ar desai

279 Pages·2012·9.73 MB·English

A. R. DESAI
INDIA'S PATH OF DEVELOPMENT
A Marxist Approach
A.R. DESAI
To undetstand the developments in modern India,
a close study of the works of A.R. Desai,
including his classic study Social Background of
Indian Nationalism is basic. In his previous works
he has pointed out how the transformation in
India is taking place as a consequence of the
capitalist path of development in the context of
peculiar multi-ca;te, mwti-religious, multi-lingual
selling. He has also examined the assumptions
underlying the 'modernisation' syndrome accepted
by the overwhelming sections of academic
establishment, Consi tently he has propounded
these views in his other publications namely Recent
Trends in Indian Nationalism, Rural India in
Transition, State and Society, Urban Family and
Family Planning in India.
In this volume he critically examines from
revolutionary Marxist point of view, those currents
of Marxist thought and scholarship which are
pursued by traditional Communist parties and
their fellow travellers in the academic field. He
suggests that the Marxist scholarship erroneously
attempts to analyse the changes taking place in
India from the trategic perspective of 'Two Stages
Theory of Revolution' and overwheLmingl), accept
'peaceful, parliamentary road to Socialism'. While
conceding that these schOlarly endeavours generate
valuable and sijZnificant empirical material in terms
of changing class configurations in specific
regions, he states that they overlook or bypass
many vital perspectives and elements which are
indispensable for a proper Marxian comprehension
of these developments.
The present volume attempts to urge the
scholars and activists to recognise that a correct
strategy and tactic for socialist transformation
can be evolved only if the basic truth underlying
India's path of development is acknowledged.
Rs. 120
IN D I A' SPA THO F
DEVELOPMENT
BY THE SAME AUTHOR
Indian Feudal Slale.l' alld National Liberation Struggle
Gandhi's Truth:& Non-violence X'Rayed
Social BackrrroU/ul o/Indiall Nationalism
Recent Trends ill irIdian Nationalism
Ruml India ill Trcn.l'itioll
Rural Sociology ill India
Essays nil Modernisation of Underdneloped Societies (2 voIs.) (Ed.)
Slums alld Urbanization (with S. Devadas Pillail
A Profile of olllndiall Slulll (with S. Devatlus riIlai)
State alld Society ill Illdia
A Positive Progral/lme for lilt/ian Revolutioll (Ed.)
P£'asalll Sll'IIggle.I' ill illdia
Urball Family alld ramily Planllillg :in india
Agrarian Sll'IIlfgles in India Aller indepelldence (In Press)
INDIA'S PATH OF
DEVELOPMENT
A Marxist Approach
A. IL DESAI
BOMBAY
POPULAR PRAKASHAN
POP U L A R P R A K. ASH A N P R I VAT E LTD.
3SC, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Marg,
Popular Press BId,., Tardeo, Bombay 400 034.
..
U. . s. IAH;AlOR£
lNVEUITY MY
t._
"' 4AUG 1984
!l7 J 41
Ace. NO• .
C 1984 by A. R. DI!SAl
L. NO. .................,.. _ ._... ......
First Published 1984
(3297)
ISBN 0 861320646
PRINTED IN INOlA
BY ARUN NAlK ;,T AKSHAR PRATIROOP PVT. LTD, 42, O. D. AMBBK;.R MARO,
W~ALA, BOMBAY 400 031 AND PUBLllIHJ!D BY kAMDAS O. BHATK;.L FOR pOPULAR
ftlAKASJ¥N PVT. LTD., 35C. PANorr MADAN MOHAN MALAVlYA MARO, TARDBO,
JIOMBAY 400034.
Dedicated
in the centenary year of Karl Marx
to the heroic young generation
fighting for the cause of
Socialist Revolution

Preface
India's Path of Development : A Marxist Approach is a collection
of papers, prepared as a part of my ongoing analysis of the transfor
mation that has been taking place in Indian society since Inde
pendence, This transformation is taking place, as I have pointed
out in a number of my studies, as a consequence of the capitalist
path of development pursued by bourgeois State that emerged in
India after 1947, in the context of peculiar multi-caste, multi
religious, multi-lingual setting and in the background of a specific
way in which nationalist movement pressurised the British bourgeois
colonial master to transfer political power. I have described this
background in my work Social Background of Indian Nationalism
and the subsequent development tersely in my short work Recent
Trends in Indian Nationalism.
Alongwith my other publications, embodying my researches
in various facets of this transformation, I have been preparing
articles and papers for differen t occasions. Revised version of some
of these writings have been embodied in my earlier books Rural
India ill Transition, and Stale and Society in India : Essays in
Dissent. The present volume, is also an assemblage of another
sixteen papers, revised for the book.
(2)
The volume State and Society ill India embodied essays which
focused attention on a critical examination of the assumptions
underlying the "modernization" syndrome accepted by the over
whelming sections of academic establishment. This "syndrome"
vii
viii INDIA'S PATH OP DEVELOPMENT
shaped tne content of the curricula of expanding educational set-up_
The "modernization" syndrome while claiming to discuss "moderni
zation" per se, in reality assumed "modernization" on capitalist
path as a desirable value premise. It was substantially financed by
the State. It proved a very valuable aid and an instrument for the
rulers to pursue the "development" of Indian society on capitalist
path, by assisting it in generating valuable data and analysis to help
rulers to evolve concrete measures. It also helped the rulers in
preparing an educated strata to man its administrative and other
services and professions. It also proved useful to rulers as an
ideological vehicle to socialise the younger generation in a specific
mould. The papers in the volume attempted to expose the limita
tions of concepts and categories generated, themes selected for
research and methodologies adopted for studies based on this
syndrome. They also unveiled, how those who pursued this
syndrome concentrating on "modernity-tradition" focus, con
sciously or unconsciously, subserved eminently the ruling class,
pursuing capitalist path of development.
(3)
The present volume, on the other hand, is basically comprised
of writings which aim to critically examine, from revolutionary
Marxist point of view, those currents of Marxist thought and
scholarship which are pursued by traditional communist parties and
their fellow travellers in academic field. These currents of Marxist
scholarship attempt to analyse the changes that are taking place in
India, after Independence, from the strategic perspective of "Two
stages theory of revolution", and overwhelmingly accept "peaceful,
parliamentary road to socialism" in India.
The Marxist scholarship, adhering to this perspective have
counterposed an alternative syndrome of "mode of production"
against the official "modernization" syndrome and have focused
researches to discover the extent of existence and weight of feudal,
semi-feudal, compradore elements backed and dominated by
imperialist advanced countries pursuing neo-capitalist devices to
keep the formally liberated countries not merely "dependent" but
also "underdeveloped". The assumption underlying this syndrome
is that there is a progressive capitalist section in the country, which
is interested in completing or ready to associate in completing