Netaji Thought
Netaji Thought | |
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| Founder | Sheru Ramprasad |
| Ideology | Arthani nationalism Cultural nationalism Councilism Socialism Collectivism |
Netaji Thought, or Netajism, is an Arthani political philosophy that builds upon councilism and the ideology of Sheru Ramprasad, known by his honorific Netaji. It was developed and codified by the Arthani-led Satrian Section during the 1960s, although it would not be formalised until 1994. Netaji Thought is considered to be Councilist political theories and policies adapted for Arthani circumstances and history. Although the ideology is named after the Arthani revolutionary leader, it does not necessarily reflect the personal ideologies of Sheru Ramprasad, but rather the official ideology of the Satrian Section and the People's Volunteer Organisation.
Netaji Thought revolves around the concept of Swarāj, or self-rule, which encompasses the entire ideology. It promotes the formation of a councilist federation united by a pan-Arthani national identity based upon an adaptation of socialist patriotism. It promotes social cohesion and collectivism between ethnic groups to create a harmonious society. It supports a variation of socialism, centered around a market socialist economy to unite the people of Arthasthan and develop the country. In order to implement these ideals, the ideology supports the creation of a united front of Arthasthan's ethnic groups and social classes led by the Satrian Section. Society would be governed by an "evolution" of the panchayati raj system, where political power would be based upon basic unit of Arthani society, the local community.
History
Codification
Components
Swaraj
The central concept of Netaji Thought is Swarāj, literally "self-rule", referring to Ramprasad's concept of freedom and independence. He defined it as not only independence from foreign domination, but an integral revolution that encompasses all spheres of life. In 1943, Ramprasad wrote "At the individual level, Swaraj is the capacity for rational self-assessment, ceaseless self-purification and able self-reliance." As a result, the concept is applied throughout the ideology's other components. Economically, Swaraj means economic freedom from moneyed interests and the ability to gain wealth. Socially, Swaraj is self-rule, self-reliance, self-restraint for the individual. It forms an integral part of Ramprasad's personal values and the Code of Moral Code of Socialism. Spiritually in Ashram it equated with moksha or salvation from material wants.
The political aspect of Swarāj rejects a statist form of governance, especially liberal democracy which it considers as a bourgeoisie democracies. It opposes the colonial political and social systems implemented by Etruria. Ramprasad advocated discarding Etrurian political, economic, bureaucratic, legal, military, and educational institutions. Although the concept of Swaraj in Netajism generally refers to the political sphere, Instead the ideology advocates for a governance not by a top-down hierarchical government, but by self-governance through individuals and community building. The focus is on political decentralisation in order to establish what Ramprasad called a "peasants' democracy" in Arthasthan. Netajists consider Swarāj, to be the Arthani version of councilism, adapted for Arthani society and politics. Netajists embrace most concepts of councilism such as federalism, direct democracy, localism and nonpartisanism, which it views as ideal qualities which are already rooted in Arthani culture.
Sheru Ramprasad, 1946
The implementation of the Swaraj is centered around an evolution of the Panchayati raj system, a traditional political system for local government found across Satria. Ramprasad viewed the original system as archaic and reactionary, especially since it traditionally was led by elders chosen and accepted by the local community. However Ramprasad argues that despite its flaws, the Panchayati raj system are already structured similarly to the foundations of a theoretical councilist system. Its proponents believed that the foreign and statist system of governance introduced under colonialism would be incredibly difficult to continue and would led to widespread anger and resistance. Instead Ramprasad advocated reforming the Panchayati raj, while maintaining it as the foundation of Arthasthan's political system.
According to Netaji Thought, this adaption of the councilist system would establish a decentralised form of government, where each village would be responsible for its own affairs. It would be an organic introduction of democracy thereby bringing greater peace and prosperity to the people of Arthasthan. Netajists advocated co-opting the existing traditional tribal structures and reform them into more egalitarian and pluralistic structures. These reforms include expanding participation in tribal councils to all adults and establishing a solely ceremonial and organisational leadership. According to its proponents, introducing and increasing pluralism to these councils would transform them into "popular councils" where all adult members of the community can participate in the political process. According to its proponents, the power of the state would be virtually nil, and the real power directly resides in the hands of people. Ramprasad believed that it would create a society, where the sovereignty of the people is based on pure moral authority.
