MAHATMA GANDHI

BY SUSHANT VERMA

INTRODUCTION

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) was undoubtedly the most authentic and celebrated
representative of the wisdom and culture of India in our times. He was a social reformer, an economist, a
political philosopher and a seeker of truth. His contribution to the Indian national movement was
unparalleled. He made the Indian National Congress a peoples' Congress and the national movement a mass
movement. He made people fearless and bold and taught them the non- violent methods for fighting against
injustice. He had a passion for individual liberty which was closely bound with his understanding of truth
and self-realization.

His social and political thought is collectively described as Gandhism. He did not write any work on his
philosophy. His thought is scattered in a large number of notes and pamphlets as well as his Autobiography
(My Experiments With Truth; 1929). Among Gandhji's notable writings, mention may be made of The
Collected Works of Mahatrna Gandhi; Panchayati Raj; Satyagraha in South Africa; Sarvodaya and Hind
Swaraj. He edited Young India which he later renamed as Harijan which remained his mouthpiece. He even
denied the existence of 'Gandhism'. But as the time passed, it revealed the immense possibilities of
application of Gandhian principles to various social, economic and political situations, and their relevance is
steadily increasing. It proved that Gandhian way of thinking has not only its distinct identity, it is a full-
fledged worldview. That is precisely the basis of Gandhism.

Gandhiji was also influenced by many people: Tolstoy (The Kingdom of God is Within You), Ruskin (Unto
This Last), Thoreau (Essays on Civil Disobedience), Swami Vivekananda, Gokhale and Tilak, just to
mention a few. There is the strong stamp of his family and the Indian national movement with its cross-
currents on him. He was familiar with the teachings of the major religions of the world. He was
exceptionally well-read and even translated such works as Plato's Apology into Gujarati.

TRUTH AND NON-VIOLENCE

Devotion to truth is the essence of Gandhism. In Gandhi's view, God and truth are inseparable. "Truth is
God" he suggested was one of the fundamental discoveries of his life's experiments. According to Gandhiji,
truth is what the inner self experiences at any point of time; it 'is an answer to one's conscience; it is what
responds to one's moral self. He was convinced that knowledge alone" leads a person to the truth while
ignorance takes one away from the truth. For Gandhi satya, was an absolute reality that we could only

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 1

partially grasp. Thus the one aspect of multi-dimensional truth that we experience is nothing but a
consequence of such relative knowledge.

Non-violence is also the part of pursuit of truth. Non-violence or non-injury (ahimsa) literally means:
abstention from violence in one's behaviour toward other living beings-in thoughts, words and action. This
represents only the negative side of non-violence. On positive side, it implies love of all. We should extend
our love not only to those who love us, but also to those who hate us.

In Gandhi's view, even the intention to harm somebody or wishing him ill is a form of violence which
should be avoided. Hatred or malice to anyone is also violence. Acquiring material things beyond one's
immediate need is also a form of violence because thereby we deprive others of their share. Even the acts of
spreading atmospheric pollution and damaging public health amount to violence. Thus the principle of
nonviolence embraces all rules of good citizenship and human decency.

When it comes to confrontation with injustice, non-violence does not imply showing weakness. Non-
violence is not the resort of the weak; it is Gandhi's technique of struggle against the mighty British Empire
which was throughout based on the principle of non-violence (ahimsa). His method of civil disobedience
and satyagraha (reliance on the force of truth) were strongly based in nonviolence. His doctrines of
trusteeship and the vision of a classless society are also the expressions of his adherence to truth and non-
violence.

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 2

Question1. Examine Gandhi’s Critique Of Modern Western Civilization.

Ans. By the end of the 19th century, the western civilization became the most progressive and dominant
civilization of the world. As a result of many path-breaking inventions, enlightenment after Reformation
and Renaissance, all round development in nearly all fields and industrialization made it a force to reckon
with. It reached the height of its glory and modernity became its most special characteristic. Its progress
became the most national and progressive era in human history. Nobody find fault in it for nearly three
hundred years. But some philosophers analyzed it and were vocal about its defects. Chief among them were
Marx, Thoreau, Ruskin, Tolstoy. But they failed to provide a comprehensive critique of modernity which
emerged only in the 1980’s and the 1990’s.

