Capitalism (A Ghost Story).

AuthorDorschner, Jon P.
PositionBook review

Capitalism (A Ghost Story) by Arundhati Roy, Haymarket Books: Chicago, Illinois, 2014, ISBN 978-160846-385-5, 128 pp., $14.95 (Paperback), $9.99 (Kindle).

Time Magazine recently named Arundhati Roy, a leading Indian intellectual and social critic, as one of the most 100 most influential people on earth. World renowned for her novel The God of Small Things, Roy became embroiled in social activism and turned away from fiction. Quite prolific, she has authored many titles dealing with India and the world from a far left perspective. Roy is an associate of noted American radical Noam Chomsky, and her views mirror Chomsky's in many ways. Like Chomsky, she writes long theoretical books, and shorter works that are collections of articles, essays and interviews. Capitalism (A Ghost Story) follows this format, consisting of six essays dealing with a variety of Indian subjects, and a Preface and Afterward.

The essays are short, hard-hitting and very polemical. Conservative critics often equate radical leftists with "communists" or "Marxists." This one-sided view reflects their ignorance. Roy (like Chomsky) is a proponent of a "Third Way," that rejects both Capitalism and Communism. They call for a reconstruction of society along cooperative lines to eliminate exploitation and provide maximum freedom. Like many leftists, Roy's principal concern is with distributive justice. This is currently a hot topic in a United States witnessing a growing economic divide. Roy's critics fail to comprehend her essential anti-Communism. Roy entertains no illusions regarding the totalitarian nature of Communist regimes throughout history, stating she would be the first executed by a hardline Communist regime.

When analyzing the work of Third Way writers like Roy, it is important to keep in mind that they are currently attacking Capitalism and Neo-Liberal economics with great vitriol because they dominate the international order. Roy lives in a society dominated by the Capitalist/Neo-liberal package. If she lived under a Communist regime, she would be protesting against Communism with just as much vitriol.

This book is relevant to those of us who deal with South Asia, because it provides a far-left perspective on Indian events. Those without extensive South Asian background may find themselves unfamiliar with some of the issues she addresses. This should not prevent them from learning about the concerns of India and its people.

Roy's principal points are apparent from the first...

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