Why in the News?
A mainstream political party is celebrating 60 years of Integral Humanism (Ekatm Manav-vad), a political philosophy introduced by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
About Deendayal Upadhyaya and His Contributions:
- Birth and Legacy: Born on September 25, 1916, in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh; his birth anniversary is marked as Antyodaya Diwas since 2014.
- RSS and BJS Roles: He was a pracharak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and co-founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS).
- Leadership: Served as President of BJS, laying its ideological foundation.
- Antyodaya Concept: Coined “Antyodaya”, meaning upliftment of the last person, central to several welfare schemes.
- Advocated Ideas: Promoted Swadeshi (self-reliance) and decentralization of power for inclusive development.
- Inspired Schemes:
- Mysterious Death: Found dead on February 11, 1968, near Mughalsarai railway station, now renamed Deendayal Nagar. The case remains unresolved.
His Philosophy of Integral Humanism:
- Introduction: Proposed in 1965 through four lectures in Mumbai, promoting Indian values over foreign ideologies.
- Core Idea: Aims for holistic development — body, mind, intellect, and soul — grounded in cultural and spiritual ethics.
- Chiti and Dharma: Defined ‘Chiti’ as the soul of the nation and ‘Dharma’ as the ethical base of national integrity.
- Six Economic Objectives:
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- Minimum living standard for all citizens.
- Global welfare through Indian values.
- Employment for all able-bodied individuals.
- No wastage of natural resources.
- Promotion of indigenous technology.
- Flexible industrial ownership based on practicality.
- Further Influence: Expanded by Dattopant Thengdi, founder of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS).
- Intellectual Roots: Drew inspiration from Daishik Shastra (1923), a text respected by Gandhi and Tilak; studied during a visit to Almora in 1958–59.
[UPSC 2020] One common agreement between Gandhism and Marxism is:
Options: (a) the final goal of a stateless society * (b) class struggle. (c) abolition of private property. (d) economic determinism. |
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