Includes bibliographical references (pages 195-197) and index

The failure of philosophy -- A new political philosophy -- Radical democracy -- Politics of freedom -- The future of democracy -- Decentralization of power -- A Humanist approach to elections -- A new approach to political and economic problems -- Human nature and humanist practice -- Humanist politics -- Integral humanism -- The way out -- New humanism -- The principles of radical democracy

"Modern humanism, with its roots in ancient Greek rationalism, affirms a person's innate worth and relies on science and technology - not a supernatural element - to improve the quality of life. As this philosophy first received widespread public attention in the monotheistic West - through such publications as The Humanist Manifesto in 1993 - humanism progressed on a parallel track in polytheistic India, largely due to the efforts of philosopher and political activist M.N. Roy (1887-1954). It wasn't until the early 1950s, at the end of Roy's life, that European humanists began to notice his work."

"To rectify the West's unfortunate neglect of one of India's premier intellectuals, humanist Innaiah Narisetti has complied this new collection of Roy's most significant works. Roy conceived of humanism as a scientific, integral, and radically new worldview. Among many interesting selections in this volume, Roy's "Principles of Radical Democracy: Twenty-Two Theses" especially represents his thinking. Here he emphasizes ethics and eschews supernatural interpretations as antithetical to his scientifically oriented conception of New Humanism. Roy also underscores the importance of universal education to make average people scientifically literate and to teach them critical thinking."--Jacket