Nobodies to Somebodies: The Rise of the Colonial Bourgeoisie in Sri Lanka by Kumari Jayawardena

Nobodies to Somebodies: The Rise of the Colonial Bourgeoisie in Sri Lanka Reviews

• 
  Palmyrah

  This gets five stars for being (1) the standard text on its subject and (2) both academically complete and interesting to the general reader. Jayawardena is a feminist and at least a nominal Marxist, but apart from a few hiccups when talking about economic matters, her politics are not particularly obtrusive. Lucidly, in detail and without bias, this book tells the story of the rise of the native middle class--what Marx would have called the 'comprador class', though Jayawardena avoids the term--that emerged from the colonial era in Ceylon, the country now known as Sri Lanka, and how they came to dominate politics and the economy of Sri Lanka in the post-Independence era. Even though that dominance is now sadly eroded, no-one with an interest in the 'island paradise' of Sri Lanka and its sad history of failure and tragedy as an independent State can afford not to read this book.
  
  (I have also posted this review on the Amazon.com web site)
• 
  Vin

  A fantastic study on the rise of the colonial bourgeoisie in Sri Lanka, this study made clear to me how one can't analyse Sri Lankan history without taking into consideration class, caste, ethnicity, gender and how they are all interlinked. It explains also how the past presidential families gained their power, some from humble beginnings, and the seeds of conflict that were sown for the eventual war that has ensued. I also found it very interesting to read the differences from India in gaining independence from the British, and how there was no real serious agitation in wanting self rule.