Indian Radical Humanist Association

In 1969, VM Tarkunde founded the Indian Radical Humanist Association as an organisation for radical humanists to take forward the ideology of Radical Humanism as propounded by MN Roy. He also began editing the Radical Humanist (founded in 1937 by Roy as Independent India) in April 1970, supporting it initially with his own income. In 1973 he was one of the signatories of the Humanist Manifesto.

Prospectus

INDIAN RADICAL HUMANIST ASSOCIATION

Indian Radical Humanist Association was formally constituted in the year 1969.

For 20 years, after the dissolution of Radical Democratic Party in 1948, the Radicals worked as individuals for developing and spreading the ideas and the philosophy of New Humanism. From the experience they gathered they felt the increasing need of an organisation to co-ordinate the activities and gather more strength. During this period, several ‘reunions’ of individual workers were held to crystallise the thought. In 1968, radicals from all over the country met in a convention at New Delhi and finally the constitution of the Radical Humanist Association was framed with the assistance of Shri C.T. Daru and Shri V.B. Karnik. An inaugural conference was held thereafter in November 1969 at New Delhi and Shri V.M. Tarkunde as elected as its chairman, and Shri C.T. Daru and Shri Suyash Malik as its secretaries and an Executive Committee of 17 Members was formed which included the leading Radicals in the country.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

The history of Indian Radical Humanist Association could be traced back to 1920 when M.N. Roy, the founder of New Humanist Movement in India ‘’started from Moscow his long and arduous efforts to give a social content to the Nationalist Movement in India’’ (The Radical Democratic Party- an Introduction-foreword, October 1944). The Movement gathered momentum after Roy’s arrival in India by the end of 1930, but much more so after his release from jail in 1936. Thereafter the groups of intellectuals agreeing with thoughts of M.N. Roy in several cities in India came together and formed. The League of Radical Congressmen in the Year 1939. Its aims and objects were to make the Indian National Congress a real party of the Indian people which could bring about the much needed social, political and economic freedom of the people. Inaugurating this Conference in Pune, Roy stated ‘’National freedom is not an end in itself. It is necessary so that the people of India may prosper and progress freely after the elimination of the foreign factor which has for such a long time stood in the way’’. He stressed the need to change the economic structure of Indian Society and went on to say that ‘’the Welfare of the Nation as a whole is conditional upon certain revolutionary changes in its social structure, and those changes cannot be brought about until political power has been captured by the masses’’. (From the Presidential Address- League of Radical Congressmen, Poona June 1939). Finally while stating the goal of league of Radical Congressmen Roy said, ‘’We stand for revolution inside the Congress, a revolution in the outlook, a revolution in methods, a revolution in its structure – so that it can become the leader of the revolution which must take place in the Country to establish freedom needed for the progress and prosperity of the Nation’’. For 3 years the Radicals worked inside the Congress and in certain parts of the country succeeded in bringing about changes in the leadership of the Congress.

Radicals are true lovers of freedom. They regard ‘’Freedom is the birth right of every human being’’. In Hitler’s onslaught on Europe they saw the danger not only to the freedom of Europe and England but to that of the whole world. It was an anti-Fascist war for them right from the beginning. After failure to convince the Congress High Command of the need to join the anti-Fascist War, the League of Radical Congressmen severed its connection with the Congress and formed itself into “The Radical Democratic Party’’ in 1940. This was the next stage of development of Humanist Movement in India. The party was formed in order to fight the greatest menace to human civilization in the form of Fascism, so that the whole humanity could be saved and set free to march on the path of peace and prosperity. While carrying on that struggle we were also continuously engaged in ideological and philosophical explorations. These explorations eventually crystallised themselves in the form of the new philosophy of New Humanism. This was endorsed at the party conference in Bombay in 1946.

The idea that society has to be reorganised and that it has to pass through a comprehensive and all-embracing revolution was already accepted by radicals as Marxists. That was why we were endeavouring to transform the national movement into an instrument of revolution. But we realised soon that nationalism was based on a collective ago, ultimately leading to the sacrifice and slavery of the individual.

The experience of Second World War clearly showed us that old ways of revolution have become futile and the path of revolution has to be critically and scientifically examined before it is adopted. No political party today can face the organised might of the state. We know that a revolution is needed to find a way through the present crisis. Economic misery, social insecurity, communal, national and cultural hatred and unscrupulous rivalries in individual relationship are obvious symptoms of the crisis. This is a product of intellectual and spiritual stagnation or bankruptcy as a result many intellectuals and/or imaginary supernatural powers. But this is not going to solve the problems.

