DOCSLIB.ORG

Gandhian Concept of Freedom

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Gandhian Concept of Freedom SUBJECT: POLITICAL SCIENCE I COURSE: BA LLB SEMESTER I TEACHER: MS. DEEPIKA GAHATRAJ MODULE: MODULE VII, GANDHISM Structure: Gandhian concept of Freedom GANDHIAN CONCEPT OF FREEDOM Gandhian theory of freedom is commonly rooted in Hind Swaraj. The idea of swaraj entails two important meanings - individual and collective. At the individual level, swaraj projects human being to be self-disciplinary as well as controlling the individual passions to build a good individual in the collective society; the collective meaning of swaraj comprises the freedom from colonial rule as the first priority of every Indian. It is the political freedom demanded from the British imperialism simply on the ground of self-determination. Being an advocate of civil liberties of individual persons he stated in 1917 that a person can disobey governmental orders and declared that the person of a citizen must be held inviolate. It can only be touched to arrest or to prevent violence. He also admired most important freedom of individuals like freedom of speech and expression. Gandhi wrote: Freedom of speech and corresponding action is the breadth of democratic life. Freedom of propagating non-violence as substitute for war is the most relevant when indecent savagery is being perpetrated by the warring nations of Europe.38 In 1940, Gandhi pleaded for freedom of speech, a free press and pure justice, independence of judiciary and complete civil liberty, lie also included right to legal counsel and defence as part of civil rights. He believed in economic and spiritual freedoms. The economic freedom constitutes equal distribution, adequate wages for any labourer and most important thing for doing this was to bring the state into business. In other words, state must, intervene to produce an opportunity where saruodaya would be possible. Everybody's good is collective good and vice-versa. Apart from these two important meanings of it, swaraj to Gandhi comprises many other things. It is a part of truth which is God. Freedom is considered very sacrosanct. It is the essence of man's personality. The renunciation of freedom could be attained only through severe suffering and struggle. He simply suggested to the masses in India that freedom they quest for is not going to be easily obtained but to achieve at the cost of a serious struggle, hi the second Round Table 1 Conference he said that 'the page of history is soiled red with the blood of those who have fought for freedom.' Self-rule is the process of removing the infernal obstacles to freedom. When achieved it is nothing other than spiritual freedom. Self-rule is the unique quality of an individual and found in no other living beings or brutes. Self-rule presupposes the agency of the spirit (individual atman). The spirit exerts its influence on the empirical ego, on emotions, and intelligence. Under the influence of the spirit, the inner powers of the moral agent become integrated, such that he/she becomes a spiritually aware person, guided by the self- knowledge. The process by which the spirit integrates the inner faculties has a dynamic quality, which is suitably expressed by the concept of 'ruling.' Hence, the terminology of self-rule is swaraj. The spirit of higher self 'rules' the lower self of empirical ego.' Self-rule/spiritual freedom is derived from Bhagavad Gita. Nineteen verses of the second chapter of this work draw the celebrated portrait of the person of steady wisdom, the sthitha-prajna. Sthiiha-prajna, for Gandhi, is a model of self-ruling, spiritually free person. Self as a virtue directs the inner power of a person to their proper purposes. Gandhi draws it from the Indian tradition of Patanjali Yogasutras. Patanjali lists five virtues necessary for anyone contemplating the attainment of spiritual freedom. They are non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, chastity and greedlessness. Gandhi added six more virtues to the traditional list - swadeshi, removal of untouchability, bodily labour, control of palate, fearlessness, and respect for all religion. 2.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • HUMS 4904A Schedule Mondays 11:35 - 2:25 [Each Session Is in Two Halves: a and B]
    CARLETON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF THE HUMANITIES Humanities 4904 A (Winter 2011) Mahatma Gandhi Across Cultures Mondays 11:35-2:25 Prof. Noel Salmond Paterson Hall 2A46 Paterson Hall 2A38 520-2600 ext. 8162 [email protected] Office Hours: Tuesdays 2:00 - 4:00 (Or by appointment) This seminar is a critical examination of the life and thought of one of the pivotal and iconic figures of the twentieth century, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi – better known as the Mahatma, the great soul. Gandhi is a bridge figure across cultures in that his thought and action were inspired by both Indian and Western traditions. And, of course, in that his influence has spread across the globe. He was shaped by his upbringing in Gujarat India and the influences of Hindu and Jain piety. He identified as a Sanatani Hindu. Yet he was also influenced by Western thought: the New Testament, Henry David Thoreau, John Ruskin, Count Leo Tolstoy. We will read these authors: Thoreau, On Civil Disobedience; Ruskin, Unto This Last; Tolstoy, A Letter to a Hindu and The Kingdom of God is Within You. We will read Gandhi’s autobiography, My Experiments with Truth, and a variety of texts from his Collected Works covering the social, political, and religious dimensions of his struggle for a free India and an India of social justice. We will read selections from his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, the book that was his daily inspiration and that also, ironically, was the inspiration of his assassin. We will encounter Gandhi’s clash over communal politics and caste with another architect of modern India – Bimrao Ambedkar, author of the constitution, Buddhist convert, and leader of the “untouchable” community.
