Keywords
political philosophy
reform movements
contemporary politics
How to Cite
Abstract
This paper aims to understand the political philosophy of Guru Nanak and its contemporary relevance. It traces that philosophy by readings of the Guru’s bani in Guru Granth Sahib that have a political focus. Having identified five salient political dimensions, these are theorized and presented in the contemporary language of politics. The paper then contextualizes the origins of these dimensions in history through a brief overview of some comparative events. Finally, it examines the influence of the Guru’s philosophy in transforming many religio-political and sociocultural aspects of history in India. The paper concludes by analyzing the continuing impact of Guru Nanak’s political philosophy in terms of developing new potential for transforming people and events in India and abroad
References
Bhangu, RS (2004/1841). Sri Guru Panth Parkash, Dhillon BS, Ed., Amritsar: Singh Brothers Publishers.
Bhardwaj, MR (2013). Colloquial Panjabi 2, London & New York: Routledge.
Bragg, M (2011). The Book of Books: The Radical Impact of The King James Bible 1611-2011, London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Cole, WO and Sambhi, PS (1978). The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, Delhi: Vikas Publishing House.
Dhaliwal, S (2004). First use of ‘Hindustan’ by Guru Nanak: Jodh Singh. Sikh Philosophy Network, December 14. Accessed on April, 07, 2018 https://www.sikhphilosophy.net/threads/first-use-of-hindustan-byguru-nanakjodh-singh.1238/.
Dusenbery, VA and Tatla, DS (2010). Ed. Sikh Diaspora Philanthropy in Punjab: Global Giving for Local Good, New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Duverger, M (1972). The Study of Politics, New York: Thomas Y. Crowell.
Grayling, AC (2001). The Meanings of Things, Applying Philosophy to Life, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
Grayling, AC (2011). The Good Book – A Secular Bible, London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Grewal, J S (1990). The New Cambridge History of India – The Sikhs of the Punjab, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Hawley, M (2014). “Sikh Institutions,” in Singh & Fenech, Eds., pp 317-327.
Jeffrey, J (1986). What’s Happening to India? London: The Macmillan Press Ltd.
Leftwich, A (1984). Ed., What is Politics? Oxford: Basil Blackwell Publishers
Levene, L (2010) I Think, Therefore I Am, All the Philosophy You Need to Know, London: Michael O’Mara Books Ltd
Mandair, A-P S (2014) “Sikh Philosophy” in Singh & Fenech, Eds., pp 298-315.
Nabha, Bhai KS (1930/2005) Encyclopaedia of Sikh Literature, Delhi: National Book Shop.
Ohmae, K (1996). The End of The Nation State – The Rise of Regional Economies. London: Harper Collins Publishers.
Padam, PS (1987). Ed. Guru Granth Sanket Kosh [in Punjabi, tr. Guru Granth Dictionary], Patiala, India: Publications Bureau, Punjabi University.
Sangha, SS (2011). ABME Principals’ Leadership in FE Colleges –etheses.bham.ac.uk, University of Birmingham
Salam, ZU (2018). Of Saffron Flags and Skull Caps – Hindutva, Muslim Identity and Idea of India, New Delhi: Sage.
SGGS - Sri Guru Granth Sahib (1604/1708). Modern Reprints, Amritsar, India: Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.
Singh, A (1970). Ethics of the Sikhs, Patiala, India: Punjabi University.
Singh, F, Singh, T, Singh, S, Talib, GS & Uberoi, JPS (1969) Sikhism, Punjabi University: Patiala, India.
Singh, G (1979). A History of the Sikh People 1469 – 1978, New Delhi: World Sikh University.
Singh, G and Tatla, D S (2006). Sikhs in Britain, London and New York: Zed Books Ltd.
Singh H (1998). Ed., The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism, Vol.4, Patiala, India: Punjabi University.
Singh, I (2014). Sikh Faith, Simore HP, India: The Kalgidhar Trust.
Singh, I (2005). Sikh Sidhant – Sikh Principles, Gurdwara Baru Sahib, HP, India: Publication Bureau, Kalgidhar Trust.
Singh, J (1999). Sikh Leadership, Amritsar, India: Guru Nanak Dev University.
Singh, K (1999). A History of the Sikhs – Part 2, New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Singh, P and Fenech, LE (2014). Eds., The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Singh, P (1974). Janam Sakhi – Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Amritsar: Guru Nanak Dev University.
Singh, S (2007). Sou Swaal – [tr: One Hundred Questions], Jalandhar: New Book Company.
Singh, P and Thandi, S (1996). Globalisation and the Region: Explorations in Punjabi Identity, Coventry: Association of Punjab Studies
Singh, R and Rajput KS (2013). Punjab to Bradford: Life Stories of Punjabi Immigrants in Bradford, University of Bradford: Ramindar Singh.
Singh, T (1941). Essays in Sikhism, Lahore: Sikh University Press.
Singh, W (1981). Philosophy of Sikh Religion, Delhi: Ess Ess Publications.
Sodhi, T S (1993). Educational Philosophy of Guru Nanak, Patiala, India: Bawa Publications.
Tatla, DS (1999). The Sikh Diaspora – The Search for Statehood, London: UCL Press.
Takhar, OK (2014). “Sikh Sects” in Singh & Fenech, Eds., pp 350-359.
Tribune News Service (2018). ‘Guru Nanak’s message of inter-faith dialogue stands’, November 23, https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/nation/-gurunanak-s-message-of-inter-faith-dialogue-stands-687659.
Tribune News Service (2018). Kartarpur corridor will be the beginning of new chapter in India-Pak ties: VP, November 26, https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/punjab/kartarpur-corridor-will-bethe-beginning-of-new-chapter-in-india-pak-ties-vp-689275.
Tribune News Service (2018). Follow Constitution or descend into chaos: CJI, November 27,
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/nation/followconstitution-or-descend-into-chaos-cji-689487.
Tully. M and Jacob, S (1985). Amritsar: Mrs. Gandhi’s Last Battle, London: Jonathan Cape.
Watson, P (2000). A Terrible Beauty – A History of the People and Ideas that Shaped the Modern Mind, London: Weidenfield & Nicolson.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sujinder Singh Sangha