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1, 2016, ISSN (P) : 0976-3635, (e) :2454-3411
PANDIT JAWAHARLAL NEHRU:
ARCHITECT OF INDIAN DEMOCRACY
Dr. ASHOK. S. ANIKIVI*
I) Introduction:
Jawaharlal Nehru, a popular leader, a world statesman, a visionary, an inveterate
democrat, radical humanist suave politician, a thinker a writer, as first Prime-minister. This in
itself was something extraordinary, something worth specially remembering as we celebrate his
birth anniversary.
The purpose of this paper is to analyze Jawaharlal Nehru‟s contribution to the
growth of Indian Democracy .He is a man for all seasons, a man for all ages. Nehru‟s faith in
India and its people and people‟s faith in Nehru were responsible for the development of India.
Nehru‟s firm commitment to democracy saved India.
Pandit Nehru elaborated the policies of the congress and a future of Indian
nation under his leadership in1929.He proclaimed that the aims of the congress were freedom of
religion, right to form associations, freedom of expression, of thought, equality before law for
every individual without distinction of caste, color, creed or religion, protection to regional
languages and cultures, safeguarding the interest of the peasants and labor, abolition of
untouchability, introduction of adult franchise, imposition of prohibition , nationalization of
industries, socialism and establishment of a secular India. All these aims formed the core of the
“Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy” resolution drafted by Nehru in1929-31and were
ratified by the All-India Congress committee leaders objected to the resolution and decided to
oppose Nehru.
The socialism as the goal of the congress was very difficult to achieve. Nehru was opposed
in this by the right-wing Congressman such as Patel, Dr.Prasad and Rajagopalachari. However,
*HOD & Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, KLE Society‟s, LINGARAJ COLLEGE,
(Autonomous), BELGAUM-590001, KARNATAKA
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he had the support of the left-wing Congressman namely, Azad and Subhas Chandra Bose.
Meanwhile Nehru was elected as Congress President for two years (1936-37).He was then
succeeded by his socialist colleagues Bose (1938-39) and Azad (1940-46) After the fall of the
Bose from the main stream of Indian Politics , the power struggle between the socialists and
conservatives balanced act. After the death of Sardar Patel in 1950, Nehru became the sole
iconic national leader, and soon the situation became such that Nehru was able to implement
many of his basic policies without hindrance.
It is observed that India is still, of course a functioning democracy, but increasing it
is not well governed. The evidence of eroding political order is everywhere. “In spite of the
turbulent past the post independence era raised hopes for a stable democratic India. That was
certainly the vision of the “Founding Fathers‟‟ Under the leadership of Nehru and others, the
vision took shape in the form of new Political Institution .The new constitution laid the basis for
a British-style parliamentary democracy, arrangements were carefully considered in designing
the new Federal system. The congress party-the key institutional manifestation of India‟s newly
discovered national unity-reached out into village India to incorporate the previously
immobilized masses and India‟s first elections were held because elections were held
periodically, rural slowly joined anglicized urban leaders of the congress party as India‟s new
ruling elite. Dominance by a single party thus provided stability and it did not appear to be an
obstacle to the accommodation of new forces in the party” 1 in such a situation Nehru became the
un disputed leader of nation.
II. ORIGIN OF THE PROBLEM:
Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi‟s second–in–command in country‟s freedom
struggle and the architect of modern India. His contributions during the freedom movement and
as the India‟s first prime minister are many fold and are worth recalling.2 Perhaps the most
crucial fact is that Nehru‟s life spanned two eras. On the one side was his role as a Freedom
Fighter in Indian national movement, till 1947. After 1947 he ruled independent India as its first
prime minster till 1964. Though the partition of India saddened him, he hailed the dawn of
India‟s independence on august 15, 1947, as India‟s “tryst with destiny”. and perhaps no man
could taken office as prime minister, for the first time in his life, under less propitious
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circumstances. A divided India, economically disabled by a long and exhausting war torn by
acute communal conflict, came into his charge never the less, for the 17 years he strived
incessantly for the fulfillment of his dreams for India. What India attempted under Nehru was
something truly remarkable.3
Jawaharlal Nehru was a social democrate who had passionate faith in the democratic way
of living and clear awareness that true freedom could be enjoyed only in a society planned on
socialist lines. He was profoundly impressed by soviet achievements though he disapproved
certain aspects of soviet life he saw in the socialist reconstruction of society on a planned basis a
message of hope for the world. He was however, no advocate of blindly following the west.
