Poisoned Roots

Independence of India was also the beginning of the end of imperialism. Thus Indian independence was also a two fold experiment for the imperial establishment. An experiment in how to wind up the imperial structures and what to replace them with. The Labour leadership wanted to replace the old system with Democratic Socialism. After decolonisation the old colonies were going to be Democratic Socialist States. Indian Congress had a leader who described himself a socialist. Prime Minister Attlee, Cripps and many others in the Labour party jumped off their feet and transferred power to Nehru, a Democratic Socialist of India. They did not pause to think. Nehru's promises blinded them. A mature, sophisticated imperial system failed abysmally once more and resultant disaster shamed the spirit of Brig General Dyre. This time around nearly a million Indians and not just a few hundred lost their lives. Both Nehru and Attlee were pleased in their own individual ways.