t h e w r i a

enced.F

modern
bibliogr

12 hascon
In

sOCial sa

A.R. Desai rejects

ituals

n a t u r e

finds i t

not tin

mainly

nation

develo
betwee

polity
their de
moven

cal-dial
(1915-1994) was born on April 16, 1915 a
Akshay Ramanlal Desai November 12, 1994 at Baroda in contrac
Nadiad in Gujarat and
died on
mainly
his tather
he was influenced by the rur
Gujarat. In his early years,
inspired
known litterateur who
Ramanlal Vasantlal Desai, a well Similar
Desai took part in studet
the youth in Gujarat in the thirties. A.R. indust
movements in Baroda, Surat and Bombay.
He graduated trom tue
and a Ph)u stratag
of Bombay, and also obtained a law degree
University 194% takes
sociology under G.S. Ghurye from the same university m-head and so
became
and also
Late on, he taught at the Bombay University path o
of the department. In 1947, he got married to Neera Desai, who b of the
studies. In
1953,
done pioneering work in the field of women's , Socuali
took the membership of the Trotskyites Revolutionary Writin
Party and resigned from its membership in 1981 A reis

Methodology soCiety
y Ocatedand
Desai,
Among Indian sociologists one who has consistenylstud desB
devote
of Ind
applied dialectical-historical model in his sociologic ngelsanm

A.R. Desai. Desai closely studied the works of Maa andEEnge

 A.R. Desai
245

tings of LeonTrotsky by whom he was

He may be regarded as one of the pioneers invery much influ-
introducing the
m o d e r n
Marx1st approach to
empirical
investigations involving
bibliographicaland field research.
fn the
In above context, Desai alone among Indian
the abov
sociologists
eansistently applied Marx1st methods in his treatment of Indian
iol structure and its processes. He is a doctrinaire Marxist. He
soCial

rejectsany interpretations of tradition with reference to religion,

festivities. It is essentially a secular phenomenon. Its
rituals and festi
e is economic and it orig1nates and develops in economics. He
nature

ads it in
nds it in far
family, village and other social institutions. He also does
ot find the origin of tradition in western culture. His studies
mainly of nationalism and its social configuration (1966), his exami-
nation of community development programmes for economic
development in villages (1959), his diagnosis of the interface
berween state and society in India or the relationship between
polity and social structure (1975), his treatment of urban slums and
their demographic problems (1972), and finally his study of peasant
movements (1979) are all based on a Marxist method of histori-
cal-dialectical materialism. He considers that the emerging
pril 16, 1915 a contradictions in the Indian process of social transformation arise
4 at Baroda in
mainly from the growing nexus among the capitalist bourgeoisie,
by his fatber
the rural petty-bourgeoisie and a state apparatus, all drawn from
r who inspired 1

p a r t in student social roots. This thwarts the aspirations of the rural and
uated trom the
industrial working classes by sheer of its power and of its skilful
in stratagems. The contradiction, however, is not resolved. It only
and a PhD
ee
ersity in 1946
takes new cumulative forms and re-emerges in the form of protests
s obecamehead and social movements. The social unrest is rooted in the capitalist
Desai, who has Pain of development followed by India, bequeathed to it as a legacy
ot the national
In
1953,
he movement.
lies.
1 o n a r yS o c i a l i s t

Writings of Desai
Singly new evaluate changes in lndian
perspective to
Dy Was brought about by a few Marxist sociologists. A.R.
Y advocatedand aL, a student of Ghurye. stands out in this respect with his
gIcal studies , devoted and sustained endeavours to understand the diverse aspects
ofof n
E n g e l s
and Indian social reality: The Social BackgroundofIndian Nationalism
and
*
246 A.R. Desai

(1948); currently operating (1973); and immanent

nationalism (1975); the issue and problems of teaturessof0 ndan
India (1969); Slums and Urbanization India of
Rural Soc
(1970. 1972); olog)
Indiann
implications of the modernization of Indian society
in the
and the
context (1971), Stateand Society in India v
(1975), Peasant Woworld
India (1979), Rural India in Transition Str
(1979), and in
India's
Development (1984). Desai alsodeveloped the fieldah
sociology in 1960s. In an anthology, Desai (1979) pole
studies on peasant struggles, which have also been the included
carried
historians and social scientists of diverse orientations. ou
by
Like D.P. Mukerji (1958),
A.R. Desai
(1976) studied Ih..
society from Marxian perspective and also used history fruith
Desai and Pilllai (1972) conducted a study of slums, which ly
tutes a separate category with1n the area of
onst
city studies. In 1940
Desai published an edited volume on Rural
which
Sociology in ndia
was a major turning point and pacesetter in the field o
agrarian studies.
Closely related to the new trend in agrarian sociology has been
the trend of studying social movements, particularly among the
peasantry. Sociology and social movements remained for a long
time a neglected area. Desai's (1948) study of the Indian National
Movement its class character and inherent
-

