Question 58 from UPSC CSE 2015 - Modern History

Question

With reference to Congress Socialist Party, consider the following statements:
1. It advocated the boycott of British goods and evasion of taxes.
2. It wanted to establish the dictatorship of the proletariat.
3. It advocated separate electorates for minorities and oppressed classes.
Which of the above statements are correct?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: D. None

Strategy: Distinguish the Congress Socialist Party's (CSP) socialist ideology from communist and communalist positions. Eliminate statements reflecting communist extremism (tax evasion, dictatorship of the proletariat) or communal politics (separate electorates), as these contradict the CSP's documented stances.

Key Info: **About the Congress Socialist Party (CSP)**
- **Establishment and Leadership:** Founded in 1934 within the Indian National Congress, the CSP was a socialist caucus led by figures like Acharya Narendra Deva, Jayaprakash Narayan, and Ram Manohar Lohia.
- **Core Aims and Methods:** The party aimed for a socialist and egalitarian transformation of Indian society. It operated within the Congress framework, advocating for anti-imperialism and anti-landlordism through constitutional methods and mass mobilization, not revolutionary violence.
- **Organizational Focus:** The CSP organized peasants and workers into kisan sabhas and trade unions to advance economic demands and social transformation.
- **Stance on Communist Doctrine:** The CSP rejected the Marxist-Leninist idea of a 'dictatorship of the proletariat,' favoring democratic socialism instead.
- **Position on Electorates:** Consistent with the broader Congress policy, the CSP opposed separate electorates, viewing them as a tool of communal division. It promoted a unified struggle against colonial rule involving all communities.
- **Overall Strategy:** While its approach could be militant, the CSP's strategy remained constitutional and within the Congress, explicitly rejecting extremist methods like tax evasion.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: 1 and 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: 3 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: 1, 2, and 3