Broken Republic Quotes

“The first step towards reimagining a world gone terribly wrong would be to stop the annihilation of those who have a different imagination–an imagination that is outside of capitalism as well as communism. An imagination which has an altogether different understanding of what constitutes happiness and fulfilment. To gain this philosophical space, it is necessary to concede some physical space for survival of those who may look like the keepers of our past but who may really be the guides to our future. To do this, we have to ask our rulers: Can you leave the water in the rivers, the trees in the forest? Can you leave the bauxite in the mountain?”
― Arundhati Roy, Broken Republic: Three Essays

“He was a candid man, the SP: 'See, ma'am, frankly speaking this problem can't be solved by us police or military. The problem with these tribals is they don't understand greed. Unless they become greedy there's no hope for us. I have told my boss, remove the force and instead put a TV in every home. Everything will be automatically sorted out.”
― Arundhati Roy, Broken Republic: Three Essays

“But can we, should we, let apprehensions about the future immobilize us in the present?”
― Arundhati Roy, Broken Republic: Three Essays

“Sometimes it seems very much as though those who have a radical vision for a newer, better world do not have the steel it takes to resist the military onslaught, and those who have the steel do not have the vision.”
― Arundhati Roy, Broken Republic: Three Essays

“Can starving people go on a hunger strike? And do hunger strikes work when they're not on TV?”
― Arundhati Roy, Broken Republic: Three Essays

“The Maoists are not the only ones who seek to depose the Indian State. It's already been deposed, several times, by Hindu fundamentalism and economic totalitarianism.”
― Arundhati Roy, Broken Republic: Three Essays

“The police force is gradually being turned into an army. (In Kashmir it's the other way around. The army is being turned into a corrupt, administrative police force.) Upside down. Inside out. Either way, the Enemy is the People.”
― Arundhati Roy, Broken Republic: Three Essays