contradictions-wasot
course a noteworthy and pioneering contribution of the pre-10
era. Here, in this chapter, we would discuss the important contribur
tions of Desai on major themes as tollows:
1. Village structure
2. Transformation of Indian society
3. Social background of Indian nationalism
4. Peasant struggles
5. State and society

Village Structure
s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t u n i t

It is viewed that Indian village was a

compo.
was mainly
pre-British period. The village population 1ight

heredit
enjoyed traditional
lion

peasants. The peasant families

to possess and cultivate his holding from generation to
 A.R. Desai
R. D e s a i
247

andimmanent features of Indi village based on

was
Therefore,
agriculture carried on means
prmitive plough and bullock-power and handicraft by with the
of
problems
of Rura/
nd ofIndia (1970, 1972); and the
ation
Sociology in the primitive equipment.

in the world The village cound was the de facto owner of the village land,
on of
ofIndian society
Peasant represented the
hich represented t
village community. All exchange of
(1975), Struggle in
in India
India's Path
nsition (1979), and inalas Path of produced by the village workers was limited to theproducts
community. The village did not have any appreciable
village
developed the
field of
ology, Desai(1979) included the
political com
relations with the outside world. Further, the
exchange
ich have also been carried out by
pre-British Indian
SOCIety almost completely subordinated the individual to the caste,
diverse orientations. family and the village panchayat. The culture of pre-British India
A.R. Desai (1976) studied Indian aS feudal in nature, which was predominantly mystical in
e and also used history truitfully, rharacter. This was due to the fact that the
society was economi-
da study of slums, which consti cally on a low level, stationary and socially rigid. Whatever changes
the area of city studies. In 1969 oCCurred were quantitative and not qual1tative in character.
ne on Rural Sociology in India, Transformation of Indian Society
nt and pacesetter in the tield of
The transformation of the pre-British
India from feudal
has been
to capitalist economy was a result of the British conquesteconomyy
of India.
end in agrarian sociology The British government
wements, particularly among the in their
adopted capitalist path of development
the
remained for a long political and economic policies at three levels, viz., trade,
movements industry and finance.
48) study of the Indian National The
inherent contradictions
-
was of introduction of neweconomic reforms of the British
i 8Overnment disrupted the old economic system.
of the pre-1950 Consequently, it
ing contribution decayed the old land relations and artisans with the
contribu
relations and modern industries. In emergence
of
d discuss the important hew land
follows: Une appeared modern peasant proprietors or place of village
PYate owner of land. The class of artisans zamindars, as
modern industry. New disappeared with
iety classes like the capitalist, industrial
1ationalism
workers,agricultural labourers, tenants, merchants etc. emerged.
us, the British impact not only led to the
onomic transformation of the
anatomy Indian society, but also its social
ognomy. Further, of
o the new land revenue physi-
n i t

un of
ID
agriculture,
hation
system, commercial1zation
of IndianIragmentation of land etc. also led to the transfor-
was a
self-sufficient

mainly
compos g h r
t hi village.
ETagrariangher level, this resulted in growing
ulation was

Owner of areas, poverty in rural areas andpolarization classes

irom generation generatid
hereditary.
t i o n
of
oyed traditional. Ders
nland.
a . It
gi rise to new
gives exploitation by the
class structure in
agrarian
 A.R. Desai
248

society with categories like zamindars, absentee landle

peasant proprietors, agricultural labourers, mo s, tena
merchant class. Similarly, in urban society, and
enants,
were
industrialworking class, petty traders, professional
doctors, lawyers, eng1neers etc.
capitalisy
The British government also introduced rail
services, centralized unitorm law, English educati ays, Po
postd
industry and many more, which brought qualitative cha
Indian society. It is said that athough the British gove
ve change jn
various exploitative mechanisms in India, but unintentiornment hada
y these
efforts led to unitication of Indian society. The role of railw
press is significant in this direction. It has brought the scat ays and
disintegrated Indians into the mainstream. The implication was
social movements, collective representations, national sentiments
and consciousness among Indian people and formation of
ents,
onism
at various levels. Such a social intrastructural set-up gave:rise
to nationalist treedom movement and awakening of Indian
nationalism.

