A Century's Quest: The RSS's Elusive Economic Roadmap

As the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), India's powerful ideological fount, hurtles towards its centennial, a profound question persists, echoing through its sprawling network: what exactly is its practicable economic doctrine? While the Sangh has meticulously shaped India's cultural and political landscape, its economic philosophy remains, for many, an evolving enigma, a constant search for a blueprint that can both honor its core values and navigate the complexities of a modern, globalized world.

For decades, the RSS largely viewed economics through a spiritual and cultural lens.

Its primary focus was on national character building (rashtra nirman) and social cohesion, with economic considerations taking a backseat. The foundational principle, borrowed heavily from Gandhian thought, was 'Swadeshi'—self-reliance, indigenous production, and a strong emphasis on local industry.

This wasn't merely an economic policy but a moral imperative, a rejection of colonial economic structures and a call for a distinctly Indian path. However, this ideological purity often lacked a detailed, actionable economic framework for a rapidly developing nation.

The intellectual vacuum on economic matters began to be filled, albeit slowly, with thinkers like Deendayal Upadhyaya, who offered 'Integral Humanism' as a holistic philosophy.

While profound, it provided a moral compass rather than a detailed economic strategy, advocating for an economy centered on human dignity and sustainability, but leaving the practicalities open to interpretation. This led to a fascinating dichotomy: a strong ideological conviction often struggling to translate into concrete economic policy.

The Sangh's affiliated organizations, such as the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), emerged as vocal champions of Swadeshi, often adopting protectionist stances that frequently put them at odds with the economic liberalization policies pursued by the BJP, especially after the 1990s.

While the BJP, often seen as the political wing of the RSS, embraced market reforms and global integration, its ideological parent’s affiliates voiced concerns about the impact on Indian workers and farmers, creating an inherent tension within the broader Sangh Parivar.

This internal debate intensified with India's economic opening.

The Sangh found itself grappling with the paradox of promoting indigenous industry while not isolating India from global trade and investment. Figures like S. Gurumurthy attempted to bridge this gap, advocating for a 'third way' that integrated aspects of market economics with Swadeshi principles, yet a universally accepted, cohesive economic model remained elusive.

The challenge wasn't just ideological but also practical: how to operationalize self-reliance in a world defined by interconnected supply chains and capital flows?

Under the Modi government, with the BJP at the helm, the demand for a clearer economic vision from the Sangh has grown more acute.

Initiatives like 'Vocal for Local' are seen as a contemporary articulation of Swadeshi, aiming to boost domestic manufacturing and consumption. However, this still operates within a broader framework of economic liberalization and global engagement, highlighting the continued tightrope walk. The Sangh is now more actively involved in policy discussions, pushing its perspective on agriculture, labor, and small-scale industries, but without a single, universally adopted economic text or leader defining its path.

As the RSS stands on the cusp of its second century, its search for a practicable economic doctrine remains a journey in progress.

It’s a quest to synthesize its deeply held nationalistic and self-reliant ethos with the undeniable realities of a complex global economy. The evolution of its economic thought reflects not a weakness, but a dynamic, ongoing effort to define what 'Bharatiya' (Indian) economics truly means for a rising superpower, ensuring it is both rooted in tradition and relevant for the future.