Bipan Chandra

This account... of Jayaprakash Narayan's attempt at a "Total Revolution", its aftermath, the court judgement that called into question Indira Gandhi's election, and the imposition of the emergency... is truly eye-opening. Most of us are used to thinking of JP as a saint and IG as the spoiler, but the author raises deep questions on the scope and methods for civil disobedience and public pressure mongering in a liberal constitutional democracy, that will give us a second look at the whole issue. The author's caution on the scope for totalitarian or even fascist tendencies arising from popular mobilization also is very relevant to our times.… (plus d'informations)