Why Socialism?

Why Socialism? This article by Albert Einstein, the world-famous physicist, was originally published in the inaugural issue of the renowned US socialist magazine, Monthly Review (May 1949).   Is it advisable for one who is not an expert on economic and social issues to express views on the subject of socialism? I believe for a…

T.M. Krishna’s Ocean of Song

T.M. Krishna’s Ocean of Song In the evening of the tenth anniversary of 26/11, our own metonym for terror-driven victimhood, against the backdrop of the Gateway of India in Mumbai an Indian Navy band played Amazing Grace; its hymnal melody suffused the twilight with bagpipes and oboes providing the syncopated tones of remembrance for those…

The Challenge of Fascism

The Challenge of Fascism With the gradual coming together of the opposition, hope has been generated across the country in recent days that the BJP can be defeated. This hope was first generated in a big way when the BJP was soundly defeated in the bypolls held across ten states in the country in mid-2018….

Gandhi’s Final Fast

Gandhi’s Final Fast Recently I was asked to write a couple of lectures for undergraduate students on the significance of Gandhi and communalism. When I began writing the lectures, which were supposed to be written very simply, I realised that I was not being true to the task of trying to bring across something important…

‘Where They Burn Books, They Will Burn Men as Well’

‘Where They Burn Books, They Will Burn Men as Well’ It had been a balmy early-summer day in Berlin, but by late afternoon, storm clouds started gathering overhead. As evening fell, a slight drizzle set in, forcing many Berliners to stay indoors. Yet, groups of young women and men—more men than women—started converging on the…

Gandhi, Marx and the Ideal of an ‘Unalienated Life’

Gandhi, Marx and the Ideal of an ‘Unalienated Life’ In your famous essay “Gandhi, the Philosopher”, you were making a fresh reading of Mahatma Gandhi as a philosopher. In your own words you were “struck by the integrity of his ideas”. What do you mean by “integrity” in Gandhi’s ideas?   That essay was written…

Anthropocene Age and Relevance of Tagore and Gandhi

Anthropocene Age and Relevance of Tagore and Gandhi The earth is today facing a critical ecological crisis. A few months back Dr. Sanmatha Nath Ghosh, the socialist leader of West Bengal, arranged a discussion on “21st Century Socialism”. Socialists and Marxists all over the world are today deeply engaged in discussions on the worsening environmental…