 (This
paper is in response to Hindustan Times' invitation for
write-ups on subjects close to Netaji's heart)
For Subhas Chandra Bose, India's freedom movement was
a two-phase struggle. The first phase was the struggle
for political freedom from the British and the second
was the struggle for establishing a socialist society
in free India.
As a leader of the masses, Bose's understanding
of the socio-economic problems of India was conditioned
by his observation of people's sufferings.
He was not a theorist in the strict
sense of the term. He had no time for academic discussions
on socialism and its possible adoption in India. However,
he had, at various stages, made known his conviction
to establish socialism in India to rescue it from the
socio-economic morass.
He made this point for the first
time in his speech before the Bengal Branch of the Independence
for India League in October 1928. In the League's manifesto,
which he helped draft, he spelt out his concept of economic
democracy, which aimed at removing economic inequality,
achieving equitable distribution of national wealth,
securing equal opportunity for all, and improving the
standard of living of the people. This manifesto was,
for all purposes, a document advocating socialism for
India.
His proposal for industrial reconstruction
included
|
|
 Large
scale production through machines, |
| Nationalisation
of basic industries, |
| Nationalisation
of railways, shipping and airways, |
| Consultative
status for workers on industrial management, especially
in areas of appointment, retrenchment and profit- sharing,
and |
| Resolution
of industrial disputes through a neutral arbitration board |
|
| For labour
welfare, he had also variously suggested |
|
| Tax
on inherited property, |
| Ceiling
on individual ownership of capital, |
| Easy
credit through co-operatives, |
| Eight-hours
of working, |
| Unemployment
allowance and old-age pension, |
| Insurance
against illness and accident, |
| Maternity
benefits and crèches for workers' children, and |
| Housing
and adequate leave |
|
|
On agriculture, he proposed uniform
land-tenure system, taxing agricultural income at a
uniform rate, cancellation of agricultural debt through
state intervention and adequate compensation, and abolition
of the Zamindari system.
|
|
|
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