I Year B.A./B.B.A., LL.

B  – Semester-I (2020)

Internal Assessment – 2
Foundation Of Ethics

NAME: Mokshha Sharma SELF –EVALUATED MARKS:

DIVISION: C 9.5/10
PRN: 20010126253
COURSE: BBA LL.B. (H)
BATCH: 2020
 BOOK REVIEW:

HIND SWARAJ/ INDIAN HOME RULE

- M.K. Gandhi

INTRODUCTION:

Hind Swaraj or Indian Home rule is the first definitive piece of writing of Mahatma Gandhi
which he started writing in 1909 and completed in 1910. Mahatma Gandhi had the confidence to
foresee trends and make predictions in bold and stark terms even in times of crisis. Through his
book he proved that he was a futurist in the best sense of the world. Scripted in a prosaic
dialogue method; a conversation between the Reader and Editor (here Mahatma Gandhi) of a
journal, the book was originally written in gujrati and was later translated in English in 1912. It
answers the reader’s questions about the British rule in India, Indian Nationalism and provides a
new paradigm for an alternative civilizational framework.

The book evokes critical interest of avid readers, political leaders, historians and disciples of
Gandhism even in the modern epoch. Being the source book of Gandhian ideologies, it has
become the focal point of a new intellectual quest. Gandhiji has strongly advocated for non-
violence and has brought to the fore the idea that violence stems from Modern Civilization. This
blueprint of a new social order discusses the entire gamut of issues, primary two being – a) a
critique of modern civilization and b) nature and structure of Hind Swaraj and the means to
achieve the same. As an element of the multifaceted world, Hind Swaraj is a masterpiece
speckled with flaws. This book review further unfolds both criticism and appraisal of his writing
which I present an unbiased consumer of his work.
 CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

SWARAJ AND ITS ESSENCE:

The book begins on a note where Gandhi defends the Indian National Congress saying that the
Indians must adhere to the founders of Indian National Congress and early leaders such as
Dadabhai Naoroji who for the first time advanced the idea of self- rule, despite working for the
British government. The first vision of the party was of a unified, independent and self-
governing India, synonymous to Hind Swaraj. However, Gandhi emphasized on the fact that
unless we countrymen learn to govern ourselves sustainably, our nation will simply have an
‘English rule without the Englishman’. He establishes the essence of Swaraj in a symbiotic
relationship between Swaraj as a self-rule for each Indian and Swaraj as a Home-rule for the
Indian Government. Delving into the depths of the book it arises that an Englishman himself is
slave to his urges; his worldly pursuits put his religious ambitions on the back burner, creating
setbacks for his own self. Therefore Gandhi advocates for a balance in between bodily welfare
and spiritual welfare in order to achieve Swaraj first as a self-rule and later as home-rule.

Further when the reader questions Gandhi about the origin of the ‘Home Rule Movement’, he
quoted that the partition of Bengal was that one event which significantly sparked the fire for
Home-Rule in the hearts and minds of all Indians. The country at that time inundated with
sentiments of nationalism which naturally built momentum over time and a massive
independence movement began to structure itself. But, with a little contentment of nationalism,
came along disappointment when the Congress was on the verge of being divided into moderate
and extremist groups, eroding the growing momentum. Gandhi wanted the people to understand
that ‘those holding a different view from ours are not the enemies of the country’. Both
extremists and moderates were painted as enemies of each other; instead they were a person with
a similar vision and common goal that was Hind Swaraj. Towards the end of the book Mahatma
Gandhi makes a solemn revelation devoting his remaining life towards the attainment of the kind
of Swaraj he has explained in text and experienced to be of supreme power.
THE DISEASED ENGLISH RULE:

The civic unrest that followed the partition of Bengal was an indication of the root problem that
was the brutal and unsustainable ‘British rule’. Gandhi said that this turmoil will possibly end
when all Indians awaken from slumber and build a democracy that they have at long last
acknowledged that they should. He also voices that the problem is not in the mere presence of
Englishmen in our country rather it is in the viciousness of their mindset and mechanism. Gandhi
critiques the English Government for being a cesspool of corruption, inconsistency and
inefficiency and thus is of the firm opinion that Indians must not look up to the British model of
government. Moreover the English being opportunists have used minor differences between
religious texts of Hindus and Mohammedans to stir hatred among the sects. He affirms that in
reality there is no inborn enmity and makes a statement, “If the Hindus believe that India should
be peopled only by Hindus, they are living on a dreamland”. He rejects the British thesis that
India was never a unified country and in turn asserts that it has always been a conglomerate of
varied creeds and communities. On the same lines he also says that there must be no hatred
towards the English as they themselves are in a pitiable state. Moreover the emotion of hatred
works against the goal of Swaraj.

