‘Inclusive growth’ and socialism: some comments

Anil Rajimwale

Chaturanan Mishra in his article in the Mainstream, which has also been circulated here as a reading material, has raised some pertinent questions. What comes out from it is that we have to keep options open and think of many different ways and nature of socialism without binding ourselves in a dogmatic way. He gives the example of China and Vietnam as following the path of inclusive growth, and not socialism, and this includes allowing capitalism and at the same time achieving a lot in education, social reform etc.

Another interesting point that he makes regarding path to democracy and socialism, under the inclusive path, is using the directive principles of the Indian constitution. They should be made enforceable by the court. That is a better way for ensuring ‘inclusive growth’. The directive principles, he says, enjoins upon the state to minimize inequalities. This point has not been made by others. One need not go by the official definition of the inclusive growth. One has to work out new meaning and definitions. The consciousness of the people has to be raised and the govt forced to do certain things.

New meanings and ways of socialism

These points involve a better use of the constitution in favour of the people and bring about a gradual shift in the balance of power. In other words, question of use of political power is crucial, along with other points. Here the author raises a point on the maturity of the working class as the ruling class. History has so far, he contends, has not recorded examples of its success as the ruling class. It is obvious that today the transition to socialism has to use the available constitutional and democratic means to advance. It is not enough to criticize the ruling class; it is much more necessary to really show that the democratic forces can utilize the existing structures to bring about a change in favour of the masses. What essentially Chaturanan Mishra is talking about is the democratic revolution. But this democratic revolution is not of the old type. Today, much depends upon the concrete achievements in exercising power. The democratic forces must show in practice how they can do better. Chaturanan Mishra’s paper stops short of the concrete tasks of how to do things. This takes us to a discussion of the role of the modern state and revolution. The left and the democratic forces must not only win elections but also do better than the powerful capitalist parties and classes. It is through a gradual easing out of the big and monopoly sections. In Kerala, for example, C. Achutha Menon showed how to run a government while carrying out democratic and land reforms a giving a clean administration. His ministry was free from corruption, a problem that today left ministries are seriously facing in both Kerala and Bengal.

So, there are examples of how to run a government and how not to run. If the left or left and democratic governments do not deliver a clean and efficient governance, they are bound to face a setback. His leads us to the fundamental question of the nature of revolution today. Revolution today is a continuous process, and not an event of one day or few weeks. Immense possibilities have opened up due to the crisis of imperialism for the advance of the democratic forces, as evidenced by the events in Latin America.

So it is not a question of the working class capturing power and smashing the old state machine. It is much deeper and complicated than that. It is a question of how the representatives of the people bring about fundamental shifts in politics, economy and society using the and strengthening the existing structures. These structures cannot remain as they are unchanged; they have to be changed in the course of ongoing revolution, Modern state is not simply that of a group of the bourgeoisie or the whole of it.. It is becoming a state in which mass of the people can find representation and control if they act with prudence and correct tactics.