Socialism in India

Pre Independence:

The colonial rule in India was full of exploitation of poor Indian farmers, laborers by wealthy
zamindars, princely class and landed gentry. There was a wide gap between the income of the
majority of the population and the few affluents. Amidst this situation, socialism started as a
political movement as a part of the broader Independence movement. At the time of the
Russian revolution, Marxism made a major impact on the Indian media. During World War I,
there was a rapid expansion of industries in India that resulted in the growth of the industrial
proletariat. At the same time, the price of essential commodities increased. Due to this gross
exploitation of the working class, India saw an upsurge in Socialism. The idea of socialism
became integrated with the independence movement.

Many freedom fighters got attracted to the lure of socialism as the correct means of nation-
building while dreaming of independent India. The writing of Karl Marx inspired many Indians
during the Russian revolution. Bal Gangadhar Tilak was one of the prominent independence
activists who praised Marx's ideology and Lenin's communist rule.

The communist party of India was founded in1920 in Tashkent by M.N Roy, Evelina Trench Roy,
Abani Mukherji, Rosa Fitingof, Mohd. Ali, Mohd. Shafiq Siddiqui, and M.P.B.T Acharya.1

Hindustan Socialist Republic Association (also known as Hindustan Socialist Republic Army),
founded in 1928, is a notable example of socialist inclination of the youth then. Chandrashekhar
Azad, Bhagat Singh, and Sukhdev were among the prominent leaders of HSRA. Bhagat Singh, an
influential young leader of HSRA and one of the most respected revolutionaries, believed that
socialism in needed for a diverse country in Indai to thrive, he wrote in his letter to the Punjab
government," Till Communist Party comes to power and people live without unequal status,
our struggle will continue. It cannot be brought to an end by killing us: it will continue openly as
well as secretly”. In the famous statement on June 6, 1929, Bhagat Singh said: “The whole

M.V.S KOTESWARA RAO, COMMUNIST PARTIES AND UNITED FRONT – EXPERIENCE IN KERELA
1

AND WEST BENGAL 88-89 (2003).

edifice of this civilization, if not saved in time, shall crumble. A radical change, therefore, is
necessary and it is the duty of those who realise it to reorganize society on the socialistic basis.
Unless this thing is done and the exploitation of man by man and of nations by nations is
brought to an end, sufferings and carnage with which humanity is threatened today cannot be
prevented.”

The leader of Indian National Army, Subhash Chandra Bose, leaned towards authoritarian
means of building socialism. He considered USSR a role model for India and after the World
War II; he believed that democracy would fail India. He had significant disagreements with
Gandhi's method of non-violent struggle. After being elected as president of Indian National
Congress for two years consecutively, he resigned due to his ideological differences with
Gandhi.

Vinoba Bhave was a spiritual leader and a freedom fighter who advocated non violence and
socialist ideas of basic human rights. He is best known for the Bhoodan Movement, which
encouraged landlords to willingly give away a percentage of their land to the poor farmers. It
was a voluntary land reform movement that upheld the highest socialist ideals. He was one of
the biggest proponents of socialism in India.2

The Indian National Congress, the first modern nationalist movement in Colonial India, also
maintained socialism and set it as a goal of the independent nation. In 1931, in Karachi session
of Congress, a socialistic pattern of development was declared as the goal of free India.
Jawaharlal Nehru, a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress and the first Prime
Minister of independent India, was an ardent supporter of socialism. Because of his passionate
socialistic views, he had ideological difference with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who had
capitalistic inclinations. He adopted socialist practices for industrial and economic development
and social reforms in India.

Post Independence:

2
Aditya Thakur, 7 Greatest Socialist Leaders in Indian History, TOPYAPS (Sept. 2, 2018, 11:25PM),
https://topyaps.com/7-greatest-socialist-leaders-in-indian-history [hereinafter Aditya Thakur].
Nehru thought to bring all-around development of the society through planning. lt will help in
eliminating poverty and achieving social justice for the masses. By planning, he wanted to raise
national income and to spend them in productive channels for the improvement of the lot of
the poor people of India. The First Five Year Plan (1951-56), the Second Five Year Plan (1956-61)
and the Third Five Year Plan (1961 -66) galvanized Nehru's democratic socialism.

India became the poster child for post–World War II socialism in the Third World. Steel, mining,
machine tools, water, telecommunications, insurance, and electrical plants, among other
industries, were effectively nationalized in the mid-1950s as the Indian government seized the
commanding heights of the economy. The Industries Act of 1951 required all businesses to get
a license from the government before they could launch, expand, or change their products. The
government imposed import tariffs to discourage international trade, and domestic businesses
were prevented from opening foreign offices in a doomed attempt to build up domestic
industries. Foreign investment was subject to stifling restrictions.3

Under the Prime Minister ship of Indira Gandhi, Indian government oversaw land reforms and
nationalization of major industries and banks.

The period of National Emergency saw rise of socialist leaders such as Jayaprakash Narayan.
Jayaprakash Narayan was known as Lok Nayak or The People’s Hero. He got introduced to
socialism while studying in America where he had to work several jobs to support his education
and he saw what the working class faced on a daily basis. He was convinced that Socialist
Marxism was the only way to alleviate the suffering of the masses. He came into prominence
for opposing Indira Gandhi’s almost dictatorial rule and called for Sampoorna Kranti or Total
Revolution.4

In 1976, through the 42nd amendment, the word "Socialist" was officially added in the
Preamble of the Indian Constitution.

3
Sam Staley, The Rise and Fall of Indian Socialism, REASON (Sept. 28, 2018, 10:40AM),
https://reason.com/archives/2006/06/06/the-rise-and-fall-of-indian-so.
4
Aditya Thakur, supra note 2.
Socialism continued to dominate Indian economic policies till late 1980s. The global recession in
the late 1970s brought economic stagnation and chronic shortages. The inability of the state to
manage resources efficiently left many disillusioned with the state socialism.

In 1990s, the government started to systemically introduce the policy of liberalization,

privatization and globalization. It was Narasimha Rao, who was elected Prime Minister in 1991,
who started liberalization of the economy with the help of then Finance Minister Manmohan
Singh.

Though socialism doesn't enjoy its past dominance anymore, there is still an active left front in
Indian politics. The left front consists of many political parties such as Communist Party of India
(Marxist), the Communist Party of India, the Revolutionary Socialist Party, All India Forward
Bloc, etc. The Indian National Congress still cherishes the idea of socialism. Other parties such
as Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janta Dal, etc. are socialist parties active in politics.

Though socialism doesn't enjoy its past dominance anymore, there is still an active left front in
Indian politics. The left front consists of many political parties such as Communist Party of India
(Marxist), the Communist Party of India, the Revolutionary Socialist Party, All India Forward
Bloc, etc. The Indian National Congress still cherishes the idea of socialism. Other parties such
as Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janta Dal, etc. are socialist parties active in politics.