MALAISE OF MODERN CIVILIZATION:

Gandhi’s astringent critique of Modern Civilization keeps it equivalent to a satanic civilization or

a black age. He is of the opinion that the alien rule is turning India into a ‘irreligious’ country.
He adds that he does not speak of any particular religion, but of a religion that is an umbrella to
all others. He attacks infrastructural developments like the railways and opines that it has only
led to further impoverishment of Indians by allowing the British a tighter grip over the country.
Besides these developments, he has strongly argued that the then emerging elite professions such
as lawyers and doctors further accentuated the Britisher’s ‘Divide and Rule Policy’. He contends
that a lawyer is the one who encourages fighting in order to earn his livelihood. He believes that
approaching the court escalates the problem by allowing a third party to give a decision which
under no circumstance guarantees to do the same. Further doctors encourage their patients to
self-indulge in potentially violent acts by easing their self inflicted pain. On the contrary, if no
doctor had been available for their assistance they would have experienced the actual pain and
learnt the lesson of being mentally sound the hard way. Condemning the English education
system he says that real education brings our senses under control and teaches to imbibe an
ethical behaviour. He compares the growing Modern Civilization to a ‘Upas Tree’, a poisonous
plant which ravages all life surrounding it.

VISION OF AN ALTERNATIVE SOCIETY:

Hind Swaraj presents the broad contours of an alternative social order primarily relying on the
fundamentals of a new civilizational framework. The excerpt that deals with ‘true civilization’
defines the same as a way to direct a man towards the path of fulfilling his duty. Gandhi adds
that morality is simply commanding authority over one’s conscience. He speaks in favour of the
Ancient Indian Civilization and how it epitomizes the phrase ‘true civilization’. He says that the
original Indian Society holds the core values of self-sufficiency, limited indulgence in luxuries,
rural profession, moral up hand of saints over emperors, absence of unhealthy competitiveness
and decentralized politics which checks all boxes of ‘true civilization’. He further concedes that
the present India is ceaselessly moving away from these old virtues. Nevertheless, he pins his
hope in the emerging band of ‘Satyagrahis’ who are expected to act as exemplars and not
vanguards. There can be seen various bullet points of Swaraj dispersed everywhere on the book
which together constitute the provisions and vision of an ‘Alternative Civilizational Framework’.

CRITICISM AND APPRAISAL:

Gandhi has often been criticised for using misogynistic metaphors which are strikingly
derogatory towards women. For instance: in Chapter-3 he said, “England’s Parliament is like a
sterile woman and a prostitute”. His bigotry attitude towards a particular sex betrayed his own
idea of an ‘Equal India’. His disdain for the ‘Suffragette Movement’ which is the primary reason
why I, a woman, have the privilege of educating myself and voting, is extremely alienating for
the female readers of his works. His backward thinking might be a product of his time, but the
relevance of his work today shows how easily sexism can be excused even in the modern age.
His ideologies and actions were extremely conflicting. On one hand he condemned the
profession of Doctors and refused medical treatment to his wife when she was suffering from an
ailment and a shot of penicillin could have easily saved her life. On the other hand, he allowed
himself to be treated with quinine when he contracted malaria and allowed British doctors to
perform appendectomy on him. He is a pastor that fails to follow his own sermon. His view that
India had nothing to learn from other countries is extremely wrong. Social evils like sati and
child marriage plagued India, and even if these evils were to be removed without British
interference, there needed to be some disturbance in the status quo that could have been
introduced by external influence only.

At the end of the Day Gandhi was a human being who is capable of having fallacies in his
character. However his shortcomings do not take away from the fact that he was a man of great
wisdom. In contrast to the aforementioned criticism, Gandhi’s book reflects his mastery over his
language and his clarity of thought. The fact that he wrote this book even before he could
actually sense the situation speaks volumes about his intelligence, shrewd predictions and
judgments. Gandhi had a very unique take on non-violence and brute force. The thought-process
of the common Indian populace was to take into consideration the ends and disregard the means.
Mahatma Gandhi however, took into account the means as well and rightly said that fair ends
can only be brought about through fair means. Violence and brute force could lead to nothing
and that an eye for an eye would make the whole world blind and the only way to fight for peace
was by the means of passive resistance. His views on how unrest is required to bring about peace
are extremely inspiring. The comparison he made between Italy and India is thought provoking
to an extent that almost all his critiques are backed by the provided logical reasoning. His views
on fraternity among Hindus and Mohammedans are relevant even today. With divisive religious
lines drawn in the sand, India stands divided on trivial grounds which had been reinforced by the
British. His final message to the extremists, moderates, Englishmen and lastly to his own
countrymen is an advice that is relevant in the present day and age. Gandhi was a man of the
future, and his wisdom clearly shines through this literary masterpiece.
 RELEVANCE OF IDEOLOGIES:

