Nehru and Democracy

(The Society for the Defense of Freedom in Asia was an Indian organization founded in 1952 by a group of Indian patriots, some of them well known in Indian public life. Its work was primarily educational: to aid in the democratic development of the new Indian nation, and to combat totalitarianism, in particular Communism as the most virulent form of present totalitarianism. Its success was measured by the enemies it made, as well as by positive accomplishments of increasing influence. The Soviet and the Communist Chinese embassies brought pressure against it in New Delhi. Rumors were spread that the Society was an American espionage center. Members of the Nehru government bitterly opposed it. The net result was the dissolution of the Society for the Defense of Freedom in Asia on December 23, 1955. We here publish the final statement that the Society issued on that day. editors)

The SDFA commenced its activities in March 1952, at a time when our newborn democracy was threatened with Communist subversion in what we thought to be an atmosphere of general ignorance about the objectives and methods of Communism. Our analysis of Communist strength was a radical departure from the current notions. As against the belief that Communism attracts the poor and downtrodden masses, we asserted that in Asia at least Communism is mainly an upper-class movement. As against the thesis that Communism breeds on poverty and social injustice, we proposed that ignorance is its mainstay. As against the opinion that Communism is an ideology, we propounded that it is largely an organization.

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(The Society for the Defense of Freedom in Asia was an Indian organization founded in 1952 by a group of Indian patriots, some of them well known in Indian public life. Its work was primarily educational: to aid in the democratic development of the new Indian nation, and to combat totalitarianism, in particular Communism as the most virulent form of present totalitarianism. Its success was measured by the enemies it made, as well as by positive accomplishments of increasing influence. The Soviet and the Communist Chinese embassies brought pressure against it in New Delhi. Rumors were spread that the Society was an American espionage center. Members of the Nehru government bitterly opposed it. The net result was the dissolution of the Society for the Defense of Freedom in Asia on December 23, 1955. We here publish the final statement that the Society issued on that day. editors)

The SDFA commenced its activities in March 1952, at a time when our newborn democracy was threatened with Communist subversion in what we thought to be an atmosphere of general ignorance about the objectives and methods of Communism. Our analysis of Communist strength was a radical departure from the current notions. As against the belief that Communism attracts the poor and downtrodden masses, we asserted that in Asia at least Communism is mainly an upper-class movement. As against the thesis that Communism breeds on poverty and social injustice, we proposed that ignorance is its mainstay. As against the opinion that Communism is an ideology, we propounded that it is largely an organization.