Jayaprakash Narayan (1902-79) was one of the most prominent leaders and thinkers that India has produced in modern times. Although he never sought power for himself, he played a major role not only in the struggle for Independence, but also in the Socialist and Sarvodaya movements and finally in the movement for strengthening democracy, popularly known as the J.P. movement. This series of volumes has been planned with a view to presenting as comprehensive a picture as possible of the evolution of J.P.’s political life and thought through his writings, speeches and letters. As he was in many ways a mirror of his times, it is hoped that the series will also provide a glimpse of the main currents of ideas and movements during the times in which he lived and worked. The present volume covers the period from the end of the Nasik Conference of the Socialist Party held in March 1948 to that of the Madras Conference held in July 1950. these were momentous years in the building up of the Socialist Party as a completely independent political party, dedicated to the ideal of Democratic Socialism. As in the past, J.P., as General Secretary of the Party, carried the major responsibility in both these respects. His article on the structure of the Socialist Party, pleasing for a change to a party with a mass membership (1949) shows his role on this issue. Similarly his report, to its Madras Conference presents an impassioned exposition of the ideology of the Party. Other documents included in this volume illustrate his role in the trade union movement, his concern with the unsatisfactory state of civil liberties and his views on aspects of the economic and foreign policies being pursued by the country.
