Economic Justice: Empowering New Social Movements

Class-based movements, or New Social Movements, are movements which have an economic basis where a lower economic class clashes with a dominant class for their economic rights. Class-based movements have long played a pivotal role in the tapestry of social change, mobilizing individuals across economic strata to address disparities in wages, living conditions, and social security. 

Rooted in the grievances of the peasants and working class, these New Social Movements have historically sought to reorganize power relations within society, advocating for a more equitable distribution of resources.

Peasant Movements: Struggles for Economic Rights

Peasant movements or agrarian struggles took place during colonial days, which raised the concerns of peasants, such as the Bengal revolt, Deccan riots, the No Tax Campaign, etc.

Evolution of the Peasant Movement: Struggles for Economic Justice 

1. Early Agrarian Struggles (Pre-1914): Localized Grievances

• Localized Grievances: The New Social Movements in the period between 1858 and 1914 tended to remain localized, disjointed, and confined to particular grievances.

• Agrarian Struggles: Since pre-colonial days, agrarian struggles have been a part of Indian history. 

• • Notable New Social Movements before 1914 include the Bengal revolt (1859-62) against the indigo plantation system and the ‘Deccan riots’ of 1857 targeting moneylenders, although these remained localised and confined to specific grievances.

2. Integration with Independence Movement (1914-1940): Agrarian Struggles and Nationalism

• Interwoven Agendas: Post-1914, under Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership, some agrarian struggles like the Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) and Champaran Satyagraha (1917-18) became intertwined with the Independence movement, advocating for non-cooperation and opposing indigo plantations, respectively. 
  • During this period, protests also emerged against British forest policies.

3. Formation of Peasant Organisations (1920-1940): Economic Freedom Quest

• Between 1920 and 1940, peasant organizations like the Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha (1929) and the All India Kisan Sabha (1936) were established, demanding freedom from economic exploitation for peasants and other exploited classes.

4. Classical Peasant Movements (1946-1951): Tebhaga and Telangana Struggles

• Tebhaga Movement: At the brink of independence, notable New Social Movements were the Tebhaga movement (1946-47) in Bengal, advocating for a better share of produce for sharecroppers.
• Telangana movement (1946-51):  Against feudal conditions in Hyderabad, 
• These both movements were gaining support from the Communist Party of India (CPI).

5. New Farmers Movements (1970s Onward): Shifting Paradigms and Global Advocacy

• Changing Landscape: In the 1970s, new farmer’s movements emerged in Punjab and Tamil Nadu, characterized by regional organization, non-party affiliation, and farmer (rather than peasant) participation, as farmers are more market-involved.
• Ideological Underpinnings: These New Social Movements were anti-state and anti-urban in ideology, with demands centered around price-related issues like price procurement, remunerative prices for agricultural inputs, taxation, and loan repayments. 
• Agitation Strategies: Innovative agitation methods like road and railway blockades and refusing entry to politicians and bureaucrats in villages were employed.
• Diversifying Agendas: Over time, these New Social Movements broadened their agendas to encompass environmental and women’s issues, aligning with the global trend of ‘new social movements’. 
• From Local Grievances to Global Advocacy: This evolution reflects a transition from localised agrarian struggles to more comprehensive and globally resonant farmers’ New Social Movements addressing a wider spectrum of socio-economic and environmental concerns.

Workers Movements: Colonial Exploitation to Modern Unrest

• Colonial Industrialization: The initiation of factory production in India traces back to the early 1860s, primarily in port towns like Calcutta (Kolkata), Bombay (Mumbai), and later Madras (Chennai),
  • Colonial Economic Framework: They aligned with the colonial trade pattern of exporting raw materials to the United Kingdom and importing manufactured goods. 
  • Exploiting the Workforce: The colonial government initially did not regulate wages or working conditions, making labor extremely cheap.
• Emergence of Workers’ Protests: Resistance to Integration in National Strife
  • Early Labor Resistance: Despite the later emergence of trade unions, workers began protesting, albeit more spontaneously than systematically. 
  • Integration into the Nationalist Movement: Nationalist leaders incorporated workers into the anti-colonial movement. 
  • Wartime Struggles: The wartime expansion of industries brought about food shortages and price hikes, leading to a series of strikes across various cities like Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, and Ahmedabad during 1917, demanding wage increases.
• Formation of Trade Unions: Pioneers and Ideological Spectrum
  • The Birth of the Indian Trade Union Movement: The trade union movement commenced with the establishment of the first trade union in Madras by B.P. Wadia in April 1918, followed by Mahatma Gandhi founding the Textile Labour Association (TLA) later that year.
  • The Formation of All India Trade Union Congress: In 1920, the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) was formed in Bombay, encompassing a broad spectrum of ideologies from communist to moderate and nationalist leanings.
• Evolution and Fragmentation of the Trade Union Movement: Ideological Shifts and Political Rifts
• Ideological Shifts: In the final British rule years, communists gained significant control over the AITUC, prompting the Indian National Congress to establish the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) in May 1947. 
• Fragmentation and Political Divisions: The 1947 AITUC split facilitated further divisions along political lines, with regional parties forming their own unions in the late 1960s.
• Economic Recession and Rising Unrest (1966-67): Economic Recession, Strikes, and Workers’ Liberation
  • Economic Downturn: The 1966-67 economic recession diminished production and employment, igniting general unrest. 
  • 1974 Railway Workers’ Strike: A major railway workers’ strike occurred in 1974, marking a period of heightened confrontation between the state and trade unions. 
  • Intersectionality in Action: This era saw the workers’ movement becoming an integral part of the broader struggle for civil liberties.
    • It reflects the intertwined narratives of economic, political, and social unrest in the face of changing industrial and political landscapes.