Hind Swaraj – an Analysis

Hind Swaraj – an analysis

To turn to Hind Swaraj, after a full seventy-six years after its writing, must connote more than an intellectual curiosity to know what a "crank, prophet, genius, human. . ." in Mahadevan’s words. Hindi Swaraj is a book written by Gandhi saying about what he thinks that must be done to free India or in other words what is the solution to the problem of British rule or analyzing whether it is really a problem.

So lets start from the way Gandhi started taking about what really Swaraj is.
Gandhi in the starting of the book speaks about congess and its role in India. Gandhi speaks about the importance or more substantially the presence as a national party. He stresses on the role played by various leaders who played the role in preparing India or in other words increasing the maturity level of the people of the country towards a rule which does not rope itself from its liberty. This gives the foundation for the home rule and also the way in which this is to be amended. The congress accepted the constitution of Canada. He also says that the foundation of home rule was also laid down by India.

In hind-Swaraj Gandhi says that the partition of Bengal was the factor that was really responsible for coming up of people for home rule. This was the reason that India was awakened against the Britishers and started the real fight against them.

Gandhi says after India got awakened against the British, everybody needed to free themselves but how, was the real question . From here starts the great debate about the way that this has to be done. He says many like the way the British rule us and also like the law and order of the British people but nobody wants them. Well it is the best to keep the most knowledgeable and Britishers are the best in their rules. So why on earth should we remove Britisher. How can we be so selfish wanting the rule but not the ruler. This is practically the most impossible of all tasks. So what to be done and how to be done is the real question or what really what the country needs.

Gandhi says that we take the British law or in other words proclaim the British parliament. so the parliament that is to be followed is the British parliament. But on the contrary Gandhi says that the British parliament is actually a malfunctioning machine. He thinks parliament is the most costly toy for any nation. He says that parliament has not done much for the nation.

Gandhi also stresses the importance of newspaper in providing for the view of the government. He says that a biased newspaper will only affect in changing the views of the people now and then and this is utterly dangerous for democracy. He also stresses that in England for the sake of power people do anything, but this is not possible in India as the people of India are not as selfish as the English ones. If so happens most of the people would be roped of their basic rights.

Swaraj: What Gandhi intended “Real home-rule is self-rule or self-control.” Gandhi describes not what he thinks Swaraj really is, but rather what he thinks Swaraj really isn’t. The “Reader” takes what Gandhi says and tries to paraphrase what Gandhi’s definition of Swaraj is, but is entirely unsuccessful. Gandhi also admits to the Reader that “all Indians are impatient to obtain Swaraj, but we are certainly not decided as to what it is.”







In the next part he analyses what actually is the condition of India and what can be done to do something.

In this he writes the most important thing that he had witnessed in his life. He says that the modern civilization has a terrible effect on India. the people of India have moved away from religion . By saying so he means that the people are moving away from god and are searching for worldly possessions which are not what religions teach.

Another important comment that he adds in this context is that religious superstitions that kills many is far more better than the modern civilization. In modern civilization one losses himself in the way in his life. His mind is agog of what to do and what not to do. If one is not religiously bound he is sure to commit sin without the play of conscience.

he describes civilization as a patient who is about to die but being consolidated by the doctor. The same way the civilization sooths one while it is killing. Another interesting fact that he adds to this is the believe of the Europeans that India is a not a nation as a whole but distributed between different sects. This is not so, he says that Indians feel more of oneness as compared to the English. Supporting this he says that dividing India was not the right thing that the English have done. What Gandhi condemns in modern civilization is only the external manifestation of the world-view that became dominant in the Western world in the seventeenth century when industrial revolution began to take long strides.


In the next context he explains about the relationships between the Hindus and the Muslims in the country. What he says that the people of different religions just merge to make a nation that is India, be it a Hindu, parish, Christian or Muslim. The disparities between the religions are not so grave that it poses a threat to the nation but the Britishers in their own way build walls between them. He says though for centuries there had been wars between Hindus and Muslim but they have come together to fight the common enemy and this is the characteristics of a great nation. He also says that the differences between the two religions can only be removed by respecting other and administer restrain. He also add that it is because of our own ignorance the Britishers are playing with and dividing the country.


In a different proposition he also adds that railway has also brought harm to the situation in India. In another proposition he also says that lawyers which was a n English concept has really resulted in disruption of peace in the nation. Only when there is conflict these people move to courts which helps in increase in their conflict. He also says that doctors are also not what we want but what is the result of the civilization.


The question that next comes is what exactly civilization is. Every country in the world have shown some straits of change. Greece have come down and so was Rome. Japan lost most of the culture they had to become westernized, but India has stick to its roots. It has not changed much .how strongly the concept of India has survived the various invasions is the thing to be admired of. Gandhi says civilization is that mode of conduct which points out to a man the path of duty.

There have been some mental constraints that had been fed into our minds for a very long time. This if that richness does not bring you happiness but it is the good conduct that keeps you happy. He said why Indian have remained uncivilized is nothing related to their abilities. For centuries many have seen that people have seen the evils that riches bring to someone. So they have not liked to change. Why are the doctors and lawyers really the ones that tame the life of the people. India had hakims for so long and it is presently seen that ayurvedic is in many ways superior to the allopathic medicines. He says one has to ask for as much as needed to survive and nothing more than thatand that is why Indians have always restricted themselves to very less wants and so to the westerners them seem like they are uncivilized but truly they are more civilized if you take civilization to happiness. The best example of this is the believe of people on rishis and fakirs over the kings. The simplicity keeps India a safe haven for people to survive.

So he says it is not by force that we can win over them, it is their civilization that will take them off. Use of force will not be in any effect but the way should be such that our civilization wins over them.