Social Background of Indian Nationalism

Desai applies the Marxist approach to the study of 'nationalism' in
India during the British rule. He spells out historical-dialectic
materialism and applies it to the study of various types of
and class structure, socal
movements -

rural and urban, caste

mobility,education and other aspects of Indian society. Though

Desar's book was published in 1948, it became more popular
the late sixties and the seventies perhaps due to the increa
towards soCial
consciousness of Indian social scientists

self-consciousness. dian
of na
Desai's first full-length work The Social Background
Marxist
academt

trendsetter not only tor its

Nationalism was a tilized

cross-tert
which it
orientation, but also for the way in
sociology with history. Quite like other Marxists,
ne SOCLad

of tradh
production relations for the explanation
classical work. of

background of Indian nationalism in his

ergence

the
The bookis an excellent effort to trace
cording
Indian nationalism from dialectical perspective
 A.R. Desai 249
. Desai

Tndia's national1sm is the result of the material conditions

indars, absentee landlords,
tenant Deshy ed by the British colonialism. The Britishers
Britis
al labourers, moneylende: an
reic relations by introducing industrialization
developed
new
ban society, there were capitalist conom and modern-
ion. This economic relationship is predominantly a stabilizing
traders, protessiona
class like tactor
in the continuity of traditional institutions in India, which
ld undergo changes as these relations would change. Desai
lso introduced railways, postal Lhat when traditions are linked with economic relations, the
aw, English education, modern thinks
e in the latter would eventually change the traditions. It is in
h brought qualitative change in change
context that
this context that he thinks that caste will disintegrate with the
ugh the British government had
n India, but unintentionally these ation of new social and material conditions, such as industries,
society. The role of railways and economic growth, education, etc.
. It has brought the scattered and Desai's definition of tradition is a watershed. He does not trace
ainstream. The implication was it from caste, religion or ritual. The dialectical history of India that
sentations, national sentiments, he presents very clearly shows that traditions have their roots in
ople and formation of unionism India's economy and production relations. Despite merits of the
infrastructural set-up gave rise dialectical approach applied by Desai in the definition of
tradition,
nt and awakening of Indian Yogendra Singh argues that the merits are not without weaknesses.
What is wrong with Desai is that he was
plies principles of Marxism in analyzing Indianprofound
very when he
situation but fails
nalism a the level of empirical support. In other words, his
the study of 'nationalism'
in tramework can be theoretical
to
lbe
challenged by the strength substantial data.
of
spells out historical-dialectical critique of Yogendra Singh runs as under:
ie study of various types o he
soCIal important limitation of the dialectical
aste and class structure,
sOcial
change in India is the lack of approach
for studies of
society. Thougn substantial
ects of Indian in
pular Support of his major empirical
data in
18, it became more an assertions, which are often historiographic
and
the
increased
easily be challenged. In
perhaps due to
theoretical terms, however, this
proach
social

can be more
SCientists towards

and conflict visible for analysis

of the
in India processes of change
SCientific provided it is founded a sound
Social Background
ofTndian research. Despite this upon tradition of
he acade
on this model limitation, some studies
conducted
ross-fertilized
cOurse of the offer useful hypotheses, which can be further
Marxist

only for its tested in

in which it studies on
social change.
The large
oloys

he emp
hige
e missionar amount
o c i a l

Marxists,
other so.
of
esthot ary zeal with work produced by Desai is testimony to
traditional

anation of
his classical work.
o
Oe which he carried
gend
erinert d and on his
endeavour. He
perspective.

rt to trace
the
A ccording to
emerger
Studies compiled
were Social
large
a
number of books. His
Background of Indian Nationalism
 250 A.R. Desai

