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GK 101 - Lecture 2, Unit 1: The Nehru Years

Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of independent India. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge and practiced law before joining the Indian independence movement. As PM, Nehru pursued a mixed economy with public sector enterprises. He established many educational and scientific institutions. However, his economic and social policies were also criticized. Nehru led India to adopt a secular and democratic constitution but could not resolve the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan.

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Dilip Dutt Varshney
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38 views

GK 101 - Lecture 2, Unit 1: The Nehru Years

Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of independent India. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge and practiced law before joining the Indian independence movement. As PM, Nehru pursued a mixed economy with public sector enterprises. He established many educational and scientific institutions. However, his economic and social policies were also criticized. Nehru led India to adopt a secular and democratic constitution but could not resolve the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan.

Uploaded by

Dilip Dutt Varshney
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GK 101 Lecture 2, Unit 1

The Nehru Years

Who was Jawaharlal Nehru?

Son of Motilal Nehru


Graduate of Trinity College, Cambridge
Practiced Law in Allahabad High Court
Married to Kamla Nehru (nee Kaul)
Born a Hindu, preferred to be considered an
ATHEIST religion holding India back
Anointed by Gandhi as his successor in 1941
Became first PM of India, unable to broker a deal
with MA Jinnah, leading to Partition

Nehru vs Patel
Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel rivals and
partners with deep mutual admiration
Disagreements on minorities
Opposite views on economic policy
Patel was Nehrus only credible rival in stature
Patel proposed Rajendra Prasad as President
instead of C Rajagopalachari
Nehru not in favor of Hindi as official language

First General Election


Participated in by Congress, KMPP (J B Kripalanis
Kisan Majdoor Praja Party), Socialist Party
(started by JP Narayan), Jana Sangh, CPI
Sukumar Sen first Election Commissioner
ICS officer of 1921, mathematician from London U

17.6 crore eligible voters, 85% illiterate


This was reason for pictorial symbols

28 lakh women struck off the list


State Assembly and Lok Sabha together

Questions - 1
What is the relationship between lakh, crore
and million?
100 lakhs = 1crore, 10 lakhs = 1 million
Which year was Indias first Election held?
1952
What was the age of eligibility for voting?
21

Socialist vs Capitalist
Crux of ideology difference b/w Nehru-Patel
Socialism advocated by Russia, China
everything owned by community (govt.)
small difference in wages
Called Leftism, Welfarism, moderate Marxism

Capitalism model of the West (US, UK)

Merit based system, everyone as per capacity


Focus on wealth creation, assumed percolation
Great encouragement on private sector

Electoral System Options & Criticism


FIRST PAST THE POST Indian system
INC 364 seats of 489 in LS, 2247 of 3280 in SA
45% and 42% vote share respectively
Compare BJPs 31% vote share for 282 seats

MAXIMUM VOTE SHARE American system


No constituency seat system, state-based nos.
1:1 party-candidate alignment
Almost impossible for lower vote-share winner

Questions 2
Who holds record for biggest election win?
Anil Basu (CPM) in 2004, 5.92 lakh votes
What are the lengths of terms for Indian PM
and USA President?
5 years, 4 years
What is the limit on how many times an Indian
can become Prime Minister?
No Limit

Economic Achievements
Mixed policy, PSUs with private sector
Greater bent towards PSUs

Steel Plants at Bokaro, Rourkela (USSR, FRG)


Industrial growth 7% from 1950-65
India 7th largest industrial country

Import substitution industrialization


Preferred for developing nations
Fall of share of trade from 1.4% to 0.5% (1981-90)

Agriculture
Land reforms banning giant land ownership
Could not redistribute existing holdings

Co-operative farming failed under large


owners opposition
69% of country working to produce 21% of GDP

Set up agricultural Univs led Green Rev.


Started culture of agricultural research

State Reorg, National Language


Started in 1953, abolished concept of province
and state
Reorganized states on linguistic basis
Madras province had Telugu, made into AP

Hindi was to be official language in 1965,


widespread riots, protests
Backtracked commitment in Constitution
Became discretionary for states

Social Policies
Strongest believer in education

IITs, RECs, AIIMS set up during this time

24000 schools set up in villages, free primary


Free milk & meals to combat malnutrition

Caste discrimination criminalized

Reservations in education, govt. service

Article 44 Secularism written by Nehru,


promises Uniform Civil Code

Not applicable to Muslims in inheritance, wedding

Foreign Policy
Co-founded Non-Aligned Movement
Established Atomic Energy Commission under
Homi Bhabha
Great ambition to develop nuclear weapons
Believed in proving self, then go Gandhian

Refused plebiscite in Kashmir in 1953


Leaned towards Russia on principle
Signed Panchsheel with China natural ally

Panchsheel, China and the End


Mutual Respect, Non-Aggression, NonInterference, Equality, Peace
Long-pending border dispute around
uninhabited regions in Arunachal
Several discussions, largely friendly

Relations went bad after India granted asylum


to Dalai Lama
Heartbroken after the war, died in 1964

Questions 3
What was Jawaharlal Nehrus fathers
profession?
Barrister at Law
What was Jawaharlal Nehrus favorite flower?
Rose
Which lady was Jawaharlal Nehru said to have
a special friendship?
Edwina Mountbatten

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