With reference to Congress Socialist Party, consider the following statements:
- It advocated the boycott of British goods and evasion of taxes.
- It wanted to establish the dictatorship of proletariat.
- It advocated, separate electorate for minorities and oppressed classes.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) None
Answer: (d)
Explanation:
The Congress Socialist Party: A Socialist Group within the Indian National Congress
- The Congress Socialist Party (CSP) was established in 1934 by Jayaprakash Narayan and Acharya Narendra Dev. Jayaprakash Narayan’s book, “Why Socialism? – The Relevance of Socialism in India,” and Ram Manohar Lohia’s journal, “Congress Socialist,” were instrumental in shaping the party’s ideology.
- Ideology: The CSP was influenced by Marxist ideas, Gandhism, liberal and social democracy of the West. While pledging allegiance to the Indian National Congress (INC), the CSP aimed for nationalism and independence. To achieve their goals, the CSP believed in forming a broad-based coalition of the bourgeoisie, middle class, workers, and peasants.
- Demands: The CSP called for the abolition of capitalism, the zamindari system, and princely states. They also advocated for the incorporation of radical socio-economic measures into the Congress work program for the upliftment of the distressed population.
Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
