Jayaprakash Narayan: Early life, Ideologies and Socio-Political Journey
Jayaprakash was a courageous leader. He was born in Bihar, in a middle-class family on Oct 11, 1902. He was sent to Patna for higher education. He resisted the unjust authority.
In Patna, he was associated with ‘nationalists’, who were very active in Saraswati Bhavan.
He then rose to the level of Lok Nayak, by his integrity, ideological purity and a passion for social justice.
Early Life and the Leaders who inspired J.P. Narayan
Jayaprakash Narayan’s association with Gandhiji changed his life outlook.
The period between 1914 and 1922 was his transformative period.
Gandhiji’s simplicity and plea for non-violence attracted Jaya Prakash.
In champaran district of Bihar, Gandhi’s Satyagraha was a great success
that inspired J.P. Narayan to follow Gandhi’s ideals.
When Gandhi and Nehru visited Patna, in 1921 and called the masses of students to boycott schools and colleges and join the non-co-operation movement, Narayan also joined the revolution.
Even Tilak, influenced J.P. to a greater extent.
His interest in academics migrated him to USA where he stayed till1929. While in USA he met intellectuals from Eastern Europe and got attracted towards Marxist ideology.
He wrote “Total revolution”
He also felt it seemed to offer a quicker road to revolution than Gandhiji’s and technique of civil disobedience and non-cooperation”
He claimed the knowledge of social science was a prerequisite to understand the real problems of India which have a socio-political background.
His return to India in 1929 coincided with many political developments in India’s struggle for independence.
Gandhiji’s leadership in 1929 was still central.
Inspite of his Marxist admiration J.P. had still a regard for Gandhi. Nehru was rising in politics. At Lahore congress session Jayaprakash was attracted towards Nehru and subsequently he joined the congress as secretary of Labour Department.
The functioning of congress party disappointed him and he wanted to inject some revolutionary zeal into the party.
Gandhiji’s approach of Charkha, Khaddar, were not attractive to younger members in Congress.
Most of them were impressed by the Russian Revolution and wanted Indian freedom struggle to adopt a more radical posture.
In 1934 Jayaprakash took the lead and formed the congress socialist party.
This acted as a pressure group on the parent party to take more revolutionary path.
At Ramgarh congress session in 1940, J.P. moved a resolution which was highly radical in terms of economic power being controlled by the state.
It pledged for collective ownership and control of all large scale and heavy production.
The resolution emphasized complete control of state in transport, shipping, mining and heavy industries.
He was imprisoned and kept in Hazaribagh jail by Britishers from 1940 to 1946.
After his release, a proposal was made by Gandhiji to make J.P. as the congress president which was in turn not accepted by the working committee.
From 1948 to 1951, J.P. and Ram Manohar Lohia tried to build up an alternative to congress party.
The Praja Socialist Party (PSP) was formed.
But the election results of P.S.P. were quite disappointing J.P. was disillusioned.
In 1954 he resigned from socialist party and withdrew from active politics.
He became active in Sarvodaya movement.
It was in 1973 he became active in politics and led a movement for total revolution.
Social and Political Thoughts of J.P. Narayan
J.P. Narayan’s thought was influenced by several ideologies.
The major ideology among them is Marxism.
As an intellectual he had clear perspective about how the post independent India should develop.
He was a sincere believer in socialist economic model.
Most of the revolutionaries were also committed to the betterment of poor.
While earlier social reformers and liberals concentrated on social issues, the latter thinkers focussed on economic issues.
The concept of social justice will be meaningless without economic equality.
The new policy should attack poverty and stress on distribution of wealth.
Socialism as a philosophy is an attack on poverty.
In 1931 Karachi session of congress.
Jayaprakash clearly spelt out an ideological frame work for economic transformation. The resolution said, “The state shall own or control key industries and services, mineral resources, railways, waterways, shipping and other means of public transport.”
When he was in Nasik jail he met many eminent personalities like Ashok Mehta, N.G. Gore, S.M. Joshi and Masani.
The plan for formation of congress socialist party was framed.
In Bombay on oct 21–22, 1934 the first annual session of the Congress Socialist Party (CSP) was held.
J.P. emphasized the socialistic nature of the policy.
The resolutions clearly spell out J.P.’s ideological commitment to socialism.
The aims of C.S.P. were
(i) Transfer all power to the producing masses.
(ii) Economic life of the country to be planned and controlled by the state.
(iii) Socialisation of key and principal industries
(iv) State monopoly of foreign trade
(v) Redistribution of land to peasants
(vi) Co-operative and collective farming to be encouraged
(vii) Right to work to be a fundamental right
(viii) Non-discrimination between sexes by state — gender justice.
(ix) Repudiation of public debt.
Communism to Democratic socialism
By 1930. J.P. was moving away from communist ideology and had serious differences with the Indian Communists.
He felt that the communist party of India is being directed and dictated by Soviet Union. “During the salt Satyagraha and demand for complete independence movement”, J.P. recalls communists were nowhere to be seen.
It has been generally argued that the Marxism is amoral and many people denounce it for that. But J.P. found that, this feature, of being moral is not confined to Marxism alone. Politicians of all breed, from time immemorial have practiced immoralism.
In general, he wanted a system based on democracy, decentralization, and a realisation that means must be morally consistent with ends. With his view he set up the Praja Socialist Party which was based on Democratic Socialism
The poor electoral results of P.S.P. has made J.P. to think afresh of the need to search a new path. Already he was disillusioned with socialism.
Gradually he started losing interest in politics.
In 1954 he resigned from the national executive of the socialist party. He was attracted to Sarvodaya philosophy.
He offered himself as a Jivan-Dani to Sarvodaya and freed himself from political party compulsion he became more active socially.
He founded India-Pakistan conciliatory group in 1962.
He worked successfully to bring the cease-fire in Nagaland in 1964.
The prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award was bestowed upon him in 1965.
This was awarded as a symbol of recognition for his services to the people.
His views on state, party system, Democracy, elections and revolution changed rapidly. He gave an alternative political and social system which was based on Gandhian thoughts and Sarvodaya. Equality, freedom, brotherhood and peace remained his ideals.
TOTAL REVOLUTION
Around 1973, there was political unrest in India.
Students, non-political organization, wanted to dismiss the elected government on the charges of corruption. J.P. Narayan took the lead.
It was at that time he gave his idea of total revolution.
People power should replace government power.
His ideas were treated as dangerous by the ruling congress government.
His people’s movement against corruption was dubbed as fascist and an emergency was declared.
But J.P. was able to organise a new party called Janata Party and defeat Mrs. Gandhi at election.
He expected the Janata govt to implement his ideas of total revolution, which should make “India free, Progressive and Gandhian ideas.”
Service before Self was his motto.
Peoples’ participation in policy formations and a participatory democracy in place of representative democracy.
But all these remained a pipe dream Janata Party collapsed with internal Party politics which overruled the Gandhian ideas.
Jayaprakash Narayan left to heavenly abode in 1979.