It is essential for man today to understand life in a comprehensive sense. He has to use his power of reason which he possesses as a human being. Charles Darwin has enabled man to understand himself and to know that he is a part of this cosmic universe, and has evolved in the natural process spread over millions of years. ‘’The universe is a physical system which is law-governed. Man belongs to the biological universe and is an integral part of the universe and is governed by universal laws which can be referred back to the general laws of the world of dead matter.’’ ‘’Man did not appear on this earth out of no where. With his mind, intelligence and will, he is an integral part of the physical universe. The latter is a Cosmos – a law governed system. Therefore, man’s being and becoming, his emotions, will, ideas are also determined. Therefore man is essentially rational.” The innate rationality of man is the only guarantee of a harmonious social order, which will also be a moral order, because morality is a rational function. Morality must be referred back to man’s innate rationality. Only then can man be moral, spontaneously and voluntarily. Reason is the only sanction of morality which is sane appeal to conscience, which is no longer mystic or mysterious’’.

The axiology of New Humanism deduces all values from the supreme value of freedom and freedom for us is the progressive removal of all impediments on the integrated growth of every human being. That does not mean a licence. It is a responsibility. It has to be enjoyed and lived every minute of one’s life and also extended to the fellow human beings. New Humanism holds that for creating a new world for liberty and social justice, revolution must go beyond an economic reorganisation of society. The urge for freedom being the basic incentive of life, the purpose of all rational human endeavours must be to strive for the removal of social conditions which restrain the enfoldment of potentialities of man. ‘’A brotherhood of men attracted by adventure of ideas, keenly conscious of the urge for freedom, fired with the vision of free society of free men and motivated by the will to remake the world will be the ‘vanguard’ of Humanist Movement. New Humanism will lead to cosmopolitan commonwealth of spiritually free individuals, and will not be limited to the borders of national states, – capitalist, fascist, socialist, communist or of any other kind – which will gradually disappear under the impact of New Renaissance’’.

It is now being realised all over the world and it is a matter of every-day experience that on account of very fast scientific and technological development the old structure based on nationalism and established religions is shaking, dwindling and would become obsolete sooner or later. And in the present nuclear age, the only philosophy and way of life which will keep humanity alive and together is the philosophy of Radical or Cosmopolitan Humanism and organised democracy with freedom of individual as its foundation.

The new philosophy of Humanism is gaining ground all over the world, particularly in the west. International Humanist Association is a founder member and the great scientists, thinkers and intellectuals all over the world are deeply involved in the development of this new thought. Roy was one of the few to evolve this thought and gave it a clear scientific base in his 22 theses for the first time. And it is now the task of every active thinker to examine it critically and apply it to the present situation as a new way of life.

PROGRAMME OF RADICAL HUMANIST ASSOCIATION

Education of the citizen with this new perspective is the condition for reorganisation of society to achieve the humanist ideals. One has to apply humanist principles to the situation one is facing. Our faith in human beings and their educability has to be reassured by action. We have to stimulate and arouse the urge for freedom in every citizen, which is either not kindled so far or is suppressed under the burden of appalling living conditions. It is a long and arduous task. But there is no alternative.

We have to work on two fronts – the adults who react to the situation here and now, and children who are the makers of the world in future. We have to do this simultaneously. A large scale popular movement of non-formal education which will put ‘’Man and Woman’’ at the Centre of our activities is necessary. It need not be or rather should not be only political education but education in rational behaviour in any situation, in managing their own affairs and creating self-confidence in them. Only then will they be able to take their own decisions and understand their weaknesses and strengths and face their problems. Let us join together to fight the fatalistic outlook of the people, put them in the picture and take up burning social issues to teach the people as well as the so-called educated middle class, who perpetuate the outmoded religious rituals and fundamentalist thought. Some social movements and most of the voluntary organisations working in the field of urban and rural development or women’s development need an ideological base. Radical Humanists are in a position to provide it, if they are ready to work shoulder to shoulder with these groups. We are here to change the social structure including the political system of formal democracy but the evil lies much deeper than our political system. It is the result of our overall cultural and mental make up, wanting to adopt the newest technology without understanding or adopting the rationalistic and scientific mode of thinking. We have so far never accepted Man’s supremacy in nature, nor did we adopt the scientific way of thinking for analysing our problems in a rational way. The first and foremost necessity is to change this thinking process in order to understand and face this new world. We have to change the individual, his cultural social and economic grounding to enable him to live on his own and let live. The best way is to start from oneself to grow and help others to grow so that all of us could enjoy the freedom in this Universe of which we are an integral part. Let us base our life on the eternal values of Freedom, Knowledge, Truth, Morality and Rational thinking.

