The Age of the Lumpen

In contemporary English language, the word  ‘lumpen’ or the expression ‘lumpen elements’ are used to describe a person  or persons who indulge in undesirable activities in their circle or society essentially for self interest and are not particularly bogged down by considerations of good values and ethical behaviour. To amplify further, lumpen elements are upstarts seeking money, benefits and power undeservingly and through questionable means.

Oxford English dictionary doesn't carry this word ‘lumpen’ but  carries the word ‘lump’, meaning compact shapeless mass, tumour, swelling, bruise and also ‘heavy ungainly person’, all nouns. ‘Lumpish’ is the adjective derived from ‘lump’ meaning heavy, clumsy and stupid. Whereas Google says that lumpen means ugly and ponderous in British English and in Marxist context means ‘uninterested in revolutionary advancement’- lumpen public enveloped in a culture of dependency. Lumpen would also mean lumpish, stupid, uninformed and unthinking  according to Google search. There is little doubt that lumpen has derived from 'lump'.

For our purposes here in this write up, lumpen is intended to mean unprincipled persons who have ambition to acquire power and money (or money and power) through short cut and not by dint of honest, legitimate hard work. That is why the word ‘lumpen’ is used to describe persons who, in pursuit of their selfish objectives, do not care about values, ethics and popular opinion.

‘Lumpen’ would also apply to self styled wannabe who has decided to jump into the fray to gain power and more than that money and material favours. ‘Lumpen elements’ stand for nothing, no ideology and no inhibitions in walking any path if that promises coveted gains.

Every field of activity has lumpen elements. For example in politics, there are many who do not mind joining parties for the sake of publicity, power, money even though the party may have little or no popular support. In Jammu and Kashmir some local persons have set up offices of unfamiliar parties who may be active in other parts of the country but have no visible  activity in Jammu and Kashmir and yet these persons continue to show their importance through posters and occasional statements in the media.

Such elements have practically no public support but they are there in public domain only for self interest while pretending to stand for public interest, typically lumpen. It is another matter that most among the general public do not think much of them.

Then there are political turncoats and defectors who are here one day and there the next day and at each ‘switch over’ they cite ‘public interest’ which is however often bluff and bluster. Never before in recent memory has Jammu and Kashmir witnessed such high incidence of party hopping and political dishonesty as in last few months in the run up to anticipated assembly elections. Party hopping is still going on.

Those who were bitter critics till yesterday are in the same party today.  Party hopping is happening only on the basis of their calculation as to where their personal interests are best protected and which side of the bread is buttered. These party hoppers and defectors are lumpen elements in the nature of vested interests who switch loyalties when the wind is not blowing in favour of the party they are presently in.

Some of these party hoppers are declaring their intention to contest elections as independents, not so much for winning but to split votes and it is possible that they are doing this at the behest of political opponents of the more popular parties and candidates.

Even long held ideologies are being dumped and those who never recognised the legitimacy of electoral process in Jammu and Kashmir are now willing to recognise and be part of the electoral process to try their luck. It is too early to pass a judgement on their change of heart and only time will tell whether the change of heart is permanent or driven by expediency.

We have seen during the last few years when politics was in cold storage, the lumpen trying to get close to people in power locally and show support irrespective of the ideology. In this, the lumpen would invent reasons to justify his or her new found loyalties, singing paeans of leaders in power.

Let us take another field, educational institutions. Here there are two main types of lumpen elements, one who cosy up to the authorities, right or wrong, and come to be seen as sycophants and camp followers. The other type are the ‘put ons’, that is those who pretend having knowledge and expertise but in reality are much less accomplished. The same elements then try to indulge in activities like seminars  and conferences only with the purpose to pass off as experts which, unfortunately, they are not.

Of course, majority of seminars and conferences in academic institutions are organised at the initiative of genuine scholars and experts and no one can take away the well deserved honour and credit from them. It is because of these genuine scholars and experts that institutions earn recognition and reputation. To retain this hard  earned recognition and reputation, it is incumbent on the institutions to keep the lumpen at bay and away.

Lumpen elements are also found in administration, numerous. Corruption is their commonest trait. Fortunately, the system does not prefer corrupt elements in top posts because delivery of results is more important for politicians to get re-elected, yet some sneak in using means, more foul than fair, to man important positions. However, they soon get exposed, generally, because of poor output and inability to achieve the desired results.

In fact governments everywhere and particularly in the developing world are often called out for inefficiency and poor delivery and the reason being preponderance of the lumpen of another type, the non-performers who may or may not be openly corrupt. Lumpenism in government is a serious challenge to any society.

Another important field of activity which has come to have its share of lumpen elements is that of the non-governmental sector or NGOs. Here one does not intend to belittle the success of thousands of activist who are working tirelessly for the sections of society they serve for which they deserve appreciation, applause and recognition. Some of the activists have even lost their lives in the line of duty while serving the poor and underprivileged. But there are others who are in it more for self interest and less for selfless work.

As is well known hundreds of NGOs in the country who had been receiving foreign funds have on re-verification been found to be ineligible to receive such funds under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). Doubtless the disqualification is sometimes politically motivated or based on vague generalisations about missionaries and religious proselytization, but many have been found not maintaining proper accounts, not getting accounts audited and not submitting audited accounts which is the laid down law.

And finally the media although the list of fields is not exhaustive. It is sometimes said about the current status of media that ‘earlier it was the media who would investigate for truth when lies were spread, but now the media spreads the lies and it is for others to find the truth’. This of course is not  an accurate measure of the current situation as any generalisation of this type would be grossly incorrect. It is a few lumpen elements who bring disrepute where as majority  in the media are highly talented, hard working, positively motivated and of fine character. Information and not ‘data’ is the new oil and we are all dependent on a relentless media, the proverbial fourth pillar of democracy, to get the ‘oil’ to us every day, nay every moment.

Lumpenism cannot be allowed to flourish in any field because lumpens can cause irreparable harm to the happiness and peace of mind of the unsuspecting majority. Lumpens need to be exposed and shunned and lumpenism defeated.

( Khurshid Ahmed Ganai is a retired IAS officer of erstwhile J&K cadre and a former Advisor to the Governor)