1.

Introduction

In the late 1920s and 1930s, a strong left-wing group grew in India. They added a social and
economic goal to the fight for independence. Now, the freedom struggle also meant freedom
from poverty, exploitation, and inequality.

Socialism started gaining support, especially among the youth, who looked up to Jawaharlal
Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose as symbols of socialist ideas.

Two important Left parties emerged:

 Communist Party of India (CPI)

A big reason for this rise was the Russian Revolution of 1917, where Lenin's Communist
Party overthrew the Czar. It showed the world—especially colonized people—that common
people could rise up and build a society without exploitation.

2. Spread of Socialist and Communist Thought (1920s)

After the Non-Cooperation Movement, many young people felt disappointed with Gandhi’s
methods and wanted more radical change. So, socialist and communist groups began forming
all over India:

 S.A. Dange in Bombay published Gandhi and Lenin and a weekly

Student and youth groups were also formed, and many conferences were held in 1928–29,
promoting socialism. Nehru and Bose traveled around India, attacking imperialism, capitalism,
and landlordism, and promoting socialism. Even revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh and
Chandrashekhar Azad were influenced by socialist ideas. The Great Depression of the 1930s
made socialism more popular, as the capitalist system was failing worldwide.

3. Role of Jawaharlal Nehru

Jawaharlal Nehru became the main figure who gave the national movement a socialist vision.
After 1929, he believed that freedom should not just be political but also social and economic.
He was elected Congress President in 1929, 1936, and 1937. Through his books and speeches,
he said that true freedom meant removing poverty and creating a socialist society.

He visited the Soviet Union in 1927 and was deeply impressed. He wrote a book about it and
even quoted, “Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, but to be young was very heaven.”

In 1928, Nehru and Subhas Bose formed the Independence for India League, aiming for
complete independence and socialism.

At the 1929 Lahore Congress, Nehru declared:

"I am a socialist and a republican… India must follow a socialist program to remove poverty and
inequality."

Nehru always tried to combine nationalism and socialism. He disagreed with some of
Gandhi’s views (like class harmony), but he also respected Gandhi’s role in awakening the
masses.

4. Communist Party of India (CPI)

The Communist Party of India (CPI) had its early beginnings outside India. In 1920, a group of
Indian revolutionaries led by M.N. Roy met in Tashkent (in the Soviet Union) and formed the
party. Later, in December 1925, several communist and socialist groups came together in Kanpur
and officially created the Communist Party of India. From the beginning, the CPI tried to work
within the Congress by urging its members to join the organization and build a strong left-wing
inside it. Their aim was to turn the Congress into a more radical and mass-based body.

To carry out their goals, the communists started organizing workers and peasants by forming
parties like the Labour-Swaraj Party in Bengal, Congress Labour Party in Bombay, Kirti-Kisan
Party in Punjab, and Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan in Madras. Later, all these were united and
renamed as the Workers’ and Peasants’ Parties (WPPs). These parties tried to give a new
direction to the Congress by making it more focused on the needs of ordinary people, while also
independently organizing peasants and workers. In a short time, these efforts helped spread
communist ideas in cities like Bombay, where their influence grew quickly. Leaders like Nehru
and Bose welcomed these efforts, and the WPPs played an important role in making the
Congress and the freedom movement more left-leaning.

5. State Repression and the Meerut Conspiracy Case (1929)

However, the British Government soon felt threatened by the growing influence of the
communists in both the Congress and the trade union movement. Earlier, between 1922 and
1924, some communists had already been arrested and given long jail terms in the Peshawar
conspiracy cases. In 1924, the government tried to crush the movement by charging leaders like
S.A. Dange and Muzaffar Ahmed in the Kanpur Bolshevik Conspiracy Case, sending them to
prison for four years.
But the biggest blow came in 1929. In one sudden action, the government arrested 32 leading
communists and trade union workers—including three British supporters—in what became
known as the Meerut Conspiracy Case. The aim was to cut off the head of the growing trade
union movement and separate the communists from the nationalist movement. The trial,
however, had unexpected effects. Speeches made by the arrested communists were published in
newspapers and introduced thousands of Indians to communist ideas. Even national leaders like
Nehru and Gandhi showed support for the accused. Although the government failed to turn
people against the communists, it succeeded in weakening the working-class movement by
removing its key leaders.

