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A STUDY ON GANDHIAN PHILOSOPHY

CHAPTER – 1

INTRODUCTION

Mahatma Gandhi is considered to be one of the unrivalled leaders of all

ages and all countries. His personality of people of the whole world. He

was treated as God-incarnate on earth. He was a man of action and

discipline. He believed in non-violence and peace. He was a humanist

out and out. He gave stress on fellow-feeling, love, brotherhood and

reject hatred. He was the saint among the politicians and the politician

among the saints. He depended on the great moral force of the self and

liked ethical values more. He was a true nationalist and the greatest

leader of the national freedom movement in India. He was just like a

“Cold Fire” which smoke-burnt the mighty British Empire in India. For

his outstanding contributions towards Indian nationalism,

Independence and value system, Mahatma Gandhi is considered as the

father of Indian nation. Mahatma Gandhi had risen to such a height of

human perfection that one of the greatest scientist of the world Albert

Einstein remarked on him, “Generations to come will scare believe that

such a one, as this ever in flesh and blood, walked upon this earth.”

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Objectives:-

(1) To study on Gandhian philosophy.

(2) To find out relevance of philosophy in present day.

Methodology:-

This study has been based on philosophical method. The data are taken

from secondary sources like Newspapers, Books, Journal, Magazines,

different websites from Internet, etc.

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CHAPTER – II

ANALYSIS

(1) Gandhiji’s Philosophy of Life

Mahatma Gandhi was a practical philosopher, an external seeker after

truth and an apostle peace and non-violence. Gandhiji believed in “one

God” and in his absolute control. As the rays of the same source,

similarly gandhiji believed that there might be so many religions and

beliefs. Their only source was God according to him. God is indefinable

and his mysterious powers provide everybody and everything in this

universe. God is life, light and truth. He is also an in carnation of the

universal love and compassion.

Truth as well as non-violence are the spirit of his life. Truth is the end

and non-violence is a means. Satyagraha according to Gandhiji is a

resistance to evil through love. After possessing the quality of couange

or fearlessness only an individual can start Satyagraha movement

fighting against any evil, social, political or economic. Mahatma Gandhi

has defined Satyagraha as the belief in the power of truth. Mahatma

Gandhi believed in the human brotherhood and in the establishment of

a universal community of free persons without artificial barrier of

caste, creed, colour, wealth and power.

Mahatma Gandhi sacrificed his life for establishing Ram Rajya, a

classless society in which there will be no distinction between high and

low, rich and poor. Gandhiji believed in plain living and high thinking.

Many people think him an ascetic.

Gandhiji was not merely a visionary and a philosopher. He was not a

profounder, but also a practitioner. His philosophy is not static and

impractical. It is dynamic as well as pragmatic. On the whole, he wished

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and worked for setting up a new social order based on Truth and Non-

violence and free from all kinds of exploitation and injustice. This is his

dream of Rama Rajya.

2. Gandhiji’s Philosophy of Education

Generally people regard Gandhiji as a great politician only. But the fact

is that he valued social reform and development more than more

political growth and advancement. According to him in an evil society,

no concept of any good rule is possible. As such, he advocated social

revolution. In this, the main role to be played was by education.

Gandhiji basic education was the practical embodiment of his

philosophy of education. The main aim of basic education was to

purify the heart and mind of all people and create a society free from

all exploitation and aggression. Viewed in this light Gandhiji was a

great educationist also.

3. Ends and Means Relationship in Gandhian Philosophy

Religion and morality had a great impact on Mahatma Gandhi from his

early childhood. Mahatma Gandhi established a very close and

inseparable relationship between the ends and the means. To him, they

are just like the two sides of a single coin and he desired both of them

to be moral and just. Mahatma Gandhi considered means to be more

important than the ends. The means justify the ends. The same

relationship stands between the means and the ends as it stands

between the seed and the tree. If the means are pure, moral and just

the ends will automatically be so. If we take care of the means, the ends

will take care of themselves.

