The result of the Indian elections seems to be lest:,
alarming than might at first sight be -supposed. In broad outline the extremist Swaraj party has gained about a third of the total representation in the Legislative Assembly; and on the average about the same proportion in the Pro- vincial Assemblies, with the exception of Bengal, where they have secured a clear majority. This would indeed be alarming if it represented a -corresponding movement of opinion. towards revolutionary doctrine, but it must be remembered that this is the first election in which the extreme party has consented to take part. The moderate and reasonable character of the last Legislatures was largely due to the fact that many prominent Liberals were returned unopposed 'by extremists. Thus the Legislatures worked on the whole smoothly and well and established a considerable hold upon pOpular confidence. The Swaraj Party found that it must enter the political arena if it was to maintain its influence, and accordingly decided to contest the next elections. It hoped that it would secure sweeping majorities and reduce the present constitution to a farce by obstructing .every measure in the Legisla- tures. The Party is said to be bitterly disappointed at having secured, except in Bengal, only a third of the representation, and indeed it would seem as if the result of these new elections, the first at which it has put its strength into the field, marked, in reality, a movement of opinion towards the Right rather than the Left.
Previous page