On the contrary, M.K. Gandhi, the Father of Indian nation, in his book “Hind Swaraj”, way
back in 1908, laid bare the evils of modernity in its entirety. He was perhaps the first thinker who analyzed
the inner dynamics of capitalism, industrialism and modernity not as separate entities, but as the
inherent characteristics of the integrated whole, the western civilization.

Starting his criticism, he argues that the modern civilization is deeply racist and its
predominant character is to exploit the weaker races of earth and to destroy the lower order of creation in
name of science and humanism. Its commitment to human dignity and equality is false. Modern
civilization, in his view, epitomizes, all that is based on violence, oppression, exploitation, immorality
and above all untruth. He was of the view that imperialism was inherent in this civilization which
considered money as its god. This was evident from the advent of British to India and its subsequent
conquest of India for its benefit.

In his opinion, modern civilization is body-centered and in that sense is materialistic. The
meaning of the term ‘civilization’ is distorted and here it implied the bodily welfare of its people as the
object of life. This was quite contrary to the spirit-centered ancient civilization whose essence was the
observance of morality and performance of one’s specific duties. This western civilization takes note
neither of religion nor morality and it preaches immorality in the garb of morality. To quote him, “it casts
a spell on the people who come under its scorching flames thinking it to be good”. In true civilization,
control over mind is of utmost importance to curb its unending desires.

According to Gandhiji, man should accept, with all humility, to do what he can within his
limits and should stop messing this God-given reality with his half-baked knowledge and destructive
arrogance. He considers the symbols of modernity namely the railways, law, medicine etc., not as the high
symbols of civilization but a clear defiance of the law of nature. They thwart the nature of man and farther
him from true civilization based on a true religion, true morality.

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 3

 God has put a limit to man’s travel and gifted with him intellect so that he uses it to realize
Him. But, on the contrary, man abuses this precious gift of God. He condemns Railways as it distance man
away from God. He criticizes the railways as a distributing agency for the evils. It intensified the inter-
group hostilities by facilitating physical interaction between them. It diffuses diseases such as plague
through germs. It brought market expansion by facilitating movement over vast distances. But it also
resulted in prevalence of famines, pollution of holy places and improved facility for greater crimes. He
disagreed with the view of railways as a unifying force and instead termed it as a tool to perpetuate colonial
domination.

He mocks the modern legal system where a stranger arbitrates the disputes by taking money
and dubbed it as a means to continue colonial domination. He considered modern education a curse as it is
devoid of ethical and religious values. Criticizing modern medical system, he said that it is based on the
incorrect conception of mind-body relationship. The two evils, greed and lack of self control were its two
pillars. The doctors in greed and lust of money, cures a person suffering from diseases because of
immorality. This cure tempts him to indulge in immoral acts and thus the hospitals violate our religious
instinct. Besides, the methods of research involve violence against animals and and on wrong interaction
between persons.

Gandhiji criticised machinery as the chief symbol of modern civilization. It is rooted in

man’s desire for bodily comforts at any cost and ultimately destroys the body itself by displacing it from the
scheme of life. Sometimes, he shifts the blame on the specific use of machinery. He was not totally
against the use of machines as he advocated the use of charkha, a simple machine itself and wished for
its innovations. He said that its use must be made on the assumption of it as a “necessary evil” and was
totally against making it a liability. He supported production by masses rather than mass production.

He was also highly critical of modern politics. He called the parliament as “a sterile
woman and a prostitute” as it could not legislate without external interference and submits to the whims
and fancies of the powerful leaders. He considered modern state as violence in concentrated form.

He argued that modernity rests on the foundational contradiction between matter vs. spirit,
and politics vs. morality. Thus, we see that much of Gandhi’s anger against modernity depends on the
distortion it brought in men and nature relationship and he criticised the symbols of modernity mostly on
this account. Gandhi, in nutshell, was of view that the individuals should have control over the things
necessary for the sustenance of life.

