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Indian political thought has evolved dramatically through the years, due to the influence of social, economic and cultural scenarios at a given point in time. Political ideologies have evolved from realism to liberalism and socialism as a result of western influence during colonial rule to constitutional democracy and Nehruvian Socialism post independence.
Illustration by The Geostrata
While the political thought in India today is distinctly different from all the above mentioned examples, it has emerged by the confluence of all of them and contains traces of each.
The first phase of this evolution is the Ancient Political thought which was from 1500 BCE to 500 BCE. The vedas were the first literary scriptures about social order in India and also laid the foundation for future political philosophies.
The Vedas gave a detailed description of the hierarchy that existed in the society at that time which was through the Varna system which heavily influenced political involvement. Concepts like ‘dharma’ were a central figure in the Vedas and carry relevance till date.
Dharma refers to the moral duties and obligations of an individual and the part it plays in the society at large. According to the vedas, the raja (king) has the chief duty of safeguarding dharma. To ensure that his duties were fulfilled responsibly, many rituals and sacrifices gained predominance.
The Political thought in India that emerged after 500 BC has been comprehensively described in the great epics: The Mahabharata and The Ramayana.
The Bhagavad Gita, a part of the Mahabharata, has explained the moral dilemmas of individuals and provides a comprehensive explanation leadership and strategy of warfare. Both the central figures of the epics - Lord Rama and Arjuna - showcase the intricacies of selfless service, collective welfare and importance of devotion.
After the Epics, there was a significant shift in politics. The first Kingdom that emerged through the consolidation of mahajanapadas was The Mauryan Empire which began from Magadha. This phase of political thought in India was also influenced by greek ideologies and greek strategies of warfare, with the invasion of Alexander the Great. This had an impact on governance as well as the military.
One of the most classic guidebooks of warfare, strategy and leadership, still remains to be the Arthashastra which was written by Kautilya. It clearly described the importance of a centralised government set-up along with a well organised bureaucracy that includes clear roles and responsibilities of the governing and the governed.
This phase marked the beginning of a more pragmatic political outlook that was accompanied by political, economic, social and administrative policies.
The following phase which began in 600 BCE brought about a more decentralized approach to politics as there were many more fragmented kingdoms which focused on local governance and feudalism. These smaller kingdoms had an array of cultural differences and started forming an identity of their own.
As a way to celebrate their differences, the kings transitioned from solely focusing on warfare to giving much more importance to culture, art and heritage.
Another key aspect of this phase was the Islamic Political thought which was pioneered by the Delhi Sultanate. They laid the foundation for efficient revenue systems and tax collection. The Mughal Empire followed suit that was set by the Delhi Sultanate.
They also established a centralised system which paid great emphasis to ranks as seen in the Mansabdari System. Key elements of this phase include the use of fortified cities and cavalry to enhance their military strategy, new methods of taxation for economic stability and the balance of local autonomy and centralisation. After this, there was a dramatic shift that occurred during the reigns of some of the last Mughal rulers which was marked by colonisation.
British rule over the Indian subcontinent had a long lasting impact on Indian political thought. The exposure to western ideologies expanded the horizons of individuals, provoking national consciousness. During this phase Indians started questioning the rule that they were subjected to and even demanded self government.
Through the efforts of influential leaders, people also understood the importance of rights, justice and equality and openly demanded them. This marked a shift in political thought, as people did not agree to blindly follow the government, but considered it rightfully theirs. Negotiation, debate and interrogation became central to this phase.
With India gaining independence, there was another phase (1947 CE - 1991) that evolved. The Constituent Assembly with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as its chairperson established a parliamentary democratic system and designed the Constitution of India which ensured justice, liberty and fraternity to all its citizens.
What followed were a series of policies focused on economic development on socialistic lines. India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was very inspired by the western political thought and got introduced to ‘Fabian Socialism’ during his time at Cambridge. Hence, his main objective was a gradual advancement of the principles of social democracy. Indira Gandhi who was another significant leader after her father Jawaharlal Nehru.
Dominance of the central government was a salient feature of Ms. Gandhi’s tenure primarily because she wanted to curb the influence of regional parties. Her tenure can simply be described as a tenure of ideological inconsistency and manipulation of reforms to retail the power of the center.
The phase succeeding this was one with a great focus on economic development and drastic changes in the crux of the Indian political thought, making it liberal and contemporary. This was the first instance of coalition governments in India and there was a decline in single-party dominance.
This was also the phase that marked the emergence of the Bharatiya Janata party which was a right leaning party that emphasized on ‘Hindutva’ and religion-based politics to appeal to the majority section of the electorate.
The rise of the influence of the BJP is a key aspect of this phase. Their rise changed the political narrative, making it focused on cultural nationalism and identity politics. On the contrary, the major opposition party, the Indian National Congress (INC), advocates for the promotion of the rights of the minorities and have opposed majoritarianism. The tussle between these parties along with forming alliances with other regional parties has become the forefront of politics in India today.
Political thought in India in current times has been characterised by liberalism and populism and lays emphasis on welfare of the masses and development in key sectors to be able to compete globally.
It is important to note that the political thought in India is constantly evolving and there is a metamorphosis that takes place at every stage due to economic and social conditions. There will always be a conflict between socialism and capitalism, orthodox and modern, inclusion and exclusion, perception of right and wrong, but ultimately, the will of the people will emerge and that is what makes each phase of Indian political thought truly remarkable.
BY PRASHASVI
TEAM GEOSTRATA
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