Description
‘The Epic of Tea: Politics in the Plantations of Sri Lanka’ gives a vivid description of the anguish and ethos of an oppressed group of people, who were encouraged to migrate to Sri Lanka first by recruiters in India, and then by British imperialists intent on developing the capitalist mode of production. This book reveals the semi slave and feudal circumstances and conditions under which they worked during the British Raj. It also reveals their aspiration to liberate themselves from bonded labour, their awareness of trade unionism, and the arduous task of moulding trade unions, often under the leadership provided by left forces in the country. Furthermore, this book highlights their struggles to win legitimate rights, their sacrifices and the victories, which impacted legislation, their disenfranchisement, and the roles played by their leaders and by reactionary politicians.
