September 8, 1962
o f those w h o stood a w a y f r o m t h e
polls (there was a 60 per cent t u r n -
out) came f r o m this section, except
i n t h e areas w h e r e t h e C o m m u n i s t s
h a d influence,
D M K Repays Swatantra Debt
The e m a i l but significant T a m i l
population in the constituency was
m u c h wooed — Chittoor is o n l y some
f i f t y miles f r o m t h e M a d r a s border.
T h e D M K a r r i v e d in strength. They
took up their usual postures of T a m i l
c h a u v i n i s m a n d made m u c h o f t h e
fact that the S w a t a n t r a support had
w o n them Tiruchengode a n d that
debts h a d to be paid. T h e y also r a n
a rather s t r o n g smear campaign
that Sanjeeva Reddy was a great
protagonist o f H i n d i a n d h a d , t h e r e -
f o r e , to be humbled.
Despite Munshi's protest and
Rajaji's ingenuous disavowals, a
D M K S w a t a n t r a alliance is con-
s o l i d a t i n g and developing. It should
be recalled that it was on the advice
of R a j a j i that A n n a d u r a i . about a
decade ago, b r o k e a w a y f r o m Naic-
ker's D K a n d set up his p a r t y ; It
is s t r o n g l y r u m o u r e d that he w i l l
use his v e r y considerable prestige
to persuade the D M K, at a later
stage, to establish more f o r m a l orga-
nisational l i n k s w i t h t h e S w a t a n t r a
a n d even later to merge w i t h it,
R a j a j i k n o w s well enough — and
A n n a d u r a i a n d his colleagues k n o w
that he k n o w s that the D M K
uses the D r a v i d a s t h a n slogan a n d its
r a d i c a l economic p r o g r a m m e merely
to ride the w a v e of T a m i l chauvi-
nism. He believes that given time
a n d patience, the G a n a t a n t r a P a r i -
shad change of labels could also be
used as a pointer to the future f o r
the D M K.
T h e Congress also mobilised its
T a m i l stalwarts Kamaraj, Bhakta-
v a t s a l a m a n d T T K — w h o pleaded
that the Congress alone could deli-
ver the goods a n d that w i t h Congress
Ministries in both States, their g r i -
evances w o u l d find easier redressal
if the T a m i l s stood by the Congress
in a prestige contest, But the b u l k
of the T a m i l s seem to have voted
f o r R a n g a , despite the fact that the
Congress appeal was r e i n f o r c e d by
by some of the l e a d i n g C o m m u -
nists f r o m M a d r a s c a m p a i g n i n g i n
Chittoor.
A point in R a n g a ' s f a v o u r was
the f a c t that he a n d his w i f e spent
some f o u r m o n t h s in the constituen-
cy a n d d i d their best to a p p r o a c h
THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY
as m a n y people as possible — at
least a l l the opinion leaders — on a
personal basis. I n t h e s e more i n t i -
m a t e gatherings he pointed to his
Congress past a n d , of course, to
R a j a j i ' s record a n d made the point
that they were the true heirs to a l l
t h e t r u t h t h e r e was i n t h e Congress,
before it was seized by the socialist
aberrations.
Congress Propaganda Futile
T h e Congress threw in a l l its re-
sources. Sanjeeva Reddy camped in
Chittoor f o r as l o n g as ten days.
V a r i o u s other Ministers came and
went. But it was c l e a r l y on the
defensive w i t h r e g a r d 10 the L a n d
Revenue B i l l . I t t a l k e d o f develop-
ment p l a n n i n g a n d the future that
this promised, even if it meant b u r d -
ens a n d h a r d s h i p in the present. It
tried to use Nehru's prestige a n d the
need to r a l l y behind h i m . It sharp-
ly assailed the S w a t a n t r a a n d its
" r i c h m a n base*' — but the a f f l u -
ence of its o w n candidate was an
i n h i b i t i o n in this r e g a r d . Despite
every effort a n d s u r p r i s i n g l y little
dissension, it was not even able to
hold its o w n .
