A Book review on' Marxvad-Uttar Marxvad'

                        

Introduction:

   A modern political history will not be completed   without mentioning Marxism because Karl Marx gave his intellectual contributions to modern world. The 19^th century was influenced by Marxism and developed a separate model of state. Former Soviet Russia was one of biggest examples of state which was built upon the Marx theory plus Lenin thoughts.   After Russian Revolution and Second World War the most of Asian and European countries adopted Marx theory for developing their own state. Before 1990 the half population of world was under the umbrella of Communist state.  Marx and his thoughts not only supported the idea of state but also gave new ideas like human freedom, equality, new version of state and culture. Before decline of Soviet Russia, there were advocacies as well as critiques on Marx theory.  The American and pro -capital media always critiqued on Communist states and Marx’s views.  After decline of Soviet Russia this critiques is going on and this process will continue. .After 1990 many Communist countries turn over from Marx theory and they adopted free economy, democracy for their new structure. The present Russia, under Putin leaderships try develops there own model on a same line.  Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan these new states are also in the same pipe line.  A China only one super power and Communist country also accepted new economic policies for sustainability of state.  Last more than twenty years the world economy and its development is going on this path. On this changing scenario the review of Marx theory is one of the requirements and it was fulfilled by well known political scientist Dr. Ashok Chusalkar with his book Marxvad-Uttar Marxvad. This book is wrote in Marathi and published by Pratima Prakashan, Pune, and March 2010.   This book devoted for Marx theory and its implication on Communist block and special reference to India and state of Maharashtra.

                                                                 I  

This book consists main three sections with thirteen chapters from Marx, human rights to review of Prof. D. K. Bedekar’s view on Gandhi thoughts and its critiques.  The section one is devoted on five chapters related with Marx ideas of freedom, views on equality, New Marxism-1 &2 and critiques on new colnynsm.  In first chapter, writer discussed on Marks ideas about rights. According to Marx, natural rights are virtual and they cannot be proved in reality. Positive rights are supported with constitution and laws of state and these rights are protected by judicial system but the implementations of rights are not satisfied. In modern age the rights are presented in two ways, i.e. liberal democratic defined rights and second views are presented by ideal political thinker where Hegel approach was important. Liberal thinkers approved equality and freedom. This system provides few rights to every citizen for his development of life. The citizen has a right of to create a wealth but very few peoples are getting successful in their business and work. Ultimately few people collect  wealth and they are controlling on the society and the power is always used  in interest of  few people and they exploit the people with the support of government so there are two classes  of the people; one who rule and second who work under them. To stop the exploitation, Marx suggested new changes through the revolution. For equality Marx suggested:

1.     Equality in physical and intellectual work.

2.     Equality in between agriculture and industry.

3.     Equality in between villages and cities.

    In the second chapter the writer focuses on Marx ideas of equality. Marx advocated of scientific socialism and promoted idea of state of working class. Marx assumed that the equality will after the formation of new state of working class and this state will work for establishing the equality in the society. For removing the exploitation and establishing the equality Marx wanted the total revolution through the working class.

    The third and fourth chapters devoted for New Marxism and its contribution to the society. The Russian revolution took place under the leadership of Lenin and after the revolution he added his own ideas according new need of Soviet Russia. After his death Stalin came in to the power and he did major changes in constitution also he gave the new shape to Russian communist party. In 1949 the communist revolution took place in China and Mao leads this revolution and called as new ‘Cultural Revolution’. After 1930 the European and U.S scholars started the study of Marxism and they contributed to Marxist theory. The Trotsky and his followers were under the influence of new Marxism. The Grimace, Lukach and Goldman were also under the influence of New Marxism. The Frankfurt school and its thinkers gave their contributions to develop New Marxism. These all aspects of New Marxism were covered in these two chapters. The writer concludes that the movement of New Marxism is going on in Europe and U.S. But not a popularized and actual theory and thoughts were not implemented.

