Die Cuyamariyatai Iyakkam (Bewegung für Selbstachtung) in der Madras Presidency 1925-1945 - Vorläufer der gegenwärtigen dravidischen Parteien in Tamilnadu

Abstract The foregoing article is a summary of a M. A. -thesis deelingwith Ramaswami Naikker's publications and the development of the C. M. I. in the years 1925-1945. It outlines the four main principles of the C. M. I. : namely self-respect, rationalism, anti-Brahmanism and Dravidism and shows how, departing from these principles, the C.M.I. developped into a militant, anti-religious, anti-North-Indian secessionist socio-political movement which found its climax and its end in the demand for an independent Dravidasthan. The events following the foundation of the successor party of the C. M. I. , the DK, in 1944 and the splitting away of the DMK in 1949 are shown. Furthermore, the impact of the Dravidian ideas and demands on the politics of Tamilnadu in the fifties and sixties is considered. The article concludes with an evaluation of the influence and chances of Dravidian parties and Dravidian ideas after the elections of 1977 and the splitting of the DMK party into three new parties.