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INDIAN

HOME RULE

BY

M. K.

GANDH

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HOME RULE

INDIAN

BY

M.

K.

Reprinted with a

GANDHI

Dew foreword by

the author

FIFTH EDITION

GANESH

<3?

Co.,

1922

MADRAS

226017

MADRA8:

THE MODERN PRINTING WORKS, MO0NT ROAD.

(if"

NOTE
The

doctrine of violence

ed in than

violence can be

divided into

and dwindling

a small

is

more widely

The

generally realised.

is

two

classes.

class, believe in

prepared to act according to their faith

believ-

votaries of

it

Some,
and are

Others, a

very large class always, and now, after bitter experiences of the failure of constitutional agitation,
larger than ever, believe in violence, but that belief

does not

le.id

from work

them

on any

to

action.

basis

It

belief in violence serves to dissuade

other kinds
the evil

is

of

work

disables

them

The
them from all

other than force.

or^sacrifice.

In both cases

great.

There can be no reconstruction or hope

this land of ours, unless

force in

all its

violence

affairs of

To
than

for

eradicate the worship of

forms, and establish work on a basis

other than violence.

of

we

is,

in

the

our country,

refutation of the doctrine

present

situation

of

more necessary than

the
ever.

nothing better can be conceived

publication and wide distribution of

this end,

the

Mr. Gandhi's famous book.

It was extremely patriotic of Messrs. Ganesh
and Company to have readily agreed to undertake
the work when they were approached with the
request.

Satyagrah Sabha,]
Madias,

6-619.

C.

Rajagopalachar.

FOREWOBD
I

have

re-read

The value

once.

in re-printing

revise

it,

there

is

accordance
an English friend.
alter in

my

booklet

at the present

as

it

this

it

But

more

thai*

moment

lies,

had to
only one word I would
is.

if

with a. promise made to

She took exception to

use of the word ^prostitute in speaking

Parliament.
Her fine taste recoiled
'

of the

from the indelicacy of the expression.

I
remind the reader that the booklet purports
to be a free translation of the original
is

in

which

Gujarati.

After

years

endeavour to put into

practice the views expressed in the
following
pages, I feel that the way shown therein
is
the only true way to Swaraj.
Satyagrah
the law of love is the Law of life.
Deparof

ture from it leads to disintegration.

A firm
adherence to it leads to regeneration.

BOMBAY,

88th May, 1919.

M. K.

GANDHI

HIND SWARAJ
OR

THE

Beply

this booklet of

The

mine

original

chequered career.

Critics

to

my good fortune that

It is certainly

tion.

HOME RULE

INDIAN

receiving wide atten-

is
is

It

in

Gujarati.

was

first

It

had a

published in

of
Opinion
It was written in 1908 during
my return voyage from London to South
Africa in answer to the Indian school of vioI
lence, and its prototype iu South Africa,
came in contact with every known Indian

columns
South Africa.

the

of

the

'

Indian

'

Their bravery impressed

that their zeal was misguided.

anarchist in London.

me, but I

feel

I felt that violence

was no remedy

for

India's

and that her civilization required the use

of a different and higher weapon for selfThe Satyagrah of South Africa
protection.
was still an infant hardly two years old- But

ills,

had developed sufficiently to permit me to

It
write of it with some degree of confidence.

it

INDIAN

was

so

much

HOME EULE

appreciated that

it

was published

as a booklet.

It attracted some attention in

The Bombay Government prohibited

India.
its

circulation.

I replied by publishing its

thought that it was due to my
English friends that they should know its
contents.
In my opinion it is a book which
can be put into the hands of a child. It teaches che gospei of love in the place of that of

translation.

hate.

It replaces violence

It pits soul force

against

with

self-sacrifice.

brute force.

It

has

gong through several editions and I commend

it to those who would care to read it.
I withdraw nothing except one word of it, and that
in

deference to a lady friend.

I have given
the reason for the alteration in the preface^to
the Indian edition.

The

'modem

My

booklet

is

civilization.'

conviction

feel that if

is

condemnation of
was written in 1908.

a severe
It

deeper to-day than ever.

India would discard

'

modern

civili-

zation' she. can only gain by doing so.

But

would warn the reader against

thinking that lam to-day aiming at the Swaraj
described
ripe for

it.

