Why india is a socialist loser the country must realise that the experiment went bust long ago or another generation will be lost and the global economy may leave the republic behind. Nehru was brought up and received, his schooling under democratic traditions. The importance of jawaharlal nehru in the context of indian history can be distilled to the following points. Nehrus socialism stands vindicated national herald. Iyenger to instill the socialist ideas 1jag mohan, jawaharlal nehru and his socialism. A note on socialist thinking of pandit jawaharlal nehru. Mahatma gandhi understood his passion and once explained that nehru wanted socialism by any means, even without nonviolence. Nehru was prime minister for 17 years, until his death in 1964. Einstein expresses important concerns about capitalism and socialism. Not only he took a leading part in indian freedom struggle, he was an opponent of colonialism.
Thus father and daughter led the country for 25 of the 30 years. The high ideals of democracy and socialism were epitomized in him. History had selected india as one of democracys and socialisms chief testing grounds. Nehru and socialism, nanda refers to nehrus own writings, the. The name fabian derives from quintus fabius maximus verrucosus, the roman general famous for his delaying tactics against hannibal during the second punic war. Dantwala if a straight question were asked whether pandit nehru had a welldefined economic ideology which could be given one of the known labels, the answer would perhaps be in the negative, while some would consider this as unfortunate, others like this writer would consider it a saving grace. Born in an aristocratic and wealthy family, there was nothing in his upbringing and association to prompt nehru to accept the socialist creed. But once he took office, this passion for socialism disappeared and reappeared only seven years before his death. Ive added links, some to within the document and some external, to my website and other sources. Like capitalism, though, socialism is a nuanced word with several definitions in circulation. The improved health services post independence had led to the a population explosion too, as population growth shot up to 2. The movement grew quickly in popularity as it espoused the causes of indias farmers and labourers against the zamindars, princely class and landed gentry. Colins,17831859 4 warren,17981874 rodbertus,18051875 2 blanqui,18051881 proudhon,180918651 delescluze,i809187i 7 marlo,18101865 2 belinsky,18111848 3 ketteler,18111877 10 herzen,18121870 3 bakunin,18141876 6,8,9 marx,18181883 6,8,10,11 ruskin,18191900 14. The death cafe movement is a social franchise set up in the uk in 2011 by jon underwood and sue barsky reid.
Nehru did not much care to philosophise about what socialism was. Gandhi was also never in favor of socialism propounded by nehru, which emphasized on largescale production. Socialism, whose essence is the removal of poverty and establishment of equal opportunities if not of equality in the strictest sense, has necessarily to suit the conditions of each country, and nehru s constant effort was to bring about changes without destroying the fabric of indian society, even if certain parts of that fabric were to be replaced. Nehrus policies had made india the most egalitarian country in the world. The soul of man under socialism oscar wilde the famous writer and poet oscar wildes key text outlining his personal vision for a libertarian socialist society, and its implications for personal freedom and potential. Although nehru called himse lf a socialist but he never accept ed the socialism advocat ed by karl marx and lenin. Nehru like other nationalists welcomed our political freedom but unlike most of them started working towards socialism, only through which, he thought, the countrys economic goals could be realised.
Feudal socialism, clerical socialism, pettybourgeois socialism, german or true socialism. Mosse in spite of nearly thirty years of research the intellectual origins of national socialism are still shrouded in a darkness as impenetrable as the mystical ideologies present at its beginnings. The latter is the only acceptable interpretation, taking the man and his lifework as a whole. Jawaharlal nehru was a democrat as well as a socialist. Nehru was not a pioneer in the socialist field in india. He was the harbinger of the socialist trend in indian national movement and, indeed, was instrumental in making india embark upon the path of socialism. Nehrus socialism, as i mentioned above, starts from the value of the individual and is integrally related to the democratic ideals. As once he made an attempt with the help of subhas bose and s. Socialism, whose essence is the removal of poverty and establishment of equal opportunities if not of equality in the strictest sense, has necessarily to suit the conditions of each country, and nehrus constant effort was to bring about changes without destroying the fabric of indian society, even if certain parts of that fabric were to be. Fabianism, socialist movement and theory that emerged from the activities of the fabian society, which was founded in london in 1884 fabianism became prominent in british socialist theory in the 1880s.
Lovell industrial society suggests that the dominant marxism was a historical detour for socialism, and invites a reappraisal of the deeprooted ethical strands within socialism. Reprinted in nehru on socialism, selected speeches and writings perspective publications, new delhi, 1964, 64. Nehru considered he free to examine the claims of every ideology which served the social purpose. This is a book about restoring our values and our nationalcharacter. Jawaharlal nehrus concept and programme of socialism. In all his theoretical exercises nehru considered socialism as the panacea. A case study of humanism, secularism and socialism thoughts of.
Jawaharlal nehru was pm from 1947 till his death in may 1964, while indira gandhi was pm from january 1966 to march 1977. He was the survivor of indias great cultural heritage and wanted to combine tradition with modernity. The nehru years in indian politics centre of african studies. Jawaharlal nehru democracy and socialism are means to an. Socialism in india is a political movement founded early in the 20th century, as a part of the broader indian independence movement against the colonial british raj. He argued that democratic socialism could mitigate the evils of all the third world countries.