    [Show full text]
  • Nirodbaran Talks with Sri Aurobindo 01
    Talks with Sri Aurobindo Volume 1 by Nirodbaran Sri Aurobindo Ashram Pondicherry NOTE These talks are from my notebooks. For several years I used to record most of the conversations which Sri Aurobindo had with us, his attendants, and a few others, after the accident to his right leg in November 1938. Besides myself, the regular participants were: Purani, Champaklal, Satyendra, Mulshankar and Dr. Becharlal. Occasional visitors were Dr. Manilal, Dr. Rao and Dr. Savoor. As these notes were not seen by Sri Aurobindo himself, the responsibil- ity for the Master's words rests entirely with me. I do not vouch for absolute accuracy, but I have tried my best to reproduce them faithfully. I have made the same attempt for the remarks of the others. NIRODBARAN i PREFACE The eve of the November Darshan, 1938. The Ashram humming with the ar- rival of visitors. On every face signs of joy, in every look calm expectation and happiness. Everybody has retired early, lights have gone out: great occa- sion demands greater silent preparation. The Ashram is bathed in an atmos- phere of serene repose. Only one light keeps on burning in the corner room like a midnight vigil. Sri Aurobindo at work as usual. A sudden noise! A rush and hurry of feet breaking the calm sleep. 2:00 a.m. Then an urgent call to Sri Aurobindo's room. There, lying on the floor with his right knee flexed, is he, clad in white dhoti, upper body bare, the Golden Purusha. The Mother, dressed in a sari, is sitting beside him.
    [Show full text]
  • IV-His-EM-Gandhi and National Movement 10-Apr-2020
    Gandhi and National Movement Gandhian Tools and Early Struggles Gandhian Ideology Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), herein after Gandhiji, was undoubtedly the most authentic and celebrated representative of the wisdom and culture of India in our times. His countrymen address him, with respect, as the Mahatma. For Many, among the greatest, Gandhiji was the great. He was a social reformer, an economist, a political philosopher and a seeker of truth. We consider him as a 'yugapurusha', one who inaugurated a new era. The contribution of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to the Indian national movement was un-paralleled. He made the Indian National Congress a peoples' Congress and the national movement a mass movement. He made people fearless and bold and taught them the non- violent method for fighting against injustice. He had a passion for individual liberty which was closely bound with his understanding of truth and self realization. His search for truth led him to make deep forays within Iiis own inner self as it led him to probe into the natural and social world around him, particularly the tradition which he considered his own. Gandhi’s philosophy was a profound engagement with modernity and its pitfalls. Against the evils of wan.ton industrialization, materialism and selfish pursuits, Gandhi suggested, in , turn, swadeshi, primacy of the self and trusteeship; against the institution of state, as the force personified, and the prevalent notion of democracy where only heads are counted, he - favored a swaraj type of democracy where everything springs from the free individual and where decisions are made bottom-up with the locus of power below.
