The history of Left politics in India runs deep into the very heart of the freedom struggle. It can hardly be denied that both the freedom struggle and the political landscape of free India was, for the longest time, hued in various shades of red. Peculiarly, Leftism in India has developed in close ties with the culture in which it was rooted. A movement consisting of diverse forces—-with moderate socialists at one end of the spectrum and extremist or revolutionary communists at the other—-The Indian Left has had a complex and evolving role in Indian politics. While historically it has played a pertinent role, primarily in states such as West Bengal and Kerala, its influence and relevance, both have waned in recent years. It has been struggling to adapt itself to dynamic electoral politics and, therefore, finding it hard to regain its lost ground.

This book is about an ideology that is under threat or, as many say, almost extinct, at least in India. It tries to sketch a rich historical narrative that foregrounds left politics in world history, locate its relevance in India and chart a future of its revival.