UPSC Prelims 2005 Q64: Modern History – Key Personalities & Ideologies
Who among the following was a proponent of Fabianism as a movement?
- (a) Annie Besant
- (b) A.O. Hume
- (c) Michael Madhusudan Dutt
- (d) R. Palme Dutt
Answer: (a) Annie Besant
Explanation
Fabianism in India
| Person | Link |
|---|---|
| Annie Besant | Joined the Fabian Society in Britain; propagated Fabian ideas |
| A. O. Hume | Founder of the Congress |
| Michael Madhusudan Dutt | Bengali poet |
| R. Palme Dutt | Marxist, not Fabian |
Annie Besant was a proponent of Fabianism as a movement.
Answer: (a) Annie Besant.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Annie Besant was a Fabian socialist.
- (b) Incorrect. A. O. Hume founded the Congress.
- (c) Incorrect. Dutt was a poet, not a Fabian.
- (d) Incorrect. R. Palme Dutt was a Marxist.
Key point
Fabian Society: Sidney Webb, Beatrice Webb, G. B. Shaw, Annie Besant.
Remember
Annie Besant was a Fabian.
Common mistakes
- Crediting Palme Dutt, a communist.
- Forgetting Besant's early socialist phase.
- Confusing Fabianism with revolutionary Marxism.
Exam tip
Fabianism: gradual socialism by constitutional means.
Sources
- Spectrum — A Brief History of Modern India
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Fabian Society