Why Alternative Development Paradigm Matters? | Jos Chathukulam

BOOK REVIEW

Birth of an Alternative Development Paradigm: Unfolding Transformative Mode of Production

by Sunil Ray

Germinal Publications Pvt. Ltd (Sharmistha Dutta on behalf of Germinal Publications Pvt. Ltd), Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Birth of an Alternative Development Paradigm: Unfolding Transformative Mode of Production by Sunil Ray introduces to us a novel development framework “transformative mode of production” rooted in the social solidarity economy that significantly contests the prevailing capitalist system. The book consists of six parts. The first part (Introduction) elucidates the deepening crisis within the existing the capitalist system, which is caught in a web of its own expansionist logic and failing to identify any alternative pathways. The crisis is further aggravated by the continuous commodification of nature as well as extreme centralization and concentration of capital at the expense of the vast majority of the people in the world. The second part draws insightful lessons from the anti-systemic and resistance movements (Association for the Taxation of Financial Transactions and Aid to Citizens (ATTAC) in Porto Alegre, Brazil, World Social Forums, Occupy World Street, Zapatista movement in Mexico, Buen Vivir (good living/well living in Bolivia) which the author used to construct an alternative development framework discussed in the book. Ray argues that these resistance movements are not only directed against globalization and the exploitative systemic order, but also in promoting a different cosmic vision that provides alternative development epistemology characterized by a holistic cosmovision that transcends modernist Meta narratives of both capitalism and socialism (Ray, 2024). Part three of the book focuses on cohesive development and it is presented as an alternative to the mainstream development paradigm. Ray’ defines “cohesive development paradigm as the one that seeks to hold all deprived together (not only economically deprived, but also socially, politically, culturally and environmentally) to achieve a common objective, a common worldview, based on their collective understanding with substantive freedom or actual freedom,” (Ray, 2024). The book also explores the fundamental tenets of epistemological base of cohesive development (1) holistic cosmovision with diversity (2) solidarity between humans and humans and nature (3) equity and justice for harmony (4) principle of sufficiency (5) new logic of capital (6) participatory democracy and communal self-management (7) reciprocal altruism (8) expansion of commons and (9) qualitative metamorphosis and Ray calls these tenets as “new organizing principles of the economy and society.” Part four of the book deals with ‘the principle of sufficiency’ and it shows an epistemological shift towards how transformative mode of production (solidarity between humans and nature), is gradually emerging through cohesive developmental forces that surpass the confines of Marxian analytics in the post-capitalist era of social evolution. Part five of the book discusses the framework within which the transformative mode of production unfolds due to a close interaction between the new organizing principles of the economy and society. Ray argues that the principle of sufficiency economy works in the transformative mode of production when is accompanied by (1) new logic of capital (2) culture of cooperation, new organizational form and expansion of common (3) reciprocal altruism and (4) qualitative metamorphosis (Ray, 2024, Ray, 2012 and Ray et al., 2020). The Concluding chapter (part six) draws upon the phenomenon called “quantum entanglement” to reinforce the significance of mutual constitutively in articulating the characteristic features of the new course of evolution -transformative mode of production. The Foreword written by Amiya Kumar Bagchi (an internationally reputed economist historian) and Introductory Note by Timir Basu (a well-known scholar and the Editor, Frontier Weekly) makes this book a rich treasure trove of literature in the realm of alternative development paradigm.

In his book, Ray has outlined an alternative development framework that gives emphasis to social and environmental sustainability as well as collective action and solidarity. The book embodies a reimagined approach to production and consumption that prioritizes the “well – being of people”, “more equitable distribution of resources and power,” and “planet over profit” (climate justice). In short, it represents a new approach to production and consumption that places the needs of people and the planet above mere profit. Ray has made a genuine attempt to examine the evolution of alternative development paradigm, which is rooted in a new epistemological framework emerging from anti-systemic resistance movements and diverse radical transformative initiatives across the world. The book unfolds the evolution of the transformative mode of production through the lens of evolutionary biology and quantum physics.

While the book does mention about “degrowth” and specifically discusses Buen Vivir (good living) in Bolivia, there should have also been discussions about sufficiency economy in Thailand, and Bayanihan spirit in the Philippines, Ubuntu in South Africa (Nair, 2020, Nair and Moolakkattu, 2023, Escobar et al., 2018.) as they also qualify as degrowth movement with elements of social solidarity economy. Gandhian concepts of Sarvodaya, Swadeshi, and Swaraj, the Economy of Permanence by Gandhian Economist J C Kumarappa are heavily rooted in the present-day degrowth movement. Synergies of Tagore’s anti-industrialism visions with degrowth frameworks and initiatives around the world (Patil, 2019) are also in the same positions. Since the book talks about an alternative development paradigm, the Gandhi- Kumarappa framework of development should have also been incorporated (Chathukulam et al., 2018 and Chathukulam and Joseph, 2024). Kumarappa promoted peasant and artisan-based economies (Kumarappa, 1945), which became the source of inspiration for several of the forefathers of Ecological Economics and Post-growth paradigms like Ivan Illich and E.F. Schumacher (Gerber and Raina, 2018, Taneja, 2021). Gandhi – Kumarappa stresses on the need-based economy with minimalist production. Thus, the Gandhi- Kumarappa framework is in more conjunction with the degrowth paradigm. Solidarity economy framework deeply rooted in Gandhian values of localism, villagism and satisfaction of basic needs (opposed to capitalism and industrialism) is also particularly relevant in the context of realizing the alternative development paradigm. All these perspectives would have added more value addition to the book.

