CENTER FOR MARXIST ANALYSIS: //What is 'Kalaa-tantra'?// (article) by Dr. Subrata Ganguli on AuthorsDen

CENTER FOR MARXIST ANALYSIS is a serious effort by the author that had remained part of his life since it was founded in 1995. On these pages, and later in the blogs at the Facebook the author had explained much of his ideas and narrated his experiences. However Prometheus being a complete magazine it accommodates both humour and serious essays, scientific and non-scientific. The author advised and expects careful and cautious reading to avoid any inappropriate notions in the head of the reader.

The author had shared extensively his ideas on the pages at the AuthorsDen as well as in his blogs at the Facebook page. The three samples below had been reproduced after almost twenty years since they were first published in the AuthorsDen. The author was referring to his earlier work on "I am a Hands in the Pocket". Much had changed over the past twenty years or twenty five years since the aforesaid book was originally planned. Remaining unpublished for such a long time, it would require stupendous task and enthusiasm to recollect and rewrite. So author preferred to write a new book of essays on American life --- tentatively named "War and Peace". This new book is expected by the year 2025.

FURTHER NOTE THAT CENTER FOR MARXIST ANALYSIS, CHICAGO IS SAME AND ONE AS SENDRA ACADEMY, KOLKATA. RENAMING WAS DONE AFTER 2011.}

Education/Training

The Center was founded by me on June 25, 1995 in Chicago, with the intention of starting part-time home-run business in Chicago (a ''new plan'' introduced in the City). It is a one-person academic institution, meant for my post-doctoral research, and services of no other individual are required. It is primarily meant for my personal research abroad.

The Center claims two major papers; one on Indian science establishment, and the second on George Bush Sr.. Various versions of the summary conclusions of the first paper were available. As a courtesey, one copy was sent to the Govt. of India, through the consular offices in Chicago. The consular officer sent me a nice letter to my address in the homeless shelter.

The second paper evolved through my life,and did not finish as I anticipated. But it is in three phases (more like three papers)! As courtesey, I was planning to send a copy to the CIA or FBI in Chicago, but I had left Chicago before I could finish it to my satisfaction. I may or may not publish either of these two papers.

In addition, the Center claims several other essays, meant for publication.

The Center was quite active during 1995-2000. I did well in Chicago. If I were to live in Chicago, or London, or
Amsterdam, or South Africa, I will do better now.

The Center is meant for my activities and scholarly research outside India. After my death the Center would cease to exist. My heir-apparent appears to be a German student.

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I am writing 57 years after the day of Indian independence. Some believe post-cold war neocolonialism still rules India. Others believe America, with overburdened problems in housing, health care, drug addiction, and crime, is no better than a colony of Europe. American Government supports self-determination. But how is then America said to colonise the third world?

When I compared the development of Indian history with American history over the past 200 years -- the years of Indian colonisation and the years of American Independence--- I discovered many parallels. Such trivial studies motivated me to explore alternative paradigms in understanding Indo-US relations.

Most who go to the USA from India and become financially successful, are not from my kind of background as regards social class. Vast majority of US foreign relations are dominated by the CIA. The CIA men, with due respect to their professional abilities, are not at all popular in the Third World. Even the American Senate raises concerns on their actions outside the US. The foreign policies pursued by the US in Nicaragua, Mexico, Iraq, and often in India are no better than a big failure. I believe that the perceptions of priorities by the US official agencies (such as the CIA) do not match the needs of the common people in the third world. Will it ever change? I doubt.

What is an alternative? What if average common and small people like me study American politics more seriously. Can we come up with any better? Of course we are no professional politicians who can guide the wishes and the behaviours of the masses.

What else can a person like me do? Despite a decent academic background, almost every body believes that I cannot do independent research like my classmates/juniors do (many are established Assistant Profs in USA, some are Prof. in high profile Indian Institutions). And I am not interested in remaining a teaching assistant or a research assistant. Most will say that I am a small guy with a big ego/mouth and overambitious; but I don't bug others if I cannot succeed as well as my classmates. That's the reason Bangalore will not like me.

Why study Capitalism? What my 'big name' friends and professors call 'reserach' is related to Industrial development in Europe in the past 200-300 years. I can understand that process because of my direct experience with the laboratory and industry. It is like "dudher swad ghole metano (replacing the desire for milk with butter-milk)". However my perceptions might be different from the CIA, since I came from a different section of the third world population.

Will I be any good? If I am mediocore, I shall remain mediocore. No harm in trying something new, without being a pain in the neck to my established friends.

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{Editor notes: reproduced from an earlier post at the AuthorsDen dated May 1, 2006.

"It is a joke....
This joke thanks liberal economists of all hues, who paid for my bills but got nothing........"

This joke is on May 1, that is not observed in USA though the idea had evolved since the riot at the Hay Market on May 1, 18 .

To fully understand one may have to get a feel for pro-left Bengali sentiments, but foreign phrases are explained.}

The word is not there in pocket size or standard size or even the mega-size Oxford dictionary; but if you cannot invent a new word, 16 would take away all the money. After the word is used often, the lexicographers would include the word as a 'foreign word' in English in the next edition for the mega-size dictionary.

kalaa-tantra is a compound word, made of two words; kalaa and tantra. Kalaa means banana, and tantra may mean politico-legal system, as in dhana-tantra, samaj-tantra etc. Tantra may also mean black magic, or the art and practice of black magic; one who practices tantra (essentially a cult) is a tantrik. But kalaa-tantra is not, in this context, a black magic involving bananas!

Dhana-tantra is a politico-legal system where the rich becomes rich (e.g. Bill Gates in the USA).

Samaj-tantra is a politico-legal system that is revolutionary in nature; meaning even a poor can become rich (e.g. Mr. Chandan Basu in West Bengal).

Kalaa-tantra is a system, that is weird since it defies the laws of supply and demand, as well as the revoltunioary enthusiam for change! In kalaa-tantra nothing happens regardless of the huge amount of money you may pump in (for example, me as Beachy Busy)! In essence, kalaa-tantra is a good buffer in today's volatile market and transitory world; it's kind of stoic, and 'too elastic' --- nothing would change no matter how much labour or money you put in!