The Grammar of Anarchy ('Constituent Assembly Debates Final Speech')

Sir, on the 26th of January 1950, India will be an independent country. What will happen to her independence? Will she maintain her independence or will she lose it again? This is the first thought that comes to my mind.

If we wish to maintain democracy not merely in form, but also in fact, what must we do?

First, we must hold fast to constitutional methods of achieving our social and economic objectives. It means we must abandon the bloody methods of revolution. It means that we must abandon the method of civil disobedience, non-cooperation and satyagraha. These methods are nothing but the ‘Grammar of Anarchy’ and the sooner they are abandoned, the better for us.

Second, we must observe the caution which John Stuart Mill has given to all who are interested in the maintenance of democracy, namely, not ‘to lay their liberties at the feet of even a great man, or to trust him with powers which enable him to subvert their institutions.’

Bhakti in religion may be a road to the salvation of the soul. But in politics, Bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship.

On the 26th of January 1950, we are going to enter into a life of contradictions. In politics we will have equality and in social and economic life we will have inequality.