In 1929, Bose raised a demand for "full socialism", and came close to Bhagat Singh's socialist organisation Hindustan Republication Army. Addressing the Midnapore Youth Conference in 1929, he said: ""¦A new society has to be established on basis of full socialism. Economic disparity is to be removed and everybody, man and woman, is to be given equal opportunity for education and advancement in life. We must see that a sovereign state is established on a socialist basis."
He reiterated his preference for socialism in 1930 in his letter to the revolutionary leader, Barindra Kumar Ghosh (younger brother of Shri Aurobindo). "...We do not want political freedom alone. We want freedom from all bondage. Our freedom struggle is meant to break all the three kinds of bondage - political, economic and social. Only then will a free and classless society based on socialism be established. The establishment of a classless society is the main objective of our freedom struggle."
For Subhas Chandra Bose, socialism was not a foreign ideology. He believed that Indian socialism was rooted in ancient India and in the Indian renaissance of the 19th century. In his presidential address to the Rangpur Political Conference (March 30, 1929) he said: ""¦This socialism does not derive its birth from the books of Karl Marx. It has its origin in the thought and culture of India"¦We have to shape our society and politics according to our own ideals and according to our need."
Addressing the Maharashtra Political Conference (May 3, 1928), Bose observed: "Communism is not a western institution. Among the Khasis of Assam...private property as an institution does not exit even in theory. "¦.I am sure that similar instances can still be found in other parts of India and also in the history of the country."
In his presidential address to the All-India Naojawan Bharat Shabha, (Karachi, March 1931), he said: ""¦I want to see the establishment of a Socialist Republic in India". Observing that political emancipation should go hand-in-hand with economic freedom, he said: "...Right to work and sufficient wages for sustenance must be ensured for all. There will be no place in society for the idle and everybody must enjoy equal opportunity. Above all, distribution of wealth and income must be equal and just for all. Hence, it is imperative that the state must be responsible for production as well as distribution."
Bose refined his concept of socialism further in his address to the Mathura session of the United Provinces Branch of the Naojawan Bharat Sabha, (May 1931): ""¦The basis of our collective social life will be justice, equality, freedom, discipline and love"¦. These five principles constitute the essence of socialism, which I wish to see established in India. (Marxist) socialism, when applied in India, will give birth to a new kind of socialism, which is to be christened as 'Indian socialism'. It is not possible to ignore national environment and character, socio-economic conditions...We must assimilate the knowledge and experience of others by assessing them in the light of our needs and national character."
In his presidential address to the All-India Trade Union Congress in Calcutta, (July 1931), Bose said: ""¦I have no doubt in my mind that the salvation of India, as of the world, depends on socialism. India should learn from and profit by the experience of other nations - but India should be able to evolve her own methods in keeping with her own needs and her own environment. "¦India should evolve her own form of socialism. It may be that the form of socialism which India will evolve will have something new and original about it, which benefit the whole world".
In his speech at the Third Indian Political Conference held in London in June 1933, Bose said: ""¦Free India shall not be a country of capitalists, hoarders and of any particular community. Free India shall be a socially and politically democratic country."
Hailing the birth of the Congress Socialist Party (CSP) in 1934, Bose said that socialism was not an "immediate problem" for the Indian people. Nevertheless "socialist propaganda could be conducted only by a party like the Congress Socialist Party", which stands for and believes in socialism. Though Bose was not a member of the CSP, he had openly said that he had been "in agreement with its general principles and policy from the very beginning".
It is to be noted that the CSP had made it clear that its programme was based on Marxian socialism and the word 'Congress' was prefixed to 'Socialist' to signify the organic ties of that organisation with the national movement.
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