(1948) and Recent Trends in dian Nationalism

(19
works, he developed the Marxian framework tto outline60).In
In these
of capitalism in India. He provided an analysis of the the go
the various social forces, which radically altered
the e
society in India within the context of colonialism. The n y a
oemergencerowh
emerged in India atter independence, he postulated t e whiThe state wi
wrich
state. The theme of the relation between the
state and the capitalis
administra capive
talis,
class was exploredin his writings. him, the
To
apparatus of the state pertormed the twin functions leve
of protectng
the propertied classes and suppressing the struggles of the
classes. In India's Path of Development (1984) he took expl
on th
tional communist parties and the Marx scholars who the traie
spoke o
alliance with the progressive bourgeoisie, of the
semi-feudalism
foreign imperialist control over Indian economy, and who
lated a po
'two-stages theory revolution
of postu
or
accepted a peacehl
parliamentary road to socialism' in India. Desaï's works include
number of edited volumes on rural
sociology, urbanization,
labour
movements, peasant struggles, modernization,
democratic rights. They are a rich source of reterencereligion, and
material for
students, researchers and activists.
Peasant Struggles
In his two volumes entitled
Peasant Struggles
in India (1979) and
Agrarian Struggles in India afterIndependence (1986), Desai
complied excellent material on peasant struggles in India has
colonial rule and after during
character of
independence. The difference in U
struggles then and now is highlighted. Agra
struggles, at present, Desai suggests, are waged by the
newly-emerged propertied classes as well as the agrara a poor,
especially the agrarian proletariat, whereas the former fight for a
greater share in the fruits of development. The poor Comprising
pauperized peasants and
labourers belonging
to low
Castes and

tribal communities struggle for survival and for a betterr lite

lifefor fo
themselves,. Thus, Desaimaintained, progress cou SYstem
achiere

only by radically transforming the

ustemin
exploitative
India. The theme of the state was explored cap of
in everal ofhis studie
his stu
 A.R. Desai
251

Nationalism
nework to
(1960). In.
outline
S t a t ea n dS o c t e t y

analysis of the the grothese

of the
Society in (1975), Desai provideda critique
India
academic
accepted by a large number of
and
ally altered the emergence o InStatt
Dof
theories o fmodernization

colonialism. Theeconomy and hments. He clearly stated that in reality

the concept
desirable value
state on capitalist path a
e
postulated, was a whi d "modernization
served as a valuable ideological vehicle to the
en the state
en capitalis
and the capitalis
capitali
s
premise
I, however,
class pursuing
the capitalist path. Desai remarked on the
him, theadministrative uling of the class character, class role
win functions of level absence.
of a comprehensive analysis
repressive, ideological functions of the
he struggles of theprotectino exploited nd he economic, state by Marxist scholars. In many of his
(1984) he took tindependence Indian
ost-independence

theon
scholars who spoke oftrad r works he pursued the theme of the repressive role of the state
the resistance to it. In Violation of Democratic Rights in
isie,
IS1e, of semi-feudalie nd the growing
economy, and who
semi-teudalism,
of ndia (1986), Repression
and Resistance in India (1990), Expanding
who postu- Lawlessness and Organized Struggles (1991) and State
nn' or accepted
accepted a ne Governmental
peaceful ad Repressive Culture (1994), jointly with Wilfred D'Costa, he
ia. Desai's works incd
a. include a
highlights the violation of the democratic rights of minorities,
logy, urbanization, labour women, slum dwellers in urban India, press and other media by the
ernization, religion, and
e of reference material for
sute (Munshi and Saldanha, 1994).
In his studies of nationalism, analysis of rural social
structure,
the nature of economic and social of
the structure of state and
policies change India and
in
society, has consistently tried to expose
he
the contradictions and
and anomalies in policies and process of
ggles in India (1979) has TSulcing from the change
ndence (1986),
Desai capitalist-bourgeoisie interlocking of interest in
the Indian society (Desai, 1959, 1966, 1975).
struggles in India during
*polarization of class interest, especially of theAccording
to Desai,
in the
The difference
s highlighted. Agrarian Undation of modern society in India. It has thusbourgeoisie, is the
the
s contradictions and the logic of inherent in it the
by its
are waged
Oghly exposed by Desai in his dialectics. This has been
agrarian poor
a s the several
writings.
the former fight for alevance of Marxist
as rising
t. The poor
comprisu

and
h
the fifties and
Approach
low
to
castes

tor
dad British functiorearly sixties, American
ging
nd tor a
better
life
achieved
il unctionalism dominated
ciheseologic researches in structural-functionalism
social sciences in
could
be in
particular. general and
ress
capitalist
system
and state perialistic
da fromt intluences However, Desai undeterred by
tive his
s t u d i e s

"Om the continued to write

on Indian
s e v e r a l
of
perspective of involved scholarship.
an society
n
 A.R. Desai
252

