Indian Political Thought

13

Nehru: Ideas of Development

Himanshu Roy

Nehru’s ideas of development are part of his efforts to modernize the Indian society. Generally, modernity is understood as a social process of change, beginning with renaissance, which incorporates new technology, creates balanced social relations and introduces rationality of thought. Over the centuries, it has become a metaphor of social progress associated with the rise of liberalism and capitalism. The process of change, however, is witnessed in every age and is a constant act that actuates either subterraneously or in bold reliefs. Contrary to the popular perception, it is not a one-time occasional phenomenon, event, occurrence or process, but an ad continuum, a transformation that is taking place ...