This is not an easy question to write an entire essay on unless one has the basic understanding of the nature of Gandhian philosophy. If one carefully reads the above question, there are three parts in it; one is about his views, second is about their ‘evolutionary’ nature and the third part is about the relevance of his ‘evolved’ views to the Indian democracy.
It is interesting to note the evolutionary nature of Gandhian principles. Many think it as inconsistency in his views, but he himself admitted to it.
“I would like to say to the diligent reader of my writings and to others who are interested in them that I am not at all concerned with appearing to be consistent. In my search after Truth I have discarded many ideas and learnt many news things…. …when anybody finds any inconsistency between any two writings of mine, if he still has any faith in my sanity, he would do well to choose the latter of the two on the same subject.”
Also there is a view that his principles are outdated, i.e. anachronistic in the 21st century. In this context, in the above question it has been asked to put Gandhian thoughts into 21st century perspective in the democratic setup we have.
There is a fine difference between ‘Swaraj’, ‘Swadhinata’ and ‘Dharmarajya’.
Swaraj is a government over the Self, it is not liberation from foreign rule and formation of a new government, but the control over one’s moral self.
Swaraj is achieved when individuals come together, form a community and earn their food through labour and live in harmony – self respect, self realization and self sufficiency are the hallmarks of Swaraj. Gandhiji did not want Indians to blindly imitate western form of life, or government once the British left India.
The Essay on Athenian View of Human Nature
The course of history has shown that during times of confusion or disaster, people’s true human nature emerges. Unlike the view of Gandhi, in these moments humans behave violently and are concerned with self-interest, supporting the Athenian’s view of human motivation. In the History of the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides gives ample support of this view of human nature. Generally ...
Basically, for Gandhiji, Swaraj meant decolonization of an individual’s mind.
As Gandhi put it,
“Just as I have the right to eat and drink, so also have I the right to do my work on my own way“
He wanted a stateless society where Indians lived in small republics called ‘Gram Swarajs‘.
Swadhinata is independence, the one we got from the British. Swaraj encompasses both Swadhinata and Dharmarajya – a state where individuals live on the foundation of Dharma, not under the enforced rules of a machine like government.
Dhramarajya is akin to Ramarajya, an ideal society free of sins and sinners. After understanding his principles, we have to put them to test by contextualizing them to the present system we are living in.
Apply his principles to Panchayat Raj system, decay in the values in public servants, our increasing dependence on foreign capital, our growing inclination towards consumerism, slow transformation of predominant rural Indian society into materialistic urban society and increasing instances of all forms of violence in our society.