I know that India is not

may seem an impertinence to

therein.
It

KEPLY TO CRITICS
say

so.

But such

is

my

conviction.

am

pictured
individually working for the self-rule
But to-day my corporate activity is
therein.
of
undoubtedly devoted to the attainment
the
Parliamentary Swaraj in accordance with
aiming
wishes of the people of India. I am not
though I
destroying railways or hospitals,

at

would

welcome

certainly

natural

their

hospitals

Neither railways nor

At
civilization.
are a test of a high and pure
adds
Neither
best they are a necessary evil.
nation. Nor
a
of
one inch to the moral stature
destruction.

am

aiming

at

a permanent

destruction

of

law courts, much as I regard it as a consummation devoutly to be wished for.' Still less
am I trying to destroy all machinery and mills.
'

It requires a higher

simplicity and

renuucia-

for.
tion than the people &re to-day prepared

The only
now being

part of the

programme which

is

carried out in its entirety is that of

non-violence.

But

I regret to

have

to confess

in the
that even that is not being carried out
If it were, India would
spirit of the book.
If India adopted
establish Swaraj in a day.
of her
the doctrine of love as an active part
Swaraj
politics,
religion and introduced it in her
.

INDIAN

HOME EULE

would descend upon India from heaven. But I

painfully aware that that event is far off

am

as yet.
I offer these

comments because

I observe
being quoted from the booklet to
discredit the present movement.
I have even
seen writings suggesting that I am' playing a

that

much

is

deep game, that I

my

to foist

am

fads on

using the present turmoil

India,

and

am making

religious experiments at India's expense. I

cau
only answer that Satyagrah is made of sterner
stuff.
There is nothing reserved and nothing
Secret in

portion

whole theory
is undoubtedly
being carried into practice.
There is no
danger attendant upon the whole of it being
it.

of life described in

practised.

people

by

But

of the

'Hind Swaraj'

it is

not

right to scare

away

from my writings
passages that are irrelevant to the issue
before
the country.
reproducing

M. K.

GANDHI,

Young India, 26th January, 1921.

INDIAN HOME RULE

CHAPTER
The Congress and
Reader

Its Officials

Just at present there

wave passing over

India.

All our

is a Home Rule
countrymen ap-

pear to be pining for National Independence.

them even

similar spirit pervades

in

South Afri

-a,

Indians seem to be eager after acquiring rights. Will

you explain your views in this matter ?

Editor You have well puj; the question, but
the answer is not easy.
One of the objects of a
newspaper is to understand the popular feeling and
:

to give, expression to

the people certain

third

is

it

fearlessly to

exercise of

all

another

desirable

to

has

to

arouse
;

among

and the

The

expose popular defects.

these three functions

answering your question.

people's will

is

sentiments

To

is

involved in

a certain extent

be expressed

certain

trie

senti-

ments will need to be fostered, and defects will

have to be brought to light. But, as you have asked
the question, it is my duty to answer it.
Reader Do you then consider that a desire
for Home Rule has been created among us ?
:

INDIAN

12

Editor
implies

That

The

Congress

desire gave rise to the National

choice

of the

word "National"

it.

Reader
India

HOME RULE

seems

That, surely,

to ignore the

is

not the case.

Congress.

Young

It is consi-

dered to be an instrument for perpetuating British

Rale.

Editor That opinion is not justified. Had

Grand Old Man of India prepared the soil,
:

not the

our young

Home

men

has written,

could not have even spoken about

How

Rule.

can we forget what Mr.

how he

Hume

has lashed us into action, and

with what effort he has awakened us, in order to

achieve the objects of the Congress? Sir William

Wedderburn has given his body, mind and money

to the fame cause.
His writings are worthy of
perusal to this day.

Professor Gokhale, in order

to prepare the Nation,

embraced poverty and gave

Even now, he is living in
poverty.
The late Justice Buddrudin Tyebji was
also one of those who, through the Congress, sowed
the beed of Home Rule. Similarly in Bengal, Madras,
the Punjab and other places, there have been lovers
of India and members of the Congress, both Indian
and English.
twenty years of his

Reader

life.

you are going too far, you

are straying away from my question,
I have asked
you about Home or Self-Rule; you are discussing
:

Stay, stay,

THE CONGRESS AND

ITS OFFICIALS

13

I do not desire to hear

foreign rule.

