ReOrient Group is an open internet society committed to fostering a robust exchange of ideas and perspectives. Our members engage in online discourse via websites and social media and participate in local initiatives such as seminars, conferences, and study camps. Membership in ReOrient Group does not preclude affiliation with other organizations.

We believe that the people of the Indian subcontinent face a crossroads – an intensified crisis in the economic, political, and social spheres. Historical processes at global and national levels are converging, creating a moment of immense peril, threatening to plunge the nation into fascism. Yet, within this crisis lies the potential for epoch-making revolutionary events that could forge a new social order. It is a phoenix moment, echoing Praful Bidwai's analysis, a time of potential destruction and rebirth.

Globalization and the Idea of India

In this globalized world, the centers of economic growth and commodity production are shifting towards Asia.  Capital, now able to flow uninterruptedly across national borders, naturally gravitates towards profit-rich resource centers. However, this shift has not benefited the majority of the Indian people, whose lives have been devastated by impoverishment and exploitation of their cheap labor in often inhuman ways.  In India, historically an agrarian society, the agricultural sector is shrinking, displacing rural laborers.  These displaced workers are not being absorbed into the industrial and service sectors, which are themselves experiencing jobless growth.  Despite this widespread hardship, dominant finance capital merged with domestic monopolies reaps all the benefits.  As the state's sole purpose becomes protecting the interests of this new finance oligarchs, it increasingly resorts to oppressive and dictatorial measures, denying the freedoms and values enshrined in liberal democracy.

Perhaps the most devastating effect of globalization on the Indian people is the erosion of their agency and historical initiative as a nation-state. The Indian republic was founded upon the culmination of a century-long national liberation struggle against the British Raj. National unity, democracy, and secularism formed its cornerstones. The establishment of this republic undertook the historical task of building a national, modern society based on citizenship—the greatest popular advance in Indian history.  Under the onslaught of globalization, however, the people's will to shape their own destiny is waning.

While some argue that globalization signifies the decline of the nation-state, what is actually declining is the people's authority to exercise their power and control their own future.  Simultaneously, the state apparatus is being fortified, acting as both protector of finance capital and instrument of oppression against the people.  At this critical juncture, the very notion of the "Idea of India" is at stake.

The Ascendance of Fascism

In India, the advance of Hindu communal forces has historically coincided with periods of weakness in national, democratic, and secular movements.  The Hindutva movement emerged as a counterpoint to the anti-colonial national movement, seeking to fuse the nascent nationalist society with traditional Brahmanical caste values and systems.  In contrast, the national movement championed modern democratic and secular ideals, striving to build a modern nation.

Notably, Hindutva forces played no part in the anti-colonial struggle. Their present political objective is to wield the state as an oppressive instrument to uphold the Brahmanical hegemonic system.  Finance capital, seeking to exploit the current crisis of Indian democracy, has brought these previously marginalized forces into the mainstream of Indian politics.

During this era of imperialist globalization, popular aspirations and demands for growth, participation, and representation inevitably rise.  Existing democratic institutions, however, struggle to meet these demands. To prevent the resulting discontent from turning against the dominance of finance capital, the latter aligns itself with the most reactionary elements of society.  It is through this unholy alliance that Hindutva forces are installed in positions of power.

Bound by this pact, they are duty-bound to implement oppressive policies that serve the interests of finance capital.  Socially, their aim is to reinstate the Brahmanical caste system and medieval religious obscurantism.  Offering no vision of a bright and hopeful future, their rule depends on ensuring the passivity of the people.

The Left and Democratic Forces

The setbacks suffered by left and democratic forces are attributable to a multitude of factors.  A comprehensive analysis of imperialist globalization remains elusive.  Conceptual frameworks for the transformation of contemporary capitalism into socialism—including strategies for reorganizing the global monetary system, the nation-state system, and individual nation-states—are underdeveloped.  The twentieth-century attempts to establish socialist societies within the confines of the nation-state system ultimately failed, reverting to capitalism and morphing into closed, anti-democratic, and highly repressive states.  These failures have not yet yielded to the influence of new, compelling socialist perspectives.  In the post-globalization era, the trajectory of Indian polity remains unclear, hindering the presentation of a viable national left alternative to the people.

Because history itself has not yet provided definitive answers to these complex questions, they remain part of the broader societal crisis.  Simultaneously, they demand creative and historically significant interventions from the left.  While the path forward is uncertain, the journey must begin.  As a starting point, we propose several key reorientations in our perspectives, which are detailed below.

Reorientations

From Capitalism to Socialism: Capitalism, as a production system, is demonstrably flawed. Its inherent instability, unpredictability, and cyclical crises are evident.  Driven by exploitation and profit maximization, it leads to the concentration of wealth and resources in the hands of a privileged few, environmental devastation, and the stunting of human potential.  Humanity must transition to a socialist system characterized by increased socialization of the means of production and the productive process.

From Eurocentrism to Asiacentrism:  The pre-capitalist world's economic center was Asia.  The current globalized world is witnessing a resurgence of Asia, shifting the global economic axis away from Eurocentrism. This realignment coincides with the cyclical evolution of the world capitalist economic system. A deconstruction of unequal imperialist relationships—economic, political, cultural, and ideological—is therefore necessary.