Further Gandhi showed shrewd judgment when he anointed Nehru as his successor. Nehru was
the unequalled idol of masses at home and symbol of India‟s resurgent nationalism all over the
world Nehru was cultured and refined he had a world view Nehru was the great despite his
serious flaws and grave failures. 4
India‟s transition to modern industrial country was based on the foundation that Nehru
built and which he called “the temples of modern India” Jawaharlal Nehru, the politician, had the
rarest of rare quality of looking upon himself with the cold and detached objectivity of a
historian.
Man like Nehru with all their capacity for great and good work is unsafe in democracy.
He calls himself a democrat and a socialist, and no doubt he does so in all earnestness, but every
psychologist knows that the mind is ultimately a slave to the heart and the logic always be made
to fit with the desires and irrepressible urges of man. A little twist and Nehru might turn a
dictator sweeping ask the paraphernalia of slow moving democracy.
III. REVIEW OF LITERATURE:
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU was the staunch believer in the theory and practice of parliamentary
democracy. Jawaharlal Nehru in the „Unity of India‟, as a passionate and a genuine defender of
freedom wrote “to crush a canonry opinion forcibly and allow it no expression because we
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dislike it, it is essentiality of the genus as cracking the skull of an opponent because we
disapprove of him” 5
In fact, Nehru believed that the method of democracy was a discussion, argument
persuasion and an ultimate decision and acceptance of decision even though it might go against
our grains. In his speeches (1953-57) Nehru uttered: “otherwise, the bigger lathi or the bigger
bomb prevails and that is not the democratic method. The problem is the same whether atomic
bomb are involved or street demonstration.”6
Further, he argues that parliamentary democracy demands many virtues.Of course, it
demands ability and devotions to work “parliamentary democracy he told his countrymen, “ is
something which can be created in the country by some magic , parliamentary democracy
naturally involves peaceful method of acting, peaceful acceptances of decision taken, and
attempts to change them through peaceful ways again” 7
S.Gopal (e.d) Jawaharlal Nehru an Anthology, 1983, highlighted that India wrote Nehru,
is a curious mixture of diversity and abiding unity 8
On the other hand B.R Nanda (e.d) India‟s foreign policy – the Nehru year (1976) argues,
Nehru was himself a curious and a fascinating mixtures of divert sing influence and stream of
thought from the east and west. He was influenced by the idealist tradition of the Indian
renaissance and the national movement, especially by Gandhi and persistently endeavored to
combine idealism with realism. 9
R.C GUPTA in Indian political thought (2006) expressed that democracy is the best form
of government, because it preserves the highest human values, that is why India has chosen
democracy and Nehru was so hope full about its success in India he remarked, “We will resist
the imposition of any other concept here or any other practice.” 10
Prem Arora and Brij Grover‟s Selected Western and Indian Political Thinkers (2010)
delineates Nehru‟s concept of democracy implied the existence of social and economic equality
amongst the member of society. He asserted that a true democracy can flourish only in an equal
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society and a system which permuted the existing social and economic inequalities could not
only be regarded as democracy, political democracy to him was only the means to attain the
goals of an economic and social structure which could enforce freedom, equality and social
justice to all…
IV. METHODOLOGY:
The primary method followed in this paper is documentary. We are arguing that it is
documentary for the simple reason that our primary source material depended upon the writings
of Nehru and other authors.
V. OBJECTIVES:
1. To understand Nehru‟s contributions to the growth of Indian democracy.
2. To know Nehru also assigned important role to leadership in democracy.
3. To comprehend Nehru came under the influence of certain streams of thought.
VI. ARCHITECT OF INDIAN DEMOCRACY:
Nehru claim to fame in the history of our time rest on one simple fact. In historical
perspective he stands out as an architect of democracy under very special circumstance he tried
to lay the foundation of democracy, parliamentary democracy, in one of the largest and poorest
and most illiterate countries of the world. He succeeded in no small measure this in itself was
something extraordinary, something worth specially remembering as we celebrate 125 birth
anniversary.
