Hindu Political Thought Essay ⋆ Political Science Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

Hindu political thought has shifted throughout history. On the one hand, the classical Hindu tradition contains almost a disinterest for political issues; on the other hand, the modern phase of Hinduism includes a strong growth of political Hinduism.

The Role Of Politics In Classical Hinduism

Of the numerous classical Hindu texts, some can be identified as a core: the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Agamas, together known as sruti. In these texts, and in contemporary comments to them, one can find the discourse on Hindu political thought. Compared to the deep philosophical discussions found in classical Hinduism, however, the debate on political issues is sparse. Most political texts from the classical period (usually dated 500 BCE–500 CE) describe existing political systems and offer advice on how to implement the religious order, rather than independently analyze political problems. The existing social order is usually taken for granted, and the caste problems discussed are mostly practical aspects regarding how to rule a society based on these cleavages, rather than on the possible fairness and justification of the system. Classical Hindu political thought tends to emphasize duties rather than rights, and central for almost all writers is the concept of dharma, which translates as duty, path, or law. The dharma is individual and depends on one’s status in the cosmic order, and this order is also dependent on all individuals correctly following their particular dharma.

The primary task of the political leaders in the classical Hindu states was to ensure that dharma was always followed, and to support their efforts, a number of writers presented treatises on the issue of government. The best known of these treatises is the Arthasastra by Kautilya, written in the fourth century BCE, in the early years of the Mauryan Empire (321–185 BCE). Kautilya is widely believed to be synonymous with Chanakya, the prime minister serving Chandragupta, the first Mauryan emperor. Some critics point to variations in the texts, which would indicate that the book had several authors, and that some sections of it were written later. The Arthasastra includes detailed instructions on how the ruler must act to uphold the social order; some of the chapters are dedicated to the administration, others to foreign relations and the economy. The treatise is in some senses cynical in its worldview, as at times it seems that the primary purpose is to ensure the survival of the king, and comparisons are often made with the European Renaissance treaty, The Prince, by Niccolò Machiavelli.

The Arthasastra of Kautilya is not unique; other similar treatises were written in the classical period, and these texts also emphasized the necessity of a firm social order and a caste system. In Manusmrti (Laws of Manu), believed to have been written no later than 200 CE, the creation of the world links to the prevailing social system, based on caste. The book gives detailed instructions on how the social order is to be upheld and recommends severe punishment to those who break the caste rules.

Modern Developments Of Hinduism In Politics

In the modern era, liberal and socialist ideas have dominated India’s political field, resulting in the almost general acceptance of a secular state, separating religion and politics, and thereby reducing the scope for religious political thought. This secular solution was accepted by the Indian National Congress, the dominant freedom movement of British India, and later influenced the framing of the new Indian constitution. As a reaction, a new form of Hindu political thought established itself in the early twentieth century: Hindutva or Hindu nationalism, an ideology influenced by both classical Hinduism and modern forms of nationalism. In his book Hindutva, first published in 1923, the Hindu nationalist ideologist V. D. Savarkar defined Hindutva as a feeling with a political content, and encouraged all Hindus to unite and to build a Hindu state. A follower of Hindutva, for Savarkar, is a person who sees India not only as the fatherland, but also as the holy land. The target of Hindu nationalist agitation has usually been the religious minorities of India, most importantly Muslims, who constitute 12 percent of the population.

The Hindu nationalist movement draws on traditions and concepts within classical Hinduism and often refers to ramrajya, a mythical Hindu kingdom, as its political ideal. The Hindu nationalists also reinterpret concepts from classical Hinduism, and transform dharma from a moral to a political concept, allowing for the possibility to brand political opponents as nondharmic, or working against peace and social order. The Hindu nationalist movement in India, sometimes referred to as the sangh parivar, includes a number of associations; most important, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) formed in 1925 to assert the natural rights of Hindus in their homeland.

Savarkar’s Hindu nationalism can be seen from the perspective of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas. Both Gandhi and Savarkar denounced British imperialism, shared a dislike of certain aspects of Western culture, and both advocated a form of Indian nationalism. But while Savarkar emphasized the differences between Hindus and Muslims, Gandhi urged his followers to find the similarities in all religions. Gandhi expressed his protests against the British oppression in religious terms, but never tried to incite hatred against his opponents, and when he used religion as a tool in his political struggles, it was coupled with nonviolence. The strategy of the Hindu nationalists was more or less the opposite, and they often dismissed Gandhi as being impractical or even treacherous to the Indian nation.

The ideas of Mahatma Gandhi remain respected worldwide, and in India his legacy has produced a long range of groups, mainly active within social work and education, but surprisingly little within the political field, and as of the early 2000s, no political party of size in India can be said to forward a Gandhian political ideology. The Hindu nationalist movement drew little popular support in the decades after Indian independence in 1947, but experienced an upsurge in the 1980s and 1990s. It established itself as a central force within the Indian democracy, but was also accused of possessing a fascist streak and of instigating religious riots afflicting both Muslim and Christian minorities. The prime political outlet of the movement, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), formed a coalition government at the national level after both the 1998 and 1999 elections, but was voted out of power in 2004.

Bibliography:

Ghoshal, Upendra Nath. A History of Hindu Political Theories from the Earliest Times to the End of the First Quarter of Seventeenth Century AD. London: Oxford University Press, 1923.
Hellman, Eva. Political Hinduism: The Challenge of the Vishva Hindu Parishad. Uppsala, Sweden: Uppsala University, 1993.
Jaffrelot, Christophe. The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics: 1925 to the 1990s. London: Hurst, 1996.
Kautilya, and R. P. Kangle (coauthor). The Kautiliya Arthas´astra. Part 1: A Critical Edition with a Glossary. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1986.
Klostermaier, Klaus K. A Survey of Hinduism. Albany: State of New York University Press, 1989.
Varma V. P. Studies in Hindu Political Thought and its Metaphysical Foundations. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1974.

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