In his presidential address to the XV All Ind:

ndia
Conference, Desai narrates about twenty-seven poin ocolopi
the assessment ot Indian sociology. Socireleroilnogaeao
seven points reterring
He finds thar
sociological approaches in India are basically non-Marx
Marxist approach has been rejected on the pretext ofSt, andd tf
dogmatic, value-loaded and deterministic in natu of its beim
approach, according to Desai, is the Marxist approachThe
help to study ot government policies, the classes entroas
stateapparatus and India's political economy. Desai write ched into
the social science practitioners in India break thrOuthrough
atmosphere of allergy towards this protound and te
approach and create climate to study the growing influs
body
ody of literatu
liter
articulating various aspects of lndian society, the class
the state and the path of development." character oi
Thus, in his presidential address, Desai focused
on the
relevance of the Marxist approach to the study of Indian
socier,
According to him, the Marxist approach helps one to raise relevant
questions, conduct researches in the right direction, formulate
adequate hypotheses, evolve proper concepts, adopt and combine
appropriate research techniques and locate the central tendencies of
transformation with its major implications.
Desai highlights certain crucial aspects of Marxist approach to
the
study of Indian society. The Marxist "PP
approach helps to undr
stand the social reality through the means of production, te
techno-economic division of labour involved in operating he
instruments of production, and social relations ot produe
relations. Thus
what are more
precisely characterized as property
the Marxist approach focuses on understanding the yr

property relations which existed on the eve of independr

India. These are being elaborated by the state as the active a

transformation of post-independent India. Hence,

to designate
the typ
approach will help
SOCiety and its class
the Indian scholars
character, the role of the stae
andthe

specificity of the path of development with all theimplicatio tba

because
crucial Under

Desai argues that property relations

are u
objecti
shape the purpose, nature, control, direction an determine

relations
lying the production. Further, property
 A.R. Desai 253

For
i t who shall get how much and on what grounds.

Socireferriolongigctao
e dominant
y a d e s t a n d i n gt h e

Ach will,
focus
st-independence Indian society, the Marxist
specific type of property relations,
on the
of independence and which are being
the eve

ted on
xist, and the as the active agent
state
of transformation both in
of its being bythe
shi:h

normative as well
notions as v as working out
legal-normative
o r a t e d

eRs
Otelaborar
he
ne relevant
rele
elevan
elaborating
pursued for development and transtormation of
as it could policies prosperous developed one.
a
enched into ciety into
to
/pdansociet,

ief, the
Marxist approach gives central importance to
ites: "I wish n
in analyzing any society.
It provides "historical
arough the
thehe rn
structure
sDecification of all social Moreover, "this
phenomena".
influential
a t n o no rs p e c i f

nta cognizes the dialectics of evolutionary as well as revolu-

of literature the breaks in in the
historical continuity
changes of
or0ach

character of from one

socio-economic tormation to another". In this
the Indian society which also
ZSton

ed on the Desai tried to understand

anitert,
works. Desai n o t only did give notice to the
1an society.
an society. s in his
ise relevant intream that Marx has a place in sociology, but also, he
a forum for
radical-minded scholars to broaden their
formulate med
d combine KATZOn of research.
ndencies of
alsis of Indian Society through Marxist Approach
Pproach to in pointed out that different sub-formations within a society
S
s to
to under
under ad not be understood adequately if seen in the context of the
iction, the
iction, tne ical level. Thus, the Marxist approach endeavours to locate,
erating the
n a specific society, the forces which preserve and torces
duction or
ons. Thus, aprompt it to change, i.e., the forces driving to take a leap into
O1 type ofof
e ora higher form of
social organization, which would unleash
endence in
Oictive power of mankind to a next higher level. Further,
ve agent of
es that the methodology adopted by social scientists is
e

e
e
Mar
Marzist

type of
Understand
'sa fdse social reality from the ideology of capitalism. But
e
and the he inding. He further argues that changes need to be
cations.
romy method
the
the perspective of
production relations. And it is
tause they

nder
The Marxist he has applied.
v e s u n d e r

approach further considers that focusing

r m i n et h e
K property
elemer relations on the
nent in
for
prevailing the Indian society as
properly understanding the nature of
 A.R. Desai
254

