Elaborate upon Tagore’s critique of nationalism.

 1. Elaborate upon Tagore’s critique of nationalism.

Ans – Tagore was not only a poet. He was a philosopher who tried to engage with different concepts. During the period of Tagore, nationalism was one of the important concepts upon which many scholars were discussing and debating. During that time, India was under the control of the British. Thus, Indian people were also developing the sentiment of nationalism among themselves. Tagore understood the importance of nationalism, and observed it very carefully. After his careful analysis of nationalism, Tagore developed a critique of nationalism. However, it does not mean that he did not have affection towards India. However, his emotions were not limited to Indian territory and its population. He had a broader vision of world unity and cooperation. Let us try to understand his views on nationalism.

Tagore had attempted to define his understanding of a nation and nationalism in his book Nationalism (1917). He also dealt with the idea of nationalism in several of his novels, short stories, plays, letters, lectures, essays and articles. Most of the scholars agreed that Tagore was firmly opposed to nationalism as defined in the Western sense and favoured a cosmopolitan worldview instead. He was one of those who sought an alternative to narrow aggressive nationalism.

2. What were Jawaharlal Nehru views on Socialism? Explain.

Ans – Post–independence Jawaharlal Nehru dropped his earlier conviction for Russian Communism and his socialism and further, he did not aim at abolishing capitalism, but curated a new scheme for India’s development and growth i.e., co-joining certain essence of capitalism and socialism popularly referred to as ‘mixed economy’. The reasons were obvious –the newly born nation required welfare of all individuals based on secularism, democracy and socialism. The major hallmarks were to be political, social and economic equality. Its cherished maxim was liberty. However, for the good of all, this liberty was to be tethered by the state. The Indian Constitution is the other component of a democratic system that paved the way for raising the socio-economic standards of citizens.

Further, the rural masses formed the majority of the Indian population. Agriculture was the backbone of Indian economy initially; therefore, Nehru deemed it fit that rural masses became self-reliant. Thus, the adoption of Gandhian method of Khadi and cottage industries seemed like a viable alternative. He argued that through community projects the rural populations could get rid of socio-economic shortcomings as well as do away with illiteracy and ignorance gradually. However, unlike Gandhiji, Nehru did not only rely on development of villages, but put in a lot of emphasis on industries as a means to become self-sufficient and reliant on oneself. He argued that Indian poverty could not be eradicated until there was self-sufficiency in terms of utilizing science and technology for industrial purposes and its proliferation. For instance, the five year plans post-independence laid greater emphasis on establishment of heavy industries, though he had specific apprehensions too

3. Write a note on Lohiya’s views on Socialist Democracy.

Ans – Lohiya believed in socialist democracy. He was the founder of an alternative politics based on socialist ideology, with programmes of spade, vote and jail and Sapta Kranti. He described these programmes as the symbols of a new perspective of action and construction. According to Rajindar Sachar, Lohiya gave a slogan, the sheet-anchor of Democratic Socialism, thus: spade-prison-vote – where spade symbolized constructive activity, prison stood for peaceful struggle against injustice, and the vote for political action. He attempted to incorporate the Gandhian ideas into socialist thought.

He supported the power to the elected representatives of the people through parliamentary means, but accepted the non-violent direct action against any and every social, economic and political injustice.

He believed that the power of the state should be controlled, guided, and framed by people’s power. He also believed in the ideology of democratic socialism and non-violent methodology as instruments of governance.

Lohiya also elaborated his thoughts on the caste system in India. He criticized the caste system. He interacted with some of the most important anti-caste leaders, movements and organizations of India in his quest for the abolition of caste system. He also engaged with Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and Periyar Ramasami Naicker. According to Lohiya, it is necessary to put primary emphasis on the removal of caste system through systemic reform process for the success of democratic socialist movement in India.

4. What did Iqbal have to say about modernity? Elaborate.

Ans – The term ‘modernity’ in contemporary social sciences and aesthetics refers to specific ideas, institutions and practices that emerged in post-Enlightenment Europe. Modernity is associated with the rise of individualism, sciences, democracy, nation-states, capitalist economic system, separation of religion from politics and most aspects of public life, most aspects of individual and social life based on reason rather than theological belief and an attitude of critique or self-examination towards oneself, one’s history and all possible aspects. The selfcritical attitude produced by modernity would also at times produce critiques of modern ideas themselves. In the political realm Modernity connoted secularism, nation-states, an empowered individual with political and civil rights, a state meant to govern rather than rule, democracy, and free market. Modernity and its related aspects were closely linked, thus, to modern state power, as well as the cultural, ideological power of modern institutions like bureaucracy and the university, and the economic power of the ever-expanding capitalist system. With colonialism and economic ascendancy of the West, modern ideas and institutions were imposed and established in Asian, African and other regions.

Iqbal was highly critical of several aspects of Modernity, especially its political features. Iqbal’s criticism came from the standpoint of a Muslim thinker who saw in Islam cultural, ethical and political resources which could lead to the development of higher consciousness among men. Iqbal rejected several aspects of modernity which can be, thus, listed:

• The model of nation-sate which divided humanity
• The segregation of social life into private and public
• The precedence of material over spiritual

5. Examine Savarkar’s View on Nationalism.

Ans – The concept of Swarjya and Swadharma is central to his nationalism. Savarkar’s explained the concept of Swarajya in self-rule, freedom or liberation from colonialism, and Swadharma as the ultimate duty, in terms of protection of one’s religion. Thus, the two concepts are intrinsically linked to each other.

According to him, ‘Our idea of Swadharma, too, is not contradictory to Swaraj's. The two are connected as means and end. Swaraj without Swadharma is despicable, and Swadharma without Swaraj is powerless. The sword of material power, Swaraj, should always be ready drawn for our object, our safety is the other world, Swadharma.’14 The real meaning of Swarajya then is not simply merely the geographical and political independence of Bharatavarsha. It is the larger framework for protecting Hindutva as the same religious, racial, and cultural identity.

The nationalism that he propounded was belligerent and exclusionary, fashioning the politics of othering. In Savarkar’s imagination, there is a strong motif of the nation as a Hindu Rashtra. His ideas on the same can be deciphered from his speeches, compiled as the text, Hindu Rashtra Darshan.15Mirroring some of the propositions he made in the tract Essentials of Hindutva, there was a continuation of the line of thought. Apart from the political imagination of the nation, which was articulated on many occasions, Savarkar provided a socio, economic, cultural, and linguistic vision of the normative of Hindudom or Hindu Rashtra.

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