The Young Bengal movement was a group of radical Bengali free thinkers emerging from Hindu College, Calcutta. They were also known as Derozians, after their firebrand teacher at Hindu College, Henry Louis Vivian Derozio.
Ideology:
- The Young Bengals were inspired and excited by the spirit of free thought and revolt against the existing social and religious structure of Hindu society.
- Young Bengal followed classical economics, and was composed of free traders who took inspiration from Jeremy Bentham, Adam Smith, and David Ricardo.
- The movement was inspired by French revolution.
Objectives:
- They wanted to promote radical ideas through teachings and by organizing debates and discussions on Literature, History, Philosophy and Science.
- The basic motto of Derozio was to spread intellectual revolution among young students. He was a great propounder of liberal thinking.
- Curbing social evils like child marriage, child labour, sati etc. Promoting women education.
- Spreading ideas of French revolution like liberty, fraternity and equality.
- They wanted to promote value based and rational thinking through scientific based knowledge rather than rote learning.