Ritwik Ghatak’s thesisby Shonkho Grib (Notes) on Saturday, April 3, 2010 at 11:53am this thesis submitted by noted Indian filmmaker Ritwik Kumar Ghatak to the Communist Party of India in 1954. It remained undiscovered till 1993. The thesis remained buried for many years, and was only discovered in old files in the Communist Party Office. Going through the thesis, it becomes vivid that the same situation persists even today. As a result, such a strong pen is relevant till this date. Preamble to the thesis: We are witnessing a curious phenomenon today. We are witnessing an unprecedented expansion of progressive influence in the cultural sphere. Through their art, many common artists, from professional and other fields, are indicating that they are drawing closer to the people. Artists are taking up the cause of the people. What is curious in it ? It is a matter of rejoicing for us. But it is curious all the same. It is curious because no Communist artist is working among them, no Communist influence by example is guiding them today. In fact, our artists in those spheres are miserable figures and are glad, for all practical purposes, to remain so. This is curious. This is not curious, it seems monstrous when we think of our current smug complacency. We are hurrying and bustling and talking and running, and all the while we are actually sitting on the movement. We, the Communist artists. Not a single art-work of high value has come from us in the last four years. We are reviving our past work, rehearsing and giving it a new name, or else creating Amateur, third-rate work. And all the while, we remain “talkers-in-chief”. This is definitely monstrous. And the few truly creative artists among us are moving further away from the Party day by day. The facts are telling us so. If and when asked, we have stock answers. The most repeated among them are : “There is a lack of any Party Lon on culture,” or, “The Party itself does not care,” and even, “The Party is happy about the way we are working,” and sometimes, “Joshi’s Golden Period should come back again for the sake of Culture”. the Organization. the Party. such as how many times the Party’s works have been issued and how many cadres and groups of workers and employed. one receives the cold shoulder. and to Culture. to admit that if we want to get the attention of the party. even serious comrades of the Party Committees become reticent and diffident: “That is culture. comrades. whenever anything concerning culture comes up. is given in the form of statistics. Even when the Peace Council of similar body presents a slogan on Culture. through its Committees. in fact. with the building of mass organizations.Often. the nonchalant manner of the Party that has allowed these things to grow. but truthful. but when one loses proportion. Any uneasy question will immediately draw vague allusions to the condition of the Party. This is disheartening. Yet another answer given in reply to the query concerning high art-work. It is very difficult to determine how much the Party cares for culture as the property of the people. Anyway. and the attention of the Party becomes focused on it. and. and with the Democratic Front … some other time. It is. though to our minds. we are fighting to cope with the sudden expansion of the Party’s influence. the Country. This is extremely disheartening. silence. we must show the benefit that will accrue to the Party as a whole. It is sad. the Party is more interested in taking things from Culture. It is an injustice to solely blame ourselves. comrades. we have such and such engagements. Everything has value. and then. We are overworked. It seems that we are doomed to remain where we are today. we have had too much justice and deserve some injustice for a change. in reply.” That other time never comes. At present. More disheartening is. one substitute the value of one for the value of the other. two as a mobilizer of meetings and conferences to keep the crowd (and not masses) engaged with whatever the artists can offer. Something or the other bobs up like the proverbial Cromwell’s head. We have such and such jobs at hand. and so-and-so is busy with those problems. but they just can not be helped). and we know nothing of your problems. The Party generally see the Cultural Front in two ways – one. Have they no value ? This is the crux of the matter. . At least it has not come in the last few years. calls on us to execute the routine. as a “money – earning machine” (these are harsh words we know. the Party must be criticized. We have tried to remember this fact in our discussions. but due to a lack of an organized and serious effort on our part. and our share in Party rights and responsibilities. to show that the problems [Party's lack of a cultural line] are of an organizational. in the form that we think will best clarify our points. We propose. though intricately interconnected. and people can be roused and enthused through our art-work. We shall divide our discussions into three parts. It has to be unequivocally declared that we are not seeking a Golden Period. to admit that all that we and other comrades are saying. . This task is the order of the day. and Art. is the order of the day. We shall take up special problems pertaining to our work and we hope to show that they can be solved. but truthful. what we are losing. we came into contact with the Party and the people. we think. all revolving around the central point of organization. so that the Party can impose discipline on the Cultural Front. It has to unequivocally declared that what is needed from the Party is simply their undivided attention. all these have to be unequivocally declared and in clear-cut language. Such is the condition today. however sincere. and which way to go. It has to be unequivocally declared that the attitude of difference of the comrades. Such straightforwardness. This task has to be executed today. We are putting forth what needs to be stated. Organization is the key to the whole problem. We hope that the Party will circulate this among the comrades. The comrades themselves are able to solve the particular problems of art. It has to be unequivocally declared that the party is losing a lot from this attitude and is allowing potential danger to develop within Party.It is also sad. It has to be unequivocally declared that the problem of culture is basically the problem of organization at the level of the Party. not ideological nature. in this paper. but a proper place in the body of the Party. In our work. It has to be unequivocally declared that our lack of creation is not the result is a lack of a Party line on Culture. the Platform. is broadening the gulf between the Party and the culture workers. demonstrates a singular lack of understanding of what is needed. They present three sets of problems. we can understand our tasks in building the Democratic Front. we will then try to arrive at a conclusion. through our own art and platforms. Today. we mean real non-Party people and real artists – specialists of high standing ability. It means learning the whole process. haste and sweeping measures are the worst possible things. these