Nehru’s Vision

Nehru said, “The basic goal before Indian people as before people of the world is abolition of capitalism and establishment of socialism.” He considered the withdrawal of the Civil Disobedience Movement and council entry “a spiritual defeat”, “a surrender of ideals” and “a retreat from revolutionary to reformist mentality”.

He suggested that the vested interests be revised in favour of the masses by taking up the economic and class demands of peasants and workers, and landlords and capitalists, organising masses in their class organisations—kisan sabhas and trade unions. He argued that these class organisations should be allowed to affiliate with the Congress, thus influencing its policies and activities. There could be no genuine anti-imperialist struggle, he said, without incorpora- ting the class struggle of the masses.