One point has to be said in f a v o u r
of its m a i n campaigners, particu-
l a r l y Sanjeeva Reddy. W h i l e never
Book Review
Bertrand Russell Speaks His Mind
Parthasarathi
WHENEVER Bertrand Russell
speaks his m i n d ( w h i c h has
been often over the past sixty five
years) he creates a stir in the intel-
lectual, and strangely enough, in the
non-intellectual w o r l d as w e l l . The
present v o l u m e * w i l l prove to be no
exception, though perhaps a l l of
w h a t he says here has appeared in
one f o r m or the other in his past
writings. T h e book consists of the
thirteen dialogues between Mr
W o o d r o w W y a t t and M r Russell that
were filmed for television in 1959,
The dialogues are in the f o r m of
questions a n d answers a n d the sub-
jects range f r o m philosophy, reli-
g i o n , w a r a n d pacifism a n d power,
to happiness, the role of the i n d i v i -
d u a l , the H - B o m b , a n d the possible
future of m a n k i n d .
T h e range i s considerable, a n d M r
R u s s e l l whose j o y i n u n i n h i b i t e d dis-
* Bertrand Russell Speaks His Mind
A r t h u r B a r k e r L t d , L o n d o n , 1960
1440
c a m p a i g n i n g together w i t h t h e Coni-
muniats, they took care never to
e m b a r r a s s the latter. A c t u a l l y , one
or two Congress campaigners w h o
tried to m a k e out that they were as
good anti-Communists as the Swa-
t a n t r a were t a c t f u l l y removed f r o m
the scene.
T h e general Congress answer to
the S w a t a n t r a sneer that the Con-
gress acceptance of Communist
support was unethical was the one
g i v e n by T T K on the eve of p o l l -
i n g : "the alternative to Congress
leadership today, he said, could o n l y
be C o m m u n i s m or a n y movement
w h i c h was leftist to the Congress
a n d not to a n y movement that was
rightist a n d that, too, to a p a r t y l i k e
the Swatantra Party, which joined
hands w i t h t h e D r a v i d a M u n n e t r a
K a z h a g a m , w h i c h d i d not depend
upon the apparatus of democracy to
get into the saddle of power but
w h i c h believed purely in the fascist
methods". ( H i n d u , 'August 24).
A pointer. Not, of course, the o n l y
or even the most c r u c i a l pointer.
But a b i f u r c a t e d opposition is bound
to have a p o l a r i s i n g impact on a
heterogenous r u l i n g party. A n d that
is the true m e a n i n g ' of Chittoor.
Dasgupta
cussion is w e l l - k n o w n w a r m s up r i g h t
f r o m the b e g i n n i n g , a n d he replies to
the questions in his i n i m i t a b l e w a y
w i t h quips a n d jokes even in the most
austere moments. The questions that
M r W y a t t puts f o r w a r d are v a r i e d i n
their nature. Some are common-
place a n d yet m a n y have a deceptive
appearance i n t h e m . F o r example,
he begins these dialogues by p l u m p -
ing the uncomfortable question
' W h a t is philosophy' a n d asks it as
b l a n d l y as h e - w o u l d if he were ask-
i n g f o r t h e plane time, o r t h e f a r e
from London to New York, Mr
Russell is not to be put off, as he
says, " . . philosophy consists of spe-
culations about matters where ex-
act knowledge is not yet possible,"
a n d on the difference between science
a n d philosophy h e says, " . . y o u ' d
say science is w h a t we k n o w a n d
philosophy is w h a t we don't k n o w .
F o r that reason questions are per-
petually passing over f r o m philoso-
THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY
p h y into science as k n o w l e d g e a d -
v a n c e s . " T h e r e are of course diffi-
culties i n such a n a n s w e r . One
wonders where he would place
E t h i c s w h i c h deals w i t h t h e question
of values. Science w o n ' t tell y o u
w h a t i s good a n d w h a t i s bad. H o w
c a n ethical questions then ever be-
come a field f o r scientific i n q u i r y ?
Perverted Nationalism
It is stated by w a y of preface
that there w a s no prepared script
a n d so the dialogues a r e quite spon-
taneous. T h e r e seems to be no
o r d e r a n d p l a n other t h a n that each
dialogue r u n s f o r some ten pages.
Each answer generates its o w n
questions a n d a l l this makes the
reading lively. T h e r e is so m u c h
of w i s d o m in every page that it is % great blocks.
perhaps not possible to -single out
a n y dialogue as definitely more out-
s t a n d i n g t h a n t h e others. H o w e v e r ,
the one w h i c h is perhaps the most
interesting is that on nationalism.