                                                              II

    The second section discussed on system of Soviet Russia, political thoughts of Mao, differences between China and Russia and the reforms of Gorbachev and declined of U.S.S.R. These two chapters are very important because they discussed on major role of Russia and China in respect implementation of Marx theory. In respect of Russia the writers took review from Lenin to Gorbachev and their new changes. The Russian revolution took place in 1917 and that time Russia was not major industrial country like U.K or Germany. Lenin and his followers mobilized the farmers and they toppled Zar and its establishment. Lenin formed new system as socialist state. After Lenin’s death the Stalin came forward in the power and he gave the shape to U.S.S.R. and after Second World War Russia became the super power under his leadership. Within   his time,  he promoted industrial development in Soviet Russia also he made the major changes in the U.S.S.R constitution. In 1952 he wrote separate book on economic rules for U.S.S.R and developed it through the planning. Stalin did the contribution industrial development of Russia and he gave his support for revolution in east Europe and China. During his period the democracy was removed from U.S.S.R After Stalin Khruchev came in the power and he fallowed the same root of Stalin. The few changes took place in his time. After the Khruchev , Brezhnev came in the power and he did major changes in  Soviet state constitute and declared that the class struggle is over in Russia  and U.S.S.R became the socialist state. During the Brezhnev time U.S.S.R. was leading as the leader of Communist World and played major role in Cold War. After the death of Brezhnev, Gorbachev led U.S.S.R in the World Politics.  Gorbachev realized the real economic picture of U.S.S.R and he gave new structuring to Soviet economy under the new programme of ‘Perestroika and Glasnost’. He wanted a new face for socialist democracy through new economy restructuring polices. Unfourtunally, Gorbochev ideas were not successful and Soviet Russia was split in the new several independent states. Before that merging of Germany was taken place and many communist courtiers changed their structure and they adopted democracy and capitalism.

The writers also discussed Mao thoughts and its implementations in China. In 1949 the Mao led the revolution in China and established new Communist state in Asia. Now the China is the super power and dominated in the World politics.  Mao was the followers of Marx, Angles, and Lenin and also he contributed his ideas for developing Communist state and he developed China with help of farmers and workers. Mao wanted a new man and ideal society through the China revolution. Soviet Russia gave the support to new Communist China and tried to coordinate with them. This cooperation was sustain till 1971 and after that China was openly criticized Russian policies and tried to go close with U.S. China made the essential changes in policies. The crises between Russia and China came out for following reasons:

1.     Intellectual crises with Russia.

2.     China criticized on development of Russia and its parameters.

3.     Soviet dominations and third world concept.

4.     Border issue between China and Russia.

5.     1962 war between China and India

6.     Cuba problem

        All above aspects and their reasons were discussed by the writer and he highlighted that socialist courtiers made the changes but they were not properly handle an internal opposition of their societies with democratic manners.

                                                                 III

   The third section of the book has been devoted for Marx and India, Democratic socialism, Marxit thoughts in Maharashtra, Rising of Peasant and worker party, Dabhadee Thesis, Lal nishan party, Split in communist movement, Contribution of D.K Bedekar and Damodar Kosanbi. This third section of this book reviews of communist movement in India and Maharashtra. The writer also touches contributions of Pandit Nehru, M.N.Roy, Jaypraksh Naryan, and Dr.Rammnohar  Lohiya. The state of Maharashtra also contributed in development Marx theory in 19^th century with social and political movements. The establishment of Communist party by S. A. Dange and his personal contribution through the books like Gandhi verses Lenin.  The writer mentioned the contributions of Dinkarrao Javalkar,  Shankarao Javdekar,  Laxmanshastri Joshi, and Shard Patil.  The rising of Peasant workers party (PWP) and its background and Dabhadi Thesis were mentioned in the book. Prof. Damodar Kosanbi and Prof. D.K.Bedekar gave their separate contributions on Marx theory and its thoughts. By this way the writer Prof. Chousalkar takes the review of Marxvad and Uttar Marxvad. This book is published in Marathi so Marathi readers and scholars will access knowledge and information on Marx theory.  

