ABSTRACT

Manjeet Ramgotra’s chapter examines the notion of “republic” in Nehru’s political thought. She suggests that Nehru’s endorsement of this notion was influenced by Montesquieu’s normative doctrine of the separation and balance of powers. Further, it allowed Nehru to deal with the problem of princely states as well as the question of a common national identity that could override partial affiliations. She unpacks various elements of his republican thought: its sovereignty; non-arbitrariness in the exercise of power; promotion of unity against growing communalism and social inequality; a territorially integral republic which would incorporate the princely states for reasons of security and, finally, the republic as a non-aggressive and non-expansive member of the community of nations