Subaltran Studies
Introduction
History writing is an important process.‘Subaltran studies’ is a new trend of writing histo r y, lik e o th er tr en d s i.e. I mp er ialis m,Premitivism, Nationalism, Marxism, Neo-Marxism, Feminism, Ambedkarism. The need of rewriting and revoluation on the basis of narration of history is being expressed.
Objectives
1. Explain the meaning and nature of the Subaltern History. 2. A study of rise of the Subaltern History writing.
3. A study of available sources for the Subaltern History Writing.
Meaning of the Subaltern Studies :
‘Subaltran Studies’ is known as ‘History from below’. Differen kinds of synonyms are used for the word ‘Subaltran’, like : common people, lower class, under previleged, exploited, inferiors minors, weak etc. British Historian, E.P. Thomson wrote on article in ‘The Times Magazine’. While giving his opinion he used the words ‘History from Down Below’ Italian Marxist thinker Antonio Gramshi has used the word ‘subaltran’ for minor, ‘poor’ downtroden people. Subaltern means overlooked, neglected, disregarded, treated with unconcern and indifference.
Nature of the Subaltern Studies :-
In the thousands years of history-writing it is clearly seen that there existed two kinds of people : Superiors and inferiors in the society. The superiors have been given more importance. Therefore, it is expected in Subaltran studies to write the history again, making it free. The inclusion of lower people or co mmon men’s history has been agreed.
This trend of writing consists of the agony of exploited workers, labours, oppressed caste, women’s income beyond the world of thoughts. The consciousness and autonomy of lower class regarding consciousness is the foundation of Subaltran studies. “In the work of subaltran studies it necessary to reach upto not only the idealogical part but also the livelihood of common people i.e. poor farmers, shepherds, workers, labours, oppressed caste women.
They are also human beings, they also think, take decisions, decide the way to live and grow in the society. On the basis of this lower people’s consciousness, not giving a self-dependent form is to write a never before history of the society or nation. In Subaltran studies it is expected to include the farmers, workers as well as the puppets, in the hands of national leaders, or the people who die without food. The study of all these lower class people is expected in Subaltran studies.Thus, we can imagine subtal nature of subaltran studies.
Rise of the Subaltern History Writing :-
‘Subaltran studies’ is a foreign trend of thoughts and the philosophical foundation of this trend is found in the writing of the Italian Marxist thinker Antonio Gramchi.His thoughts were upholded by many thinkers Frants Cannan, Jivche Zanax, Eric, Hobbs Bon George Rud, Shiro Brizand can be specially mentioned.
Antonio Gramchi the founder of Marxist party in Italian tradition and famous as a Marxist thinker. He was the organizer and leader of peasant revolt in Italy after the first world war. He wrote many studies articles after the rise of Mussolini to attack the dictatorship government and asserted the need to organize for changing Mussolini’s goverment.
As a result he was arrested in 1926. During his stay in prison he discussed with the prisoners on the political condition and collected information maintaining the daily record. He died in the prison itself. Later on his writing was published under the titles “Selections from Political Writings” and “Selections from Prison Notebooks.”
Gramchi tried to give the meaning of Marxist theory regarding the changed condition of world. “The process of production is the foundation of social development and change, economical transactions determine the direction of social development, thoughts and culture.” Gramchi makes argument regarding this theory of mary and says, “Though economical transaction is the foundation of social life the cultural building on it is of the same importance. Social change gives speed and direction to culture”.
Again Gramchi says, ‘Be an Integral Historian and Join the ranks of organic intellectuals in recognising every trace of independent initiative on the part of the Subaltern group, rather than reproducing. The minds and analysing the actions of the dominant group.Through the thoughts of Gramchi,the trend of Subaltran studies became conventional.
Writing of the Subaltran studies and sources:-
The sources of subaltran studies, the social group on which the history has to be written, are not available in large quantity bcause these groups at the low level of society is not capable of expressing their thoughts and opinions like the superior or leading people. Therefore the literature expressing their revolation is not made we don’t have documents and sources of written correspondance.
Therefore, Governmental documents, Govt. Reports, Reports of Revenue department, Census report, Documents of Police Department, Judicial Documents, Folktales, Folksongs, Folk-recollection, Interviews etc. are used to write Subaltran studies. The meditation and thinking about all the above sources as well as the help of the different branches of knowledge like Economics, Sociology, Census, Anthropology, Archaeology, Psychology, Linguistics etc. is necessary only then can be created Subaltran history.
