PSIR Optional (Integration of thinkers with rest of the syllabus) by Viraj C. Rane

Model Answer

Question #1. Personal is political. Explain.

Approach:

• Introduction: The origin of the phrase and phase of its origin.
• Body: Role of Patriarchy and the achievements of the movement. 
• Criticism: Liberal view, Hannah Ardent’s and Carol Hanisch’s view. 

Hints: 

The phrase “the personal is political” arose in the student movement and second-wave feminism from the late 1960s. The phrase was popularized by the publication of a 1969 essay under the title “The Personal is Political by Carol Hanisch, a member of New York Radical Women and a prominent figure in the Women’s Liberation Movement. 

Interpretation: 

• The interpretation that arose in the second wave of feminism is that the restriction of women to the private sphere is a political issue. The home is seen by some feminists as a site of oppression because women have had little choice but to adhere to the role of housewife and carry out domestic duties. It is the existence of male power in the form of patriarchy that is responsible for the marginalization of women from the political sphere. 
• Men’s power, it is argued is not confined to the public world alone, but characterizes all relationships between sexes- from the most intimate to the most public. Thus, the family, community, religion, or the market, government and the state all come to be seen as agents of patriarchy. Seen from this perspective it was clear that no aspect of life lacked a political dimension. Hence the personal is political. 
• The centrality of the “personal is political” to the second-wave feminist movement gave impetus to policy and law changes like, legalization of abortion, criminalization of rape in marriage and property rights for women. 

Criticism: 

• It has been objected to for its strong totalitarian implications, since it suggests that there is no aspect of life that can be free from political scrutiny and that feminists have to account for every minute and intimate details of their lives. 
• Liberal feminists argue that the phrase is dangerous because it erodes necessary political boundaries. This is because it is said to take away the importance of the public aspect of politics. 
• It is further criticized by Hannah Arendt that, in this process of eroding political boundaries, the public space of politics is transformed into a pseudo-space of interaction in which individuals no longer ‘act’ but merely behave as economic producers and consumers. • Carol Hanisch herself observed that the idea has been revised or ripped off or even used against their original, radical intent.

Question #2. How the concept of Daridra Narayan does explains Mahatma Gandhi's understanding of the responsibilities of state?

Hints: Daridra-Narayan is an axiom enunciated by the late-19th century Indian sage Swami Vivekananda, espousing that service to the poor is equivalent in importance and piety to service to God. Mahatma GS SCORE GS SCORE GS SCORE Hints: Political Science [7] Gandhi constantly spoke of the “Daridra-Narayan” — the poor and the disadvantaged. Gandhi explained that for the poor the economic is the spiritual. One cannot make any other appeal to those starving millions. It will fall flat on them. But if one gives food to them, they will regard him/her as their God. They are incapable of any other thought. So, Gandhi believes in the service of God through service to the poor, destitute and marginalised. 

Role of state:

• Gandhi advocates a non-violent state must aim at the welfare and upliftment of its citizens. It would be a state free of exploitation. He conceives a decentralised state with empowered villages. 
• He supports a greater role of the state in economic affairs, which contradicts his otherwise, minimalist views on the state. He defends limitations on the right of inheritance, state ownership of land and heavy industries, nationalisation without compensation and heavy taxes. 
• Gandhi’s prescription for social progress and transformation is contained in what he describes as the constructive programme. State should aim at the following principles that support the poor and disadvantaged. The state is essentially a welfarist one. 
• The Directive principles are to guide the state in achieving it. These principles are based on Gandhian ideology. They represent the programme of reconstruction enunciated by Gandhi They require the State: – 

-To organise village panchayats and endow them with necessary powers and authority to enable   them to function as units of self-government (Article 40).

- To promote cottage industries on an individual or co-operation basis in rural areas (Article 43).

- To promote the educational and economic interests of SCs,STs, and other weaker sections of the society and to protect them from social injustice and exploitation (Article 46).

 Conclusion: 

Legislations like Right to Food Security Act, 2009, MNREGA and schemes like PM Garib Kalyana Anna Yojana by the Indian State are on the lines of Gandhian conception of state. Hence, Gandhi wanted the state to be of service to the poor and the downtrodden.