                                                                                            Dr. Sanjay Ratnaparakhi

Article Review on ‘Political Leadership’ – Ramchandra Guha

    The political process and socialization of Indian society had been started in British Raj through the social, political and economical changes. The British system brought some changes and gave new shape to the Indian society. The establishment of Indian National Congress in 1885 was the bench mark in political history of India.  Last more than two hundred years political socialization and participation of Indian society is going on towards new phase and it became a part of the global society. Our system consist so many aspects like caste, creed, upper, lower, Hindu, Non-Hindu,  Left, Right, Congress, BJP, Communist and Non- Communist. These all aspects are actually strength of our system because they play crucial role in the political process. Every election time, one of the above aspects gives his major contribution to the system.  And truly this system was developed by political parties, leaders, and workers. Also political scantiest, thinkers, and critiques gave their contributions to the political system.

     The Oxford University Press published one volume on all above aspects and tries to evaluate the political process with help of political thinkers, writers and critiques in 2010. This volume published under the title The Oxford Companion on Politics of India edited by Niraja Gopal Jayal and Pratap Bhanu Mehhta.  This book made the historical contributions to our political system. The book consist main eight parts from the Institutional setting to Ways looking at Indian Politics.  The Part-III of the book is Political process who discussed on Politics and Culture, Political Mobilization, Political Leadership, and Local Politics. After reviewing this part, I have chosen the article of Ramchandra Guha’s on a ‘Political leadership’.

    Ramchandra Guha is well-known as historian and contemporary political writer.  He wrote several books, like, India after Gandhi, India before Gandhi, Makers of Modern India.  In this book, Ramchandra Guha focuses on various aspects and issues Indian Political leadership. He took the review of Indian Leadership from first general election 1952. First general election contested in between Congres and Non-Congress parties. The Congress party faced the election under the leadership of Pandit Nehru. Non-Congress parties like, Socalist, Communist, Ramrajya Parishad and Jan Sangh played the opposite role agniest Congress.   The Congress party won the election with thumbing majority in the  Loksabha. After the election, Socalist party was split in between several groups. In this election each party had charismatic leaders like,  B. R. Ambedkar, Jayprakash Narayan, J.B. Krupalani, and Shyamaprasad Mookerjee. But Indian voters gave their support to Congress and Pandit Nehru.  The Congress party and Nehru had a background of freedom struggle and after independent Nehru led the country as Prime Minister of  interim government.  The writer noted that Nehru also thought in terms of programme and plan; the Planning Commission was never more important than in his day. All in all he was a political leader whose style can perhaps be described as ‘national –constitutionalist’. On the other hand, the style of India’s other long –serving Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi is more accurately described as ‘national populist’. Like Nehru, she took as their theatre of operation the country as whole- notably; she led the Congress party to victory in three general elections. However, she paid far less respect to the formal institutions of constitutional democracy. Indira Gandhi’s time PMO office was dominated on other constitutional bodies.  The writer also touched to other populist leaders like Sheikh Abdulla from J&K, C, N.Annadurai from state of Tamil Nadu, Master Tara Singh from Punjab. And he noted that these leaders came forward from their regions and identities of language. Later on the leadership of M.G.Ramchandran in Tamil Nadu and N.T.Ramarao from A.P established in their own states from film industry.  The writer noted that E.M.S. Naboodripad and Jyoti Basu came in to the power from communist background and they are essentially ‘regional’ leaders and successes to establish in their states.