Subaltran Studies and India :
The trend of ‘Subaltran studies’ prevailed in India, in the last twenty years of the 20th century.This new trend gave a way to new challenges by crossing the traditional writing of history. It provided a new direction, new amplitude and helped to begin a new chapter. Indian point of view of Subaltran history is similar to the trend of writing in England, which became famous as ‘History from Below’.
The ‘Centre of South Asian Cultural studies’ was established with the as sumption that without knowing the work of downtrodden people. It is not possible to obtain the true sight of the contemporary history. Dr. Ranjeet Guha played a vital role in the establishment of this institute. He discussed about this view point of history with some of the Indian scholars.
The historians, who experienced the need to study the new point of view regarding the revolt movement during the British rule in India, came together and deliberately started new experiments in the field of history. In 1982, a collection of articles edited by Dr. Guha “Subaltran studies” was published.
This first issue of Subaltran studies can be called a concrete invention of the new trend of thoughts.The philosophical base (foundation) of Dr. Guha’s ‘Subaltran studies’ is found in the wring of Gramchi. Later on, eight issues of ‘Subaltran studies’ were published. Through these issues he gave an outline of common people’s history. He also wrote “Elementary Aspects of Peasant Emergency in Colonial India” In this book he wrote about the main parts of peasent’s revolt “A farmer is the creater of his own history”, says Dr. Guha.
Dr. Shahid Amin, a close associate of Dr. Guha, has important contribution in the writing of ‘Subaltran studies’. He was the founder ; editor and worked as teacher in history in Delhi University. He has analysed the effect of Mahatma Gandhi on the minds of the farmers who participated in non-cooperation movement. He has tried to know the intension of different elements of society related to “Chouri-Chowra” incident. He wrote an article ‘Making the Nation Habitable’ and a book, ‘Remembering the Mussalmans.”He has expressed his thoughts about the dangers and bad effects on history writing from the point of view of any religious group.
In the trend of ‘Subaltran studies’ Dr. Sumit Sarkar also has contributed a lot. He is known as a brilliant historian. He studied Marxism and his important writings consist of the history of common people in national movement, History of Neglected group, Leadership of Mahatma Gandhi in National movement and the dominant nature of foreign colonial government. In 1977 he discussed with Dr. Ranjeet Guha and turned towards this new trend. He wrote book like : Swadeshi Movement in Bengal (1973), Popular Movements and Middle Class Leadership in the late Colonial India, Prespectives and problems of History from Below (1985), Writing Social History, Modern India 1885-1947. (1983, 1985). He wrote articles as, Limits of Nationalism,Decline of the Subaltern in Subaltren studies, Beyond Nationalist frame.
Dr. Sumit Sarkar is closer to the concept of‘History from Below’ by Edward Thomson. In theintroduction to his book. ‘Popular Movements andMiddle Class Leadership’ he says - “History fromBelow being by concentrating on local and regionaldevelopments, encom passing various groups in theword popular-tribal, Peasant, artisan, labour protests and in the middle class a class which startedasserting some kind of regional on national leadership and which had a totally different composition from Princes and Zamindars.”Dr. Sumit Sarkar has expressed meditativethoughts about Subaltren studies. He says ‘Subaltern studies with its critique of all verities of eliticism,wether colonist, nationalist or even Marksist has its focus on lower class inilatives its poineering efforts do represent a major break through in our history writing’. He does not neglect the leadeship of organic group of middle class as insignificant. Regarding this he says - “In the anti-imperialist struggle there are two levels - relatively elite and more popular level...it is through the complex Interaction of these levels that there emerged ultimately the pattern continuity through change that I consider dominant for this period.’Apart fromthis, in his article ‘Decline of the Subaltern in Subaltern studies’ he says that while giving emphasis on the psychology and work of deprived group in society, their social history is neglected.
Conclusion :-
The History written till now is one-sided, partial and not showing true picture of low level group in society. A group of people is deprived of proper position. A great man or intellectual group can not creat history. True history is not of superior group but it is shaped from the group of common people. The credit of a victory in the battle (war) is not only that of the king or the leader of soldiers but also of the soldiers fighting on the battle field and food suppliers have lion’s share in it. If caves, buildings, forts are created in the period of a king, its credit should not go to the only king, but to the mason, water man, artists, labours. All the events and incidents should be recorded in history like this. In the History very much contribution of low level group’s work. But till now, they are considered ‘common’ and not recorded in history. This work brings together all the historians through the new trend of writing ‘Subaltern studies’, so that the recipients of success should get justice and in the same way true history will be written.
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