From Marxism to Democratic Socialism : The Deeper Roots of Affinity
Contents: Introduction. Acknowledgements. 1. Search for alternative to Gandhism (1920-1931). 2. Reaction resisted. 3. The leftist posture. 4. Backing the wrong horses (1935-40). 5. The deeper roots of affinity. 6. Working of the new equations: Quit India and the C.S.P. (1939-42). 7. Colonial constraints and the Gandhian alternative. Select bibliography. Index.
"This book concentrates on the problems of combining socialism with nationalist revolution in India. Emergence of the Congress Socialist Party in 1934 within the Congress for institutionalising Socialism within the Nationalist Movement posed unique problems. The parallel running streams of socialism and nationalism, full of insinuations for each other up till now, were sought to be combined by an afford to replace the traditional and slow pace Gandhian strategy by the Marxian technique; thus seeking the desired rejuvenation of the National Movement. The recurring failures of the Gandhian Movements had rendered this blend of Nationalism and Socialism an unavoidable change on the twin planes of immediate anti-imperialist strategy and ultimate objective of establishing a socialistic state through the Indian National Movement. The role of becoming the link between the socialist and the nationalist revolutions rendered the Congress Socialism not only unique but different from the communists and the M.N. Roy Group on the one hand and from Nehru and Subash on the other. This pattern of prolonged experience of fourteen years of origin and growth of the party led this organisation through various pros and cons on organisational and ideological levels which are worth noting. The Indian National Congress too could not overlook or remain untouched, despite all stubborn resistances from the constant organisational and ideological thrust. This experiment forced on it, both as leader of the Nationalist Movement and also as policy maker, a new and upcoming nation.
Indeed, in such process the nuances of the origin and growth of the Congress Socialist Party, as an organisation, were wrought with hurricanes of inconsistencies of implement of such incongruous an experiment. The greatest of it was the overlooking of the deeper affinities that the socialists had felt with Gandhi and which strangely and through an inner automation soon brought them back to him.
The complete exercise, however, with all its inconsistencies and incongruousness, showed far reaching results in the unique form and Indian blend of socialism finally acquired. The inconsistencies, numerous as they are, do not at all overshadow the fact that the golden shine amidst the clouds of bondage brighten up much more when an analysis of the Indian National Movement, led by the Indian National Congress and Gandhi, is made in alignment with process of evolution of the Congress Socialist Party. The present work gives a touch of it." (jacket)
