Maia Ramnath - Decolonizing Anarchism.pdf - Libcom

140 I Ramnath
Russia and orthodox communist parties."'" His disenchantment
with the Soviet dream-along with his perennial
anti-Gandhism-facilitated a new friendship with and
sponsorship of Sub hash Chandra Bose, who he met in
Europe in 1932 around the time of Patel's death."
It also led to his fo rmation of the Indian Institute of
Sociology. Increasingly distancing himself from "militant,
economic and political movements of the day;' he shifted
focus once again to the consolidation of a "comprehensive
body" fo r facilitating discussion and doing research on "all
progressive, economic, social and sociological studies and
activities" that might light the way toward "a new order of
society in which economic equality would be harmonised
with individual freedom" of thought and action. He was
against "all totalitarian systems, whether fascist or communist;'
in which equality could be secured only by sacrificing
frcedom.'r, Lotvala intended the institute to join together
all the scattered discourses he felt were better addressed in
conjunction with each other, such as "eugenics, poverty and
individual freedom."37
It was around this time that he met Acharya, in
Germany, circa 1932-33. Lotvala was "profoundly impressed"
by what the veteran revolutionary had to report
about his Soviet experience, confirming his own anti­
Stalinist inclinations. After Acharya returned to India
in 1935, the two spoke together regularly about "the
anarchist and syndicalist theories in which he was deeply
interested." Under Acharya's influence, "the economic
theories of philosophical anarchism wormed their
way gradually into [Latvala's] mind. Individual liberty,