CONSTITUTION OF INDIAN RADICAL HUMANIST ASSCIATION

PREAMBLE

Humanism is a philosophy and a mental attitude which gives primacy to the human individual and recognises his or her right to live in freedom and with dignity. It believes that ‘’the human individual is the measure of all things’’. Humanism opposes the sacrifice of individuals at the altar of any imaginary collective ego like a nation or class. Historically as well as logically, humanism is the philosophy of democracy.

The basic values of Radical Humanism are: freedom, rationalism and self-sustained morality. These values constitute the pillars of human progress. Radical Humanism derives values from the physical and biological sciences.

Radical Humanism regards the urge for freedom as an expression on the human level of the basic struggle for existence which is common to the entire biological world. Freedom of human beings includes their physical well-being as well as the unhindered development of their mental potentialities in various spheres which as knowledge and virtue. The struggle for freedom includes the struggle for bread, but goes far beyond it.

Rationalism consists of the recognition of the importance of relying on one’s reason in distinguishing fact from function and right from wrong and of the determination to act according to one’s rational conviction. Like the urge for freedom, the reasoning capacity is also a part of man’s biological heritage. It is derived from the indisputable fact that the entire universe is law governed. Instinctive reason is found in all animals, but the reasoning faculty in human beings is far more developed than in the rest of the animal kingdom. By itself, however, reason has only an instrumental value, for it can be used for good as well as evil. Rationalism consists of acting according to what con’s reason says is true and right.

Radical Humanism believes that the human conscience is also a biological heritage. It is derived from the long history of the biological evolution of human beings as a gregarious species. Morality comprises of the values which are essential for a co-operative social existence. Since the moral impulse is a natural biological urge, its satisfaction is one of the sources of human happiness. A moral life can therefore be a happy life. Morality is enlightened self-interest. An individual can therefore be free as well as moral at the same time.

The democratic values of liberty, equality and fraternity are only a popular version of the scientific humanist values of freedom, rationalism and self-sustained morality.

Democracy in India is weak and unstable because these humanist democratic values have not been adequately disseminated among the people. That is why in India the spirit for freedom and self-reliance remains submerged under the traditions of submission and servitude, why blind faith predominates over rationalism, why morality is overwhelmed by corruption and injustice, and why casteism and communalism continue to thrive. A renaissance movement based on Radical Humanist values is necessary for the all round political, economic and social transformation of India society.

Indian renaissance should not, like the European renaissance, be confined to the elitist sections of society, but should be spread among the people at the grass root level so as to develop their initiative to tackle their economic, social and political problems.

The spread of humanist democratic values among the people will increase the political maturity of the Indian electorate and thereby improve the functioning of the present parliamentary democracy. Political parties will then behave more responsibly, casteism and communalism would be on the decline, corruption in the political administration of the country would be curbed and all democratic institutions would function more efficiently.

Radical Humanism, however, regards the present parliamentary democracy as a very limited and truncated form of democracy. At its best it means rule for the people and not of the people. Radical Humanism seeks to replace parliamentary democracy by a radical democracy organised from below. In order that people should be the real rulers in the country, political and economic power must be radically decentralised. Functions of the State should as far as possible be in the hands of local republics called people’s committees and those functions which are required to be handled at the higher levels of the State should be in the hands of people’s representatives who are accountable at every stage to the electorate. Parliament should be the apex of network of people’s committees which will be the repositories of people’s sovereign power.

Radical Humanism does not believe that party system is essential for a genuine democracy. The party system is based on periodical delegation of power by the people leading to scramble for power and the concentration of that power in the State. Political parties also tend to exploit the prejudices prevalent among the people so as to divorce morality from political practice. Radical Humanists, believe that the party system will eventually be replaced by a network of people’s committees which will function as the organs of people’s power and will sponsor candidates for higher legislative bodies.

