Nehru’s Dream of Socialism
Nehru’s Dream of Socialism
Jawaharlal Nehru was, in the truest sense, the builder of modern India. He saw the naked poverty and hunger of the Indian people and registered his protest through his lectures in meetings throughout the country, and through his writings against the British Government. He was a true national leader.
“Nationalism of the modern type,” as Jawaharlal pointed out, “was yet to come. India had still to go through much sorrow and travail before she learnt the lesson which would give her real freedom.” He knew that the real India existed in her villages and, without alleviation of poverty of the rural poor, India could not prosper. Also, at the same time, without proper industrialisation India would not be able to advance into the modern age. So, in the First Five-Year Plan, agriculture was given priority so that the country could be self-sufficient in food. And, in the Second Five-Year Plan, stress shifted to industrialisation.
Jawaharlal Nehru, as a Congressman and also as the Prime Minister, never forgot India’s millions especially the people from the villages. He was painfully aware of their cry of misery, poverty and misfortune. He knew well the causes of agrarian distress. India was in a chronic state of famine due to the continuous drain of wealth, year after year, in the form of payments that the country was obliged to make annually to England for the discharge of obligations, most of which had their origin in the political relations between the two countries.
He fought against the British and India remained his true love. He remained a true humanist to the core, with reverence for certain values. He wrote:
We have definitely accepted the democratic process. Why have we accepted it? Well, for a variety of reasons. Because we think that, in the final analysis, it promotes the growth of human beings and of society; because, as we had said in our Constitution, we attach great value to individual freedom, because we want the
Jawaharlal Nehru was, in the truest sense, the builder of modern India. He saw the naked poverty and hunger of the Indian people and registered his protest through his lectures in meetings throughout the country, and through his writings against the British Government. He was a true national leader.
“Nationalism of the modern type,” as Jawaharlal pointed out, “was yet to come. India had still to go through much sorrow and travail before she learnt the lesson which would give her real freedom.” He knew that the real India existed in her villages and, without alleviation of poverty of the rural poor, India could not prosper. Also, at the same time, without proper industrialisation India would not be able to advance into the modern age. So, in the First Five-Year Plan, agriculture was given priority so that the country could be self-sufficient in food. And, in the Second Five-Year Plan, stress shifted to industrialisation.
Jawaharlal Nehru, as a Congressman and also as the Prime Minister, never forgot India’s millions especially the people from the villages. He was painfully aware of their cry of misery, poverty and misfortune. He knew well the causes of agrarian distress. India was in a chronic state of famine due to the continuous drain of wealth, year after year, in the form of payments that the country was obliged to make annually to England for the discharge of obligations, most of which had their origin in the political relations between the two countries.
He fought against the British and India remained his true love. He remained a true humanist to the core, with reverence for certain values. He wrote:
We have definitely accepted the democratic process. Why have we accepted it? Well, for a variety of reasons. Because we think that, in the final analysis, it promotes the growth of human beings and of society; because, as we had said in our Constitution, we attach great value to individual freedom, because we want the