Women in Peasant Movements: Tebhaga, Naxalite and After

The book traces the form, direction and dynamics of the working class rural women's participation in the peasant movements in West Bengal. The study focuses on the radical (viz. the Tebhaga 1946-47 and Naxalite move-ments 1967-71) and the 'reformative' peasant movements of 1970s and 1980s. Based on solid empirical and historical data, this study delineates important commonalities and variations in women's participation in these movements. The author lays his foundation on a sound theoretical perspective and substantiates his conclusions by numerous case studies. He argues that within the ideological framework of the radical peasant movements women are able to manifest their latent discontent not only against the land-owners, but also against patriarchy, economic insecurity, restricted access to property, lower social status, illiteracy, and other forms of marginalisation and subjugation that formed the basis of their accumulated deprivation syndrome. However, the ideological frame of reference of the con-temporary reformative movements offers very little scope to rural women to manifest such latent discontent.