Political Thought - Gandhi

br POLITICAL THOUGHT-GANDHI

2006

POLITICAL THOUGHT-GANDHI

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Nationalism for Mahatma Gandhi meant much more than just freedom from a foreign power . He believed in the concept of greater good . Though freedom for India was vital and almost all his life was dedicated toward this end , his mission was the brotherhood of man . His ambition was that , India would serve as a model for the rest of the world - A country that would sacrifice itself so that the human race could live and thrive , without prejudice , without frontiers and without

br imperialism . This essay will study in-depth his idea of nationalism his critique on civilization and how these concepts were developed in Hind Swaraj or Indian home rule

Nationalism was a subject close to Gandhi 's heart . Something that he felt very strongly about . His knew that his idea of nationalism differed from what it meant to other people . Gandhi further clarifies

The conception of my nationalism is nothing if it is not always , in every case

without exception , consistent with the broadest good of humanity at large . Not

only that , but my religion and my patriotism derived from my religion embrace

all life . I want to realize brotherhood or identity not merely with the beings

called human , but with all life , because we claim descent from the same God

and that being so , life in whatever form it appears must be essentially one

Gandhi wanted freedom but not at the expense or exploitation of others and not so as to degrade other countries . His idea of nationalism was that his country may become free , that if need be , the whole country may die , so that the human race may live

POLITICAL THOUGHT-GANDHI

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In fact Gandhi 's nationalism could be called intense internationalism . He stressed that our nationalism can be no peril to other nations in as much as we will exploit , just as we allow to exploit us

Mahatma Gandhi 's final word on nationalism was that it is , not exclusive , aggressive or destructive in any manner . It is health-giving religious and therefore humanitarian

The Mahatma disliked the phase of civilization brought about by the industrial revolution - which he termed the modern ' civilization He felt that anything that made amassing great wealth a priority was a regression of sorts and not something that must be followed by the people anywhere in the world . He always stressed that , Civilization is that mode of conduct which points out to man , the path of duty and morality . Performance of duty and observance of morality are convertible terms . To observe morality is to attain mastery over our mind and our passions ' His take on civilization was always clear cut . If it did not support the idea of mind over matter then it was fundamentally a faulty one

Acknowledging the shortcomings with the Indian civilization Gandhi defends it . He feels that in no part of the world , and under no civilization , have men ever attained The mahatma further points out that the...