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4. Truth

Gandhiji always believed in truth and never, for any purpose what so

ever, swerved from the path of truth. Truth was the central theme of all

his thoughts, words and deeds. Truth was God to him. He said, “where

the means are clean, there God is undoubtedly present with his

blessings”. He accepted and practiced in his own life the spirit of

holding the truth till the last by Lord Rama and king Harishchandra.

Truth is eternal and the ultimate thing.

5. Gandhiji’s Philosophy of Non-violence or Ahimsa

Non-violence or Ahimsa is one of the basic ingredients of Manatma

Gandhi’s political philosophy. Gandhi did not create originally the

concept of non-violence but for the first time used it in a mass scale and

more particularly in political field. He himself has admitted, ‘ I have

nothing to teach to the world. Truth and non-violence are as old as

hills. Negatively speaking non-violence or ahimsa means not to do

harm or injury to anybody by following violence or ahimsa.’

According to Gandhi, non-violence is composed of certain ingredients

like truth, inner purity, fasting, fearlessness, non-possession and

perseverance. A follower non-violence must have patience because the

result do not come immediately. Besides he must go on constantly

preserving or striving in his own way to achieve the goal.

6. Satyagraha

Satyagraha is the original innovation of Mahatma Gandhi. He used it

first in South Africa to resist the racial discrimination and

maltreatment to Indians there. However, later on he was much

influenced by Threali’s essay on civil disobedience and held on to it

more vigorously. Satyagraha literally means agraha in satya or holding

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fast on to truth. The spirit of non-violence is wholly ingrained in the

concept of satyagraha. It is a technique of pursuing truthful ends

through purest love-force and soul-force. For Gandhi non-violence and

Satyagraha were synonymous. It is a moral force that can be used by

individuals as well as communities in each and every field starting

from domestic life to public life. It is the moral weapon of the strong to

fight against injustice, wrong deed, oppression and exploitation. To

Gandhi Satyagraha is the inherent and inalienable birth right of a man.

A Satyagrahi should be a morally strong person with faith in God. He

must be a person of discipline, self-control and purity of mind and

actions. He must be a Brahamachari and follow non-violence and truth.

Satyagraha can be achieve through different forms such as non-

cooperation, strike or bartal, picketing, boycott, civil disobedience,

fasting and hijarat.

7. Non-Cooperation

Gandhi was the pioneering force in the non-cooperation movement in

India which took place in the year 1921. He stressed on Swadeshi and

Khadi, discipline and sacrifice. Though he suddenly suspended the

movement in the year 1922 following buring down of 22 policemen at

Chauri-Chaura by the violent mob, the non-cooperation movement

exerted a compelling force on the British Administration in India. Non-

cooperation with the Government may take any of the following form

such as strike or hartal, picketing, social, ostracism.

8. Gandhiji and Sarvodaya

The concept of Sarvodaya is the original contribution of Mahatma

Gandhi. Sarvodaya literally means uplift (Udaya) of all (Sarva). For a

better and well balanced society there is the need of some kind of

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balance between the two which can be espoused by Sarvodaya. The

power of the people is to be awakened by creating a high moral

atmosphere in the society though truth, non-violence and puritan

means. Self sacrifice and not self-gain is the essence of sarvodaya.

Sarvodaya wants to create a new and higher kind of social order in

which there would be equality, harmony and emanicipation.

No poverty, no exploitation and no social evils would be there.

Untouchability, casteism and unemployment would be abolished.

Sarvodaya preaches self-limitation of human wants and the message of

love for humanity. It emphasizes rehabilitation and development of

villages long exploited.