It should be kept in mind that Gandhi’s dissatisfaction with modernity is not based on any
sectarian premise that since it is western, hence it is bad. He, in fact, was admirer of Socrates and

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 4

Christianity and of such modern writers as Tolstoy, Ruskin and Thoreau who influenced him deeply. He
praised the western civilization for its scientific spirit, its search of truth, its belief in the ability of
individual, and the political rise of the masses.

Thus, Gandhi was against the exploitation of man by man in which both the perpetrator and
victim became sufferer. In order to avoid the vicious circle of violence and exploitation, which are basic
principles of modern civilization, Gandhi suggests moving in the direction of attainment of Ram Rajya
through the instrumentality of Satyagraha. Satyagraha seeks to rejoin politics and religion and to test each of
our actions in the light of ethical principles.

Gandhi’s views are also criticized. Partha Chatterjee terms “Ramrajya” as Utopia. Bhikhu
Parekh argues that Gandhi wanted to appropriate the “spirit” of modern civilization partly while rejecting its
institutions and social structure. K. Raghvendra Rao points that Gandhi’s view of man is too restrictive and
it is difficult to chase away modernization which has seeped into India’s soul. His programmes cannot be
implemented incrementally leave alone its full realization. Besides, some scholars are of the view that since
Gandhiji was from ‘periphery’ India, where modernization hadn’t arrived fully he could see the defects of
modern civilization.

But these criticisms cannot deny the fact that Gandhi, as a visionary, was much ahead of his
time who anticipated the foundational violence of the theory of modernity in the first decade of this century
itself. In his view, as Thomas Pantham says, we find the merging of the reconstruction of Indian tradition
and Western modernity. .

Thus, we see that Gandhi’s “Hind-Swaraj” is a strong reminder of modern civilization’s

limitations and problems. It is gradually becoming relevant in a world which is suffering from
contradictions, dilemmas and crises thrown up by modern civilization.

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 5

Question 2. Critically examine the theory and practice of Gandhi’s concept of ‘Satyagraha’ as a
mode of conflict resolution. Give its relevance in modern times.

Ans. ‘Satyagraha’ is a combination of two Sanskrit words, ‘Satya’ meaning truth and ‘agraha’ meaning
insistence to it. Defined this way, it means acting according to truth. It is a weapon to fight for truth and
violence with non-violence. In other words, Satyagraha is an attitude of mind and a way of life based on
firm (agrah) desire of vindicating truth, correcting wrongs and correcting wrong doers by voluntary self
suffering. This is done by patient and active use of the measures intrinsically just and non-violent.

Basis Of Satyagraha

In the Gandhian project, means end relationship is of central importance. In his view, “we
reap exactly what we sow”. He compares means to a seed and ends to a tree and having the same inviolable
relationship between them as is between seed and tree. It is this foundation of means-end relationship on
which the edifice of Ahimsa and Satyagraha stand.

Satyagraha is based on the principle of relativity of truth. Nobody is capable of knowing

the ‘absolute truth’ and so not competent to punish others. Everybody is right from his standpoint and so the
actual conduct of the pursuit of truth has to follow the principle of non-violence or Ahimsa. He considers
self-sacrifice as superior to the sacrifice of others. So he instructs the Satyagrahi to enter into reason and
discussion with his opponent who has the equal right of co-existence. This is done to awaken the sense of
justice in him. If he fails, he should undergo self-suffering to secure his rights and should not inflict
suffering on his opponent. In this process, if he is right, he would suffer for a just cause and if he is wrong
then he undertakes the penance for adhering to wrong. So, Satyagraha distinguishes between doer and
the deeds (Sin and Sinner).

