1) What is meant by ‘Swaraj’?
What method does he suggest for the
attainment of true swaraj?
⇒ By ‘Swaraj’ is meant not only the home-rule or self-government for the Indian people, i.e., the
freedom from the British domination, but also self-rule of individual Indians.
In Chapter IV of Hind Swaraj, Gandhi puts forward a basic formulation that mere transfer of
power from British hands to Indian hands would not lead to true swaraj. He adds that it would be
nothing more than having ‘English rule without Englishmen’. In that case, he argues, India may
be called ‘Hindustan’, but actually it would remain ‘Englishtan’. And he tries to define true swaraj
by saying that if we(individuals) become free, India would be free. It is in the same vein that he
opines that ‘it is swaraj when we learn to rule ourselves’. Such a swaraj, further adds, would
have to be experienced by each one of us. To him, there is a symbiotic relationship between
swaraj as ‘self-rule’ of individual Indians and swaraj as the home-rule or self-government for the
Indian people. In other words, home-rule that Indian people would achieve would be true only to
the extent they are successful in being ‘self-ruling’ individuals.
2) What kind of means does Gandhi advocate for India’s freedom struggle?
⇒Gandhi advocates non-violent resistance over violent resistance as the means to be adopted
for India's freedom struggle in particular and in situations of conflict in general. He calls the
former truth-force, soul-force, love-force or Passive resistance and the latter brute-force or
body-force or violence. When asked for ‘historical evidence’ of soul-force, he explained: ‘History,
then, is a record of an interruption. of the course of nature. Soul-force, being natural, is not
noted in history. His thesis and technique of non-violent resistance-satyagraha (meaning
‘holding on truth’)- have become all over the world as an inspiration for fighting against injustice,
discrimi-nation and exploitation and as the right approach to conflict resolution.
3) What is Gandhi’s ethical principle of ‘means and ends’ and ‘duties and
rights’?
⇒ According to Gandhi, there is just the same inviolable connection between the means and
the end as there is between the seed and the tree. He thinks that we reap exactly as we
sow-real rights are a result of performance of duty; fair means alone can produce fair results,
and that, at least in the majority of cases, if not indeed in all, the force of love and pity is
infinitely greater than the force of arms. To him, there is harm in the exercise of brute force,
never in that of pity.
4) What is Gandhi's view of ‘primary’ education?
⇒ Gandhi wanted 'primary' education to be such that added to the knowledge and well-being of
the peasant, and did not alienate him from ‘his cottage’ or his environment.
5) What does Gandhi speak of ‘higher’ education?
⇒ According to Gandhi, ‘higher’ education must be beneficial and useful not only to those who
acquire it, but also to the society.
6) How is “passive resistance” defined in Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj?
⇒ In chapter XVII of Hind Swaraj, Gandhi defines “passive resistance” as “a method of securing
rights by personal suffering; it is the reverse of resistance by arms”. It is, in fact, soul-force. It is
superior to the force of arms. It involves sacrifice of self. He believes that real home rule is
possible only when passive resistance is the guiding force of the people.
7) Why is passive resistance called “an all-sided sword” in Hind Swaraj?
⇒ In Hind Swaraj, Passive resistance is called "an all-sided sword" because it can be used
anyhow; it blesses him who uses it and him against whom it is used. Without shedding a drop of
blood it produces far-reaching results. It never rusts and cannot be stolen.
8) Why does Gandhi in Hind Swaraj claim that the ancient Indian school
system was “enough”?
⇒ In chapter XVIII entitled “Education” of Hind Swaraj Gandhi claims that the ancient Indian
school system was “enough” because character-building has the first place in it and that is
primary education. A building erected on that foundation will last. The primary objective of
education, according to Gandhi, is not intellectual development or academic excellence, but
Character-building.
9) What is the superstition that according to Gandhi's Hind Swaraj a
passive resistance alone can remove?
⇒ According to Gandhi, it is a superstition and ungodly thing to believe that an act of a majority
birds* a minority. Many examples can be given in which acts of majorities will be found to have
been wrong and those of minorities to have been right. So long as the superstition that men
should obey unjust laws exists, so long will their slavery exist. And passive resistance alone can
remove such a superstition.
10) What is meant by “you want the tiger’s nature, but not the tiger”?
⇒ By “you want the tiger’s nature, but not the tiger” is meant we want English rule without the
Englishman. What Gandhi implies is that mere change of rulers will not ameliorate the condition
of the people. Freedom from the English yoke will not bring about real freedom unless the
people are free from economic, social, cultural and spiritual bondage.
11) Why is history described as a record of interruption of the working of
soul-force in Gandhi's Hind Swaraj?
⇒ In Gandhi's Hind Swaraj, history is described as a record of interruption of the working of
soul-force because soul-force, being natural, is not noted in history. The use of brute force, on
the contrary, is immediately noticed and written down in history. History is nothing but a record
of the wars of the world. But the fact that there are so many men still alive in the world shows
that it is based not on the force of arms but on the force of truth of love.
12) How does M.K. Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj counter the proposition that
“passive resistance is a splendid weapon of the weak”? (5 marks)
⇒ According M.K. Gandhi, passive resistance, that is, soul-force, in matchless. It is superior to
the force of arms. It is, on the other hand, a splendid weapon of the strong. Extremists are
considered to be advocates of brute force or body force. Naturally, they do not talk about
obeying laws. But when they succeed in driving out the English and they themselves become
governors, they will want everybody to obey their laws. And that
is a fitting thing for their constitution. But a passive resister will say he will not obey a law that is
against his conscience, even though he may be blown to pieces at the mouth of cannon. Then
Gandhi puts a relevant question- “Wherein in courage required in blowing others to pieces from
behind a cannon and be blown to pieces? Who is the true warrior- he who keeps death always
as a bosom-friend, or he who controls the death of others?” He concludes his argument by
saying that a coward, i.e. a man devoid of courage and manhood can never be a passive
resister*. This is how, M.K. Gandhi's Hind Swaraj counters the proposition that “Passive
resistance is a splendid weapon of the weak”.
