RISE AND GROWTH OF INDIAN LEFT WING
The rise and growth of socialist thinking and Marxism as concrete ideology with leftist orientation started developing in India from the 2nd decade of 20th century. the overall development of Indian left is to be studied under two broad headings:
1. Left wing within congress
2. Left wing outside congress
The gradual courses of development of the leftist movements and ideology was a byproduct of series of drastic changes, taking place in the Indian polity and economy.
"The post world war - I, economic scenario" created lot of frustration among the rural youth and urban working classes. The economic depression affected badly both the workers and peasants alike. It was at this juncture. "the Soviet Russia Revolution" participated by the masses proved to be an eye-opening factor for most of the Indian intellectuals.
Marxism and scientific socialism the popular concepts stated infuencing the inellectual thinking of the Indians form the 2nd decade of 20th century. They founded in Marxism solutions to all the social and economic problems Indians were facing particularly thinkers like "M.N.Roy were a convinced that, no political struggle is meaningful without social and economic equality and for this, socialism was the correct ideology".
"The existing congress leadership disgusted the workers and peasants alike". Rather it continued to be dominated by the landlorded aristocrats and commercial bourgeoisie. At this juncture an alternative leadership was required to protect the interests of the workers and the peasants. Further even within the congress, a faction lead by J. Nehru and Bose started criticizing the techniques of Gandhi and were disenchanted with the satyagraha movement. The failure of congress to stand upto the expectations of masses in large number and providing solution to the social and economic inequalities in India were directly responsible for the growth of left wing within congress and outside.
"The practical conditions" also satisfied for the growth of left movement in India. Already by that time (20's) labour class unions were formed, AITUC came into being and peasant unrest also required a cohesive network and ideology. To satisfy all the leftist thinking proved to be the most amenable solution.
THE LEFT BEYOND CONGRESS :-
The origins of left wing can be traced as far back as 1920's when radical humanist M.N. Roy effected an escape to Afghanistan and there from to Soviet Russia along with the Afghanistani Mujaheeds namely Shaukat Osmani and Ahmed Jaferi. It was due to his attempts communist ideology continued to spread in India. He maintained contacts with, Nalini Gupta and other nascent and embryonic communist groups in different parts of India.
Communism as an ideology started developing at the instance of S.A. Dange in Bombay, Sringaravelu in Madras, Gulam Hussain in Lahore and Ahmed Jaferi in Calcutta. Journals like 'Socialist' founded by Dange in Bombay, 'Navayuga' in Guntur, 'Atmasakshi' and 'Dhumkheta' in Bengal continued to spread the left ideology. It was all with the concrete efforts of Roy and other thinkers like Dange and Gulam Hussaini the Communist party was founded, in Tashkent in 1925. Even before its inception the communists came under server repression, by the British government. Way back in 1922, prosecutions were leveled against M.N. Roy and Nalini Gupta in the famous 'Peshawar conspiracy case'.
In 1924 Dange and all other popular communists were prosecuted under 'Kanpur conspiracy case'. however the left movement as such did not receive any set back with these conspiracy cases. Rather it got further strengthened with the support form communists form England like Peter Harlot who came to India, mobilized finances and strengthened the party membership.
The attitude of the communists towards congress and the national movement was quiet cordial "till the end of the first phase i.e. 1928". During this period, the communists accepted the congress as the main representative party of the Indians and extended their support to congress. Rather they remained within congress and extended there loyalties to the Nationalistic movement.
"From the second stage that was from 1929 to 34" the attitude of the communists was changed. They started criticizing congress as a party dominated by bourgeoisie. They also found fault with the ideology of the congress for not being pro-working classes. They cited the example of suspending the Civil Disobedience Movement by Gandhi as an attempt to protect the interests of bourgeoisic.
It was during this phase communists tried to formulate different sub-organs like workers and peasant parties in different parts of India. They succeeded in capturing the leadership of labour organization. However it was also during this phase the party incurred the wrath of the British for organizing. All India mill workers strike in 1934 and as a result banned.
"During the third stage (35 - 39)" the communists retracted on there attitude towards congress and again started, approaching the congress leadership. The basis for this change was the Broadley 'Dutt debate 1936 in the sixth communist international held in Moscow. There it was decided to extend support to all the bourgeoisie national movements against British colonialism. However, the communists were welcomed by the Congress socialists particularly like J.P. Narain and Bose. But when they tried to surpass and dominate the politics within congress they were expelled form congress party. Moreover the year 1939 was particularly not favourable for the left wing within congress which could not mobilize support to S.C. Bose and its attempt to capture power in the congress leadership was foiled, by the Right wing under the leadership of Ganshi in 1939. "In the fourth phase", the communist politics made them extremely unpopular with the masses, for they shifted there stands form time to time. As long as Russia did not join the war, the communists supported the National movement. But when Russia joined hand with England against Germany, Indian communists also joined hands with British bureaucracy and in some cases even acted as informers against congress leaders. Their withdrawal from Q.I.M made them very unpopular in the eye of public.
CONGRESS SOCIALIST PARTY :-
The origins of CSP and left wing within congress go way back to 1922 when Non-Cooperation Movement was suspended by Gandhi. A section within congress that came under the influence of Marxism and socialism expressed its, faith in socialism and found fault with Gandhian techniques. This was the faction represented by Jawaharlal Nehru and S.C. Bose in the beginning.
Jawaharlal Nehru came under the strong influence of socialism form 1924. He found in socialism, practical solution to India's social and economic problems. His visit to soviet Russia in 1924 and participation in Brussels conference in 1927 had created tremendous impact on the mind of Nehru, Second important factor that prompted Nehru to accept socialism was the idea that the so called modernisation and transformation would not be possible in India without socialism. The followers of Nehru and Boss known as congress redicals influenced the congress politics till 1933. It was at their instance socialism was accepted as the goal of congress in 1931 Karachi session. The very election of Nehru as the president of congress in 1929 shows the strength of socialists within congress.
The congress socialists realized the importance of founding a party within congress, so as to give more impetus to the socialist movement. In 1934 the CSP was founded by Acharya Narendra Dev, J.P. Narain and Minu Massani in Bombay.
The ideology of CSP was, giving more importance to imperialist struggle against British frist. Secondly to transform gradually the congress into the manifold of socialism. Thirdly to organize peasant and working class movement, independent form the leadership of congress.
The ideology of CSP was, giving more importance to imperialist struggle against British first. Secondly to transform gradually the congress into the manifold of socialism. Thirdly to organize peasant and working class movement independent form the leadership of congress.
The CSP desperately tried to occupyt important positions within congress and influence the decision making. It proved successful in 1938 when Bose was elected as President of Haripora session. However the CSP attempt to capture congress leadership was resisted by the right wing and Bose had to resign in 1939, by yielding to the pressure from the right wing within congress.
It was to the credit of congress socialist that anti zamindari movements were organized in different provinces. They were also responsible for implementing the land reforms. However their failure to implement the contents of the agenda proclaimed in the Wardha session 1934, particularly distribution of land to the working classes did not materialise. As a result serious differences arose between the Right and left wing within congress making Bose to have the congress party.
The significant contribution of CPS was also found during Quit India Movement of 1942 when all the leaders were put behind the bars, it was the CSP that provided the leadership. J.P. Narayana, Aroun Asaf Ali and Narendra Dev continued the underground activities, inspired the people and kept the spirit of Nationalism infact.
The problems for the Congress Socialist party were; in could not exercise its independence rather it remained as another organ of the congress party and merely reflected the socialist inclination of some of its leaders. Secondly it failed in successfully exposing the drawbacks of the right wing leadership and ideology.