M r Russell distinguishes between
the two aspects of n a t i o n a l i s m , the
cultural and the political. While he
advocates the f o r m e r he considers
the other as u n m i t i g a t e d e v i l . To
h i m t h e State i s p r i m a r i l y a n o r g a -
nization f o r k i l l i n g f o r e i g n e r s . The
state has also the power of propa-
g a n d a , there is p r o p a g a n d a control
over education w i t h an idea to m a k e
people t h i n k w h a t the State t h i n k s
a n d that p r i m a r i l y consists i n l o v i n g
one's o w n n a t i o n a n d t h i n k i n g i l l o f
other nations, i n i n c u l c a t i n g t h e v i e w
that one's o w n c o u n t r y is a l w a y s
r i g h t i n e v e r y t h i n g whereas other
countries are a l w a y s w r o n g . Russell
even recalls a verse that he was
made to l e a r n as a c h i l d — " C o n -
found their knavish tricks, frustrate
t h e i r politics a n d m a k e t h e m f a l l '
a n d emphasises h o w a person is
taught f r o m his v e r y c h i l d h o o d what
a g r a n d t h i n g it is to k i l l f o r e i g n e r s . to take account of a l l conflicts bet-
We, coming f r o m a nation which
is not m u c h integrated e m o t i o n a l l y
or otherwise, find this r a t h e r strange.
Goaded b y t h e m a n y disruptive
forces o p e r a t i n g i n our c o u n t r y a n d
burdened w i t h t h e p r o b l e m o f gene-
r a l poverty o u r g o v e r n m e n t have
possibly f o r g o t t e n to instruct o u r
schools to teach Us to hate f o r e i g -
ners. T h e k i n d o f n a t i o n a l i s m that
we h a v e is possibly exemplified by
M r Podsnap, w h o i n D i c k e n s says,
" F o r e i g n nations, I am s o r r y to say.
do as they d o , " — a l l of w h i c h i n -
cates t h a t m a y be too m u c h of natio-
n a l i n t e g r a t i o n is not good, as we
s h a l l then be a l l too r e a d y to cut
o u r neighbours throats. However,
one wonders it at the m o m e n t natio-
n a l i s m poses a v e r y g r e a t p r o b l e m .
W h i l e nations have d r a w n a p a r t
on account of ideological differences,
they have also come together by
virtue of ideological commonness, so
m u c h so that possibly today an
average A m e r i c a n hates a leftist
c o u n t r y m a n m o r e than he hates a
f e l l o w C a n a d i a n , w h o m i n fact h e
does not hate at a l l . The countries
w h i c h are intensely nationalistic,
l i k e those in the M i d d l e East or the
n e w l y b o r n nations i n A f r i c a are
so p u n y that w h e n disturbances
arise in them, w h a t finally emerges
is the struggle between the two
M r Russell admits
that it is the tension between the
C o m m u n i s t a n d t h e non-communist
nations that is the greatest threat to
w o r l d peace a n d it is to these con-
siderations that he turns in the
f o u r t h dialogues ' C o m m u n i s m a n d
C a p i t a l i s m ' , 'The H - B o m b ' a n d The
possible future o f m a n k i n d ' . That
one side t h i n k s i l l of the other does
not cause m u c h concern. W h a t does
is the fact that each has the capa-
city to k i l l off the other, a n d w i t h
a l l the m i l i t a r y b u i l d up. the chances
of a w a r , a n d w i t h it those of total
a n n i h i l a t i o n , go on increasing.
The Solution : World Government
W h a t then is the solution? How
are we to m a k e sure that the h u m a n
race survives? Russell does not
suggest that we take recourse to
r e l i g i o n a n d start looking f o r the
'higher things' i n l i f e . To him, the
o n l y w a y to ensure m a n ' s s u r v i v a l
is to establish a w o r l d government
w i t h a m o n o p o l y of all the i m p o r t -
ant weapons of w a r , a w o r l d gov-
ernment whose business it should be
ween different states.