In opinion of Gandhi: ‘Satyagraha is a way through which people can seek to redress their
grievances and solve conflict and deadlocks on a durable basis. It is a method of registering peaceful
protest against laws, customs and practices which one finds contrary to one’s conscience. Its purpose is
to substitute willing obedience for forced obedience and voluntary cooperation for forced cooperation. It
supplements constitutional and parliamentary democracy as it makes up for the deficiencies and drawbacks
of the democracy. Besides, it exerts purifying effects on those on whose behalf it is undertaken and
transforms the civil resisters who acquire better sense of distinction between justice and injustice. It gives
them an opportunity to participate in the social and political life of the nation.

Thus, it is a process of conflict resolution by mutual understating and cultivating public

opinion through reason, discussion and self-suffering and it acts as a mirror in which everybody sees himself
as others view him.

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 6

Pre-launch

Before launching Satyagraha, one should try all the means at one’s disposal. A Satyagrahi
should be educated about the purpose and implications of Satyagraha and made aware of the merits as well
as demerits of his case. He should adhere strictly to non-violence and should be administered the pledge
to be morally strong enough to reject injustice and not using violence against the opponent. He should pray
to God for purification and to give him strength to be morally upright against his adversity.

A Satyagrahi should hold meetings, processions and negotiations, tours and demonstrations to create public
opinion in his favour. Maintenance of communal harmony should be given utmost importance before
launching Satyagraha. As a last resort, ultimatum should be given to the adversely giving the specific
demands and specific time frame for accepting it failing which Satyagraha should be launched.

Methods

Gandhi followed it under the programme of Satyagraha. He used a number of methods to realize his ends.
He is called the greatest dramatist who had the unique capacity to dramatize the issue to attract maximum
number of people to fight injustice and tyranny. He held protest meetings and processions to highlight
misdeeds of the government and to register protests against these acts. Through his numerous pamphlets
and newspapers, he sought to educate public about grievances and suggested remedies as well. Green
Pamphlet, Hind Swaraj, Satyagrahi etc were his pamphlets and Indian opinion, Young India and Harijan
were his prominent newspapers.

Gandhi used fasting as the greatest and most effective weapon of Satyagraha which he undertook for self-
purification, self-restraint and for appealing to the conscience of the adversary. In his opinion, it not only
dramatized the issue to awaken people’s interest, but also served as an opportunity for self-introspection to
the Satyagrahi. If he found fault with his views, he should withdraw it else he should die for his just cause.
It is also used to check acts of violence, communal riots and seek releases from jail.

Gandhi also employed civil disobedience to highlight the unjust laws and seek its removal.
He asked people to disobey unjust laws and court imprisonment to convey their message that they will obey
only just laws and they could not be forced to give to injustice. He exhorted people to refuse to pay
government taxes to cut its lifeline. He stood for picketing of shops selling foreign liquor and cloth by the
womenfolk in order to seek their active participation and to create political consciousness and the spirit of
swadeshi among the masses. He said that by courting arrest, people are increasing government’s financial
burden and undermining its moral authority.

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 7

 Gandhi used non-cooperation as another effective weapon against the colonial rule. He gave
people a call to boycott government offices, schools, and colleges, law courts, legislatures, police and army
and surrender their titles and privileges to protest the unjust and oppressive rule. He encouraged them to
boycott foreign clothes, liquor, goods and institutions and even asked them to conduct peaceful raids on
government depots and godowns. This boycott is a form of violence which harmed only goods and not the
person. He suggested people to donate their property to trusts to escape government’s confiscation.

Besides these programmes, Satyagraha also consisted of positive and constructive works.
It stood for promotion of communal harmony, removal of untouchability, illiteracy and aimed at achieving
economic self sufficiency by inculcating swadeshi spirit and promoting khadi. This provides work to the
people and promotes patriotism.

Thus, we see that the main thrust of Gandhi’s Satyagraha was to completely paralyze the
administration. In his view, obedience, co-operation and taxation constituted the three pillars of the
Government and if these were broken, it would bring the Government down on its knees. Gandhi actively
pursued this objective against the alien and oppressive British rule through his technique of Satyagraha.

