The Illegitimacy of Nationalism: Rabindranath Tagore and the Politics of Self (Oxford India Paperbacks)

In the early years of the nationalist movement, most nationalist leaders were convinced that the absence of a proper national state and the proper nationalist sentiments were major lacunae in Indian society and an indication of its backwardness. Yet in the 1920s, ambivalence toward the idea of nationalism appeared within the freedom movement, and was expressed by some of the most important nationalism leaders. This unique study offers a psychological and sociological explanation for the divergent views on nationalism held by patriots and freedom fighters in the early years of this period of political upheaval. Nandy focuses particularly on the thought of Tagore on nation, state, and patriotism as expressed in his major novels.