     According to Guha, after independence B.J.P. is most successful party on the base religion and he took the review more focused on growth of B.JP. Before the BJP, Jan Sangh was the party worked for Hindu politics under guidance of Rashtriya Swaymsewak Sangh (RSS).Before 1977; Jan Sangh had limited scope in the national politics. In emergency time the Jan Sangh leaders were arrested along with Socalist leaders.  The Jan Sangh was merging in the  Janata party and first time this group won the victory in Ninety seats in the north region and party turns in to new phase of national politics. The Janata party was split on the problem of dual membership of Jan Sangh leaders. Jan Sangh leaders had background of RSS and they wanted to continue with them. Finally, Socalist and left leaders opposed to Jan Sangh leaders and lastly Janata govt.was collapse in the center in 1979. After that Jan Sangh leaders came out from Janata Party and established new party as  Bhartiya Janata Party in 1980. The BJP faced 1984 general election after Indira Gandhi’s tragic death but not successes. All party leaders were lost the election. The BJP got the growth after the decision of Supreme Court on Shabanu case and Babari Mashid problem. BJP opened Hindu card politics and got a victory in 1989 general election. The party leader L.K. Advani took ‘Rath Yatra’ from Somnath to Ayodhya and he mobilized the Hindu votes and politics. After 1991 election BJP became the major opposite party in the national politics. BJP got the power at the Center with the help of other Non-Congress parties in 1996 after that 1998 onwards. BJP government was sustaining up to 2004 under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A BJP and its alliance NDA was not successful in 2009 general election.

     This article also discussed on OBCs and jati-varna politics of India. In the 1950, B.R.Ambedkar tried to build a political platform for Dalit; in the 1960 the Socalist leader Dr. Lohia attempted to do the same for OBCs and he got a limited success in the said efforts. After implementation Mandal Commission report the OBC politics became the valuable things in the politic. A dalit leader Kanshi Ram established Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) after his death; party was led by Myawati in north region of India.  Likewise, Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janta Dal have projected themselves as parties that represented the interest of backward caste against the forwards.  And these two parties were successful in some limit.

    After the independence the Congress party was lost the election in 1977 only because of resistance and movement of Jayprakash Narayan. A writer also discussed this important episode in the detail.  J.P had the background of freedom fighter and founder member of Samajwadi Party. After the first election, J.P went to Sarvoday movement along with Vinobha Bhave.  In 1972, the students of Gujarat started hesitation angist the corruption and this movement spread in the state of Bihar. In 1974 this movement turns in to national movement and JP became the leader of students and youngsters. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi lost the battle in Allahabad High court. On 25^th June 1975, Indira Gandhi declared the emergency and arrested to several opposition leaders including J.P.  She banned on the news papers and imposed new laws like MISSA to crush the movement of J.P.The lakes of people and political workers arrested under the MISSA. In 1977, the emergency was lifted and fresh election called. J.P toke efforts and he established new Janata Party and he became main campaigner and won the election.  The first time, Non-Congress government came in to power.

   A writer analyzed   political leadership in terms of sociology and ideology. Ideology leaders have a social base and their ideas and policies used to legitimatize his or her leadership. These type leaders spend their whole life for specific ideology and policies. Dr. B.R.Ambedkar was one of the example. And second example of M..S Golwalkar who devoted his life for Hindu rashtra. Golwalkar did not contest any election but he gave strength to Jan Sangh for his ideology. The second category of ‘charisma, where charismatic leaders are the ‘bears of specific gifts of body and mind that were considered “supernatural”. Pandit  Nehru, Indira Gandhi, these leaders were included in this category. Also he mentioned others name like Sheikh Abdulla, Bal Thackeray. Last more than sixty five years it is seen that sometimes charismatic leaders getting success in the election and some social and political movement get the important in election time.

    This article has done the good contribution on the leadership issue. But he could not touch the other problem of leadership like weakness of leadership, personality problem of leaders, a programme and agenda of leaders. These are important factors for development of any kind of political leadership which cannot be neglected.

                                                                              Dr.  Sanjay Ratnaparakhi