Revisiting Hind Swaraj

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Hind Swaraj is a unique philosophical text written in 1909 by Mahatma Gandhi. It is an Indian contribution to Political Theory. Gandhi was a political activist responding creatively to the socio- political and economic circumstances in which he was located.

Hind Swaraj is an alternative to modern socio-economic political thought. It is a critique of excessiveness of materialistic western society. It is a pointer to down side of modern civilization, i.e. colonialism, neo-colonialism, violence, alienation etc. It is also a pointer to political democracy because political democracy without social democracy is not a democracy at all.

Through Hind Swaraj Mahatma Gandhi wanted to establish self- esteem of individual and moral regeneration of India. Hind Swaraj is a source book for evaluation of India and Indians.

Revisiting Hind Swaraj is a key book to understanding not only Gandhi's life and thought but also to present dilemmas arising out of technology, industrialization and globalization. It provides an alternative as to how an oppressed class can fight. It also provides an alternative to individuals, society and the state.

This book will be useful not only for converting the converters but also the young mind, particularly, youth who are in search of icon.

Dr. Anil Dutta Mishra (b. 1965) started his career as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Non- violence and Peace Studies, Jain Vishva Bharati University, Ladnun, Rajasthan. His area of specialization includes Public Administration, Grass-root Politics, Gender Issues, Ecology and Human Rights.

Besides a number of research papers in leading professional journals, he has to his credit 16 books including Problems and Prospects of Working Women in Urban India (1994); Fundamentals of Gandhism (1995); Gandhian Approach to Contemporary Problems (1996); Decentralized Planning in India A Study of Objectives and Operational Framework (1999); Gender Perspectives Participation, Empowerment and Development (1999); Perspectives on Human Rights (2002); Rediscovering Gandhi (2002); Patterns of Gender Violence (2002); Challenges of Twenty First Century and Gandhian Alternative (2003); India and Canada; Past, Present and Future (2003); Public Governance and Decentralization Essays in Honour of T.N. Chaturvedi (2003); Gandhian Alternative to Contemporary Problems (2004); Globalization Myth and Reality (2004); Gandhian Alternative Vol. III, Socio-Political Thought (2005); Inspiring Thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi (2008); and Terrorism A Global Challenge (2009) and Mahatma Gandhi on Ethics (2010).

Hind Swaraj is a unique philosophical text written in dialogue form in 1909. It is a dialogue on the sea. The writer Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi is himself a Reader and an Editor. In fact Hind Swaraj is the Gandhian bible, it is the sacred book the Father of the Nation gave to country, truly the Gita of the nationalist era. The unique beauty of Hind Swaraj is that every time you go through it, you will get new interpretation and new insight.

Through Hind Swaraj Gandhi wanted to establish self- esteem of individual and moral regeneration of India. In other words, Gandhi through Hind Swaraj wanted to transform (a) India as a nation and polity; and (b) Indians. Hind Swaraj is a source book for evaluation of India and Indians. It is a manual of action for people.

Hind Swaraj is a critique of excessiveness of materialistic western society. It is a pointer to down side of modern civilization, i.e colonialism, neo-colonialism, violence, alienation etc. It is also a pointer to political democracy because political democracy without social democracy is not a democracy at all.

Criticism on railways, lawyers and doctors must be seen as down side of colonialism and neo-colonialism. We must be very careful about how to study Hind Swaraj. Firstly, it may be read keeping local, global and contemporary issues in mind. Secondly, it may be read not only via Marxian or gender perspective rather beyond it. Thirdly, it may be classified as basic/dogmatic/internationalism. Hind Swaraj must be read with an open eye. Because in India we live in three generations, i.e. (a) village with no electricity and any infrastructure. They still live in inhuman conditions; (b) city with facilities; and (c) metropolitan cities with all modern facilities. In October 1939, Gandhi had a discussion with the members of the Executive of Gandhi Seva Sangh. He told the members present on the occasion: "I would ask you to read Hind Swaraj with my eyes and see therein the chapter on how to make India nonviolent. You cannot build nonviolence on factory civilization, but it can be built on self-contained villages."

Hind Swaraj provides an alternative how an oppressed class can fight. It provides a way to fight against oppression, injustice, extremism, violence etc. It also provides an alternative to individual, society and state. One can honestly say that Indians love to talk about Hind.

Swaraj but they have neither understood it properly nor transformed its idea or philosophy on ground. It is a source book for evaluation of India and Indians in the post- independent India. Gandhi's words should not be treated as the last words. It needs research, debate, critical analysis with open mind. We have to rediscover and reinterpret Gandhi's works and deeds in the light of content and context. At the same time we have to unlock Gandhi from the so called Gandhians and Gandhian Institutions.

This work will be useful not only for converting the converters but also the young mind, particularly, the youth, who are in search of icon. T.K. Mahadevan in preface to Dvija: A Prophet Unheard rightly wrote: Read Hind Swaraj if you love the human family and this earth which is our home. Read it if you wish to do your little bit to halt man's race towards self- extinction.

This work would not have been possible in the present form without the support and help from friends and well- wishers. There are a number of persons behind the scene whose ideas, comments and suggestions have been included in the present book. I shall be failing in my duty if I do not record my appreciation to all of them.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages