Consider the following statements:
- Congress Socialist Party was established in 1933
- The book “Marx, Gandhi and Socialism” was written by Jaya Prakash Narayan
- The book “Radical Humanist” was written by M.N. Roy
- The book “Unhappy India” was written by Lala Lajpat Rai
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: (D)
Explanation:
- Statement 1 (Incorrect): The Congress Socialist Party (CSP) was established in 1934, not 1933.
- Statement 2 (Incorrect): The book “Marx, Gandhi and Socialism” was written by Ram Manohar Lohia, not Jaya Prakash Narayan (who famously wrote “Why Socialism?”).
- Statement 3 (Correct): “The Radical Humanist” was a periodical founded by M.N. Roy to propagate his philosophy of Radical Humanism.
- Statement 4 (Correct): “Unhappy India” (published in 1928) was written by Lala Lajpat Rai as a sharp rebuttal to Katherine Mayo’s controversial book “Mother India.”
📚 Additional Info: Key Facts & Authors
1. Congress Socialist Party (CSP)
- Established: October 1934 in Bombay.
- Key Founders: Jaya Prakash Narayan (often considered the main architect), Acharya Narendra Deva, Ram Manohar Lohia, and Minoo Masani.
- Ideology: They aimed to work within the Indian National Congress to promote socialist ideals, end landlordism, and nationalize key industries, believing this was essential for true independence.
2. Key Socialist Thinkers & Books
- Ram Manohar Lohia: Wrote “Marx, Gandhi and Socialism”. He was a major proponent of “Decentralized Socialism” and advocated for a distinct Indian path, blending socialist economics with Gandhian principles of non-violence and decentralization.
- Jaya Prakash Narayan (JP): His famous work is “Why Socialism?” (1936). He was initially a Marxist-leaning socialist but later became a prominent Gandhian and advocated for “Total Revolution” (Sampoorna Kranti).
3. M.N. Roy & Radical Humanism
- Author: Manabendra Nath Roy (M.N. Roy).
- Philosophy: M.N. Roy was a fascinating figure who was a senior figure in the Communist International before breaking with orthodox Marxism. He developed his own philosophy called “Radical Humanism” or “New Humanism.”
- “The Radical Humanist”: This was the journal he founded to spread these ideas, which prioritized individual freedom, reason, and secular morality over both religious dogma and state-controlled communism.
4. Lala Lajpat Rai & “Unhappy India”
- Author: Lala Lajpat Rai (“Punjab Kesari”).
- Context: Written in 1928.
- Purpose: It was a powerful and patriotic rebuttal to Katherine Mayo’s book “Mother India” (1927). Mayo’s book was widely condemned in India (and by figures like Gandhi) for its sensationalized and deeply negative portrayal of Indian culture, religion, and society, which was seen as British propaganda to justify colonial rule.