April 4th, 2022
It is said that theory is not an answer sheet, but a storehouse of options. That is why theory is called ‘science’. It is not considered as the holy books like ‘Veda, Bible, Quran or religious scriptures’. What is written in theory is not ‘chanted’, rather it is put to practice innovatively corresponding to the ground reality. A theory can open up options for many answers depending on the context. For example, if asked what happens if we add 2 + 2? Then the answer would be 4. But if asked again, what 4 would equal to? We may have many answers of it. ‘2 + 2 equal to 4. It is an answer, but what does a 4 equal to?’ is like a principle! The storage of data tells us what the facts are, and it is up to us to decide how to use the facts for the benefit of humankind.
Distinguished guests,
The guest speakers have said a lot about the book. So, I don’t think there is much to say further about it. Whatever is in the book, it is published and has brought to the public now. Your suggestions will be a guide for the future.
I was in a dilemma whether to take this book to publication. I asked some personalities who are also present in this event here and some of my comrades for their opinion. Some friends encouraged me enthusiastically. My GEFONT comrades said, ‘Let’s make it. It will be an important document even for tomorrow!’
Inspired by the encouragement, I recalled a saying of German philosopher, Karl Marx, who was born 199 years ago today – ‘Reason has always existed, but not always in a reasonable form!’
I asked myself how logical my statement would be, but I subdued my dilemma with the impetus of a comrade present in this hall today. He said while highlighting ‘The Golden Circle Theory’ of Simon Sinek that everyone can explain at length what do you do and how do you do. But many get confused as to why do you do. It’s a small thing, but if the cause cannot be found, then ‘what’ and ‘how’ are useless.
Could I make my statement clear to you?!
I recalled Karl Marx again. Somewhere he said – ‘I am nothing, but I must be everything.’
In a country like ours where no system is organised, this statement of Karl Marx is also the experience of a person like me. If I remain silent by saying who I am and why someone should listen to me or read what I write, a person like me will have to face a question at a particular time – why and for what reason I didn’t speak even when I should do.
Let me share an incident. About 25 years ago, an educated friend asked me if we could meet. I said I would let him know about my availability after some time. But he insisted if we could meet the next day. I told him I could not manage it the next day as I was busy. He asked, ‘There is no strike and protest these days. What are you busy with, man?’ Going even further, another friend asked, ‘Why are you still with the organisation of coolies and ragpickers?’
The erstwhile General Secretary of GEFONT is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Tribhuvan University. He has been teaching economics to postgraduate students for thirty years. One day I asked him, ‘What do you think is the hardest thing in life?’ He answered, ‘Comrade Bishnu, the most difficult task is to explain to the people.’
I also did not know how to tell my comrades what would happen if the trade union did not participate in the discussions happen from the workplace to the hall of the National Planning Commission. I also could not explain to the colleagues and comrades about the issues of climate change, labour and employment policy, taxation, international treaties and agreements and how they would affect the union’s day-to-day work.
It happens also within the union. One day, I was speaking about a labour force survey. My friends asked:
I gave a diplomatic answer:
Comrades, it is said that theory is not an answer sheet, but a storehouse of options. That is why theory is called ‘science’. It is not considered as the holy books like ‘Veda, Bible, Quran or religious scriptures’. What is written in theory is not ‘chanted’, rather it is put to practice creatively corresponding to the ground reality. A theory can open up options for many answers depending on the context. For example, if asked what happens if we add 2 ++ 2? Then the answer would be 4. But if asked again, what 4 would equal to? We may have many answers of it. ‘2 + 2 equal to 4. It is an answer, but what does a 4 equal to?’ is like a principle! The storage of data tells us what the facts are, and it is up to us to decide how to use the facts for the benefit of humankind.
Therefore, it is now up to us how our movement should take the facts presented to us by the labour force survey. To make my point to it, I took support of Karl Marx again – ‘To be a radical is to grasp things by the root.’
There are some ritual days of trade unions, which are March 8, April 28, May 1, June 12, October 7, November 20, December 18, and so on. The saga of history is reiterated, and the same stories are retold on these days.
However, we discuss its relevance. Our message is clear:
Things that have been possible today were impossible until some days ago. So, learn the lesson from it and keep fighting for more. Remember those who left us and whom we lost but continue to fighting for the survivors.
Many of you present here today may feel that those involved in the union movements are rough and ready. ‘Royal politeness’ may not be paralleled in their expressions. I also wonder if unionists around the world are trained by the words of Martin Luther King Jr. He has a famous saying about change –
Our unionists sometimes are seen to be running for a competition to not bend their backs leaving aside other things.
What does the world of work cover? Is it only the job of the union to increase salary by 2 to 4 rupees and vent their anger at the workplace? What is the role of a union leader? Is it just to deliver a good speech to the listeners or to set the direction of our movement?
The message on overall issues to be conveyed to the world on behalf of Nepali trade union and its members has been recorded in this book with the best use of my wisdom. The book now has reached to the readers, beyond the circle of members, through this programme and I leave it at their disposal to evaluate how clearly the subject matter has been expressed and explained.
Many comrades in the world of work recall the statement of Karl Marx – ‘The workers of the world unite!’ ‘The proletariats have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.’ Such statements are the source of inspiration for us. But in the meantime, if to borrow the words of Pradip Gyawali, the ‘clouds of distortion’ have started to cast over the sky of the trade union movement.
‘Necessity is blind until it becomes conscious. Freedom is the consciousness of necessity.’ We highlight this quotation of Karl Marx more often to catch the crux of the matter.
I would like to thank you comrades Mukunda Neupane, Pradip Gyawali, Hari Sharma, Somlal Subedi, Bhavani Rana, and leaders of Joint Trade Union Coordination Centre (JTUCC) including Laxman Basnet and other invited guests, media persons and colleagues for accepting our invitation to today’s programme.
Many thanks to comrades Shardul Bhattarai, Mahendra Shrestha, Kiran Mali, Manoj Pandey, colleagues of GEFONT, and Comrades Bal Krishna Kattel, Dr Yuvraj Khatiwada, Dr Praveen Sinha, Dr Sharan KC, Mukunda Kattel, Usha Kiran Bhandari and others who have joined to the publication with their respective roles and contributions.
[Speech delivered at the book launch ceremony as the author of the book Garikhaneka Namama, Alpha House Baneshwar; 200th Birthday of Karl Marx (5 May 2017)]