‘Old is Dying and the New cannot be Born’!

Deborah Darlianmawii, Manik Kumar & Keyoor Pathak

The author Sunil Ray of the thought-provoking book ‘Birth of an Alternative Development Paradigm: Unfolding of Transformative Mode of Production’ [Germinal Publications, Kolkata] “rectifies” the view of Italian scholar Gramsci, whether “The old is dying and the new cannot be born”, and further brings a ray of hope for the oppressed. Common perception about the world order is that it cannot be changed, so people must kneel down before the oppressive market driven development. Once people surrender before the existing world order, they just legitimise the injustice around the society; they accept the economic disparity, they accept the social disparity, and they accept the environmental crisis as well. So, in all the domains of society and the economy, a system is developed, which is no longer working in order to make inclusion of all. The systemic movements of the world, which have been argued by the author, is the reflection of the rejection of the very capital motivated system. The book ‘Birth of an Alternative Development Paradigm: Unfolding of Transformative Mode of Production’ (2024), rigorously explores the limitations and challenges of contemporary model of developmental, and produces a new alternative economic paradigm to make an inclusive development, what the author termed as ‘Cohesive Development’. In truth Ray’s book is a further step of the series of intellectual debates developed during 1980s, especially that of the ‘justice-globalism’ movement. The ‘justice-globalism’ movement is a critique of ‘market-globalism’, and offers a model of ‘globalisation from below’ rather than the ‘globalisation from top’. The book comes with a ‘new logic of capital’ that is alienation to integration. For the author, “capitalist development means destruction. Capitalist development means unlimited loot of natural resources, ruining of environmental, and ecological disaster”. In fact, the contemporary neo-classical economy is the economy of war; hence, violence, discrimination, injustice, disparity, environmental crisis, and et cetera are inevitable parts of the prevailing economic world system.

The principal argument of the book revolves around the question: what transformative process should be brought to lead the people of the world to get rid of a ‘catastrophe-like-situation’? Undoubtedly, among mainstream academic platforms, there are fewer writings on the alternative model of development compared to that of the neo-classical political economic model; there are whisperings which compel people to think within the existing system, courageously, the book contemplates and offers solutions beyond the existing system. The author is inspired by the anti-systemic movements, which took place in different span of the time across the globe, and recited- “another world is possible”. ‘Zapatista movement’ of Mexico during the early 1990s, and the movements which happened in Ecuador, Bolivia and in many other countries receiving ideological strength from the philosophy of ‘Buen Vivir’ (good life or living well), have been discussed to forge the theoretical framework of the concept of ‘cohesive development’. Indeed, these anti-globalisation movements have had much potency to raise the voices of the oppressed; the book deals with those issues in that contexts too.

To explain the theoretical model of ‘cohesive development’, author proposes few propositions: Firstly; ‘holistic cosmovision with diversity’, presents a world view which constitutes a view pertaining to the diversity of the social and natural world. Secondly, ‘solidarity between humans and nature’, infuses a sense of bonding between human beings and the natural world. The author talks about the need to replace the role of capital in the capitalist system with a new economic order, which is founded on the solidarity between humans and nature. Peeping back into human civilisation, one comes to know that nature has always been the foundation of human survival, enabling generations to thrive. A significant portion of socially constructed reality is deeply influenced by nature. Recognising this interconnectedness with nature and the need to think about their sustainability is crucial, as its disruptions impact human beings directly, like tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, and so on. Thirdly, ‘equity and justice for harmony’, is a crucial aspect that must be integrated into today’s development framework, especially in a time when people are increasingly aware of their rights and the demand for equity has evolved into a widespread social movement. As the author suggests, achieving true equity and justice in the development requires a “deep structural change from the grassroots,” which is certainly achievable. Fourth, ‘principle of sufficiency’, is a concept that emphasises the importance of using what is necessary to meet one’s needs while avoiding excess. This principle is commonly focused on the ethical consumption of natural resources. The chapter on sufficiency discusses how over-consumption leads to resource depletion, environmental degradation, and social inequalities, making sufficiency a crucial guideline for sustainable living. A key takeaway from the chapter is that sufficiency does not mean deprivation but rather sustainability and prudence. The chapter also explores real-world examples, such as energy conservation, sustainable agriculture, and minimalist lifestyles, illustrating how sufficiency can be practically implemented. By adopting sufficiency, individuals and societies can create a more equitable and environmentally responsible world without sacrificing quality of life. Fifth, ‘new logic of capital’, explores the evolving nature of capitalism in the modern era which is creating alienation rather than integration. It argues that traditional capital accumulation, based on industrial production and tangible assets, has shifted toward a system where digital platforms, data, and financial instruments play a dominant role. This is about how capital has become more abstract and is detached from real-life production. The rise of digital capitalism, characterised by tech monopolies, algorithm-driven markets, and intangible assets like intellectual property, is reshaping economic power structures. The chapter also discusses how financialization has led to speculative investments, stock buybacks, and debt-driven growth, often prioritizing shareholder value over long-term economic stability. Sixth; ‘participatory democracy and communal self-management’, means active participation of people in decision making and is crucial for a thriving democracy. Participation of the community in development is highly essential as their presence fosters a sense of ownership and ensures sustainability. Communities themselves are best suited to determine their needs and suggest strategies for a new development paradigm based on local participation. Since they possess firsthand knowledge of their surroundings, making them realise their strengths and significance can lead to a meaningful change. Community participation in decision-making can result in effective management of the “development” steps suggested, as it allows them to be directly involved rather than solely relying on elected representatives. Just like how Community-based Ecotourism (CBET) has become a big part of environmental conservation, community-based development can also become a part of the new development paradigm. This can greatly foster greater civic engagement and ensure that development efforts align with the needs and aspirations of the people. Seventh, the chapter on ‘Reciprocal altruism’, explores the evolutionary and psychological foundations of cooperative behaviour, particularly the idea that individuals help others with the expectation of future benefits. The concept, first proposed by Robert Trivers, explains why altruistic actions persist in nature despite the apparent advantage of selfishness.

The book is readable to all who love social, economic, and environmental justice. This is not merely the critique of modern capitalist development, simultaneously, it comes with the alternative of development as ‘cohesive development’.

[Deborah Darlianmawii, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Allahabad; Manik Kumar, Assistant Professor, G. B. Pant Institute of Social Sciences, Jhunsi, Allahabad; Keyoor Pathak, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Allahabad]

[For copies, contact Frontier: 8240016324]

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Frontier
Vol 57, No. 44, Apr 27 - May 3, 2025