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Old Monday, December 11, 2017
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My Article In Daily Times

The Populist Wave and Rise of Neo-Fascism

The rise of ‘populism’ and the way it is being amplified and intensified is due to the economic and political crises in the West. People in the West are discontent about the established order, and their discontent has been created by an ‘us Vs them’ narrative to serve their personal interests. In Gramscian words, it is the passive revolution, it is not a social revolution of subdued masses, on the contrary, it is a revolution constructed and managed by the dominant class to continue on their dominance and exploitation.

Victory of the plutocrat Trump, his protectionist and illiberal policies, withdrawal of England from European Union, and far-right populists in France, Netherlands and Austria are signs of the political crises failure of neo-liberal policies. This situation is dangerous, as Gramsci writes, “The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear.”

The term populism is vague, unclear, misleading, and difficult to define, it has dozens of definitions. The question rises, why has populism become a common term, discussed and debated, like in the past the ‘End of History’ and ’Clash of Civilisations’? The word populism is safer and softer; it is introduced, and frequently used, to replace words like Fascism or Neo-Fascism.

This is what Andrea Mammone observes, populism was deliberately introduced, in his Transnational Neo-fascism in France and Italy. Populism is an autolytic ideological trap for the masses. Many people call Trump a populist, not a neo-fascist, because he misleads the masses, and creates a paradox for them.

The victory of Plutocrat Trump has confused many, to get out of confusion, one needs to move back to giant organic intellectual Gramsci and his prison note books. His concept of ‘hegemony’ can be a great help, regarding Trump’s victory. The economic and social grievances are turned into emotional and psychological problems.

The massive use of mass culture, make common people take everything for granted, and believe that, what a populist leader says, is reality. This is what Gramsci calls, ‘Common Sense’. Common sense is totally opposite to critical thinking. Neo-Fascists like Trump, program the minds of people through representation, articulation and speech acts and get mass support.

They use romantic rhetoric and tell the public, what they say, is the only reality. Trump’s discourse made people follow him, and his popular slogan, ‘Make America Great Again’ raises questions. . Racism, extreme militarism, Islam-phobia, nationalism, anti-environmentalism, anti-immigration, misogyny, intolerance against media, homophobia, police violence, and recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital, this is what Trump is about and this is what neo-fascism encourages.

The lower-middle-class, in the time of crises, becomes the reserve army for the fascists. And, fascists find their basis in this class. Fascism: Past, Present and Future by Walter Laquer tells how ultra-nationalist tendencies are rooted primarily in the lower-middle class and relatively privileged sections of the working class, in alliance with monopolistic capital. In America, the lower-middle-class comprises close to a third of population. This is where Trump brought his support from.


In times of crisis, the lower middle class becomes a reserve army for fascists

The rise of fascism in 20th century was due to the economic crises, and fascists had grabbed power through mass support. In a similar way, fascism in the 21st century is response to the crises. No doubt, fascism, in 21st century is different, as Aijaz Ahmed writes, “every country gets the fascism it deserves,” which is to say that “although a general phenomenon across the world and over a century or more, fascism nevertheless takes a very specific form in any given country, in accordance with its particular historical formation.” The fascism doesn’t come out of void; it is conditioned by economic, historical, political, local and international settings. Today’s economic and political settings are different, that is why, fascism is different, and most importantly, the former USSR has dissolved as well.

This all reminds me of a story, when in Rome, people had started having discontents due to their economic conditions and circumstances were ready for a rebellion, there, the Roman Emperor, befooled the masses, gave them incentives and distributed wealth, and with passage of time, slowly and gradually took all wealth back through his tactics and taxes. The purpose, behind narrating this story is that those who have wealth and power fool the masses. Although the story in its context is different, it has a lot to say about how the elites use different tactics to extinguish the fire and flames of social revolution.

The core of neo-liberalism is an absurd idea; capital has been grabbed by few individuals, conditions of working class has gotten worse, the gap between haves and have-nots has increased dramatically, basic facilities are worrisome, people are compelled to do two or three jobs, they commit suicide, with the rise of urbanisation of slums are rampant, the military-industrial-complex is at its peak, violence and terrorism have spread all around, the global climate is worsening. In this sorry state, Neo-Fascists and plutocrats, are exacerbating the conditions for their personal interests, and are bringing the human population to more chaos and crises.

