R00 Politics

- the Indian socialists opposed both the capitalist inequalities and communist dictatorship. But unlike democratic socialist parties in Europe , Indian socialism was not merely a watered- down, pinkish version of the communist Left.
- Their immersion in the freedom struggle and their encounter with Gandhi transformed their ideas and politics. Thus Indian socialism is not just the Indian version of democratic socialism. It is a distinct political ideology that combined the quest for economic equality with caste and gender-based justice, political and economic decentralisation, cultural decolonisation and non-violent resistance. Indian socialism was an indigenous socialism.
- The socialists are naturally opposed to capitalist inequalities and oppression; this has become more relevant in the context of sharp rise of billionnaiares in the amid rising impoverishment. But let us focus here on the special contribution of the socialists.
- these three lessons
- Indian socialists were firmly nationalists. Theirs was not a narrow, parochial nationalism. their nationalism was mainly about nation-building, communal amity and independent foreign policy. positive nationalism of Indian socialists can be the effective antidote to the fake, bigoted nationalism being perpetuated today.
- politics of cultural self-respect Indian socialists affirms our civilizational heritage in our own terms. Their critique of the dominance of English, without endorsing the hegemony of Hindi, offers an alternative cultural politics. Their empathy for religion, provides the possibility of a dialogue with an ordinary believing Indian.
- the socialist politics of social justice, especially their opposition to caste-based inequalities. Besides Ambedkar, the Indian socialists were among the first ones to recognise caste as the principal vector of inequality in Indian society. They raised the demand for affirmative action for the “backwards” (for Lohia, this category included SC, ST, OBC, Minorities and Women).