Liberalism:
If the liberals have faith in and love and respect for Ranade their supreme duty lies not merely in asesmbling together to sing his praises but in organising themselves for spreading the gospel of Ranade.
What hope is there of the Liberals coming forward to fulfil this duty? Signs are very depressing. In the last election (1936) the Liberals did not even contest the seats. That, of course, is in itself a matter of some surprise. But this pales into nothing when one recalls the announcement made by the Rt. Hon. Srinivasa Sastri-the leading light of the Liberal Party that he wished the Congress to succeed! There is no parallel of this except the treacherous and treasonable conduct of Bhishma who lived on the bounty of the Kauravas but wished and worked for success to their enemies, the Pandavas. This shows even the Liberals had lost faith in the gospel of Ranade. If this is the general condition of health of the Liberal Party it is better if the Party died. It would clear the way for a new orientation and spare us the tedium of idle clatter grave.
of liberals and liberalism. For such an event even Ranade may express satisfaction from his Ranade, Gandhi and Jinnah pp. 63-64
Parliamentary Democracy:
(1) Western writers omit to take into account the incontrovertible fact that in every country there is a governing class. (2) They fail to realise that the resistance of a governing class is inconsistent with democracy and sell-government. (3) Self-government and democracy become real only when the governing class loses its power to capture the power to govern. (4) The governing class may be so well entrenched that the servile classes will need other safeguards besides adult suffrage to achieve the same end. (5) Social outlook and social philosophy of the governing class is not taken into account. Pakistan or Partition of India, p. 300
Democracy is “a form and method of Government whereby revolutionary changes in the economic and social life of the people are brought about without bloodshed. The conditions are as follows: (1) There should not be glaring inequalities in society ie. privilege for one class; (2) the existence of an opposition: (3) equality in law and ad ministration; (4) observance of constitutional morality: (5) no tyranny of the majority: (6) moral order of society; and (7) public conscience”. -Parliamentary Democracy.р.6.
Democracy is not a form of government, but a form of social organisation. States and Minorities, p. 32
Devices essential to maintain democracy: (1) Constitutional methods. The methods like civil disobedience, non-co-operation and satyagraha, he regarded as ‘Grammar of Anarchy (2) Not to lay liberties at the feet of a great man – Bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and eventual dictatorship. (3) Make a political democracy a social democracy. – Constituent Assembly Debates, Vol. XI, p. 979.
The Directive Principles have a great value for they lay down the ideal of economic democracy. -C.A. Debates, Vol. VII. p. 494.
In his book, “States and Minorities” he maintained that fundamental rights are of no use to the underdog in the absence of economic security. Parliamentary democracy by itself could not achieve the economic ideal and the alternative of dictatorship could be defeated only by realizing state socialism within the framework of parliamentary demcoracy.
Secular State:
The conception of a secular state is derived from the liberal democratic tradition of the West. No institution which is maintained wholly out of state funds shall be used for the purpose of religious instruction irrespective of the question whether the religious instruction is given by the state or by any other body.C.A. Debates, Vol. VII pp. 870-871.
