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- Left movements in India developed in two main streams: (i) Communism functioned as a branch of the International Communist Movement and was controlled by Comintern. (ii) Congress Socialist Party which functioned as the left wing of Congress and drew inspiration from the philosophy of Democratic Socialism. Both these movements drew support from anti-imperialist sentiments prevalent in India.
- The spread of the ideas of Marx and socialism resulted in the rise of a left wing in Congress represented by Nehru and S. Bose.
- These younger nationalists:
- Were critical of both Swarajists and No-Changers.
- Advocated a more consistent anti-imperialist line in the form of a slogan for purna swarajya (complete independence)
- Were influenced by an awareness, though still vague, of international currents.
- Stressed the need to combine nationalism and anti-imperialism with social justice and simultaneously raised the question of internal class oppression by capitalists and landlords.
- Congress Socialist Party: Congress Left Wing emerged as a ‘rationalist revolt’ against mysticism of Gandhism on the one hand and dogmatism of Communism on the other. Their ideological inspiration came from Marxism and Democratic Socialism, and they stood for anti-imperialism.
- They stood for complete Independence and Socialism; they wanted Swaraj not for the classes but for the masses. Congress Socialist Party was not a rival political organization to the Congress but was launched to work within the Congress.
- The CSP condemned the Government of India Act 1935. It was because of socialist pressure that the Congress Election Manifesto of 1936 contained a program for the removal of the socio-economic grievances of the people.
- In 1931, J.P Narayan & Phulan Prasad Varma formed the Bihar Socialist Party.
- Punjab Socialist Party came into existence in 1933.
- All-India Congress Socialist Party was formally started in 1934 with a constitution and a specific 15-point program.
- Communist Party of India was formed in 1920 in Tashkent by M N Roy (first to be elected to leadership of Comintern.
- In 1925 Indian Communist conference was held at Kanpur whereby the foundation of CPI was formalized.
- Communist Movement involved in conspiracy trials thrice, viz. Peshawar Conspiracy Trial (1922-23), Kanpur Conspiracy Trial (1924) and Meerut Conspiracy (1929-33).
- The Congress members successfully opposed the enactment of the Public Safety Bill (1928)-a bill directed against the Communists in India thus showing their support.
- By 1934, Communist Movement in India acquired some respectability and Communist ideology may be said to have been established in this country.
- In July 1934, CPI was declared an illegal organization. Later, Government of India declared the CPI a legal organization again in 1942.
- Revolutionary Socialist Party: Revolutionaries of the early 20th century provided the nucleus for the organization of this party which was launched in 1940. It stood for a violent overthrow of British imperialism & establishment of socialism in India. Ideologically, RSP was closer to CSP than Communist Party. In Gandhi-Bose tussle, RSP supported Subhash Chandra Bose.
- Bolshevik Party of India was established in 1939 by N. Dutt Mazumdar.
- Revolutionary Communist Party was launched by Saumyendra Nath Tagore in 1942.
- Bolshevik-Leninist Party was formed in 1941 by Trotskyite revolutionaries like Indra Sen & Ajit Roy.
