From Collective Strength to National Sovereignty: The Theoretical Link Between Sardar Patel's Cooperatives and Atmanirbhar Bharat

Abstract

The theoretical and historical framework in this research paper establishes a connection between the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel cooperative movement that took place in post-independent India and the modern national policy cause of Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India). It states that their philosophies are similarly founded upon the same premise that the achievement of sustainable national sovereignty, as well as economic resilience must hinge upon a state-level extension of the ability to empower the grassroots level of economic entities and their logical integration. The model created by Patel considered cooperatives as not only an economic instrument, but also as a democratic decentralization tool, a social cohesion instrument and as a means of protecting the rural economy against exploitation. Few decades later, Atmanirbhar Bharat aims to minimize the level of external reliance and enhance domestic strength in domains. This paper assumes that the philosophy of cooperation that Patel developed provides a critical and, frequently, neglected theoretical guide to reaching this contemporary objective and especially in the fields of agriculture and MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises). The paper provides a qualitative analysis of the documents of past, policy texts, and literature covering the details of continuities and discontinuities between these two visions. It concludes that the main idea of the ability to utilize the local strength in order to create the national rate of sovereignty is still deeply applicable. The paper concludes the need to revitalize and modernize the set cooperative ethos in a manner that will contribute to the holistic and inclusive success of the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission where the tendency to adopt an import-substitution paradigm is replaced with the tendency to adopt a paradigm of true, decentralized self-reliance.