This practice of the method of Satyagraha made Gandhi the Mahatma. His theory of
Satyagraha is very much relevant in modern times as was demonstrated by Dr. Martin Luther King
junior. He showed the living influence and extent of practicability of Gandhi’s ideal and technique of
Satyagraha in the context of democracy. He reinterpreted and readjusted his techniques and used it
effectively to fight the racial discrimination in United States of America. He used non-violence as his
weapon and invented methods such as sit ins, stand ins, , kneel ins, marches, boycotts and no-tax campaigns
effectively. Besides, in present times, where politics has become a web of treachery, intrigue and corruption,
his method of Satyagraha shows us light and guides us to come out of this dark tunnel and get rid of these
evils and use politics for betterment of our beloved country.

Gandhi was an apostle of peace and non-violence. We agree fully with Einstein. To
quote him, “Generations in future will find it hard to believe that such a man, in blood and flesh ever
walked on this earth.”

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 8

POLITICS AND RELIGION

The modern world attempted to separate religion from the politics and made religion a purely personal
affair. Against such a position Gandhiji called for the reintroduction of religion in shaping public life and
saw an close relationship between politics and religion.

Gandhi was a deeply religious man. This perspective shaped his politics, his economic ideas and his view of
society. He saw all living beings as representatives of the eternal divine reality. He believed that man could
not be closer to God (Truth) unless he identified himself with the whole of mankind. The service of all
human beings becomes service to God.

Devotion to God can be carried out through devotion to His creation, particularly through the service to the
down-trodden. This necessarily involved participation in politics. Politics is the means to serve mankind.
Gandhiji was clear in his mind that Truth could not be attained by merely retiring to the Himalayas or being
engaged with rituals but in actively engaging with the world by serving people.

For Gandhi the terms 'spiritual', 'religious' and 'moral or ethical' conveyed the same idea. They taught
man to abstain from vice and follow the path of virtue. In Gandhi's view, the essence of all religions was
identical. God of Hindus was not different from God of Muslims or God of Christians. All religions taught
piety and charity toward fellow-beings. No religion was superior or inferior to any other religion. Religious
tolerance was the keynote of social harmony. He believed in the fundamental truth of all great religions of
the world. Fundamental ethical teachings are common across religions. Religion enables us to pursue truth
and righteousness. Religions are different roads leading to same God.

He formulated the relationship between politics and religion as an intimate one. Religion cannot be
divorced from politics. For Gandhi, adherence to religion was the part of his pursuit of truth. This very
pursuit induced him to participate in politics. He believed that politics without religion was nothing short
of a death trap, which kills the soul. In short, politics and ethics were inseparable in Gandhian system of
thought. Politics permeated by religion, according to him, means politics dedicated to serve the cause of
humanity which eventually leads to a better understanding of truth.

Gandhiji says that self-realisation required self-purification as its ethical foundation. Gopinath Dhawan
writes in this connection: "This ethical outlook is the backbone of Gandhiji's political philosophy … To him
the moral discipline of the individuals is the most important means of social reconstruction." Gandhiji
invoked the five-fold moral principles:

1) truth (Satya),
2) non-violence (Ahimsa),

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 9

 3) non-stealing (Asteya),
4) non-possession (Aparigraha) and
5) celibacy (Brahmacharya).

The observance of these moral principles would purify man and enable him to achieve self-realisation.

As a moral philosopher, Gandhi treated ethics as the guiding star of all human behaviour, including politics.
Gandhi's ethics was based in moral teachings of all religions, although he paid special attention to timeless
Hindu religion (sanatana dharma). He expressed his firm faith in the spiritualization of politics. This
meant that if politics was to be a blessing, and not a curse to mankind, it should be informed by the highest
ethical and spiritual principles. In other words, politics should be guided by high moral standards.

UNITY OF ENDS AND MEANS

That the ends and means are related to each other is one of the basic principles of Gandhian philosophy.
Gandhiji drew no distinction between the means and the ends implying thereby that one leads to the other.