Amateurs are treated as a part of mass organization building problems. and to harness it to our purpose. . indeed. We must strive to make them accept such primary works so that they may understand and then respect our sincerity. We have to take all this is good in that culture. Slogans will never do here. and learning the experiments and achievements of the past. methodical. we will come to logical conclusions that are inherent in Bourgeois culture and are crying for release. in its variety of uses and approaches. is our task as Communists. to learn their form. We have already said that from the overall Party point of view. honesty of purpose and artistic caliber. To push our major creative works towards and among these common artists and to make them accept these works is no mean job. a potential sinking fund. It means studying the past with scrupulous care.We know that just to express all that we hold dear and to present that expression to the masses. because it is a creative process. we have so much to learn – indeed ! And in such manners. Generally. Then. these are the secrets if inspiration and intensity and sublimity of feeling. the other side [Bourgeois culture] becomes immediately important. This is a problem of a two-pronged offensive. This form is of decisive importance today. And finally. Then we have to reshape that culture to achieve our goals. From the beginning. and other creative work should be continually pushed towards common artists.” that is. We also know that the moment we start to do this. our Composers’ songs. their mode of handling philosophic content. it means learning that this process is not simply 2 + 2 = 4. How should we proceed ? We must proceed by admitting that in relation to Bourgeois culture we are. and to the end. Our dramas. so to speak: the Amateurs of the localities. which it contains in profusion. our Regisseur’s production services. with quality. who are with us today and who are a more valuable possession. in a very bad state. we cannot rigidly fix the phases of the process. We do not mean the non-Party minority (who are else sympathizers). There is another point of contact from our point of view – a possible source of reserve forces. Our comrades should creatively work among these artists in order to learn their “melody and speech” and method of their “utterances. tenacious work is what is necessary. we cannot except any radical change in this approach. To understand this form means learning the trade. It can only be done in one way – with high artistic value and sincerity of content. Actually. to the final art product. it is an adult’s business. from the inception of “theme-content” through stages of development. slow. because we may lose balance and defeat our own purpose by becoming isolated. It means learning the other truths. And the. That is the main reason why they [Amateurs] should be drawn into the Federation. These are very hard tasks. This is the point. In such an Academy. the fountainhead. Such an academy. and only then. In all probability. theory and practice of art forms may be encouraged to think. Because such artists from among the workers and peasants. But they are rarely found in that illuminated state. one Mukunda Das. That is what is needed. bound to bring into sharp relief the historic task of the artists. From our standpoint. And we will be well paid. one Nazrul. This one organizational stroke will immensely help in building a Democratic Front. our job is half done. complemented by new thoughts. and constantly kept on the proper level by tireless vigilance. . from the standpoint of Culture. when co-ordinated. will last longer. If we succeed in making common artists and Amateurs consistently and logically think. such a Forum. and at the same time. we can inculcate Marxist thought in a much more interesting manner than is otherwise possible. Such a place.But we must understand that we have to look at them from that perspective. if developed and not spoilt by glorification. Logical thinking gives birth to analysis of oneself and one’s art. can we derive the full benefit from the policy of keeping MODELS in practice. fade slower and be brighter than many. this is why we should work among the Amateurs. In such academies. We must relentlessly pursue and strive to establish theory as the most important perspective of the Academy. Among them [Amateurs] there are sparks. We must work among them to become more serious. is the order of the day. Those sparks. the source of new cadres. This is the proper relation. will see the building of a Democratic Front in Collective Arts – the most popular art forms. if developed. We have to search for them. To guide the whole Federation in our direction. there are more sparks in them than are dreamt of by many of us. weighed. All these. checked. This [logical thinking] will help build the necessary atmosphere for a serious attitude that will guide them on to new pastures – and also make us conscious of the magnitude of our task. will see the whole thing through and fight to the last. That is bound to reveal the pattern and hence. If we find one Sarat Chandra. we must strive to demonstrate practice through our group actions and creative achievements. we must form a Central Forum from which we will be able to propagate our theories and practices of art. They are the breeding ground. where eminent specialists can and must be mobilized for teaching. is an Academy of histrionic arts and conservatoire for music. our job is well done. tackle them and will be solved. We have to come to grips with these problems. teach them and bring them into the Federation. but these are the tasks. Continually. put emphasis where it is necessary. This is a task of FACTIONS at all levels. We must regroup our forces. This way of thinking is shallow and a dangerously wrong approach to organization building. Such is the nature of our task concerning a Democratic Front and our hegemony in culture. systematically. and position our cadres in the most effective manner possible. We have to think in terms of available human materials. his public. Our Party artists have to organize these tasks and execute them. thoroughly watch and account and control on all levels. . The nature of the task indicates that only artists can handle the job. the artist reaches out to the People. All the tasks here are to be executed by the artists themselves. For. because Communist artists are the organizers. Non-artistic Art-organizer will solve the problems to the exact extent that Eskimo hunting songs will rouse and guide Hottentots to revolutionary action! This is not a mass-organization where problems are of a general nature. through the platform where he is creatively employed. it is a monstrous tautology. we will have to regroup our forces. these are the weapons to be used. This is our approach to the People. find slogans corresponding to the stage of development. allot tasks. There is no such occupation as an Art-organizer. The success of a Democratic Front depends upon this work.In order to achieve this. From the Party point of view this is the most important job in the Federation. and watch. No such job exists.