9. Swadesi

Swadesi is a native term meaning the country-made goods and

services. As a device of non-cooperation with the British. Gandhi had

given emphasis on the use of those goods which are produced in his

immediate neighbourhood. He should give preference to local or

countrymade goods even if they are of inferior quality. Swadesi

develops the culture of work for all, socio-economic development and

national integration. The use of ‘Charakha’ and spinning of Khadi

became nationally important. Khadi was the life and essence of

Swadesi movement. It could provide employment to millions of

unemployed Indians.

10. Industrialization

Gandhi was against industrilisation in western sense which involves

the use of large scale machinery. It created employment for a few but

unemployment for many. This is a capitalist trend which Gandhi

disappeared. In this process, machine becomes the master of man and

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not the vice-versa. It also creates so many social problems like family

disorganization, industrial slum, social alienation crime, etc. Gandhi,

therefore, favoured cottage industry. It gave work to all, preserved

naturality and maintained harmony.

11. Nationalism and Internationalism

In the vision of Mahatma Gandhi Nationalism and Internationalism are

closely linked with each other. They are complementary and not

contradictory to each other. To him internationalism is ingrained in

true nationalism. He was a true nationalist and he did not favour

narrow feelings Like communalism, etc. He was always against

aggressive forms of nationalism like Nazism and Fascism. He wrote “I

live for India’s freedom and would die for it. ” he said I do not want

India to rise on the ruins of other nations. I would like to see India free

and strong so that she may offer herself as a willing and pure sacrifice

for the betterment of the world. Thus, his concept of nationalism was

in favour of the entire humanity and not against it. He was also of the

opinion that only a true nationalist can be an internationalist.

12. Gandhiji’s Philosophy of Swaraj

By Swaraj Gandhi meant freedom and self-rule for the teaming millions

of India. It is the political freedom truly available to all without

discrimination or inequality. Gandhi opposed the existing political set

up as it was based on centralization of power and authority. This was

definitely harmful for the people as it did not allow people to enjoy real

freedom of self-rule or Swaraj. Gandhiji’s concept of Swaraj involved

socio-political and economic equalities in true sense of the term. There

would be no exploitation of the poor and the downtrodden by the rich

and high-ups in the society. Gandhiji realized and said that the real

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India sits in villages. If villages develop then India would be developed.

Gandhiji visualized Swaraj as a constitutional and democratic political

order for India. By Swaraj he did not mean political freedom of India

only. Swaraj to him meant freedom from any kind of bondage and not

the British yoke alone. He said “Swaraj for me means freedom for the

meanest of our countrymen. The Swaraj of my dream is the poor man’s

Swaraj.” By Swaraj he advocated the real freedom for all irrespective of

caste, colour, sex, religion, status and position. He said that Purna

Swaraj or complete independence of India was meaningless if people

did not enjoy the freedom (Swaraj) of availing the basic minimum life.

13. Gandhiji’s Philosophy of Ideal State or Rama Rajya

Gandhi criticized the present set-up of state as it was based on too

much centralization and violence. Truth and non-violence are the basic

ingredients of the State of his dreams which he call “Rama Rajya” or the

Ideal State. The concept of Rama Rajya is a spirit and is not theocratic.

Gandhi conceived King Rama as described in the Great Hindu Epic the

Ramayan as an incarnation of God coming down to earth for the

welfare of people and unholding truth. He himself was the concrete

example of Truth in human form. He loved Rama so much that when he

was assassinated he uttered only two words “Hai Ram” (Oh God).

PROPERTY AND TRUSTEESHIP OR SPIRITUAL SOCIALISM

Gandhi has created a novel idea of trusteeship. “Trust” literally means

faith or responsibility and a trustee is one on whom some faith or

responsibility is imposed. The idea of trusteeship develops in relation

to excess private property. He said that a man should not keep more

property than actually what he needs. Fear of tomorrow is the basic of

private property. This fear of tomorrow also means absence of faith in

God. Gandhi was against surplus private property. He wanted equitable

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distribution of wealth in order to give each man a scope to develop into

his full stature.

The trusteeship system requires a high degree of moral development.