Gandhi believed in purity of means as well as ends. Only right means should be adopted for the pursuit of
right ends. He strongly rejected the idea that 'end justifies the means' or that 'if a noble end is achieved by
adopting ignoble means, their use would be excused'. Gandhi was convinced that if we take care of our
means, end will take care of itself. Means and ends may be compared to the seed and the tree respectively.
The nature of tree is determined by the nature of seed. Only the right type of seed will grow into the right
type of tree. As you sow, so shall you reap. He that sows vice shall not reap virtue. Again, means and end
may be compared to the action (karma) and its consequence (phala). Man has full control over his action,
not over its consequences. That is the famous teaching of Bhagwad-Gita—Hindu sacred book.

Inspired by the Gita, the ethical principle that he upheld was nishkam karma . One does not perform his duty
expecting the fruit of his action and does it for the sake of duty. It sought detachment from the fruits of
action. "By detachment I mean that you must not worry - whether the desired result follows from your action
or not, so long as your motive is pure, your means is correct. Really it means that things will come right in
the end if you take care for the means and leave the rest to Him."

Means and ends are the two sides of a coin. They cannot be separated. Immoral means cannot be used to
achieve moral ends. If used, they will corrupt the end itself. Wrong way can never lead to a right destination.
He criticised those who think that if one seeks good ends the morality of means can be left to themselves.
For him, "Impure means result in impure end... One cannot; reach truth by untruthfulness. Truthful
conduct alone can reach Truth".

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 10

The authority founded on fear and coercion cannot inspire love and respect among people. Gandhi adopted
the path of satyagraha (reliance on the force of truth) for achieving the goal of swaraj (independence from
the foreign rule) because this path was as sacred as its destination. Satyagraha involved the practice of
ahimsa (non-violence) which embodied the right course of action.

SWARAJ

Swaraj is usually translated in English as 'Independence'. Gandhiji, however, gave this term a much deeper
meaning. 'The word Swaraj is a sacred word, a Vedic word, meaning self-rule and self-restraint and not
freedom from all restraint which 'independence' often means". For Gandhi swaraj meant ‘self-rule’ and
as ‘self-government’. The first as self-control, rule over oneself, was the foundation for the second, self-
government. In this second sense, local self-government was what Gandhi really had in mind.

Gandhiji's concept of Swaraj was not merely confined to freeing India from the British rule. Swaraj is not
mere transfer of political power to the Indians. Nor does it mean, as he emphasised, mere political self-
determination. For him the movement of Swaraj involved primarily the process of releasing oneself from
all the bondages one is prey to both internal and external. Swaraj is thus a basic need of all.

His Swaraj had individual, collective, political, economic, social, cultural and international
dimensions.

At individual level

Swaraj meant freedom from within meaning control over oneself, which, in turn, means a life based on
understanding one's own self. It implied the freedom of each individual to regulate their own lives without
harming one another. Gandhi perceived non-violence as the key to attain such freedom and self-control. It is
related to the inner strength and capacity of the people in whom a sense of duty prevails over those of
rights. We tend to do things for others without expecting any returns In Gandhi’s words

"In Swaraj based on Ahimsa, people need not know their rights, but it is necessary for them to know
their duties. There is no duty that does not create corresponding rights and those rights alone are
genuine rights, which flow from the performance of duty.”

At Collective level

At the collective level, Gandhi believed that “the real Swaraj will come not by the acquisition of authority
by a few but by the acquisition of the capacity by all to resist authority when abused". Swaraj, he used
to say, is power of the people to determine their lot by their own efforts and shape their destiny the

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 11

way they like. In other words, "Swaraj is to be attained by educating the masses to a sense of their capacity
to regulate and control authority".

Political Swaraj

It implies government based on the consent of the people which is not a gift which comes from above, but it
is something that comes from within. Democracy, therefore, is not mere exercise of the voting power,
holding public office, criticising government; nor does it mean equality, liberty or security, though important
as they all are in a democratic polity. It is when the people are able to develop their inner freedom which is
people's capacity to regulate and control their desires, impulses in the light of reason that freedom rises from
the individual and strengthens him.

Against the institution of state as the force personified and the prevalent notion of democracy where only
heads are counted, he - favored a swaraj type of democracy where everything springs from the free
individual and where decisions are made bottom-up with the locus of power below. He proposed a
minimal state, vested only with coordinative powers, that supports decentralisation with the autonomous
individual as its base of support.

