First Anniversary of Taraqqi 
The last twelve months since Taraqqi began publication have been a period of profound transition in India and around the world.  Every day, there is news of old institutions “renewing” themselves to meet the challenges of the new century.  But more importantly, some definite post Cold War re-arrangements in the economy, politics and international relations have taken place.  

Suddenly, Russia has acquired stature under Mr. Putin. China is pressing ahead under Mr. Jiang.  Mr. Blair and his counter-parts all over Europe and North America are trumpeting the virtues of the “Third Way”, while India is presenting itself as an empire-builder.  In sum, events in the past year have been choreographed to convince the people that their problems are being looked after by the mighty and the powerful. 

Taraqqi has been born within this period and from the beginning, it has devoted itself to the task of ending the depoliticisation of the people.  It has become a vehicle for discussing the alternative to the old and the “new” arrangements that are being imposed. Its future lies in becoming the voice for the alternative. 

The need for such an alternative arises from the objective reality of our times. The old economic and political systems are incapable of fulfilling the aspirations of the peoples. The social welfare state of the Cold War years created illusions that socialism could be created within capitalism.  Far from accomplishing this impossibility, the social welfare state in time contributed to the crisis of capitalism itself - and India is a prime example of this failure. Vast numbers of people around the world today face destitution and insecurity because of the insatiable greed of capital to control the resources and labour of people more than ever. 

Similarly, the system of government that brings political parties to power has failed miserably to empower people and make them the decision-makers of society. The party system of government faces a grave credibility crisis around the world.  In spite of all the illusion-mongering that the present electoral process can solve the problem of governance by the people, voter apathy in countries like the US is at an all-time high.  Faced with apathy, hostility and a credibility gap, governments around the world are turning to “law and order” methods to keep peoples in check. From Seattle to Washington, DC, from Andhra Pradesh to Uttar Pradesh, the pattern of using police and paramilitary forces against angry protesters has become the norm. Arbitrariness, rule by decree and the use of force today mark the failure of the political system and create the most compelling case for the alternative. 

The new arrangements that the big powers, multinationals and financiers are putting in place are new in name only. They are really a rehash of the discredited and discarded institutions, policies and methods that humankind fought to get rid of in the centuries past. Corporate governance, privatised social services and corporate-funded NGO’s may be a departure from social welfare state, but are not a repudiation of the system of rule by the most powerful and mighty or the dictum of  “might is right”. 

The anti-social offensive in India in the past year was organised in the backdrop of the Kargil misadventure. The elections and the rise of the NDA government occurred amid the massive diversion created by the military conflagration.  Internally, this became an opportune moment to railroad economic and political measures through, including the appointment of the Constitution Review Commission to rework the old arrangements of Nehruvian India.  Externally, the government reworked the relationship with the US to further the aspirations of Indian big business houses to big-power status, at least in Asia.  

It hardly warrants mentioning that the problems facing the people of India have have not played any part in this calculus.  In fact, the policy of putting the land and resources of India in the hands of the private interests and stepping up war preparations have created a far worse situation than existed before.  The real alternative to the past can only be the empowerment of the people through renewal of the economic and political systems - and this alternative can become a reality only by the act of the people themselves. As long as people remain aloof and depoliticised, none of their problems can be solved.  

It is with this conviction that Taraqqi began its publication, and it has developed its editorial policy to address this depoliticisation.  The movement of the people against the anti-social offensive, against state terrorism, for a pro-social program, for their dignity and for national, cultural and political rights, provide the basis for the growth of Taraqqi. 

On this first anniversary, Taraqqi congratulates all its readers and writers for its successful publication as a web-monthly and a printed quarterly. It is time to take the next step – regularize! This will pave the way to increase the readership.