English names,
such names. In these circumstances, I do not think we can ever meet.
I
shall be pleased if you will
confine yourself to

and you are giving

Home

Rule.

All other wise talk will not satisfy me.

Editor You
:

be likewise.
I think

want.

you

me

are impatient.

you

If

will find tnat

Remember

the old

you

cannot afford

with

will bear

me

will obtain

proverb that

to

for a while,

what you

the* tree

does

one day. The fact that you have

not grow
checked me, and that you do not want to hear about
the well-wishers of India, shows that, for you at
any rate, Home Rule is yet far away. If we had
many like you, we would never make any advance.
This thought is worthy of your attention.
Reader It seems to me that you simply want
to put me off by talking round and round.
Those
whom you consider to be well-wishers of India are
not such in my estimation.
Why, then, should I
listen to your discourse on such people ? What has
he whom you consider to be the father of the nation
done for it ? He says that the English Governors
will do justice, and that we should co-operate with
in

them.

Editor I must tell you with all gentleness

it must be a matter of shame for us
that you
:

that

should speak about that great man, in terms of disrespect.

Just look at his work.
He has dedicated
his

life to

the service of

India.

We

have learned

INDIAN

14

HOME RULE

what we know from hirn.

Dadabhai who taught us
sucked our
day,

his

life-blood.

trust

is

What

still

in

was the respected

Eoglish had

It

that the

does

it

the

matter that, to-

English nation?

Dadabhai less to be honoured because, in the

exuberance of youth, we ate prepared to go a step
further ? Are we, on that account, wiser than he ?
Is

mark

wisdom not to kick against the very

from which we have risen higher. The removal

It is a

step

of a step

from a staircase brings down the whole

When,

it.

we do

of

out of

infancy

we grow

not despise infancy, but, on the contrary,

recall with affection the days of our childhood.

after

many

teach

me

years

of

something,

study,

and

a
if

teacher
I

were

of

youth,

into

were
to

we
If,

to

build

more on the foundation laid by that

would not, on that account, be considered
He would always comwiser than the teacher.
mand my respect. Such is the case with the Gran<}
Old Man of India. We must admit that he is the
a

little

teacher, 'I

author of Nationalism.

Reader You have spoken well. I can now

we must look upon Mr. Dadabhai
him and men like him, we
Without
with respect.
:

understand that

would probably not have the spirit that fires usV.

How can the same be said of Professor Gokhale ?
has constituted himself a great friend of the English he says that we have to learn a great deal from

He

them,

that

we

have

to

learn

their

political

THE CONGRESS AND

ITS OFFICIALS 15

Home

wisdom, before we can talk of

am

Rule. I

tired of reading his speeches.

Editor

If

you are

We

impatience,

believe

tired,

it

only betrays your

that those

who

are

dis-

contented with the slowness of their parents,

are angry because the parents

and
would not run with

their children, are considered

disrespectful to their

parents.

Professor Gokhale occupies the

a parent.

What does it matter if he

A nation that is desirous

with us

place of

cannot run
securing

of

Home

Rule cannot afford to despise its ancestors.

We shall become useless if we lack respect for outsiders. Only men with mature thoughts are capable of
ruling themselves and not the hasty-tempered. Moreover, how many Indians were there like Professor
Gokhale, when he gave himself to Indian education?
I verily believe that whatever Professor Gokhale
does he does with pure motives and with a view to
His devotion to the Motherland is
serving India.
great,
that
he would give his life for it if necesso
sary. Whatever he says is said not to flatter anyone
but because he believes it to be true. We are bound,
therefore, to entertain the highest regard for

Reader Are
:

him.

we, then, to follow him in every

respect ?

Editor

conscientiously

never said any such thing.

differed

from

him,

the

If

we

learned

Professor himself would advise us to follow the dictates of our conscience rather

than him.

Our

chief

HOME RULE

INDIAN

16
purpose

down

not to cry

is

he

that

his work, but to believe

greater than we, and to feel

assured that compared with his work for India,
ours is infinitesimal.
Several newspapers write
is

infinitely

disrespectfully of him.

against such

our

duty to protest
should consider men

It is

We

writings.

Professor G-okhile to be the pillars of

Rule.
It is a bad habit to say that another
like

Home

man's
thoughts are bad and ours only are good, and that
those holding different views from ours are the
enemies of the country.