    [Show full text]
  • Trusteeship: a Path Less Travelled
    Trusteeship: A Path Less Travelled INSTITUTE OF GANDHIAN STUDIES, WARDHA Publications 1. Essays on Gandhian Thought - Ravindra Varma et al. (2004) 2. Explorations in Culture of Peace - Siby K. Joseph (ed.) (2006) 3. Essays on Conflict Resolution - Siby K. Joseph, Bharat Mahodaya (eds.) (2007) 4. Khoj Gandhi Ki - C. S. Dharmadhikari (2008) 5. Non-violent Struggles of the Twentieth Century: Retrospect and Prospect - Siby K. Joseph John Moolakkattu Bharat Mahodaya (eds.) (2009) 6. Contemporary Perspectives on Peace and Non-violence - Siby K. Joseph, Bharat Mahodaya (eds.) (2010) 7. Reflections on Hind Swaraj - Siby K. Joseph, Bharat Mahodaya (eds.) (2011) 8. Gandhi, Environment and - Siby K. Joseph, Sustainable Future Bharat Mahodaya (eds.) (2011) 9. Gandhi Meri Nazar Mein - C. S. Dharmadhikari (2011) 10. Contextualising Gandhian Thought - Siby K. Joseph (ed.) (2012) 11. Continuing Relevance of Swadeshi - Siby K. Joseph, Bharat Mahodaya (eds.) 2012) 12. Contemplating Gandhi - C. S. Dharmadhikari (2014) About the Editors Siby K. Joseph, Dean, Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha. Bharat Mahodaya, Director, Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha Ram Chandra Pradhan, Senior Faculty, Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha Trusteeship: A Path Less Travelled Edited by Siby K. Joseph Bharat Mahodaya Ram Chandra Pradhan INSTITUTE OF GANDHIAN STUDIES, WARDHA All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers. The views and opinions expressed in this book are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations to which they belong.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Full Text
    International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research ISSN: 2455-8834 Volume:02, Issue:02 NEHRU’S POLITICAL IDEOLOGY IN THE LIGHT OF HIS CONCEPT OF SOCIALISM, NATIONALISM AND GANDHISM *Muhammad Qasim Sodhar, Rafiq Akber, Bushra Pawhwar Shanghai University, Shanghai, China *Corresponding Author ABSTRACT This paper aims at analyzing Nehru’s political vision that how he had advocated three different political ideologies i.e. Socialism, Nationalism and Gandhism at one time, and in connection with ideologies he followed, another aim of this paper is to address the logic behind Nehru’s acceptance of Fabian concept of socialism but not Marxism and Leninism in practice. It will be analyzed theoretically by definition and method applied by Fabian Society, and will be explored that either Nehru’s inclination towards Fabian concept of socialism was a matter of ideology, his social background or political interests or even all these were prevailing at the same time? Keywords: Socialism, Nationalism, Fabian Society, Marxism, Leninism, Gandhism. INTRODUCTION Jawaharlal Nehru who belonged to a middle class family and he preached the ideas of socialism in Indian political system under British India especially he tried to instill these ideas in Congress ideology. Indian National Congress party which was represented by elitist initially then became a party of middle class politicians. But, the socialism was totally against of class system if it did not advocate the classless society but at least diminishing class system. In this condition, how it was possible for Nehru who was from bourgeois class to preach and amalgamate socialist ideology with the ideology of Congress? This paper will deal Nehru’s socialistic ideas, and also his attempts to get socialist ideas accepted by the leaders of Congress.
    [Show full text]
  • Unit 13 Civil Disobedience and Satyagraha
    UNIT 13 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AND SATYAGRAHA Structure 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Concept of Civil Disobedience 13.3 History of the Concept of Civil Disobedience 13.4 Theory of Civil Disobedience and Existentialist Philosophy 13.5 Gandhian Concept of Civil Disobedience and Satyagraha 13.6 Civil Disobedience in Practice 13.7 Summary 13.8 Exercises 13.1 INTRODUCTION The concept of civil disobedience movement has become an important element in the political power structure in contemporary world. This movement has spread around the world. It has been exemplified by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the civil rights movement in the United States, the ‘ people’s power’ movement in the Philippines, the non-violent collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and so on. The success of Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a lot to do with the emergence of satyagraha as an organisational power. To discuss about the history of the twentieth century, without exploring the impact of civil disobedience and satyagraha is to malign the very basis of the people’s movement and the study of social science. The Gandhian method of civil disobedience and satyagraha has given a new dimension to the concept of statecraft. While delivering the most prestigious Gandhi Memorial Lecture on “Towards a World without war- Gandhism and the Modern World” on 11 February 1992, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda said, “As we approach the end of this century of unprecedented wars and violence, we seek as our common goal the creation of a world without war. At this critical juncture what can we – must we- learn from this great philosopher – a man whose spiritual legacy could rightly be termed as one of humanity’s priceless treasures, a miracle of the twentieth century.” The basic aim of every political system is to assist in the process of self-actualisation of individuals to fulfil the inner requirements for a continuous moral growth.
