Essay on Gandhis intent with Hind Swaraj - 1788 Words

Over the course of one week in 1909, while aboard a vessel bound for South Africa from England, a slender, quiet lawyer named Mahatma Gandhi composed Hind Swaraj. Gandhis intent is encourage Indians to take pride of their own identity as a civilization and culture., a nationalistic manifesto outlining India’s need for home rule. Heavily disheartened with recent efforts towards securing Indian rights from the overbearing English, Gandhi wrote with hyperbole and flourish, denouncing Western government and civilization whilst glorifying Indian history, culture and above all, India’s capacity for swaraj. This elusive term is the core of Gandhi’s argument against embracing the English life of ‘civilized’ convenience and luxury, and marks†¦show more content†¦Between the two, Gandhi is able to deliver his own conclusions on modern issues, such as religion and the influences of technology, and also renounce common opinions he finds false or ignorant. Civilized England is meticulously exposed as uncivilized in the midst of her splendor as her government, social customs, and technology are all judged disfavorable. Gandhi states bluntly, through Editor’s guise, â€Å"The condition of England at present is pitiable† (Hind Swaraj pg 30). English government is swiftly rejected as incompetent as parliament is likened to a sterile woman and a prostitute, deemed unfruitful and constantly under changing masters, each master filled with corruption and immoral character. Gandhi sadly observes that little of significance is accomplished as Parliament member s grow fat on bribes and apathetically cast votes along party lines. Slaves to the poisonous newspapers, the English people are foolish and gullible and frequently alter their views without sufficient deliberation or research (32). Having delivered such a damning rendition of English politics, Gandhi solemnly states, â€Å"If India copies England, it is my firm conviction that she will be ruined† (33). Yet Gandhi does not damn England entirely for her faulty government; it is modern civilization that is to blame. Modern civilization isShow MoreRelatedPunjabi9291 Words   |  38 PagesUNIT 19 CONCEPT OF SWARAJ, SATYAGRAHA AND CRITIQUE OF WESTERN CIVILISATION Structure ! I 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Objectives Introduction The Civilisational Justification and British Rule 19.2.1 Gandhi, Moderates and the Extremists on the Legitimacy of British Rule i I I Gandhis Hind Swaraj 19.3.1 Gandhi, Extremists and British Colonialism 19.3.2 Gandhi, Moderates and British Colonialism 19.3.3 Gandhi on Swaraj 19.4 Gandhis Critique of Modern Civilisation 19.4.1 Western Influences on Gandhi 19Read MoreGandhi and the Foundations of a Bloodless Revolution Essay examples2464 Words   |  10 PagesGandhi is well-known for his views on vegetarianism, birth control and the caste system. Most know about the peace-loving liberator of India, but what made Gandhi such a powerful force in the destiny of such a great nation? Many factors early in Gandhi’s life, such as his child-marriage, education, and experiences abroad, strongly influenced his philosophies and eventually compelled him to lead the non-violent movement, a â€Å"bloodless revolution,† that resulted in India’s independence. MohandasRead MorePolitics And History Through An Alternative Path For Self Rule3238 Words   |  13 PagesGowarikar transforms the singularity of Champaneer’s struggle against triple-lagaan, into a microcosm of an Indian nation’s ideal path toward self-rule. Notably, this self-rule is ideologically centred ex ante on Gandhi’s vision of self-sufficient village units, as mentioned in Hind Swaraj . In doing so, Gowarikar is able to (a) tell the historical tale of colonial rule and oppression in India, and (b) through dealing with Champaneer’s internal struggles toward becoming a self-sufficient village unit