Reader:
what
matter

and

now

begin

your meaning.

Sir

to

shall

understand somehave to think the

over, but what you say about Mr. Hume

William Wedderburn is beyond comprehen-

sion.

Editor
English as
to

the

The same

statement

Many Englishmen

that

holds good

rule

for the Indians.

can never

Englishmen

all

Home

desire

Rule

the

for

subscribe
are bad.
for India.

That the English people are somewhat more selfish

than others is true, but that does not prove that
every Englishman is bad. We who seek justice will
have to do justice to others. Sir William does not
wish

we

ill

to India

that should be enough

proceed, you will see that,

will be sooner free.

You

shun every Englishman

will be delayed.
But

we

for us.

that,

an enemy,

Home

we

As

act justly, India

will see, too,

as
if

if

if

we

Rule

are just to them,

we

THE CONGRESS AND

ITS OFFICIALS

shall receive their support

in

17

our progress towards

the goal.

Reader

seems

All this

obtaining

Rule

for

useless.

it is

can have

at present to

and

support

be

the

Rule are two contradictory

can the English people tolerate
us? But I do not want you to

decide this question for

over

me

Home

of

How

things.

to

English

nonsensical.

simply

Home

Home

me

When

Rule,

just yet.

you have

To pass time
shown how we
understand

perhaps I shall

me

against

your views. You have prejudiced

would,
I
help.
you by discoursing on English
subject.
this
continue
to
therefore, beseech you not
you
Editor I have no desire to do so. That
:

a matter for rrruch

are prejudiced against me is not
unpleasant
It is well that I should say
anxiety.

things at the commencement,

it is

my

duty patiently

to try to remove your prejudice.

Reader I like that last statement.

It

em-

thing

still

boldens

me

to say

I do not

puzzles me.
laid the

what

foundation of

Editor Let us
:

understand

Home
see.

One

like.

how

the Congress

Rule.

The Congress brought

together Indians from different parts of India, and

enthused us with the idea of Nationality. The

Government used

The

to look

upon

it

with

disfavour.

Congress has always insisted that the

Nation

has
should control revenue and expenditure.
always desired self-government after the Canadian
It

INDIAN

18
model.
desire

HOME RULE

Whether we can
it

or not,

and

get

it

or not,

whetner there

is

whether we
not some-

thing more desirable, are different questions.

have to show is that the Congress gave us a
taste of
is

Home

Rule.

To

deprive

it

of the

All I
fore-

honour

not proper, and for us to do so would not only

be

ungrateful, but retard the fulfilment of our object.

To treat the Congress as an institution inimical to

our growth as a Nation would disable us from

using
that body.

CHAPTER

II

The Partition op Bengal

Reader Considering the matter as you
:

put

seems proper to say that the foundation of

Home Rule was laid by the Congress. But you
will admit that it cannot be considered a real
awakening. When and how did the awakening
it,

it

take place ?

Editor

The

seed

underneath the ground,

is
is

never seen.
itself

It

works

destroyed, and the

which rises above the ground is alone seen,

Such is the case with the Congress. Yet, what
you call the real awakening took place after the
Partition of Bengal.
For this we have to be
thankful to Lord Curzon.
At the time of the
Partition, the people of Bengal reasoned with
Lord Curzon, but, in the pride of power, he
tree

THE PABTITION OF BENGAL

disregarded

their prayers

all

he took

only

could

Indians

ed that

for

it

19
grant-

that

prattle,

they

He used incould never take any effective steps.

opposition,
all.
teeth
of
the
in
sulting language, and,
partitioned Bengal. That day may be considered to
British Empire.
power received through
the Partition has never been equalled by any other

be the day of the partition of the

The shock

that the British

This does not mean that the other injustices

done to India are less glaring than that done
by the Partition. The salt-tax is not a small in-

act.

We

justice.

shall see

many such

things liter on.

But the people were ready to

resist

the Partition.

At that time, the feeling

high.

Many

ran

Bengalis were ready to lose their

hence the conflagration

their

power

well

nigh unquenchable

quench

it

it

must

not likely to

it

not

is

It is

now

necessary to

Partition will go, Bengal will be

either.

re-united, but the

remain

leading

Thee knew

all.

rift

in

daily
asleep.

fall

the

English barque

will

widen, India awakened

Demand

is

for abrogation of

tantamount to demand for Home Rule.