Even after more than 70 years of his departure to the heavenly abode, the centenary of Mahatma
Gandhi and his works are celebrated and constantly invoked from both sides of the political
spectrum – in connotations of exaltation and sometimes vituperation. As far as my perspective is
concerned, I opine that not all of Gandhi’s ideologies are relevant in the present day world and
can be segregated in the fashion of the following headlines:

GANDHI’S CONCEPT OF MODERN CIVILIZATION:

In the light of the Covid-19 Pandemic, it can be seen to what extent does the norms of a Modern
Civilization control us. As mentioned in the book, the railways spread the bubonic plague and in
this regard the escalated means of travel have definitely allowed for the spread of corona virus.
The nationwide lockdown has brought people closer to their roots, which the book also
advocates for. People are somewhat living the lives that Gandhi wanted them to. Their routine
now constitutes of a balanced healthy diet, regular exercising and living simpler lives. However,
his thoughts on modern luxuries and elite professions will not be accepted in today’s societies. If
we were to cancel all heave machinery and transport, the world as we know it today would
collapse. Trains are now being used to supply food grains to remote areas, thus stopping famines.
Doctors get the credit of improving the present India’s life expectancy rate. Lawyers being an
essential part of the judicial system voice for the justice of their clients. Gandhian ideologies
with regard to education do not apply to the current status of education as there is more
knowledge amongst the Indians than there ever was.

CONCEPT OF SATYAGRAH, AHIMSA and EQUALITY:

The relevance of his concept of Ahimsa and Satyagrah are timeless and would stand true at all
times. The rise in lynching and hate crimes in India shows that there is a desperate need for
passive resistance. The caste system needs to be accepted in such a manner that in no longer
matters. Conflicts between communities are at an all time high because of the existing
superiority and inferiority complex. Gandhi’s appeal for tolerance between Hindus and Muslims
is still applicable. The borders that segregate the population within the country are those made on
the grounds of religion and the cultural clash that was incited by the British still rears its ugly
head. The principles of Styagrah establish the relationship between truth and divinity and help its
followers to find the correct direction in life even today.

RELEVANCE OF HIND SWARAJ:

Hind Swaraj is a gospel of love and a gospel of love can never be irrelevant. The British Raj may
not be present in India any longer, but the pervasiveness of the British influence on every aspect
of an Indian’s life can be felt. Starting from the common dictating norms of the ‘white’
community, to the influence of English law on our judicial system, India has not yet rid herself
from the English influence, and it may even be that India never will. From a deep ethical point of
view Gandhiji defined Home-Rule or self government as a means to not only drive away the
British and establish a strong Indian democracy but also as a means of self control that should be
imbibed by each individual I order to command authority over one’s conscience. Therefore, by
Gandhi’s definition, India has not yet achieved Swaraj. India’s identity is intertwined with the
stain of the British influence, thereby making Swaraj a difficult utopia to achieve. Talking about
the individuality of Indians today also a man is a slave to his own mind unless he masters a
control over his senses and thus this ideology stands justified.
 CONCLUSION:

Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi also known as the Father of the Nation, besides being an
extraordinary political pioneer was also a radical social reformer. It was under his towering
leadership that India accomplished to achieve her independence from the powerful British Raj
that too by simply adhering to his ideologies of Styagrah, Swaraj and Ahimsa. His physical
presence may not be seen but his principles are still alive in the socio-economic and political
lives of his countrymen and of the world. For Gandhi truth was God and God implied truth and
thus according to him self-purification demanded of 5 moral vows which were Satya, Ahimsa,
Bhramacharya, Asteya and Aparigrah. His teachings cannot concise in mere 2500 words.
Though the world has advanced so much since the time this book was written, there is sheer truth
behind what it says and which still propagated by various present day political leaders. Our
future as lawyers can in fact be very enlightening if only we imbibe in ourselves strong moral
traits and our fearless beliefs remain uninfluenced even in times of adversity.