tak1ngplace i n the count

transformation that has been This
of every phenomhi
demand crude reducing on to
approach does not not deny nomy, or
the autonomy, or Dreto
prevale
features peculiar lence
also does
economic factor; it peculiar
institutional and
normative features
to
of distinct
particular society. For instance, according to Desai, it doike
O
understanding
the institution li
deny the necessity of ven specific
or even specific cultu
c
caste
or tribal groups
system, religions, linguistic of the ndian society
traditions which are
characteristics
The
endeavours to understand their role d
Marxist approach, in fact,
in the larger context of the t
the of their transtormation
nature
and understand them in
type
evolved, the
of society, which is being relations and norms implicis
matrix of underlying overall property
intluence the entire social economic
therein, which pervasively
formation. Desai feels that adoption of the Marxist approach will
be helpful in studying the industrial relations, not merely
management-labour relations, but as capital-labour relations, and
also in the context of the state wedded to capitalist path of devel.
opment, shaping these relations. Similarly,
it will help understand
the dynamics of rural, urban, educational and other developments
better as it will assist the exploration of these phenomena in the
larger context of the social framework, which is being created by
the state shaping the development on capitalist path of deve
opment. The Marxist approach will also assist in understanding
why institutions generating higher knowledge-products,
sponsored, tinanced and basically shaped by the state, pursuing
path of capitalist development, will not basically allow the
ie nyth
paradigms and approaches to study, which
may expose
spread about state as welfare neutral state and reveal it as
capitalist state. The constitution evolved its bourgeois cons
Daod
and the leadership is
the economy and
representing
capitalist class and is resh c i a l i s t i c

society on capitalist path. The slogan

ou
1
The

pattern is a
hoax to create illusion
and contuse
m a s s e s .

the
the
real intentions and use nt o
o
practices are geared to the develop
capitalist lines.
classia
According to Desai, the bourgeoisie is the domir
onomy, The
India. The Indian Th
society is based on the capital1st o
 A.R. Desai
255
in the country, culture in our
country is theretore the culture
place
g ofofevery This minant
domit

class. Indian capitalism was a of the

every phenor
omenonato
penomenont capitalist
mina
Hpminant
apitalism. Indian capitalism was by-product of
peculiarvalence
che autonon or prevalence capitalism.
world capitalism when, due toborn
inperialist

features to
clining phase
of during the
Desai,
2ative
it
a the general crisis
ording to does ot
nnot Ditalism, even in advanced
capitalist
g the
institution like
caste
af
isie, not cognizant of the cause
zant cause of
of .countries,
the
, the ruling
or even specitic cultur Kourgeoisies crisis, have
been
roups
singly abandon1ng rationalism and materialist
the Indian society. The
of the Indian
to rel1gio-mystical world
outlooks.
philosophies
he
to understand
larger context
their
of the
roletype
and thatd retrogradi
Indian bourgeoisie built up a tundamentally secular bourgeois
Desai argues

nd understand them in the demo

eratic state, which has been
imparting modern scientific,
relations and norms implicit nological and
tecanol
beral democratic education. This class and its
the entire social economic ntelligentsia have been, in the cultural field revivalist and more and
f the Marxist approach will nore popular1z1ng supporting and spreading old religious and ideal.
1 relations, not merely as itic philosophic concepts among the people. The idealistic and
apital-labour relations, and reigio-mystical philosophies of the ruling bourgeois class, further
to capitalist path of devel. Einforced by crude mythological culture rampant among the
rly, it will help understand nASes, constitute the dominant culture of the Indian people today.
al and other developments, Thesocial role played by this culture is reactionary since it gives
these phenomena in the
f myopic picture of the physical universe and the social world, a
which is being created by MISCxplanation of the fundamental causes of the economic and
of devel.
1 capitalist path Ua crises, opiates the consciousness of the masses and tries to
in understand1ng
SO ass1st ert the latter from advancing on the road of specific solutions of
er
er knowledge-products, tdeurproblems.
a
ed by the state, pursuing
not basically allow the Conclusion
nclusion
the myth a this
ich may expose
and
allya
reveal it as basically a
chapter,
Deai, which
we have tried to focus upon the works of A.R.
Ana show that how Marxist approach can be applied in
Nadererstanding
st
constitutiou
its bourgeois
its bourgeo1s chaping
and is reshaping
Indian social reality. The Social Background ofIndian
h. T h e s l o g a n o fs ocialist tionalism retlects on the economic interpretation ot Indian
ist class cialistic
The
Saety. Desai
Contuse the masses.
The
rAnsfor mationapplies historical materialism for understanding the
bnSsciOUusness of Indian society. He explains thatchanges
how the national
on

to the development
ey. It emerged through qualitative in Indian
must be observed by the concluding words that in all his
clas tings Desai has
IS the
dominant

Capitalist economy.
The

unde
estand
Mlarxist ad2apP tamined the usefulness of Marxian tramework
Indian's reality. Desai's all other writings also
retlect
roach to understand the Indian society.