With the rise of Neo-Fascists in the White-House, extreme right-wing parties in Europe, ultra-nationalist BJP in India, and here, Pakistan is going through the fearful politics. In Pakistan, it is dangerous ‘interregnum’ where the devilish monsters rise from. The situation is chaotic; political crises and failure of civilian government and the rise of extreme right wing in Pakistan can lead to fascism. Pre-conditions are set, and fascist tendencies can be pointed out after the Faizabad sit-in. In Pakistan, what can be observed is, proto-fascism, ‘the direct predecessor ideologies that influenced and formed the basis of fascism’ a notorious example of Proto-Fascist is Gabriele D’Annunzio, he was an Italian nationalist who created the basis for Fascism, and Mussolini was influenced from him and his politics.

Proto-fascism in Pakistan, is occurring and getting birth from political crises and social decay, and is trying to make its place in the vacuum left by the civilian government. Simply, the seeds of fascism are being sown and watered. In this complex political situation, there is a dire need of constructing an alternative; this has to be done now before it is too late.

Neo-fascism is an inevitable product of economic crises. It is a symptom of a disease called capitalism. To resist, is to resist against the system. In doing so, revisiting Gramsci, is the need of hour, as he was the giant political scholar who saw fascism of his time. ‘Organic intellectuals’ have to challenge and replace the contemporary nation’s hegemony of neo-liberalism. Counter-hegemony is to be constructed against the hegemony of Neo-fascists. This is the time to confront, resist, struggle and fight.



The writer is MSc International Relations from National Defense University, Islamabad

Published in Daily Times, December 10th 2017.
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Old Monday, July 23, 2018
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My article in today's Daily Times.

The search for a home

Years ago, Karachi could embrace and accompany many people. It was a calm and sleepy city. It was not like today’s Karachi — most populated and polluted. Since the partition, the flow of people has never stopped moving into Karachi. This rapid and massive urbanisation has shattered the dreams of thousands.

According to Mr Alioune Badiane, the UN-Habitat Director of Programmes, “Today, 1.6 billion people do not have access to adequate shelter around the world. One billion of those live in informal settlements, and about one in four people live in conditions that harm their health, safety, prosperity and opportunities.” In Pakistan, United Nations World Cities Report 2016 has named Karachi’s Orangi town the largest of the world’s five largest slums.


In his book Planet of Slums, Mike Davis writes, “In 1950, there were 86 cities in the world with a population of more than one million; today there are 400, and by 2015 there will be at least 550. For the first time, the urban population of the earth will outnumber the rural.” And According to Martin Ravallion of the World Bank, “currently, a quarter of the world’s poor dwell in urban areas, and this percentage is going to be 50 per cent by 2035.”

The lives of those in slums are terrifying and painful; poor starving people are oppressed and dispossessed. It is not exactly like the movie Slum dog Millionaire. It’s precisely the opposite. If anything, it is more like the movie, The City of Joy, where Hasari Pal moves to Calcutta with his family for a better life and ends up living in a slum area populated with lepers and poor people.

According to a report, several police mobiles led by Inspector Khan Nawaz surrounded Juma Morio Goth, a small village of about 250 houses in Deh Langheji, district Malir. They were accompanied by bulldozers, wheel loaders and dump trucks. Their objective: to demolish a number of huts and make way for a housing society through the village.

Our urban cities have been turned into commodities. A radical struggle is needed against the capitalistic tactics of urbanisation. It’s time to reinvent, reclaim and remake the cities according to our collective needs and desires

Juma Morio and Ali Mohammed Gabol are among at least 45 goths (villages) that fall within the areas of four dehs of former Gadap town that are now part of district Malir and are being affected one way or another by the construction.

Oppressed communities are being bulldozed. The life of a hut and those that dwell within comes cheap; they can be crushed as and when the elite want. Life in an urban slum is full of squalor and deprivations. Arundhati Roy writes, “If people in a slum are on a hunger strike, no one gives a sh*t.” No one knows about it, even as publicity stunts by politicians run on media 24/7.


