Maoism

What is Maoism ? What are its roots, and who are the forces waging a war in its name? The Indian Prime Minister characterizes them as our gravest internal security threat. The Maoists, on the other hand, claim they are the only revolutionary force in India today. The debate in India seems polarized between the hard line advocates of a military response to left wing extremism on the one hand, and those who sympathize with the Maoists on the other. There is need, however, to look at the roots and origins of left sectarianism and critique it from a Marxist standpoint. In articulating a Left critique of Maoism , this book adds a crucial dimension to the ongoing debate in India. P.M.S. Grewal makes a detailed, careful critique of the Indian Maoists history, their programme and praxis. Nilotpal Basu unravels Maoism as an anti-thesis of Mao Zedong thought. Vijay Prashad takes a critical look at the international experience of left extremism, especially in Latin America. Excerpts from a 1968 CPI (M) document are reproduced in annexure as a historical backgrounder.