The evolution of the idea in Nehru‟s mind come under the influence of various streams of
thought, mostly foreign, the acceptance of the Gandhian ethics emerged in the enunciation of
frame work of democracy committed to secularism, socialism and social justice and creation of a
sound institutional base for the instant development of the huge and diverse country constitute
the three main themes on which attention is focused in this paper.
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Jawaharlal Nehru blamed the authoritarian system because they curbed the individual
freedom and did not provide adequate opportunity to the individual for his development further
he demonstrated choice for democracy. To him democracy a way of life and a basis for social
structure.
No doubt the influence of Marx and Lenin was power on mind. Yet Marxist philosophy
did not satisfy him completely nor did it answer the entire question in his mind.11
“A vague idealist approach” he explain “would creep into mind, something rather akin to
the Vedanta approach” 12 his mind was to independent to submit itself top any kind of doctrinaire
approach .
“I am very far from being a communist” He conceded adding that he disliked
dogmatism.13
Nehru had strong faith in wisdom of man and his equality in almost all spheres of human
life. He always found himself safe in democracy.
“Indian experiment in constitutional democracy owes more to Nehru than to anyone else
or to any combination of factors. Aware of his autocratic tendencies, he had striven successfully
to curb than lest India should revert to the condition of benevolent despotism. Few men with
theses talent could have resisted the inducement to exercise dictatorial powers. Some frustrated
Indians regretted his reluctance to do so. Some westerns would do well to appreciate his aspect
of Nehru‟s leadership.”14
Thus, history fascinated him. It gave him an insightful command over the past. A keen
and immediate sense of the present and a rare anticipation to think and plan for the future of all.
He solidly believed that scientific temper and scientific approach to problems would liberate
India from economic misery and social in justice. Amazing indeed was his intellectual blend-
science and history ,idealism and realism, literature and politics, the revolution of ,Marx and the
non-violence of Mahatma Gandhi were all integrated in his unique personality therefore, as
Norman cousins considered Nehru “was not one man but a possession of men”.
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The first battle was one inside his mind in his early years Nehru raised several questions
against the Gandhian approach and openly disagreed with the Mahatma on many counts. Some
letters written by Nehru to Gandhiji and found in the Mahatma‟s approach and work solutions
too many doubts that had persisted for long. 15
Further as years rolled by Nehru became increasingly convinced the Gandhian approach
though he felt that Gandhiji was „an extraordinary paradox‟ he thought that when Gandhiji
claimed to be a socialist, some of his followers meant by it “a kind of muddled
humanitarianism.”16 But Nehru did not accede with Gandhiji approach to certain economic
affairs.
Nehru‟s concept of democracy indicates the existence of social and economic equality
among the members of the society. He argues that the true democracy can flourish merely in
equal society and a system which perpetuated the existing social and economic inequalities could
not be regarded as a democracy. He was willing to accept the political democracy only in the
hope that this would lead to social democracy. To him, political democracy was only the means
to attain the goals of economic and social structure which could ensure freedom, equality and
social justice to all.
As noted above, Nehru‟s preference for a mixed economy seemed appropriate under the
circumstances he proclaimed that “I am no believer in communist theory, there is much in it
which I accept the economic theory, but basically I think it is out of date today, more especially
in the atomic age. I think equally that the opposite theory is out of date in the context of modern
world affairs”. But he found in Gandhi conception of democracy something more than the
ordinary. “It is based on the service and sacrifice, and it uses moral pressure.” 17
Thus in the opinion of Nehru democracy suggest a system which contributed to the
multifarious development of individual. Therefore he uttered “democracy is not only political,
not only economic, but something of mind … it involves equality of opportunity for all peoples
as far as possible, in the politic and economic domain. It involves freedom of all individual to
grow and to make the best of his capacities and abilities. It involves certain tolerance of others
and even of other‟s opinion when they differs from yours…it is a dynamic not a static thing…
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and as it changes, it may be that its domain will become wide and wider ultimately it is a mental
approach applied to our political and economic problems”. 18
Underlying the strong institutional base Nehru laid for the growth of Indian democracy
was a value system shaped beneath Gandhi‟s leadership. The relevance of those highly cherished
values, communal harmony, non violence and emancipation of the oppressed section of the
society has not decreased with the passage of time Nehru‟s commitment to democracy stemmed
from that values system nurtured by Gandhiji.
