Browsing by Subject "Socialism"

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Open Access
Perspectives on Humanism: Swami Vivekananda and Deendayal Upadhyaya (Comparative study)
(University of North Bengal, 2025) Parida, Alakananda; Sahu, Sangita
‘Humanism’ underlines the centrality of human agency. It offers a philosophical and ethical perspective against which individual and society are viewed. It came as a revolt against religious authoritarianism, prevailing dogmas and asserted the freedom of man and encouraged critical thinking, leaving no room for the ‘transcendental’ or ‘mystical’. True to his Vedantic conviction he considered ‘man’ as the highest manifestation of divinity on Earth. As everyman is potentially divine one deserves fair opportunities to grow into perfection. He was critical of the traditional dogmas, social discriminations and poverty of the mass. He was in favor of the synthesis of the East and West and encouraged ‘Education’ as the potent means as it promotes awareness among the people. He articulated the idea of ‘universal religion’ because for him cardinal values constitute the secular core of the ‘sacred’ and envisioned a society without distinction and dogma, where the Vedantic ideals are translated into day today living. Deendayal Upadhyaya, a philosopher sociologist, economist and politician in one, articulated a socio-economic model in which human beings remain at the centre of development. He was in favor of a sustainable consumption of natural resources such that the resources can be replenished and diversity can be preserved. He was critical of both Capitalism and Communism because both make room for individualism and consider the body and mind to be the only realities. He envisages a classless, casteless social system based on the cardinal values such as Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksa. He was a strong advocate of the view that an ideal society and political system can be in place when it is based on dharma. Dharma for him is a sustaining principle of the society and universe. The highest good of man consists in living for the wellbeing of others (lokasamgraha). Different religions have shared objectives, irrespective of the way they pursue different paths leading to the highest goal.
Open Access
The Relevance of Jaya Prakash Narayan’s Political Ideas to Reform Indian Democracy for Development for All: An Analysis
(University of North Bengal, 2020-03) Barman, Paritosh
Jayaprakash Narayan’s entire life was dedicated to establishing freedom and equality for all. He was not addicted to any ‘ism’ and never compromised with any injustice. JP worked as a socialist from 1932 to 1954. He had been the foremost leader and spokesman of Indian socialism. He used the concept of socialism blending with Gandhian Socialism for the Indian perspective. He gradually changed his political ideas to adjust to the necessity of the Indian polity. He became the torchbearer of Gandhiji’s ideas of peace, non-violence, and Gram Swaraj. JP strongly talked against the serious defects of parliamentary democracy and party politics. He tried his best to establish communitarian democracy which was more and more decentralized so that people can take part more and more in the administration for their development. He tried to transform ‘Rajniti’ into Lokniti to set up participatory democracy in India. This paper would focus his ideas to remake Indian democracy for the development of all.