This book attempts to explicate the theoretical writings of M.N. Roy, Jayaprakash Narayan and J.B. Kripalani to examine their views on Socialism, Sarvodaya and Democracy. Outlining the parameters of Sarvodaya, it takes a critical assessment of M.N. Roy's views on democratic socialism, his critique of Marxism and Liberalism, and his concept of Radical Humanism.Reconstructing J.P. Narayan's views on democratic socialism, it examines his perspective on Marxism, Nationalism and Western Socialism. It further discusses in detail his views on Sarvodaya, including his conception of partyless democracy and communitarianism, and his movement for Total Revolution. Finally, it explicates Kripalani's philosophy of Socialism and the State, his critique of Marxist concept of class struggle, and his interpretaion of Gandhian democracy with special focus on non-violent revolution, economic principles, decentralization and basic education. About The Author: - Eddie J. Girdner is a Professor in the Faculty of Business and Economics at Girne American University in Cyprus. He did his Ph.D in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has taught Political Science at the University of Alabama, Delta State University, Eastern Mediterranean University (Cyprus), Istanbul Bilgi University, and Baskent University in Ankara, Turkey. He has to his credit many books including Killing Me Softly: Toxic Waste, Corporate Profit and the Struggle for Environmental Justice (NY: Monthly Review Press, 2002); and USA and the New Middle East (New Delhi: Gyan Publishers, 2008). Contents: - Contents # Abst ract: Introduction: The Indian Debate Asian and Indian Sociali sm MN: Roy: Jayaprakash Narayan and JB Kripalani: MN Roy on Democratic Socialism: Philosophi cal and Historical Materialism Cri ticism of: Marxism and Liberalism Critique of Liberalism and: Utilitarianism Socialism: Decentralization and Partyless: Democracy: MN Roy on Radical Humanism: Human Nat ure and Free

Socialism has been an influential force for social change for almost two centuries. Its philosophy and ideology have inspired millions while simultaneously arousing fear and revulsion in its enemies. Having emerged after the French Revolution in the effort to build upon and develop the egalitarian ideas of the Enlightenment, socialism has taken many forms. It has, furthermore, sometimes been manipulated and reformulated by opportunists who have built authoritarianism and totalitarian dictatorships in its name. Opponents seize on such examples to frighten away people who may otherwise have found socialism attractive. Socialism has survived such criticism and misrepresentation as its core principles have struck a chord with generations of people concerned with social justice. Historical Dictionary of Socialism, Fourth Edition contains a chronology, an introduction, a glossary, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 500 cross-referenced entries on activists, politicians, political thinkers, political parties and organizations, and key topics, concepts, and aspects of socialist theory. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about socialism.

Between the 1910s and the 1970s, an eclectic group of Indian thinkers, constitutional reformers, and political activists articulated a theory of robustly democratic, participatory popular sovereignty. Taking parliamentary government and the modern nation-state to be prone to corruption, these thinkers advocated for ambitious federalist projects of popular government as alternatives to liberal, representative democracy. Radical Democracy in Modern Indian Political Thought is the first study of this counter-tradition of democratic politics in South Asia. Examining well-known historical figures such as Dadabhai Naoroji, M. K. Gandhi, and M. N. Roy alongside long-neglected thinkers from the Indian socialist movement, Tejas Parasher illuminates the diversity of political futures imagined at the end of the British Empire in South Asia. This book reframes the history of twentieth-century anti-colonialism in novel terms – as a contest over the nature of modern political representation – and pushes readers to rethink accepted understandings of democracy today.

Jai Prakash Narain, 1902-1979, Indian political philosopher and social worker; contributed articles.

This book is an unconventional articulation of the political thinking in India in a refreshingly creative manner in more than one way. Empirically, the book becomes innovative by providing an analytically more grasping contextual interpretation of Indian political thought that evolved during the nationalist struggle against colonialism. Insightfully, it attempts to unearth the hitherto unexplored yet vital subaltern strands of political thinking in India as manifested through the mode of numerous significant socio-economic movements operating side by side and sometimes as part of the mainstream nationalist movement. This book articulates the main currents of Indian political thought by locating the text and themes of the thinkers within the socio-economic and politico-cultural contexts in which such ideas were conceptualised and articulated. The book also tries to analytically grasp the influences of the various British constitutional devices that appeared as the responses of the colonial government to redress the genuine socio-economic grievances of the various sections of Indian society. The book breaks new ground in not only articulating the main currents of Indian political thought in an analytically more sound approach of context-driven discussion but also provokes new research in the field by charting a new course in grasping and articulating the political thought in India. This volume will be useful to the students, researchers and faculty working in the fields of political science, political sociology, political economy and post-colonial contemporary Indian politics in particular. It will also be an invaluable and interesting reading for those interested in South Asian studies.

The authors of Indian Political Thinking set out to critically compare and contrast the major ideas and frequently used terminology of classical and contemporary Indian political thought. It examines the Ramayana as well as the Mahabharata from the perspective of ancient Indian thinking, paying particular attention to the perspectives of Manu as well as Kautilya. This then goes on to classify the major political schools of thought within contemporary Indian philosophy. When introducing each school of thought, we discuss the major theoretical questions at play in that school's methodology and the significant intellectual contributions made by individual thinkers. In addition to Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru, the social and political ideas of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Vivekanand, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay, Tarabai Shinde, Savtribai Phule, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, M.N. Roy, Japaprakash Narayan, Sri Aurobindo, Ram Manohar Lohia, Pandita Ramabai, and Dr. Ambedkar have also been highlighted. It really is hoped that an unbiased and impartial evaluation of the contributions of various thinkers and schools of thought may be achieved. This book has been written in quite an accessible and straightforward manner, and it includes a number of special elements that will appeal to its target audience. It is written with both Indian university students and the casual reader in mind.