Understanding Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi through their Personalities

The behaviour and decision-making process of a person could be understood by the analysis of their personality. The development of an individual’s personality is fostered during his early childhood, which is the most impressionable age. During this stage, the child develops his understanding of the world thereby forming reactions to various situations and perceptions about the reality. The humanistic perspective by Abraham Maslow theorised that our highest need is self-actualisation. This involves fulfilling our innate potentials which leads to different kinds of behaviour and is very high to achieve since it is easily overwhelmed by pathogenic learning. An individual who seeks to satisfy these needs is more likely to be a balanced individual with a healthy personality. Similarly, Adlerian psychology uses childhood as the reference point for the development of an individual with the parents and the relationship between the parents and the child playing an important role in the development of the personality. In the psychoanalytic theory by Alder, he highlights the treatment of parents towards the children affects the understanding of the child’s world view. Lastly, using the Freudian concept of Oedipal complex, this paper tries to understand the relationship between individuals and the family. Politics plays a vital role in the family dynamics of the Nehru dynasty. This paper seeks to understand the occurrences in the life of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi during their early childhood and using psychoanalytic tools concludes their actions with respect to their political behaviour during their tenure as the Prime Ministers of India.

Keywords:
Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Ideology, Peace