Jawaharlal Nehru also assigned an important role to leadership in democracy and
declared that “it is the leaders and their policies that shape the activities of the followers.” He
wanted the leaders to be truthful and person of strong convictions, a leader must adapt himself to
his environment and choose what he considers as the lesser evil. Again Nehru‟s democracy also
implied free thinking and therefore he favored free flow of ideas and opinions in the state. In the
absence of civil liberties social progress was bond to the jeopardy. Nehru‟s democracy meant
solution.
The true democrat that he was Nehru accepted responsibility for his failures without
putting the blame one others around him. His biographer described Nehru as a “prophet
frustrated”. S Gopal said that Nehru failed to follow the adult suffrage with speedy enforcement
of land distribution and tenancy reform, a proper emphasis on education, a revision of
administrative system and control of population. “Had these steps” wrote Gopal, “been taken
democracy would have been accompanied by basic changes in society and 1950‟s would not now
appear more and more of faded golden age”.
Nehru has also been criticized for his tolerance of corruption and his occasional fondness
for flamboyant buccaneers. Probably Nehru was aware of the burden he was carrying on his
shoulders when he could not thwart certain friends who were his liabilities. One can get a hint of
Nehru‟s problem from a statement once made: “the most difficult thing in life is what to do with
one‟s friends”. 19
VII. CONCLUSION:
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Nehru‟s faith in India and its people‟s faith in Nehru were responsible for the
development of India. Nehru‟s firm commitment to democracy saved India with all its faults the
Indian democracy under Nehru‟s leadership grew to be the most enduring system in the third
world.
The uniqueness of Nehru‟s democracy which was hailed as the Hellas of Asia lay in the
fact of that it could survive severe test both from within and outside. Disapproving some western
critics who had prophesied the collapse of Indian democracy after Nehru, the Indian democracy
not only survived Nehru but came out with flying colors from the most trying years that
followed.
In a nutshell, we find Nehru‟s concept of democracy was quite extensive and not a static
one. It aimed at multifarious development of the individual.
References:
1. Atul Kohli, Democracy And Discontent: India‟s Growing Crisis of Governability (Cambridge,
Cambridge University press, 1990)
2. Gupta Barun Das, “JAWAHARLAL NEHRU, The Architect of Modern India”. Main stream,
Volume-LII, no -23, may 31, 2014
3. Malya Prakash .P, “A Man for All Times: A Special Features on Jawaharlal Nehru”.
„SHREYAS‟ Canara Bank Magazine volume- XV, no-6, November-December 1988, p.13
4. Noorani.A.G , “Patel‟s Communalism a Documented Record” in Frontline, Volume 30 no -
24, December 13,2013, p.9.
5. NEHRU. J. The Unity of India, p.67
6. Speeches (1935-57), p.178
7. Ibid, p.156
8. S.Gopal (e.d) Jawaharlal Nehru-An Anthology (Oxford, Oxford university press, 1983), p.238
9. B.R Nanda (e.d), India‟s Foreign Policy- The Nehru years, (New Delhi, Vikas, 1976), p.182.
10. R.C.Gupta, Indian Political Thought (Agra, Lakshmi Naraian Agarwal, 2006), p.145.
11. Jawaharlal Nehru- The Discovery of India, (Calcutta, Signet Press1947), p.12.
12. Ibid.
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13. Quoted in a Centenary History of the Indian National Congress. B.N.PANDE (e.d) AICC (I)
and Vikas Publishers Delhi, p.816.
14. R.C.Gupta, Great Political Thinkers (East and West) Agra, Lakshmi Naraian Agarwal,
2006),p.144.
15. S.GOPAL (e.d) An Anthrology,op.cit, p 99-100.
16. Ibid, p.102.
17. Ibid, p.103.
18. AICC papers, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi.
19. S.GOPAL, Jawaharlal Nehru- A Biography, volume.III (Delhi, Oxford University press,
1976), p.118
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