Nehru was above all creed and dogma and he had a profound dislike for things static and hence for. Kerala 1959 or to offset the collapse of merger moves between. Nehrus travelled the various riots affects parts of country during partition and tried to convince people about the harmonicons living. Dedicated most importantly,to your freedom to think and to be. But as a student of cambridge, he was first exposed to socialistic ideas. Life expectancy in india had gone up from 32 years in 1947 to 47 years by 1965. He emerged as an eminent leader of the indian independence movement and served india as prime minister.
Nehrus conception of socialism economic and political. Jawaharlal nehru, humanism, socialism, liberation, struggles, artistic sensibility. India, wanted to combine the desired economic growth of the newly liberated. It is this meaning of communism as opposed to socialism that evolved in the late nineteenth century that this article discusses. Jawaharlal nehrus ideal of socialism as a form of humanism. In the early 1930s, there was a major economic depression.
He foll owed the fabian so ciety which wa s founded in british in 1884. Why did nehru choose socialism to capitalism despite the. This massive production, gandhi feared, would lead to greater exploitation and urbanization. In the thirties, in the absence of panditji, when gandhiji had drafted a working committee resolution on the social.
Democratic socialism the relationship between democracy. Humanism, secularism, socialism thoughts, pandit jawaharlal nehru. As, other prominent leaders considered either hindu minded on muslim fantasists 4. One of the leading figures in the indian independence movement, nehru was elected by the congress party to assume office as independent indias first prime minister. It is this emphasis on decentralization that endeared gandhi to vinoba bhave and jayaprakash narayan, and not to. In his presidential address to the lahore congress in december 1929, nehru affirmed that he was a socialist and republican, making him the enfant terrible of indian politics. Nehruvian socialism or the more poularly called nehruism was derived largely from a marxist worldview and the fabianist idea of socialismwhich could be attributed to.
Nehru also believed in socialism and leftist ideas. Nehru stayed in england for seven years and completedhis formal education. Nehru believed that socialism was the panacea of all human ills. In marxs work, there is a difference between communism and socialism. Nehru believed that only indian national congress was a party which could lead the masses so he tried to instill socialist creed within congress ideology rather supporting any faction of it. Indias population had grown from around 345 million in 1947 to around 472 million in 1964. To me, the postnehru embellishments seem more like communism and less like. Socialism is an economic system, a political movement, and a social theory. In the mean time, ussr, who had the socialist economy was doing fabulous. Jawaharlal nehru was an indian statesman who was the first prime minister of india, from 1947 until 1964.
Socialism shaped the principal economic and social policies of the indian. In simple terms, democratic socialism as an ideology is an extension of the liberal propagation of democracy altered to. Nehru s love of individual liberty was a part of his western heritage. Views of nehru ji on socialism and secularism youtube. The nehrus are not related, note, to mahatma gandhis family indira.
The chief advantage that would result from the establishment of socialism is, undoubtedly. Jawaharlal nehru became interested in socialism from an early. The political philosophy of jawaharlal nehru london. It is a space where people, often strangers, come together to share food, drink tea. Economic policies of jawaharlal nehru were characterized by strong governmental and state control over the various economic sectors of the country. His daughter, indira gandhi, became prime minister in 1966. The increasing gap between proletariat and bourgeoisie will be so great that the working classes will rise up in revolution and overthrow the elite bourgeoisie. The problem with debating nehru is that the neither side will ever get convinced of the other guys argument on points like economics, defence, kashmir, patel, netaji, edwina etc. Jawaharlal nehru was an avowed supporter of socialism. Nehrus prose and speeches focusing on humanism, socialism. One of the main exponents of democratic socialism was the former indian prime minister nehru. Democratic socialism encyclopedia of activism and social justice sage reference project forthcoming democratic socialism the relationship between democracy and socialism is a curious one.
His sojourn in england had a great influence on him. He was the sole leader who was listened by the minorities during those days. The theory of market forces did not correct the things. Nehruvian socialism an assessment of indian economy. Nehru played a significant part in enabling india to meet this challenge. Conservative, or bourgeois socialism, which has a kind of echo in the socalled socialism of the socialdemocratic and labour parties. It was in this blend of ideology and idealism with pragmatism that nehrus greatness lay. Jawaharlal nehrus ideal of socialism as a form of humanism historical survey the term socialism is derived from the latin word socius, which signifies a comrade, an ally, or a partner. It was only through socialism that poverty, unemployment and economic miseries.
Jawaharlal nehru was a great indian democratic socialist. Capitalism contained the seeds of its own destruction overproduction, unemployment, etc. Though it is well known that nietzsche and wagner were among the predecessors of the. Nehrus views on democratic socialism your article library.
1196 1109 1016 704 1099 120 241 562 231 1090 347 1270 483 466 459 300 941 1548 926 526 972 404 812 630 444 401 1344 1384 660 844 356 566 850 1173 848 882 575 253 379 442 439 1172 637 1055 51 511