a statement of my politics

8/8/2019 A Statement of My Politics

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A Statementof My Politics

Iram Malik



A Statement of My Politics

Iram Malik

Iram is a 30 year old sociology professional and teacher currently residing in the

Uunited Kingdom. She is married and has two children.

I hold that in the absence of our (Shia Ithna ‘ashari – the Twelvers) Imam of our

time, and the interpretation of the Islamic Shariah left to a class which has

vested interests in preserving much that is undesirable in society, the next best

alternative is to adopt a non-exploitative, egalitarian and welfare ideology. I have

found Communism to be such an ideology. This is why I often describe myself as a

Shia Communist.

I believe that as with individuals, societies and states are also motivated by class

interests. I believe that all individual behave and act according to perceived self-

interest – that since no individual is an island, self-interest translates into group

interest and class interest.

I believe that no state is monolithic, and always represents some mechanism

allowing for a balancing and equilibrium among conflicting and sometimes purely

antagonistic configurations of interests. That in democracy as practiced today,changes in governments represent the swing of dominance from one group to

another.



I believe that dictatorship happens in societies where either the dominant grouping

does not want to relinquish its hold on state power in accordance with the peoples’

wishes as reflected in general elections, OR where a certain grouping strives to, or

comes to gain hold on state power through force.

I believe that the sociological phenomenon known as the state as we know it in our

times, shall one day wither away. When this shall happen, I do not know.

I believe that the British were the dominant imperialist force in the world prior to

World War 2. I believe the British Imperial Government partitioned India because

it had become apparent to the far-sighted among them that if they do not quitaround the time they did, the colony would swing toward the Communist bloc.

They and other imperialist powers could not afford this eventuality.

Apart from the rising tide of class consciousness in various parts of the world, and

specifically in the Indian sub-continent, quitting India had become imperative for

the British due to their own bankruptcy after World War 2.

In the Indian National Congress and the All India Muslim League, the British

found pliable and compliant collaborators, who, at that moment in history, seemed

the best to stand in as proxy watch dogs of their imperial interests in Afro-Asia.

Partition also presented another charm. It would perpetuate a vicious divide that

had raised its head between the largest religious communities of the suv-continent:the Hindus and the Muslims.

The so-called nationalists, the Indian National Congress and the All India Muslim

League, collaborated to the hilt with the British in the attempt of the British to stall



the march of progressive and liberal ideas of social democracy and to nip in the

bud organization of the Indian working people into a unified class party that could

lead the masses to a social revolution.

That by design the partition plan was engineered in a manner which would lead to

disenchantment between various sections of society in the sub-continent, engender

mass movement of populations between the proposed dominions and flare up into

civil strife and massive bloodshed. The British are a party to and also responsible

for all the massacres that happened prior to, during, and as a sequel to the partition

of India.

When Pakistan was created, power was transferred to a clique the majority among

whom DID NOT represent the peoples of the territories that comprised Pakistan.

The clique to whom the British handed over power in Pakistan, due to its non-

representative nature, had to resort time and again to repressive measures to retain

control of state power. This has been evident throughout Pakistan's 62 year

existence.

The people, namely the progressive, social-democratic middle-class intelligentsia,

who [i]could[/i] have presented a practical and progressive alternative to the ruling

clique in Pakistan, proved unequal to the tasks history set them.

After the end of World War 2, Britain was eclipsed by the United States of

America as the world's leading imperialist power.



I believe that like Hitler's war on Europe, the Cold War was foisted upon the

Soviet Union, because the Soviet Union as a rudimentary socialist state and the

world's first socialist state was an example to the working people of the world of

what could and can be achieved once they awaken to their class nature, organize

themselves on class lines and wage organized, purposive struggle for their rights.As such an example, even the existence of the Soviet Union was a threat to

imperialists and imperialist interests.

[b]Specific to the present and future of Pakistan[/b]

I believe that the working people of Pakistan and the exploited nationalities shouldawaken to the reality that those who claim to be their representatives right now are

in fact exploiters, that the masses of Pakistan's working people and exploited

nationalities should coalesce into a broad democratic front formed on the basis of

a single point agenda: the transformation of Pakistan into a secular, democratic,

egalitarian welfare society.

a statement of my politics

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