    [Show full text]
  • Ethical Values of Social Work Profession and Gandhism
    May IJRSS Volume 2, Issue 2 ISSN: 2249-2496 2012 _________________________________________________________ ETHICAL VALUES OF SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION AND GANDHISM Prof. M. Lakshmipathi Raju* Dr. B. S. N. Raju** __________________________________________________________ 1. INTRODUCTION: The ethical values of social work profession have long been given scant attention ethical foundation and ethical research is as important knowledge and theory in social work practice Ethical Theory building will strengthen the moral fibre of the profession and it will contribute to the current knowledge relating to social work practice. There is need for greater attention to value and ethics in the present context of technological and scientific advancements and the consequent decadence and degradation of the values of life. Gandhian values and the values of social work profession have much in common and these are similarities in Gandhian thought and professional ethics in social work practice. Gandhian ethical system is inimical to western materialistic values and utilitarianism. He emphasizes social justice and well-being of all(Sarvodaya), giving priority to the disadvantaged sections and the poorest of the poor(Antyodaya). Gandhi meant by Sarvodaya, the raise or awakening of all. Gandhi is more relevant today than even before. The ethical values which he cherished are universal in the sense that they are in conformity with the universal norms and particularly more relevant to the values and ethics of social work practice. Some people believe that he is two hundred years ahead of his time. No doubt he has launched his movement for the * Former Professor in Social Work, Sri Padmavathi Mahila University, Tirupathi, and Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur; presently Co-ordinator, Dept.of Social Work and H.R.M, MRPG College, Vizianagaram.
    [Show full text]
  • What Did Gandhi Believe?
    Dr. Ambedkar, author of India’s constitution and a contemporary of Gandhi, said : If a man with God’s name on his tongue and a sword under his armpit deserved the appellation of a Mahatma, then Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was a Mahatma. »Reference: B.R. Ambedkar’s “Gandhi And Gandhism” GandhiMAHATMA Birth name: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi Respectfully adored as: Bapu (Father of India) Trained as a lawyer in London. Lived in South Africa. Apostle of Non-Violence. A messiah, a Hindu deity, a prophet, a visionary, and a priest. Compared to Christ and Mohammed. WE DARE YOU TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REAL GANDHI BY READING “GANDHI: BEHIND THE MASK OF DIVINITY” BY COL. G.B. SINGH After taking their oath of office, Indian politicians then submit at Raj Ghat, Gandhi’s tomb. Dignitaries and heads of state throw roses upon Raj Ghat when visiting India. (Prometheus Books, 2004 • www.prometheusbooks.com) Hindus worship Gandhi, as in the “Gandhi Temple” of Bhatra village, Sambalpur in Orissa, India. Also Visit: www.Gandhism.net What did Gandhi believe? GANDHI ON TRUTH GANDHI ON BLACKS AND RACE RELATIONS • From his autobiography: “It is not my purpose to attempt a real autobiography • “A general belief seems to prevail in the colony that the Indians are little better, if I simply want to tell the story of my experiments with truth...as my life at all, than the savages or natives of Africa. Even the children are taught to consists of nothing but those experiments.” believe in that manner, with the result that the Indian is being dragged down to »Reference: Gandhi’s “An Autobiography, or The Story of My Experiments With Truth” the position of a raw Kaffir.” »Reference: The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Government of India (CWMG), Vol I, p.
    [Show full text]
  • Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
    z:\ ambedkar\vol-09\vol9-01.indd MK SJ 10-1-2013/YS-13-11-2013 1 Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (14th April 1891 - 6th December 1956) z:\ ambedkar\vol-09\vol9-01.indd MK SJ 10-1-2013/YS-13-11-2013 2 BLANK z:\ ambedkar\vol-09\vol9-01.indd MK SJ 10-1-2013/YS-13-11-2013 3 Governing Class and the Servile Class Nobody will have any quarrel with the abstract principle that nothing should be done whereby the best shall be superseded by one who is only better and the better by one who is merely good and the good by one who is bad……. But Man is not a mere machine. He is a human being with feelings of sympathy for some and antipathy for others. This is even true of the ‘best’ man. He too is charged with the feelings of class sympathies and class antipathies. Having regard to these considerations the ‘best’ man from the governing class may well turn out to be the worst from the point of view of the servile classes. The difference between the governing classes and the servile classes in the matter of their attitudes towards each other is the same as the attitude a person of one nation has for that of another nation. - Dr. Ambedkar in ‘What Congress.... etc.’ z:\ ambedkar\vol-09\vol9-01.indd MK SJ 10-1-2013/YS-13-11-2013 4 z:\ ambedkar\vol-09\vol9-01.indd MK SJ 10-1-2013/YS-13-11-2013 5 DR.