Gram swaraj

According to the Gandhian thinking, democracy can function smoothly and according to the concept of
swaraj only if it is decentralized. He wanted the centre of power to move from cities to villages. While
conceptualising the decentralised system of rule, Gandhi advanced his theory of Oceanic Circle, which he
explained in the following words:

"In this structure composed of innumerable villages, there will be ever- widening never ascending circles.
Life will not be a pyramid with the apex sustained by the bottom. But it will be an oceanic circle whose
centre will be the individual …”

The building blocks of democracy have to be self sufficient and self-governing autonomous villages.
Gandhiji wanted each village to have an annually elected Panchayat to manage the affairs of the village.
Each village would be autonomous yet interdependent. As Gandhiji argued, "My ' idea of village swaraj is
that it is a complete republic, independent of its neighbours for its own vital needs, and yet inter-dependent
for many others in which dependence is a necessity".

In view of Rudrangshu Mukherjee , Swaraj from Gandhi’s perspective would have to be located not only
outside the domain of British political domination but also beyond the satanic touch of western civilisation.

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 12

Gandhi called this alternative Ramrajya, which he translated into English as “enlightened anarchy”. This
was the ideal or the utopia. Gandhi further elaborated

“Swaraj and Ramrajya are one and the same thing…We call a State Ramrajya when both the ruler
and his subjects are straightforward, when both are pure in heart, when both are inclined towards
self-sacrifice, when both exercise restraint and self-control while enjoying worldly pleasures, and,
when the relationship between the two is as good as that between father and son…”

Economic Swaraj

Gandhi makes welfare of the masses, with fulfilment of their basic needs as the basis of economic freedom,
thus reflecting the inspiration that he derives from Ruskin. Gandhi points out that political independence,
without economic freedom, without an improvement and elevation in the lives of the ordinary people, the
toiling masses, would be meaningless. Economic process must work towards equality, non-exploitation and
full employment. Gandhi advocated revival of village handicrafts and cottage industries which would give
employment to millions. He also supported use of Khadi and swadeshi products. He was not against
machinery as such but he was comvinced that in a populous country like India, production by masses is
more relevant than mass production by machines.

Social Swaraj

It is based on "an equalisation of status." In such a society there will be absence of discrimination of any
kind whether based on caste, religion, language or gender. So Gandhi supported abolition of the curse of
untouchability, or the curse of intoxicating drinks and drugs. Women will enjoy same rights as men. He paid
special emphasis on maintaining communal harmony.

Cultural swaraj

It meant pride in one’s culture while being receptive to good elements of other cultures. In cultural matters,
Gandhi wanted all cultures to be enriched by each other without losing their identity. He remarked famously

“I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the
cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my
feet by any”

In the international field, swaraj ernphasised on interdependence. "There is", he says, "No limit to
extending our services to our neighbours across state-made frontiers. God never made those frontiers”. India
will be at peace with the rest of the world, neither exploiting nor being exploited.

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 13

SARVODAVA:THE RISE OF ALL

Gandhi considered capitalism, communism and socialism as socio-political systems that do not recognise
adequately the freedom, equality and dignity of the individual. Their priorities remain lop-sided. Against
capitalism and socialism, Gandhi proposed the concept of Sarvodaya- the rise of all . The word Sarvodaya
is Sanskrit in origin. It is a compound of two words “Sarva” which means “all “and “Udaya” means
“Welfare” or “upliftment”. Thus the literal meaning of Sarvodaya is the welfare of all. Gandhi‟s Sarvodaya
aimed at an all – round development or welfare of man as a whole. It ensures basic needs of all and extends
equal consideration to all. It is the welfare not only of men but also of animals and even of the natural world.
The fundamental goal of Sarvodaya is the greatest good of all living beings.

