Michael Grieg

Why? August-September 1942

There can be no real solution of the Indian problem, as far as the day-to-day life of the Indian masses is concerned, so long as the struggle against imperialism remains a struggle for national independence. Many are dying in the smouldering strife now gripping India, dying bravely, attacked by the lathis and bayonets of British troops. Our sympathies are with them. But when the tear gas smoke clears, should the Hindu struggle continue along its present lines, no worth while goal will be in sight. The hard and brutal fight of the Indian people for human dignity and a decent life will still have to be fought.

The British imperialists will never get out of India unless driven out. The sight of their empire tottering has made them imbecile. They indulge in rosy vision of Indian progress during era of British domination. (If you have time, see the last few speeches of Lord Halifax.) They cite statistics showing how the national wealth has increased 1% every year-overlooking the fact, however, that during this time life expectancy has been decreasing. The normal Indian baby has the prospect of living to the ripe age of 26. Maybe that is how the imperialists hope to sole the Indian problem… when the Indian hasn’t any life expectancy there will be no Indian problem. This isn’t too far from the truth as to how far London shareholders will go towards a solution. Ex corporation lawyer Sir Stafford Cripps, His Majesty;s Revolutionary Ambassador, is bundled off to New Delhi, a plan for dominion status in his satchel-to be looked into after the war. It is needless to enlarge on the Tory conception of Freedom and Justice. In India their high-sounding words boil down to bleak servitude for the masses of workers and peasants.

But does this mean all is right with the Nationalists? Some radicals and most liberals can’t think straight when confronted with a colonial people in conflict with an imperialist power. Their sentiments are proper but they are usually unable to draw proper conclusions. “Historical destiny” and “self-determination” are just phrases that confuse the issue. Mere struggle against a recognized evil is not enough. Too frequently has victory helped create a worse evil. Struggle for what? Is the fight for nationhood a fight that will advance the well being of India. of the rest of the world? There are the important questions demanding solution.

Clearly the victories of fascism lay bare the sinister role played by the idea of nationalism. The writings of Mussolini and Hitler reveal that the essential of fascism is a strong national movement based upon reflowering of national values. Nationalism, to no less a degree that capitalism, is a nourishing root of fascism. Nationalism strikes against the pressing tasks of the present: individual freedom unhindered by unjustified values outside the individual himself and the economic federation of mankind.

Nationalism in the field of human culture is utterly antagonistic to normal development of culture which is universal in scope, knowing no national barriers. Science, the passion for justice, individual freedom, the growth of arts-whatever is best in humanity-finds origin and development in the complete disregard of national differences. Nationalism smothers the creative aspirations of the individual. It is a machine that forces upon him an allegiance to an outlived tradition of ideas and values.

Were Indian nationhood a reality it would be an evil. But as presently constituted in the world today, India as an independent nation is an impossibility. The major nations would still have India under their thumbs just as much as the so-called independent nations of Latin America. And there is a great bulwark. India is a patchwork of clashing national elements. The Hindu struggle for nationhood is opposed by an equally fervent Moslem struggle for Pakistan (a separate Moslem state). Mohamed Ali Jinnah, president of All India Moslem League, recently stated that this 80,000,000 followers would fight to the death should Britain accede to Hindu demands. And these are just two of national elements! From such a patchwork, the struggle for nationalism is likely to end in a bloody. anti-social civil war with British or more likely Japanese imperialism finally winning out.