6. The Sectarian Mistake of the Communists (Early 1930s)

Just when the communist movement was growing and becoming popular, the communists
themselves made a serious mistake. Following orders from the international Communist
movement (the Communist International’s 6th Congress), Indian communists broke ties with the
Congress. They began calling it a "bourgeois" party, which meant they saw it as representing
only the rich and upper-middle class. The Congress, they claimed, was no longer truly anti-
imperialist and was trying to make a secret deal with the British. Even Congress leaders like
Nehru and Subhas Bose were labelled as "agents of the bourgeoisie"—people who were
misleading the masses and stopping them from rising against imperialism.

The communists now refused to support peaceful struggle and started calling for armed
revolution. They even described the Gandhi-Irwin Pact of 1931 as a betrayal of the nation. They
dissolved the Workers’ and Peasants’ Parties and instead focused on building an illegal and
underground Communist Party. As a result, they isolated themselves completely from the
freedom struggle at a time when mass participation and popularity were at their peak. The CPI
also split into smaller groups, and in 1934 the British Government declared it illegal.

This sudden change in approach weakened the communists just when their influence was rising,
making it harder for them to connect with the larger national movement.

7. Re-entry and Rise of the Communists (1935 Onwards)

After facing setbacks due to both British repression and their own mistakes, the communists
changed their approach in 1935. This change came after the Seventh Congress of the
Communist International held in Moscow, which asked communist parties around the world to
form united fronts with socialists and even with nationalist movements in colonies, to fight the
greater threat of fascism. In India, this meant that the Communist Party should again work with
the Indian National Congress.

A new direction was given by the Dun-Bradley Thesis, which stated that the Congress could
play an important role in the anti-imperialist struggle. The CPI now encouraged its members to
join the Congress and mobilize people within it. In 1938, the CPI openly accepted that the
Congress was the central political force fighting against British rule. Communist leader P.C.
Joshi described the national struggle as the biggest class struggle in India, with the Congress
playing the main role.
During 1936–1942, communists worked actively inside the Congress and gained popularity.
Many communists held important positions in Congress committees and were involved in
organizing peasants and workers. Their efforts made people see them again as passionate
fighters against imperialism.

8. Birth of the Congress Socialist Party (CSP)

While communists were reorganizing themselves, another socialist group was forming. Between
1930–1934, several young Congress members—disappointed with Gandhiji’s methods and
attracted to socialist ideas—began discussing Marxism and socialism during their time in jail.
They were interested in socialism but did not agree with the Communist Party’s rigid ideas. So,
they decided to form a new group.

In October 1934, they founded the Congress Socialist Party (CSP) in Bombay. Its main leaders
were Jayaprakash Narayan, Acharya Narendra Dev, and Minoo Masani. From the
beginning, the CSP agreed on four key points:
First, that the main struggle was for India’s freedom. Second, that they must work within the
Congress, because it was the main body leading that struggle. Third, they wanted to give the
Congress a socialist direction. And fourth, they would organize workers and peasants to
become the social base of this new direction.

The CSP believed it should both support the Congress and change it. They hoped to shift its
policies in favour of the poor, workers, and farmers—not by splitting from it, but by staying
inside and influencing it from within. Leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan said they would keep
trying to change the Congress even if they failed the first time. They believed change was a slow
process, not something that could happen instantly.

9. Internal Challenges and Leadership Struggles within the CSP

At first, some in the CSP believed they could replace the top Congress leaders with socialist
ones. But later they realized this was not realistic. Instead, they shifted to the idea of sharing
leadership within the Congress. Two times—in 1939 at Tripuri and in 1940 at Ramgarh—there
was a chance for the Left to take control of the Congress, but the CSP didn’t try to split the party.
Like Nehru, the CSP leaders believed that breaking from Gandhi would weaken the national
movement. They knew that only Gandhi could unite the masses at that time.