Ramprasad rejected the concept of the state, calling for a stateless society. While a hierarchical system would exist, the councils in higher tiers would only serve to coordinate with councils in a wider geographic areas. These councils would serve as higher units of governance and as unifying institutions where citizens can address common issues and conflicts. The ideology considers the highest level council, known as the General Assembly acting as a "coordinating polity" representing the will of the Arthani people rather than a traditional state. The highest council would have authority to oversee all lower councils, but would not be able to directly override the decisions of a lower council. Nevertheless the polity, acting through the General Assembly, would have full authority over certain affairs, such as foreign policy and national defence. Once a decision is made by the General Assembly the entire polity, including the lower councils, are expected to follow that decision, and not continue working against it.
Nationalism
Netaji Thought advocates for the creation of a pan-Arthani national identity centered around socialist solidarity and the principle of Swaraj. Netaji Thought places the creation and continuation of a Arthani national identity as essential to the country's continued existence as an independent state. Ramprasad sought to establish an national identity by adapting the socialist patriotism promoted by the Pardals into a pan-Arthani nationalism that could unite Arthasthan's culturally and religiously diverse population. He argued that since Arthani nationalism is a pan-nationalist ideology it would unite people into a common cause instead of dividing them. Although Netajism does not go as far as to deny the existence of ethnic groups like Sattarism, Ramprasad supported actively downplaying and suppressing all ethnic identity in favor of a pan-Arthani identity. Instead Netaji Thought promotes a united "socialist Arthani consciousness" and "Arthani socialist patriotism" to discourage ethnic identity among Arthasthan's peoples.
Thus Netaji Thought explicitly rejects any kind of ethnic nationalism, labeling it as bourgeois nationalism and declaring it unworkable for Arthasthan's multiracial and multicultural society. Instead it promotes the multi-ethnic cultural unity of the people, and defines ethnic groups as "sub-divisions" of the Arthani people. Ramprasad wrote in 1937 that "Arthasthan is of many races, languages, religions and cultures; to center an identity on any one would only serve to divide our country." As a result, he and other members of the Satrian Section vehemently opposed support of ethnic nationalism and especially separatism by any ethnic group. They believed that the country's ability to achieve prosperity and defend its independence rested upon a single national identity.
Socialism
Netaji Thought promotes its own interpretation of socialism, which it claims is adapted for Arthasthan's unique cultural and economic situation. The ideology views the main purpose of socialism in Netaji Thought is to promote economic equality and Swaraj, or independence, from colonialist powers, which would help achieve a unified Arthani society. The goal of creating a classless society found in traditional socialism is only mentioned in Netaji thought in the context of unifying Arthasthan's peoples. Other concepts that significantly differs from traditional socialism are its partial rejection of confiscation of private property, the seizure of the means of production, and class conflict. For these reasons, it has sometimes been accused of revisionism which its proponents strongly deny.
Netaji Thought rejects capitalism, denouncing it as an individualist economy run by the international bourgeoisie. Furthermore it rejects state socialism, arguing that the state would only subjugate the worker to an inefficient means of managing the economy. Instead it advocates for an economy based upon the principles of equity, solidarity, diversity, workers' self-management and efficiency centered around the economic principles of Swaraj. This would be achieved by a social revolution led by the Satrian Section to create a market socialist economy that revolves around "patriotic" organisations. These organisations consists of both employees and employers to mutually organize and control economic activity while remaining accountable to the people. These organisations would consist of regional federations of local cooperatives governed by its workers and supported by its consumers. This structure represents economic Swarāj, economic self-rule, that leads to full economic freedom for its members.