W i t h the possible exception of the
first dialogue on philosophy, the
topics chosen f o r discussion were
those that interest not o n l y Russell
but also the public. T h e r e is no dia-
logue, f o r example, on the nature
of mathematics, a subject on w h i c h
Russell spent the greater part of
the first twenty years of his intellec-
tual l i f e . M a y be Russell is some-
w h a t inhibited because his audience
is the g e n e r a l public, but f r o m the
passion in his views a n d the note
of u r g e n c y in his r e m a r k s one can-
1441
September 8, 1962
not help f e e l i n g that he has under-
gone a complete change, a change
w h i c h has been g r a d u a l . W r i t i n g as
f a r back as 1910 in his " P h i l o s o -
phical E s s a y s " , Russell h a d said,
" I n a world so f u l l of evil and
s u f f e r i n g , retirement into the cloister
of contemplation, to the enjoyment
of delights, w h i c h , however noble,
must a l w a y s be f o r the few o n l y ,
cannot but appear as a somewhat
selfish r e f u s a l to share the burden
imposed upon others by accidents in
w h i c h justice plays no part. H a v e
a n y of us the r i g h t , we ask, to w i t h -
d r a w f r o m present evils, to leave
o u r f e l l o w m e n unaided, w h i l e we
live a life which, though arduous
a n d austere, is yet p l a i n l y good in
its o w n n a t u r e ? "
What in 1910 was perhaps a
doubt appears n o w to be a certainty,
a n d at 87 (at the time of the inter-
v i e w ) , he seems somehow to shy
a w a y f r o m discussions o n abstrac-
tions. At a n y rate, the occasion
presents a wonderful opportunity,
a n d he lashes out at his television
viewers about their parochialism,
prejudices, f a n a t i c i s m s , a n d taboo-
moralities, conventions against w h i c h
he has been b a t t l i n g f o r some f o r t y
years now. He is often pungent;
" . . o n l y about one per cent of my
w r i t i n g s are concerned w i t h sex,
but the conventional public is so
obsessed w i t h sex that it hasn't
noticed the other ninetynine per cent
of my w r i t i n g s . " Often he appears
to be c y n i c a l : " T h e h u m a n race has
s u r v i v e d o w i n g to inefficiency, but
inefficiency is now d i m i n i s h i n g , a n d
therefore the h u m a n race is threat-
ened w i t h e x t i n c t i o n . " A n d a s a l -
w a y s , he is l i b e r a l in the best E n g -
lish t r a d i t i o n ; " T h e East-West ten-
sion w h i c h is t h r e a t e n i n g us a l l in
the most terrible f a s h i o n is m a i n l y
due to the f a n a t i c a l belief in c o m -
munism and anti-communism."
Enlightening Realisation
T h r o u g h o u t these dialogues one
can discern a note of a n g r y f u t i l i t y
in Russell's tone as he moves f r o m
subject to subject a n d b r i n g s out the
m a n y m a n y defects that are in us
a n d in the systems that we have
created, defects w h i c h he feels can
easily be removed by a little bit of
reason, w h i c h somehow seems to
elude us. A n d as we r e a d t h r o u g h
every dialogue a n d come to the v e r y
end we are s t r u c k by a sudden r e a l i -
zation w h i c h , t h o u g h c o m m o n p l a c e ,
seems n o w to be v e r y r i c h a n d v e r y
September 8, 1962
rare. The w o r l d , we realise, is i n -
deed yet v e r y Imperfect.
As I have said in the beginning,
by w a y of content there is n o t h i n g
new i n this book. A l l t h e questions
are o l d ; a n d the answers that Rus-
sell gives are v e r y o l d too. He has
said them m a n y times elsewhere.
But what is novel about this little
volume is its f o r m , the f o r m of
questions and answers. It is not
l i k e the common exposition in w h i c h
the author makes a number of pro-
positions and tries to illustrate a n d
substantiate them w i t h examples of
his o w n . I n such expositions t h e
general reader has nearly a l w a y s a
large number of questions w h i c h the
author does not anticipate W y a t t
is one of us, a n d as Russell goes on
expressing his views, W y a t t puts
forth questions and counterquestions
THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY
w h i c h w o u l d h a v e occured to most of
us. It is perhaps in this sense that
the book is valuable. A n d w h e n one
adds to this that the o r i g i n a l televi-
sion viewers could observe Russell as
the dialogues were under w a y , one
hopes that m a y be now, the public
w i l l have a true image of the last of
the rationalists, the image of a
brave old m a n , w h o has loved the
w o r l d not only well but wisely too.