Contemporary Relevance of Nehru

The subject contemporary relevance of Nehru is unfolded into five sections. First section introduces the subject by contextualising Nehru’s ideas in the contemporary scenario. Nehruvian ideological system and its utility in the age of globalisation constitute the body of this article. His nationalism, socialism and world view are located and discussed in the second, third and fourth sections, respectively. Nehru’s idea of composite culture, contested by cultural nationalism from the one end and ethno-nationalism from the other end of spectrum comprises the second section. The third section discusses the conception, consolidation, retreat and revival of Nehruvian model of economic development in the light of Washington Consensus and Post-Washington Consensus. His idea of socialism and the mixed economy are debated in liberal, neoliberal and post-neoliberal scenario. His world view faced rough weather during the second and third phase of India’s foreign policy. The former was set in motion after his death, whereas the latter started taking shape in the Post-Soviet world, which has acquired the hegemonic overtones. Contemporary significance of Nehru’s world view in the hegemonic world is probed in the fourth section. The last section sums up the discussion in the form of concluding observations.