In order to make the rich people realize their duties and

responsibilities towards the society. A truthful appeal should be made

and their conscience awakened. The rich and the poor would be

entitled to same privileges under this spiritual socialism which is to be

secured through love, non-violence and individual purification.

MORALITY, RELIGION AND POLITICS

Mahatma Gandhi stressed absolutely on the moral nature of human

beings. He believed that the cause of all social evils and maladies is the

immoral nature of men. Men must be moral by following certain code

of conduct. It is the religion which provides that code of conduct and

makes men moral. The main function of every religion is social

contract. That is to put certain restrictions rule, regulations so as to

avoid conflict, ill-feeling and immoral way of living in the society. He

believed in a universal religion and morality are the same and

interchangeable things as Gandhi believed. He believed and stressed

on the relevance of man society through morality and religion. Non-

violence is the means of realizing his Truth God. He wrote in Harizon “

If the morals of a man are a matter of no concern, the form of worship

in a particular manner in a church or a mosque or a temple is an empty

formula. It may even be a hindrance to individual or social growth.

Instead of religious conversion the efforts should be on making Hindus

and Christians better Christians”. Gandhi believed in the spirit of

Bhagawat Gita which taught the culture of Karmayoga or performing

one’s duty without waiting for the result. It also means performance of

Swadharma or one’s own profession on duty.

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Gandhi sought spiritualization of politics because politics devoid of

religion makes man corrupt, selfish, unreliable, materialistic and

unrealistic. He did not approve exploitation of religion for political

purposes. He has stress on the close relationship of religion with

politics in the following manner. Those who say that religion has no

relationship with politics do not understood the meaning of religion.

For me, there is no politics without religion. Politics is subordinate to

religion. Politics without religion is death-trap because it kills man’s

soul. Therefore, he did not favour separation of religion from politics.

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Chapter – III

CONCLUSION

Gandhiji is dead but Gandhism is alive. Mahatma Gandhi as a temporal

person is dead now. But his philosophy is eternally alive even today.

His idea of relationship between the ends and the means is of lasting

importance. To him, if the means is moral and good the ends must be

so and not expect clear and pure water throughout its course. The

present day socio-economic, cultural and political crisis are due to

following bad means for achieving good ends. He stressed on leading a

moral life with an ethical code of conduct by each man for the spiritual

and moral development of the society. This would lead to self-control

and avoid social conflicts. This is widely felt by the society now in the

face of a morally degraded public character.

Gandhi’s concept of Non-violence and Satyagraha are more relevant

today. Because everywhere there is violence, disturbance, military,

conflict and socio-political turmoil, peaceful constitutional and non-

violent approaches are required more today for solving combustible

and quarrelsome issues. He was against untouchability and racial

discrimination because he had basic faith in human beings. He believed

in natural equality among men. The World public opinion today is in

favour of that. He was a true nationalist and also a true internationalist.

The modern World is more interested to reconcile nationalism with

internationalism. Peace, not war is the crying need of the day. Premier

international bodies like UNO and Non-alignment Movement are

working hard in this direction. Gandhi strongly favoured

decentralization of power and authority with autonomy to village

republics.

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SUGGESTIONS

Now-a-days, the villages get utmost priority in Government plans and

programmes. All modern states are more or less welfare states because

the need of the day is welfarism. His concept of Swaraj and democracy

quite agree with the modern liberal ideas which are much in demand

today. He was strongly against dowry, the implication of which is felt

more today. His advocacy of prohibition disapproval of Child Marriage

are also widely accepted in modern societies. In view of all these facts

and figures Gandhism today is not only relevant to India but also to the

whole World and humanity.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

The Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi: D. M. Datta

Gandhi as a Political Thinker: B. S. Sharma

Selection from Gandhi: N. K. Bose

Indian Philosophy: Basanta Kumar Lal

Indian Political Thought: Gaurang Charan Nayak

The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi: Harischandra Sahoo

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