Jawaharlal Nehru’s wife Kamala suffered from tuberculosis and in 1926, Nehru sailed for Europe with her in the hope that specialist medical care would help cure her. Nehru, along with his wife and daughter, travelled and lived in England, Switzerland, France and Germany during this time.
While the trip did not cure Kamala, it served as an important learning period in Nehru’s life. He was exposed to the rising currents of radical socialism in Europe. He developed strong convictions on the malaise of imperialism and understood better the importance of equality both within a country and between countries. He formed opinions on the relevance of science over religion and the importance and role of women and children in nation building.
On a visit to the Soviet Union, Nehru was impressed by the economy but was critical of Stalin’s totalitarianism. He believed that economic development should be planned and controlled by the government but the government itself must be freely elected by the people.
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