Radical Humanism realises that capitalism not only increases economic inequalities amongst the people, but develops a consumerist society in which wealth accumulates and culture decays. State ownership, on the other hand, is not a variable alternative because it leads to political dictatorship and economic stagnation. In a truly democratic society, an economy based upon a net work of producers’ and consumers’ cooperative societies, assisted by cooperative financial institutions, is likely to replace the systems of both capitalism as well as State ownership. Radical Humanism believes that such a cooperative economy will end human exploitation and contribute to economic as well as cultural growth.

In social life, Radical Humanism stands for equality in all spheres and recognition of the dignity of every human individual. Radical Humanism opposes discrimination based on sex, caste, relation or class. It aspires for the creations of a free and moral society consisting of free and moral men and women. In personal life, Radical Humanists practise the values which they preach.

The principles of Radical Humanism were first formulated by the revolutionary philosopher M.N. Roy in 1946. They have never been regarded as a closed system of ideas. They are open to revision in the light of further experience and growth of knowledge. The Indian Radical Humanist Association does not therefore require from its members an uncritical adherence to the system of ideas developed by its sponsors. Any person who agrees with the basic values of Radial Humanism and desires to promote those values is welcome to join the Association.

AIMS AND OBJECTS

The Indian Radical Humanist Association aims at developing a renaissance movement throughout the country based on the values of Radical Humanism and at bringing about a peaceful transformation of India society so that those values may be realised in all spheres of life-political, economic and social.
With a view to promoting rational and scientific outlook, economic self-sufficiency and political awareness and inculcating a democratic culture amongst the people, the I.R.H.A. should strive for educating public opinion through seminars, study camps, meetings and conferences etc.
The I.R.H.A. should undertake such activities as would promote Radical Humanist through and practice, and shall co-operate with like-minded organisation and individuals.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

NAME:

This organisation shall be called the Indian Radical Humanist Association, hereinafter referred to as the I.R.H.A.

DEFINITION CLAUSES:

Association means the Indian Radical Humanist Association.
President means of President elected by the general body meeting of the association;
Executive Council means Executive Council elected in the general body meeting of the Association.
Branch means a Branch of IRHA in the state consisting of one or m ore local units in the state.
Local unit means a group of members of IRHA in a village, town or a city within a state.
Member means a person who satisfies the criteria mentioned in clause 4.
Life member means a person who pays life membership fees of Rs.250/-.
Your means the official financial year.

OFFICE:

The main office of the association shall be at Delhi or at such other place in India as may be approved by the Executive Council. It may have its branches or local units all over India.

MEMBERSHIP:

Subject to what follows, membership of the Association shall be open to any adult person residing in India who generally agrees with its Aims and Objects and accepts its rules and regulations.

(ii) A person intending to be a member shall apply in writing in the prescribed from to a unit or a branch or the main office of the Association where a unit or a branch does not exist.

(iii) A branch or the unit or the main office as the case may be shall have the right to reject such application for membership or renewal thereof.

(iv) A person whose application is approved by the branch or the unit as the case may be shall be enrolled as a member.

(v) Every member shall pay an annual membership fee of Rs.12/- or life membership fee of Rs.250/-. An annual member who does not pay the fee for two consecutive years will automatically cease to be a member.

OFFICE BEARERS:

There shall be a President who will be elected from amongst the members of the general body in its biennial meetings.

The President will guide the activities and functions of the I.R.H.A.

The President will preside over the general meeting of the Association and meeting of the Executive Council.

The President will be responsible for supervising the working of the Association and will give directions to the General Secretary and Joint Secretaries in that behalf.

GENERAL SECRETARY:

There shall be the general Secretary appointed by the President from amongst the members of the Executive Council.

There shall be two Joint Secretaries who will be appointed by the President.

DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS:

It shall be the duty of the General Secretary to call the meeting of the Executive Council in consultation with the President. He/She shall also be responsible for calling the general meeting of IRHA in consultation with the President or as per his/her directions in that behalf. It shall be his/her duty to call the meeting of the Executive Council at least twice a year.

The General Secretary shall prepare the agenda for such meeting.

The General Secretary may place such agenda or any other items before the meeting as directed by the President.

The general Secretary shall maintain a register of members enrolled by the branches as well as the units and shall amend such register from time to time.

The general Secretary shall submit a report of the activities generally undertaken by the main office as well as the branches and the units before the Executive Council as and when such meeting is held.

JOINT SECRETADRIES:

The Joint Secretaries shall discharge such duties and functions as are assigned to them by the President or the Executive Council.