Sociologist and historian Radhakamal Mukherjee advocated an ethic of restraint and responsibility that ran counter to the ethos of rapidly urbanizing and industrializing industry, which recognized no natural constraints to its growth and expansion (Guha, 2022). The works of Henry Veltymeyer, Alberto Accosta and Eduardo Gudynas on degrowth and extractivism should also have been explored in detail. Kerala’s Kudumbashree also falls under the social solidarity economy framework (Reed and Reed, 2013) and alternative development paradigm and discussions on the same in the book would have been a great addition.

Based on the anthropological experiments and evidences in Lewis Henry Morgan’s Ancient History, Friedrich Engels argued that the family structures changed over history. In the latest Cuba Family Code, one can clearly see that this Code emerged as a result of a constant evolution of family structures within and outside Cuba over a considerable amount of time and that it may be subjected to more radical changes as new family structures and norms evolve in the coming centuries (Chathukulam and Joseph, 2022). Engels has argued that various stages in the evolution of the family are linked to the development of society. The author could have linked the Morgan and Engels perspectives on evolution of family to evolution of alternative development paradigm. (Of course, Ray covers their contributions in the book)

Meanwhile, this book is a great asset in exploring the possibilities of an alternative development initiative that can challenge the present destructive capitalist approach to nature and human resources. In the near-future, this book can serve as a guide and mentor in preparing a blueprint for the transition of the world economy towards an alternative development paradigm.

(Review author: Jos Chathukulam is the Former Sri Ramakrishna Hegde Chair Professor on Decentralization and Development, Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India & Director, Centre for Rural Management (CRM), Kottayam, Kerala, India)

References

• Arturo Escobar., Ashish Kothari, Ariel Salleh, Federico Demaria, and Alberto Acosta (Eds.). (2018). The post-development dictionary. Zed Books.
• J. C. Kumarappa. (1945). Economy of Permanence. Varanasi: SarvaSeva Sangh Prakashan.
• J.F. Gerber and R.S. Raina. (2018). Post-growth in the global south? Some reflections from India and Bhutan. Ecological Economics, 150, 353-358.
• Jos Chathukulam and Manasi Joseph. (2022). Cuba Family Code: Towards the Democratisation of Family and Society, Economic and Political Weekly, 49 (3).
• Jos Chathukulam and Manasi Joseph. (2024). Rethinking and Transforming Critiques of Political Economy: Gandhi – Kumarappa Pathways. In Ananta Kumar Giri (Ed). Contemporary Contributions to Critiques of Political Economy: Mapping Alternative Planetary Futures (187-200), Routledge.
• Jos Chathukulam., D, Jeevan Kumar and K. Gireesan. (2018). Exploring the Ideas of J C Kumarappa on Decentralization, Green Economy and Alternative Development in India, Gandhi Marg, 39 (4): 263-270.
• Mark Lindley. (2007). Kumarappa: A Giant or Midget? Economic and Political Weekly, 42 (21): 1975-1981.
• Nisha Velappan Nair and John S Moolakkattu. (2022). Solidarity Economy and Social Change: Contesting Liberal Universalism. In: Baikady, R., Sajid, S., Nadesan, V., Przeperski, J., Islam, M.R., Gao, J. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Change. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-87624-1_188-1
• Nisha Velappan Nair. (2020). Solidarity Economics and Gandhian Economics: Can they Supplement Each Other? Gandhi Marg, 42 (1 & 2): 83-106.
• Pallavi Varma Patil. (2019). Synergies of Gandhi’s and Tagore’s anti industrialism visions with Degrowth frameworks and initiatives around the world, Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA?UAB).
• Pawan K Taneja. (2021). Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan —Theory, Actions and Way Forward: Theme Paper for the Sixty-Fifth Members’ Annual Conference, Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), Delhi.
• Ramachandra Guha. (2022, October 23). Ramachandra Guha: India would do well to heed the warnings Radhakamal Mukerjee offered 80 years ago, Scroll.in.
• Reed, A. M., & Reed, D. (2013). Taking solidarity seriously analyzing Kudumbashree as a women’s social and solidarity economy experiment. UNRISD.
• Sunil Ray. (2012). Economics of Solidarity: Economics of the 21st century. Economic and Political Weekly,47(24), 39—48.
• Sunil Ray. (2024). Birth of an Alternative Development Paradigm: Unfolding Transformative Mode of Production, Germinal Publications Pvt. Ltd (Sharmistha Dutta on behalf of Germinal Publications Pvt. Ltd), Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
• Sunil Ray., N Chaudhary and R. Kumar (2020). Theorizing Cohesive Development: An Alternative Paradigm. Routledge.