Gandhi was inspired by ideas of Ruskin’s book ‘Unto This Last’ as well as teachings of Isopanishad.
Gandhi summed up the teachings of Ruskin’s book in the following three fundamental principles-

I. that the good of the individual is contained in the good of all;

II. that the lawyer's work has the same value as the barber's, in as much as all have the same right of
earning their livelihood from their work;

III. that a life of labour, i-e., the life of the tiller of the soil and the handicraftsman is the life worth
living.

The main features of Sarvodaya are trusteeship and economic equality.

Doctrine Of Trusteeship

One of the most original contributions of Gandhi in the area of economics is the concept of trusteeship.
Gandhi wanted complete equality in satisfaction of the basic needs of the people. Infact he wanted the basic
needs of all including animals to be met satisfactorily. But at the same time, he wanted people to have
incentives to remain economically active and produce more. This naturally would lead to some people
having more than what they need. They would be rich but there would be no poor because the basic needs of
all would be satisfied.

To ensure that those who were rich did not use their property for selfish purposes or to control others, he
derived the term "Trusteeship". Explaining the meaning underlying this term he said,

“Everything belonged to God and was from God. Therefore, it was meant for His people as a whole,
not for particular individuals. When an individual had more than his proportionate portion he
became trustee of that portion for God's people”.

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 14

Broadly speaking, Gandhi believed in simple living, at the level of production as well as consumption. He
gave primacy to simple technology over heavy industries. Simple technology had the capacity of mass
employment, whereas advanced technology would create vast unemployment, particularly in a country like
India, and would promote consumerism with all its ill effects. Gandhi preferred 'production by the masses'
over 'mass production' by heavy machinery. Wider use of simple technology could be kept in mind in the
course of future expansion. The existing system of production may be allowed to continue with necessary
changes in the attitude of the owners of means of production.

For the transformation of this relationship Gandhi gave his doctrine of trusteeship. It urges landlords and
capitalists not to consider themselves as the sole proprietors of their possessions, but only as 'trustees' of a
gift given to them by God for the service of humanity. Gandhi realized that the existing system had
become oppressive because of moral decline. If the organizers of agriculture and industry could be
persuaded to act as public servants, they would win wide public respect instead of the existing hatred. The
feeling of class conflict would be replaced by the sentiment of class cooperation. Gandhi relied on the
power of truth and non-violence (ahimsa) to accomplish 'change of heart' of the rich and resourceful
members of society.

Gandhi simply turns a serious economic problem to a moral problem. For, he differentiates between
possession and possessiveness. One may possess physical capacity, mental talent, intelligence or artistic
skill. But no individual however intelligent he may be can acquire wealth without the support of the society.
So he believes that all wealth belongs to the society. Gandhi is against private accumulation or hereditary
inheritance. If a person possesses wealth disproportionate to his actual need, then he should act as a trustee.

Critics point out that the vision of 'change of heart' of the rich is a fascinating idea, but it is hardly realizable
in actual practice.

Bread labour

Gandhi's faith in human equality made him a strong votary of a classless society. He realized that the
division of labour among different individuals was inevitable. However, class division of society was not
directly related to division of labour. It was the product of a condition in which one type of labour, i.e.
physical labour was regarded as inferior to another type of labour, i.e. mental labour or mere leisure. Gandhi
sought to create a sense of equality among people by making 'bread labour' compulsory for all.

The concept of' bread labour' expected everybody to do physical labour toward production, at least to
compensate for the bread that he consumes. Bread is symbolic of various items of one's physical
consumption. When everybody does physical labour, apart from the performance of other functions suited to
his aptitude and qualifications, nobody will look down upon physical labour. This will create a sense of

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 15

'dignity of labour' throughout society. This in turn will promote a sense of equality among people
transcending the prevailing division of labour. This would even create a sense of equality between the rich
and the poor.

Gandhi also stood against discrimination among human beings on the grounds of gender and faith. In other
words, he championed equality between men and women as also between the followers of different
religions. In short, he wished to create a classless society by transforming the attitude of people toward the
sources of discrimination in society. He insisted on moral regeneration of society for which adherence to
truth and non-violence was indispensable.

VAJIRAM & RAVI Page 16