GENERAL MEETINGS:

The General meeting of the Association will be held not less than once in two years at a time and place decided upon by the President.
The President shall propose the agenda for the general meeting.
The functions of the general meeting shall be as detailed below :-
To elect members of the Executive Council and President of the IRHA.
To receive from the Executive Council or from any of its Office bearers a report on the working of the Association during the previous years.
To receive from Executive Council a statement showing receipts and expenditure, assets and liabilities and to consider the auditor’s report pertaining thereto.
To make suggestions regarding the work of the Association.
To consider any other business placed before it by the council.
To consider any resolution proposed by member provided notice of it has been give to the Council at least a fortnight before the meeting.
To appoint an Auditor.
To consider any other business with the permission of the chair.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL:

The Executive Council shall have not more than 21 members.
The President shall nominate members to the Executive Council. In respect of states where branches exist, nominations shall be made from names suggested for this purpose by state units.
The Executive Council shall have power to co-opt such members as it may think fit.
The Executive Council shall be generally responsible for the fulfilment of the objectives of the association through such policies and measures as it may consider necessary.
The Executive Council shall meet as often as may be necessary. It may transact business though circulars also.

STATE BRANCHES AND UNITS:

The Association shall strive to establish branches in every state. Each branch will have a minimum of 15 members and each unit a minimum of five members.
The members of the branches and the units in the state shall elect their Executive Committees every two years in the general body meeting of the members of the branches and units respectively in the state.
They will elect their office bearers in their general body meetings and will transact the business as directed by the Executive Committee. The secretary or the secretaries of the branch or the units as the case may be shall be responsible for carrying out the directions of the executive committee of the branch or the units as the case may be.
Every branch shall contribute a minimum sum of Rs.250/- per annum to the main office of IRHA.
Every unit shall in turn contribute a minimum sum of Rs.50-per annum to the branch in the state and to the main office where there is no branch.
The branch of IRHA in the respective state shall make a report on the activities and programmes undertaken once in every three months to the main office. The branch and the units in the state shall submit the list of members enrolled to the main office from time to time and they shall maintain a register of members regularly.
The committees of the units and branches in the state shall meet at least once a month and once in three months respectively to transact their business and to review the activities and programmes undertaken by them.
The branch and the unit in a state will endeavour to implement instructions and programmes that may be communicated to them by the main office.
The branch and unit in the respective state may frame their own rules and regulations to suit their own organisation needs, not inconsistent with the aims and objects of the IRHA.

FUNDS:

The funds of the IRHA shall be deposited in any scheduled or co-operative bank. The accounts of the IRHA will be operated by any two members of the three members of the Executive Council, or Executive Committee (as the case may be) whose names are intimated to the bank.

REGULATIONS:

The Executive Council shall have the power to frame rules and regulations for the conduct of the affairs of the Association.

DUTIES OF A MEMBER:

A member of the IRHA is by his commitments to the aims and objects of the association expected to contribute and participate in the activities of the Association with a view to promoting the ideals of Radical Humanism.

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION:

The Constitution of the IRHA can be amended by a resolution passed by a majority of votes at a general body meeting.

A notice for such amendment shall be given to the main office as well as to the branches and units in the states at least one month in advance of the date of the general meeting at which such amendment is to be moved. The main office, the branches and units shall communicate the proposed amendment to the members enrolled with them.

DISSOLUTION:

The IRHA can be dissolved by a resolution passed by a majority of two thirds members attending a general body meeting convened with a notice to that effect.

A notice for the dissolution of the IRHA shall be given to the main office as well as the branches and units in the states at least one month in advance of the general meeting at which the proposal of the dissolution is to be moved. The main office, the branches and the units shall communicate the proposal of the dissolution to the members enrolled with them.

In the event of dissolution of the IRHA its assets will be donated to any non-profit making cultural or educational institution or institutions with similar object as approved by a majority of the members present at the general body meeting.

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MEMBERSHIP FORM:

The Secretary

Indian Radical Humanist Association

Dear Friend,

Please enroll me as a member of the Indian Radical Humanist Association. I generally agree with the Aims and Objects of the Association and shall abide by its rules and regulations. I remit herewith the annual membership fee Rs.50/-/or Life membership fee Rs.500/-.

Name: —————————————————————-

Address: ————————————————————-

Profession: ———————————————————–

Activities: ————————————————————-

Date: ————- Signature