INDIVIDUAL AND SYSTEMIC VIOLENCE IN THE GOLDEN LEGEND: AN ANARCHIST STUDY

Abstract

This paper argues that Nadeem Aslam, while taking an anarchist position, explicates the incompatibility between anarchism and violence in his latest noel the Golden Legend. His social teachings, articulated through his fiction, reprobate despotism, propose a new libertarian order and suggest means by which it may be attained. Aslam asserts the primacy of non-political values i.e. Individualism, artistic creativity, moral commitments, romanticism, or simply the common pleasures of everyday living. Since he believes in the human values that promise fulfilment, justice and happiness for all individuals and seeks its perpetuation in the reign of love and toleration of multiple ethnicities and religious entities living in Pakistan, he transcends the lines drawn between humanity by various power groups. The novel demonstrates Aslam’s uncompromising rejection of rites and rituals imposed by a distorted theocratic perspective that border on new-fascism, and is unaccepting of differences. It further sets to prove that Aslam asserts that brand of anarchism which rests on the principle of non-violence. Through a number of harrowing incidents, drawn from the recent history, he exhibits that violence does not help to challenge the state credo; rather, it drives individuals towards it, thus never ending the vicious cycle. He propagates the view that the individual- not the state or state-defined theocratic rule is sovereign; Aslam’s social analysis gives primary precedence to the individual and his personal needs, desires, rather than with society, religion or any other socio-cultural mores, the state or the pattern of history. Keywords: Anarchism, individual autonomy, new-fascism, radicalism, militarism, sovereignty, state organs.