M N Roy

Intro: M. N. Roy was an Indian revolutionary, radical activist, political theorist as well as a noted philosopher in the 20th century.

• His ideas:
• Represents rationalist tradition in Indian Political Thought
• said liberalism and communism have only fulfilled partial needs of man

• Radical humanism

1. Humanism is the philosophy that places humans at the centre of all analysis.
2. It approaches life from the assumption of sovereignty of man
3. His ideas on RH are based on his thesis -New Humanism- A manifesto published in 1947.
4. Inspired from scientific materialism of Marx, Ethics of Spinoza and Secular politics of Locke
5. Three elements of RH- MRF
1. Rationality - of thought
2. Freedom- Freedom which he explains as the victory over struggle for existence
3. Morality- emerges from rational desire of harmonious and mutually beneficial social relations
6. it has Both critical and constructive aspect
7. The critical aspect consists of describing the inadequacies of communism, including the economic interpretation of history, and of Parliamentary democracy
8. Constructive aspect consists of giving highest value to the freedom of individual, presenting a humanist interpretation of history and outlining a picture of radical democracy along with the ways for achieving it
9. Humanism is the philosophy of renaissance.marks the end of medievalism. His work can be identified in line with the “Enlightenment of the East.”
10. It envisioned individuals in radical state as free from identity of class, nation, religion, etc
11. It aims to achieve a society where man can realize his freedom.
12. freedom not to choose but also to reject religion
13. Scientific temper is the only basis to achieve true freedom.
14. Ultimate aim is creation of Cosmopolitan union of spiritually liberated men
15. Reason in man is not due to nature but constant struggle for survival and would continue to evolve with further challenges
16. Ethics emerges from man’s reason as Without ethical behavior man can't live in a peaceful society. Hence those customs of society that appear to be irrational can be rejected on the basis of man’s evolving rationality. Aims to create a society based on secular rationality. Unlike other philosophers of modern India who traced origin of morality in the religion, he traced origin of morality in the reason.
17. The measure of social progress is the amount of freedom it provides to the individual.
18. Protagoras- man is the measure of everything
19. Method to bring RH- radical and grassroots democracy
20. RH: purpose of all human endeavors should be well being of individual.
21. According to Roy it is the man who creates society and state for his own welfare. Hence he should not be subordinate either to nation or to a class.
22. As a radical humanist he came to believe that a revolution should be brought not through armed violence but through education. He believes that his philosophy is not to be a closed system and always Open for adaptation as per the changing requirements. To quote Roy “it will not be a dogmatic system claiming finality”
23. purpose of RH is to educate people on importance of freedom(of all kinds) and inspire them for coop living.
24. He was among the few who declared that the treaty of non-aggression between Germany and Russia in the Second World War would be broken soon. He had also predicted the possibilities of the Cold War. Thus, to many, Roy was the first international political leader, before Jawahar lal Nehru.

• Idealization journey

1. 20s to 30s: started as revolutionary associated with yugantar , inspired by bagha jain
2. went mexico from USA when he got unsatisfactory answers from Lala Lajpat Rai on how to address concerns of poors in India.
3. Communist phase-founded communist party of mexico and. Became a critic of Gandhi.
1. Said Gandhi's non violence is exploitation against masses.
2. Said Gandhi was a bourgeois leader.
3. Said INC was representing the Bourgeoisie interest.
4. Said Gandhi was a weak and watery man looking for appointments with the viceroy.
5. said Gandhi called off NCM as he feared that masses would capture power and congress would lose relevance.
6. Said Gandhi forced masses to suffer in the name of non violence. Said Gandhi was a medieval man bringing religion into politics.
7. His political work in Mexico made Lenin interested in him as a symbol of a future ‘revolution in the East’ and he was invited to Russia. Met Lenin but differed on bringing revolution in developing societies. Lenin wanted communist party to lead the revolution while Roy wanted people themselves to lead the movement.
4. 30s to 40s: Joined INC as he wanted to bring radicalism in congress and capture it from within.
5. became sympathetic to Gandhi and critic of Marx especially soviet Marxism.  This sudden change of thought in his ideas was due to Gandhi’s role in controlling massacres.
6. Criticism of Marxism:
1. historical materialism ignores the importance of idea in shaping history 
2. history does not move through class struggle but class coop.
3. surplus value is bad only when not distributed equitably.
4. before materialistic revolution,ideological revolution is needed as mind produces ideas
5. dictatorship of proletariat suppresses man under collective ego of class.
7. 40s to 50s: left congress and became advocate of party-less democracy and developed radical humanism.
8. In his book, Indian Constitution: Cornerstone of a Nation, the American historian Greenville Austin credits Roy with introducing the idea of socialism in the Indian Constitution.

Conclusion:

Sudipta Kaviraj - calls him a remarkable failure. This is due to the fact that still Indian society has not reached to such level to adapt rationalist way of life espoused by Roy.