Socialism of the 21st Century : Though the 20th-century revolutionary attempts to build socialist systems were the greatest advancements of toiling masses in excercising political power, they were within the capitalist nation-state frameworks and offer primarily negative lessons. These experiments ultimately reverted to capitalism, often becoming closed, repressive societies that failed to embrace the values and methods of liberal democracy.  21st-century socialist construction cannot, and must not, emulate these failed models.

Reorientation of the World Revolutionary Movement:  The global revolutionary movement against capitalism requires a fundamental reorientation.  Today's interconnected world has transcended the framework established by the Third International. The 20th-century attempts at socialist construction, having proven unsuccessful, necessitate new approaches.

Continuity of Indian Polity:  In this post-globalization era, the Indian polity must be shielded from the predations of finance capital and the imposition of religious rule.  Perspectives for the continuity of the Indian polity must be developed in consonance with 21st-century socialism, preserving the agency of the Indian people. The Constitution and the Republic must be protected from the fascist and communal forces that currently dominate national life. The project of building a modern society of citizens, grounded in the ethos of democracy, secularism, pluralism, and national unity—a project initiated by the nationalist freedom struggle—has stalled. It must be resumed by synthesizing all the historical streams of Indian liberation movements.

Unity of the Left and Merging of Communist Parties: The left, as the organized political force representing the weaker sections of society, must assume leadership of the Indian people and nation. It must articulate a vision for socialist transformation and the continuity of the Indian polity—a vision constituting a national left alternative. To this end, the unity of the left camp must be ensured, and, where possible, a principled merger of communist parties should be pursued. Confederated organizational structures appropriate for the Indian context should be considered. Mass organizations representing youth, agricultural laborers, peasants, women, and trade unions should unite.

United Front Against Hindutva Fascism: To combat the  divisive policies and the assaults of Hindutva fascism on the Republic, the Constitution and the rule of law, broad united fronts encompassing all sections of the population should be forged.  These united fronts, whether issue-based or comprehensive, are possible at the national, state, or local levels, uniting religious minorities, Adivasis, Dalits, women, cultural activists, gender minorities, environmentalists, students, and others.

Values of Liberal Democracy Against Authoritarianism: The values of liberalism—democracy, secularism, pluralism, and popular unity—must be defended against the attacks of fascism.  The continuity of these values must be guaranteed.  For people of diverse linguistic, cultural, ethnic, and national identities, democratic rights to free development and self-determination must be assured. The rights to dissent and to differ must be protected.

From Spiritualism to Materialism: The narrative of India's past as a bastion of spiritualism must be deconstructed, demonstrating the consistent presence and power of reason throughout Indian history.

From the Brahmanical Caste System to a Casteless Society: As the great Indian leader Dr. B.R. Ambedkar emphasized, the Brahmanical caste system must be annihilated. Indian society must become casteless.

From Agrarian Society to Industrial Society : The agricultural sector in India is undergoing rapid transformation. Agricultural laborers must be empowered to transition into a skilled, educated workforce within an industrialized society.  The Indian people must be free from the primary deprivations of education, health, housing, employment, and food. They also have the right to a just livelihood.

From Patriarchy to a Women-Centered Society : Indian women suffer greatly under the dominance of Brahmanical patriarchy. Women's liberation is integral to the liberation of all Indian people, as class and caste are intertwined with gender issues.  The women's movement must advance, dismantling the caste system, traditional family structures, and the morality that seeks to control women's sexuality.

From Religiosity to Scientific Temper : Concerted efforts are being made to impose medieval religious obscurantism and ritualism on the Indian people. Organized efforts are needed to promote a scientific temper.  Religious politics, communalism, the religious mobilization of people, efforts to incite riots, and the phenomenon of "godmen" must be exposed and opposed.

From Environmentally Disastrous to Environmentally Friendly :  Capitalism's development model is environmentally destructive, driven by the relentless pursuit of profit.  A non-profit-centered production system is essential for creating an environmentally sustainable development model.

From Proprietary Software to Open-Source Software :  Profit-driven production commodifies products, hindering their free and equitable distribution and impeding the development of intellectual products.  Capitalist production methods are outdated for these reasons as well. We support free and open-source software over proprietary software.

Science – Not for War, but for the Welfare of the People :  The development of science and technology is currently directed primarily towards destructive warfare and profit-making. It should instead be focused on improving the living standards of ordinary people, reducing the burden of labor, and shortening working hours.

From Nationalism to Internationalism : We champion internationalism over narrow nationalism.

From Brahmanical Order to Shramanic Order : India's path to liberation demands a cultural and social revolution, shifting from the rigid hierarchies of the Brahmanical system to the egalitarian and ethical values championed by Buddhist and Shramanic philosophies. This Shramanic tradition, rooted in the struggles of the toiling masses and later suppressed by Brahmanism, embodies the liberating values of equality, compassion, non-violence, and intellectual freedom. ◼