Writings on The Indian National Movement 1885-1947 (An Old and Rare Book)

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About five years back when I was invited to deliver a series of three K. P. Jayaswal Memorial lectures in 1988, I had to decide as to what should be my subject for the occasion. As Dr. Jayaswal was one of the topmost nationalist historians, I thought of choosing my subject "Writings on the Indian National Movement (1880-1947). The three lectures were to be captioned-(1) 'Writings on the Indian National Movement (1880-1905)" (2) Writings on the Indian National Movement (1905-1920)' (3) Writings on the Indian National Movement (1920-1947)'. But the most difficult problem that occurred to me at that time and still haunts me is as to what exactly nationalism is. Everybody interprets nationalism as it best suits his bent of mind.

Generally speaking people ascribe the concept of nationalism to the rise and ascendancy of the modern bourgeoisie in Europe. For example, Encycolopaedia Britannica defines it as the creed of those who believe that fidelity to one's state is of more importance than fidelity to international principles or to individual interests. It is not a political programme or body of ideas so much as a political perspective on such programmes and ideas. It has a distinct tenor wherever it appears and may be present in states of widely divergent types. Thus nationalism can be of an internationalist or isolationist character.

Again it is a peculiarly modern phenomenon. It originates from the assumption that nations are the primary focus of political alligiance which, however, has by no means been widely accepted. It further asserts that only in the eighteenth century did the state first begin to become the focal point of activity. Many reasons led to this phenomenon. The rise of large centralised states helped bring about the demise of feudal structures and other objects of local loyalty the national ruler no longer was identified as the state, but came to be regarded as its temporary head.