Marxist theory and nationalist politics: the case of colonial India

Nationalism and Marxism have proved to be two of the most important and influen tial ideologies of the modern age. Both were born in Europe, and both travelled to Asia in the twentieth century. This absorb ing book is about Marxism's move to Asia and its encounter with nationalism in this new arena.

After tracing the ways in which colonial nationalism came to be framed as a pres sing question for Marxism, Dr. Seth examines some of the forms which Marx ism's engagement with Indian nationalism took. An important consequence of this encounter was that in India, as also in other colonial countries, Marxism itself became a form of nationalism, albeit a left-wing one.

Essentially a history of Marxist theory, the distinguishing features of this work are the questions it asks of its material, and its methodological approach. At the heart of this approach is the proposition that theories must be treated as answers to questions, questions which, however, are themselves framed within the concepts and resources of a theoretical tradition.

In this framework, this work examines how those committed to the socialist project, conceived and imagined through Marxist categories, came to cast their gaze beyond Europe; how as they did so, they came to regard nationalism as the essential feature of the non-Western world; the ways in which the relation between their own pro ject and the nationlist one came to be con ceived in the context of colonial India: and the profound consequences of this encounter for Marxist theory, and for com munist movements in India and elsewhere in the colonies.

Besides those engaged in South Asian studies, this book will be of considerable interest to students of Marxism and of nationalism, as well as those particularly interested in the history of ideas and politi cal theory.