M. K. Gandhi's concept of Swaraj. (UPSC CSE Mains 2019 - Political Science and International Relations, Paper 1).
- According to Gandhi the word Swaraj was a sacred word, a Vedic word, meaning self-rule and self-restraint. Gandhi believed that national Swaraj could be achieved by the same means that were needed for attaining individual Swaraj. Gandhi believed that the methods of attaining individual Swaraj with national Swaraj were similar and complementary to each-other. Gandhi proclaimed that self-government depended entirely upon one’s internal strength, upon one’s ability to fight against all odds. He said that political self-government, that is, selfgovernment for a large number of men and women, is no better than individual self-government, and, therefore, it is to be attained by precisely the same means that are required for individual self-government or self-rule.
- Emphasising on the utmost necessity to have unity in a situation of larger plurality and also with the larger awareness of two Indias, one of the city and another of the village with abject poverty allowed him to portray a more realistic depiction of the Indian reality, much better than attempted by the socialists and the Marxists. To give life and meaning to the concept of Swaraj, Gandhi’s formulation of the constructive programme is of supreme importance. It portrays the essential reformative nature of his theories ensuring the minimum resources and environment essential for self-development of every single Indian and as a means of reaching the goal of Swaraj.
- By Swaraj Gandhi did not mean only political Swaraj. Freedom or Swaraj, for Gandhi, is an inclusive concept-political, economic, social and moral emphasising on the utmost necessity of the human being to be as perfect as possible.
- Gandhi borrows the term ‘Swaraj’ from the Vedas. Swaraj for Gandhi also meant positive freedom, to participate in the process of politics in every possible way. It implies participatory democracy as there exists an intimate relationship between the citizen and the state. Gandhi’s concern for majority alleviation led him to advance the notion of village decentralization or ‘Gram Swaraj’ with its focus on the village, at the centre of his social, political and economic philosophy.
- Gandhiji aimed at classless society, elimination of untouchability and purdah system and everyone should lead their life on self-rule both Personal and National Swaraj. Gandhiji’s Swaraj, is not only applicable during the time of Pre-independence but also it applies in the modern times, His Swaraj is very essential and Paramount in the current scenario, because people fighting for their self-rule and to be free and independent from any hinderance.
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