Soviet Union’s Influence on British India’s Political Landscape

Abstract

Great Russian Revolution of 1917, which led to the establishment of the Soviet Union, had a profound impact on political movements worldwide, Including British India. Indian revolutionaries, inspired by the Bolsheviks’ success in establishing a communist State, sought support from the Soviets in their struggle against the British colonial rule. The anti-British government of Soviet Russia provided support including ideological guidance, training, and assistance for Indian political activist. Many Indian revolutionaries were influenced by the official ideology of the Soviet State, i.e., Marxism-Leninism, and adopted the same as a framework for their struggle against British imperialism. During this period, the Communist Party of India (CPI) was formed, that maintained close ties with the Soviet State. The strategies, activities and ideologies of the Left-wing movements in India were influenced by the Soviet Union and this influence have affected India’s struggle for independence and the eventual partition in 1947.

Key Words: Left Politics, British India, Communist Party of India, Soviet Union, Progressive Writers’ Association