraculously change their minds and start supporting what they just cried out against!). Only such pressures can bring about a positive change in Kerala.
Only then would it remotely deserve the self claimed title of “God’s own country”, and be anything other than merely a tourist destination to take pretty pictures like the one at the top of this post!
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