Even though the CSP often disagreed with the Congress leadership, it never truly broke away.
For example, in 1939 when Subhas Chandra Bose clashed with Gandhi, the CSP refused to
support Bose. This angered other left-wing groups, but CSP leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan
explained that their main goal was to influence policy, not to fight for power. They wanted to
stand with all Congressmen against British rule, even if they had internal differences.

Inside the CSP, there were also different ideological beliefs. Some followed Marxist ideas,
others were inspired by Fabian socialism or Gandhian thought. This mix caused confusion.
They didn’t have one strong, united ideology like the Communist Party. But because the leaders
respected each other and were united in their mission, the party continued to work effectively.
Over time, many CSP leaders became more open to Gandhi’s ideas and even included parts of
liberal and democratic thinking into their vision of socialism.

10. Contributions of the Left

Even though the Left faced many challenges, it made some very important contributions to
Indian politics and society. One of its biggest achievements was the mobilization of workers
and peasants. Trade unions, kisan sabhas (peasant groups), and other mass organizations were
built by leftists. These groups gave a voice to the poorest and most exploited people of India.

The Left also had a strong impact on the Congress Party itself. On many important issues, Left
leaders could influence around one-third of the votes in the All-India Congress Committee.
Between 1936 and 1939, Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose—both representing Left-leaning
views—were elected as Congress presidents. Nehru even included key socialist leaders like
Jayaprakash Narayan, Acharya Narendra Dev, and Achyut Patwardhan in his Working
Committee.

The socialist influence was also seen in Congress policies. Resolutions like the Karachi
Resolution (1931) on Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy and the Faizpur session (1936)
showed the growing influence of Left ideas. The Congress also formed a National Planning
Committee in 1938, with Nehru as its head. Even Gandhiji gradually moved toward more
radical views on economic and social justice. The Left also played a big role in the founding of
the All India Students’ Federation, Progressive Writers’ Association, and the All India
States’ People’s Conference. They were also very active in the All India Women’s
Conference.

11. Failures of the Left

Despite its energy and passion, the Left could not achieve one of its biggest goals: to take
leadership of the national movement and spread socialist ideas across India. This failure is
something historians still try to understand.

The Left often chose the wrong battles against the Congress leadership. Instead of focusing on
deep ideological issues or long-term plans, it attacked the Congress Right on smaller matters—
like accepting office in 1937 or delaying mass movements. This made them seem unrealistic or
impatient. The Right, especially under Gandhi’s leadership, was able to answer these criticisms
more effectively, and the people often trusted Gandhi and the Congress Right more than the
Left.

The Left also failed to deeply understand Indian society. Except for Nehru, most Left leaders
wrongly believed that the Congress leaders were part of the bourgeoisie (rich class) and that any
peaceful or constitutional work was equal to a compromise with British rule. They overestimated
how ready the masses were for violent revolution and thought any delay in struggle meant
betrayal. They didn’t understand that mass involvement and unity were more important than
just using dramatic slogans like “armed revolution.” Above all, they did not understand
Gandhi’s strategy of struggle, which combined mass action with patience and moral leadership.
12. Divisions and Lack of Unity within the Left

Another major weakness of the Left was that they could not remain united. Although they all
believed in socialism, different groups—like the CPI, CSP, Royists, Forward Bloc, and even
individual leaders—could not work together for long. Their ideological differences, personal
rivalries, and deep disagreements kept pulling them apart.

For example, Nehru and Bose had serious clashes in 1939. The CSP and CPI tried to work
together between 1935 and 1940, but they soon became enemies. The Communists even saw
Socialist leaders as pro-American agents after 1947. This constant fighting and lack of
coordination made it impossible for the Left to become a strong, united force in the national
movement.

Conclusion (Short and Simple)

Between 1920 and 1947, the Left played a powerful role in shaping the ideas and direction of
India’s freedom struggle. It gave voice to workers, peasants, and youth, spread socialist thinking,
and pushed the Congress toward social and economic reforms. However, due to internal
divisions, wrong political choices, and a weak understanding of Indian realities, the Left could
not take leadership of the national movement. Still, its contribution to political awareness,
grassroots mobilization, and radical thought remains an important part of India’s struggle for
independence.