    [Show full text]
  • Unit-V Indian Economic Thought
    UNIT-V INDIAN ECONOMIC THOUGHT Indian economic thought is relatively little known either in India or elsewhere. The study of ancient Indian economic ideas provides a deeper insight into India's culture, tradition, and inherent national characteristics. The major sources of information about the economic ideas of Indian writers are Vedas, Arthasastra, the Ramayana and Mahabharata, Manusmriti, Sukraniti, and several other ancient Indian texts. Many scholars, particularly during the first half of the 20th century, attempted to make an objective and unbiased evaluation of ancient Indian economic ideas, explicitly or implicitly, contained in ancient Indian writings. Indian economic thought has certain special features which necessitates a separate study of Indian economic thought. The peculiar features of Indian economic ideas are: 1. Descriptive: The economic ideas are descriptive and not analytical. Indian thinkers paid more attention to practical problems and hence are realistic in nature. 2. Mixed with politics: Economic ideas were mixed with politics and were influenced by political factors. 3. Less Emphasis to Material wealth: Indian thinkers mixed ethics and economics together and did not give much importance to material wealth and welfare. They gave importance to moral aspects of life also. Thus the utility of the study to Indian economic thought is undoubtedly very great. It provides an economic interpretation of our historical past; and enables us to interpret the motives of economic activities of our ancestors. We may classify Indian economic thought mainly into two as ancient economic thought and modern economic thought. Ancient Indian Economic Thought The history of Indian economic thought provides rich insights into both economic issues and the workings of the Indian thinkers.
    [Show full text]
  • (St)Uttering Caste in Another Tongue: Acritique of Volte-Face in Sundaram’S Poetic and Political Ideologies Dr
    (St)Uttering Caste in Another Tongue: ACritique of volte-face in Sundaram’s Poetic and Political Ideologies Dr. Hemang Desai Published in Labirynth Vol.3/No. 04, October, 2012 Sundaram (1908-1991), the winner of prestigious awards like “Padmabhushana” (1985) and “Shri Narsinh Mehta Award” (1990), claims a special attention in Gujarati literature because he defies all critical attempts at putting him into ideological or literary pigeonholes. In spite of being an extremely versatile litterateur ploughing into almost all literary forms and being instrumental in ushering in what is called New Poetry in Gujarati literature, Sundaram’s oeuvre is informed with a continual conflict between progressive and regressive tendencies, fluctuations between the zenith and the nadir of creative excellence and,most importantly, convictional oscillation between fiery activism and ideological autism. As an articulate progressivist, a febrile communist and a committed Gandhian, Sundaram, in his early work, remarkably accomplished a conscious engagement with socially tabooed and hitherto unacknowledged issues like casteist Indian society and nature of human sexuality. He remarkably endowed Gujarati literature with attributes of radicalism and modernity as well as democratized the language of poetry.Explicating this dimension of the poet’s writing, MansukhlalJhaveri rightly notes, “…the writer of Gandhian Era, unlike his predecessor, tried as best as he could to reach the masses. The odd situation created by the economic inequity made him feel uneasy. He could
    [Show full text]
  • Words of the Mother - I Words of the Mother – I
    THE MOTHER Words of the Mother - I Words of the Mother – I i empty page ii The Mother Words of the Mother I Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry VOLUME 13 COLLECTED WORKS OF THE MOTHER Second Edition ISBN 81-7058-670-4 Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust 1980, 2004 Published by Sri Aurobindo Ashram Publication Department Pondicherry - 605 002 Website: http://sabda.sriaurobindoashram.org Printed at Sri Aurobindo Ashram Press, Pondicherry PRINTED IN INDIA The Mother and Sri Aurobindo Darshan Day, 24 April 1950 ii Publisher’s Note This volume consists primarily of brief written statements by the Mother about Sri Aurobindo, herself, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Auroville, India, and nations other than India. Written over a period of nearly sixty years (1914 – 1973), the statements have been compiled from her public messages, private notes, and correspondence with disciples. The majority (about sixty per cent) were written in English; the rest were written in French and appear here in translation. The volume also contains a number of conversations, most of them in the part on Auroville. All but one were spoken in French and appear here in translation. There are also several reports of comments by the Mother. These reports were noted down by disciples and later approved by her for publication. All of them were spoken in English. They are identified by the symbol § placed at the end. The volume is arranged by theme in six parts, each part having a number of sections. Within the sections, dated pieces are placed in chronological order, undated ones where they best fit in thematically.
    [Show full text]