The ideology partially rejects the concept of class conflict. To a certain extent, Netaji Thought has a less hostile view of what traditional socialism considers the bourgeoisie. It views that all people of Arthasthan who supported Netajism, regardless of wealth or social position, were ultimately oppressed by Etrurian imperialism. These includes groups such as tribal landowners, merchants, and other Arthani nationalists, that would be considered part of the petite bourgeoisie in traditional socialism. To reconcile this contradiction, Ramprasad argued that because of Etrurian imperialism, they were ultimately all part of the proletariat resisting what it considers the bourgeoisie. In Netaji Thought the bourgeoisie were Etrurian settlers and those who cooperated with Etruria and did not defect. It views the Etrurians as a fundamentally "haute bourgeoisie society" who exploited the people of Satria for over a century.
Netaji Thought's partial rejection of confiscation of private property and the seizure of the means of production stems from its focus on Arthani national liberation and its view of class conflict. The ideology advocates for the confiscation of the private property of the "bourgeoisie" and its redistribution to the "proletariat" like other forms of socialism. However because of its views on class and class conflict, these policies were solely targeted at Etrurian colonialists and those who sided with them. As a result, Netajism allows the right for the proletariat to individually own private property, although there are exceptions for the means of production. Instead Ramprasad believed that the means of production should be collectively owned by the community or spread as widely as possible among the proletariat if the former is impractical.
Collectivism
Netaji Thought advocates for a single united Arthani society centered around a socialist moral code known as the Moral Code of Socialism. The Code was centered upon Sheru Ramprasad's personal values of "industriousness, thrift, integrity, righteousness, tolerance, and selflessness". In addition to his personal values, Ramprasad wrote about the social aspect of "Swaraj" throughout his life, criticising the clan system and their strong ties that emphasises the clan's self-interest over the wider society. He described its call as a societal failure that leads to division among Arthanis and further moral corruption. These Values were initially not codified and instead where a broad set of guidelines.
In 1971, the Satrian Section's Office of Ideological Development introduced the Code, which was adopted by the Central Council. The Code adopted Ramprasad’s personal values and the social aspect of Swaraj, and codified it into a list of twelve moral rules, covering personal morality and ethics. The Code is not a concrete rules of conduct, but instead centered around rules of attitude and a person's relations with society. Among its provisions, it promotes loyalty to socialism, awareness of social responsibilities, intolerance of the violation of social interests, a modest and non-materialist lifestyle, opposition to capitalist exploitation, and a sense of socialist brotherhood.
The ideal Arthani individual that embodied the Code in their daily lives would be selfless, learned, temperate, and enthusiastic for the socialist cause, with loyalty only to Arthasthan and not to ethnic or familial ties. They would embody the concept of Swaraj, being self-reliant and conscious of their personal weaknesses and biases. Combined with nationalism, these Arthanis would lead to the birth of a united Arthani people and the creation of a new society with a singular purpose. Without clan and family based ties to divide them, this new Arthani society would be without conflict or exploitation and united in socialist solidarity to ensure Arthani prosperity and independence. The members of the Satrian Section and the greater socialist movement were expected to follow and embody these qualities as both as a role model and an archetype for others.
Netaji Thought rejects individualism, defining the basic unit of society as the local community whose members embodies the Code. The community, by following this collectivist ethos, "ascends" past cultural, ethnic, and linguistic differences to take part of a single socially homogeneous Arthani society. The ideology explicitly rejects a community centred around the clan dominated by familial ties. It effectively redefines the traditional society of Arthasthan centered around familial clans and loyalty to it, to an collectivised and open society defined around the national community and socialism.
Netajism places the Satrian Section and the People's Volunteer Organisation at the center of a united front to lead Arthasthan's new society. The united front would consist of the Arthani petite bourgeoisie, working class, peasantry, and the intelligentsia who embody the traits promoted by the Revolutionary Values. Its members would abandon existing clan ties in favor of a unified society. The Satrian Section would lead the socialist revolution in Arthasthan and guide its people toward the formation of a socialist society. The LSS would oversee and guide the societal development of Arthasthan.