According to the Article 38-D of the Constitution of Pakistan, “The state shall provide basic necessities of life, such as food, clothing, housing, education and medical relief for all such citizens, irrespective of sex, caste, creed or race, as are permanently or temporarily unable to earn their livelihood on account of infirmity, sickness or unemployment.” The state doesn’t shelter them, and when they make their own, they are thrown away. This has happened even in the capital of Pakistan; but there has been some resistance from settlers and the Awami Workers Party.

It is the time to study urbanisation in Pakistan. David Harvey defines it as “the right to the city is far more than the individual liberty to access urban resources: it is a right to change ourselves by changing the city… the freedom to make and remake our cities.”

In this regard, recently a workers’ resistance has started its campaign with the slogans “reclaiming the cities or right to the land.” It’s a campaign and mobilisation of masses to get registered ancient villages and informal settlements in Hyderabad, Thatta, and other areas of Sindh, and get basic facilities of life.

David Harvey’s Accumulation by Dispossession is a critical analysis of how capitalism works. Indigenous people, their land, resources, culture and environment are dispossessed by capitalists. The Thar Coal Project in Sindh is one example. The corporations justify their actions through the rhetoric of development. This is the development through which many are swallowed, and lands are snatched. The capitalistic urbanisation takes place through the process of displacement and dispossession. It is foundational for the reproduction of capitalism.

Our urban cities have been turned into commodities. A radical struggle is needed against the capitalistic tactics of urbanisation. It’s time to reinvent, reclaim and remake the cities according to our collective needs and desires.

The writer is a student of MPhil International Relations at University of Karachi

Published in Daily Times, July 23rd 2018

https://dailytimes.com.pk/271647/the-search-for-a-home/
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Insult of the word 'COMRADE'

How a word 'comrade' has been totally changed into a different negative meaning and dimension, it is used for bandits, looters and villains now. No, not at all, this doesn't mean, of the word 'comrade' it is a respectable word. It is used for those who are social activists and fight for the rights of human beings-- it also means a friend or companion.

Word 'comrade' has been used for great social activists and revolutionists like; Comrade Che Guevara, Comrade Mao Tse Tung, Comrade Hyder bux jatoi and recently a comrade of Sindh who passed away, Comrade Sobu gianchandani. Whenever, I listen to this word for who loot people and ruin their rights, my heart feels pity and I ask myself, 'is this political consciousness of our land?'. They were the real comrades who fought for the rights of their fellow men and dedicated their lives.

It is my appeal to you through this letter, especially students of Sindh university that kindly don't use this word for ill-doings and ill-doers. Use it only for those who are worthy of it, who fight for the rights of people. I end up with a quotation of Prabhakar bargurde, "Comrade! Tomorrow's dawn is yet to rise, sleep undisturbed until then."
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zuhaib ahmed View Post
Also in Tribune


The Islamic State (IS) is an outcome of the US invasion of Iraq circa 2003. It has almost 30,000 fighters, governs territory and is rapidly expanding its influence with its followers coming from different countries who have joined it willingly. Can a counterterrorism strategy work for this ‘pseudo-state’?

The IS is not like al Qaeda. It possesses territory, has a huge number of followers, is self-financed, attracts the youth easily and most importantly, lives in urban areas. Al Qaeda was totally different and not as strong as the IS is. It kidnaps, takes ransom money and loots public property and has sources of finance different from al Qaeda.

There now exists a phrase, ‘kill one and beget two free’. The US itself is not in a position to wage a new war against the IS because its public would resist such an action and due to the 2016 US presidential elections, no candidate wants to lose popularity at this stage.

The growing power of the IS is dangerous for the countries neighbouring Syria and Iraq, and if the Middle East is in havoc, the state of affairs can endanger the whole world. All powerful actors on the planet — the US, Russia, China, France and the Middle Eastern countries — should collectively devise a strategy and demolish the IS completely. The current counterterrorism strategies that have so far been employed have not worked. A different strategy of containment may work in this scenario.

Zuhaib Ahmed Pirzada

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5th, 2015.
Sir, share how you get your articles published.
my letters too have published in english dailies and now i want to write articles. Your valuable suggestion is awaited.
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