MARXIST PERSPECTIVE

MARXIST PERSPECTIVE

Introduction

1. not homogenous, disagreement wrt role of gandhi and INC
2. scholars
1. MN Roy
   
2. SA Dange
   
3. RP Dutt
   
4. AR Desai
   
5. Sumit Sarkar
   
6. EMS Namboodripad
   
7. Hiren Mukherjee
   
8. Prof. Irfan Habib
   
3. SA Dange: first to analyse gandhi
1. compared gandhi with lenin
2. does recognise it as mass movement, gandhi learnt from masses
4. Prof. Subrat Mukherjee: book- Essays in Marxist Theory and Practice
1. MN Roy provided first critique of Gandhi from Marxist perspective
5. MN Roy; book- India in Transition
1. analysed role of gandhi and congress
2. critical of gandhi calling off NCM
3. gandhi's was bourgeoise leader and programme not for masses
6. RP Dutt: book- India Today
1. critical of Gandhi
2. calls him 'Mascot of Bourgeoise'
7. AR Desai book- Social background of Indian Nationalism
1. gandhi's views emerged out of need of bourgeoise
2. first leader to understand importance of masses in movement
3. convert movement into multi class mass movements
8. EMS Namboodripad: book- Gandhiyam Gandhisavum
1. gandhi's approach was restricted mass struggle
2. gandhi wanted masses to work under leadership of bourgeoise class
3. gandhi's programme not directed towards the interest of any particular class
9. Hiren Mukherjee : 
1. objective of gandhi coincided with bourgeoise unintentionally
2. gandhi didn't want mass to take power, yet the only leader who could awake mass from slumber
10. Sumit Sarkar book- Modern India
1. no conscious agenda of congress against masses
2. gandhi kept mass activities 'strictly pegged' controlled
11. Prof. Irfan Habib: gandhi was modern thinker
1. gandhi gave left orientation to movement
12. Bipin Chandra- book: india's struggle for Independence
1. movement led by gandhi was national movement
2. gandhi led largest controlled mass movement
3. most spectacular mass movement whose warmth is felt even in contemporary india

Subaltern Perspective of history

1. influenced by Gramsci
2. introduced by Ranjit Guha
   
1. critical of nationalist tradition
2. elite historiography represents 'blinkered view' of national movement- as spiritual biography of elites
1. fails to acknowledge the role of masses
3. there was autonomous movement of masses
4. nationalist historians failed to admit failure of indian bourgeoise to speak of nation
3. Gyan Pandey: 
   
1. no concrete contribution of gandhi towards peasantry
2. autonomous peasant movements
3. gandhi wanted masses to abandon struggle for sake of unity
4. Sahid Ameen
1. congress wanted masses to worship Gandhi
5. Bhiku Parekh
1. book- Colonialism, Tradition and Reform: an analysis of gandhi's political discourse
1. Gandhi looked at himself as Yugpurush
2. gandhi reduced indian tradition to his resources
3. gandhi projected that his programme will lead to ideal state