Introduction
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is a prominent figure in Indian history. He was one of the leaders and ideologists of the Indian movement for independence. When actually India obtained it, the country was separated into two states: Pakistan for Muslims, and India for Indus. All his life Gandhi devoted himself to reconciling Hindus and Muslims. The impact of Gandhis views on Indian society can hardly be overestimated. Many of his ideas gave birth to different movements that deal with the problems of globalism, global warming, and environmental protection. His views are still actual at the present day.
His sense of life Gandhi understood in seeking the truth. Gandhi thought, that it was God who pointed out the truth, but it did not mean for him that it was necessary to avoid temporal matters. He considered a human being to be an integral part of nature and society. According to Gandhi’s belief, the person can live a full life only if he does not cause evil to the surrounding world, living in harmony with nature in a free society.
Gandhis Hind Swaraj
His motherland was dependent on Great Britain, and for Gandhi, the struggle for the truth was inseparable from the struggle for independence. This struggle is now associated with Hind Swaraj, a tract written by Gandhi in 1908. This short work is written in a form of a dialogue. In this book, matters of truth and doctrine are given in questions and answers. (“Hind Swaraj” par.4)
His vision of the struggle for independence
In this work, special attention is given to such notions as non-violent resistance, opposing the soul force against brute force (Gandhi 15). Gandhi was convinced that India was able to maintain its independence in a peaceful manner avoiding violence.
This book may be considered as a severe criticism of the British Empire and western society. Gandhi underlines the thought, that India had been submitted not only by Britain but also by modern western civilization. The gorgeousness of the modern world conquered and captivated India. Gandhi wrote that not England had taken India, but India had given to them (Gandhi 16). Criticizing British policy, Gandhi also pointed out, that the mere fact of the replacing of the existing laws with the new set of rules would not make them more effective without changing the system and its principles, and without replacing power. He said in his work, Indians wanted English rules without Englishman, while England wanted India to become Englistan (Gandhi 16)…
Many of Gandhis contemporaries forecasted, that in a course of time his book would be mainly forgotten as a work of art, instead, it would be associated with Gandhi itself. Now the Swaraj obtained the meaning of the liberation struggle of the Indian people.
Conclusion
Gandhi was convinced that external independence depended upon the internal Swaraj. In his statements, he always emphasized the meaning of national self-consciousness. It is impossible not to agree with him. There is no sense in the struggle for external independence if there is no independence in mind. He was convinced, that the existing western capitalism was incompatible with the true Swaraj, at the same emphasizing that the free enterprise had to be developed in India. Gandhis considered, that there was no need to refuse the achievements of another culture, but it was inadmissible to forget the own. I think that like the true patriot of his country, Gandhi was trying to use the achievements of the western civilization for the development of his country without losing its originality and culture at the same time.
Works Cited
Gandhi, Mahatma. Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule.1910. Web. 2015.
Hind Swaraj. n.d. Web. 2015.