Leaders in Bengal know this, British officials realise
it. That is why
Partition still remains.
As time
passes, the Nation is being forged. Nations are not
formed in a day the formation requires years.

Partition

is

Reader

What,

in your opinion,

are the re-

sults of Partition ?

Editor

Hitherto

we have

considered that for

INDIAN

20

HOME RULE

we must approach the Throne

we get no redress, we must sit still, except
we may still petition. After the Partition,

redress of grievances,

and,
that

if

people saw that petitions must be backed up by

force, and that they must be capable of suffering.

must be considered to be the chief

That
spirit was
seen in
in
the
writings
press.
That
which
outspoken
the
and in secret began
the people said tremblingly
to be said and to be written publicly. The Swadeshi
movement was inaugurated. People, young and
old, used to run away at the sight of an English
They did not
face it now no longer awed them.
This new

spirit

of

result

Partition.

fear even a row, or being

best sons of India are

imprisoned.

at

present

in

Some

of the

banishment.

from mere petitioning.

Thus are the people moved. The spirit generated in
Bengal has spread in the North to the Puujab, and
This

something

is

different

Cape Comorin.
Reader: Do you suggest any other striking

in the

South

to

result ?

Editor
rift

The

Partition has

in the English ship, but has

not

only made a

made

it

Great events always produce great

also.

ours

in

results.

two parties the

Moderates and the Extremists. These may be
considered as the slow party and the impatient

Our

leaders

party.

Some

are

divided

call the

into

Moderates the timid Party,

and the Extremists the bold party.

All interpret

DISCONTENT AND UNREST

21

the two words according to their pre-conceptions.

This much is certain that there has arisen an
enmity between the two. The one distrusts the
At the time of the
other, and imputes motives.

I think

Surat Congress, there was almost a fight.

that this division is not a good thing
country, bat

not

last long.

such divisions will

depends upon the leaders how

think also that

It all

long they will

for the

last.

CHAPTER

III

Discontent and Unrest

Reader

Then you consider Partition to be a

awakening ? Do you welcome the
unrest which has resulted from it ?
:

cause of the

Editor

When

twists his limbs

before he

is

and

man

a
is

from

rises

It takes

restless.

entirely awakened.

sleep, he
some time

Similarly, although

the Partition has caused an awakening, the comatose

has not yet disappeared.

We

are

still

twisting our

and just as the state between

sleep and awakening must be considered to be

limbs and

still

necessary, so

considered a
state.
is

restless,

may

the

necessary

The knowledge

present unrest in India be

and,

therefore,

that there

is

highly probable, enable us to outgrow

from

sleep,

we do

unrest
it.

proper
will,

it

Rising

not continue in a comatose state,

but* according to our ability,

sooner

or

later,

we

HOME RULE

INDIAN

22

are completely restored to our senses.

So shall we
be free from the present unrest which no one likes.

Reader
Editor
latter

What

now

only

is

the Congress-period

Hume

was

The

During
Mr.

as unrest.

labelled discontent

his present
to

This discontent

ry.

useful thing.,

ong

come

out

man

as a

so long

lot,

every reform

We

described
it

unrest ?

in reality, discontent.

is,

alwajfnfiaid that the spread of discontent

India was

him

the other form of

is

Unrest

is

of

it.

is

to

Therefore

must be

preceded

throw. away things

we have

in

very

contented with

difficult

it

is

by

p<^r^

uade

is

that

it

discontent.

when we

only

Such discontent has been

produced among us after reading the great works
of Indians
Englishmen. Discontent
and
has
led to unrest, and the latter has brought about
cease

many
ments.
It

to

them.

like

many imprisonments, many

deaths,

Such

must be

a state of things will

All these

so.

signs, but they

may

may

banish-

continue.

still

be considered

also lead to

bad

good

results.

CHAPTER
What
Reader

have

is

IV
Swaraj ?

now

learnt

what the Congress

tion has caused an awakening, and

how
how

and unrest have spread through the

land.

has done to make India one nation,

the Partidiscontent
I

would

WHAT
now

like to

IS

SWARAJ

know your views on

our interpretation

is

23

we do not
You and I

Editor It is quite possible that

same meaning to the term.
:

attach the

and

we

I fear that

Swaraj.

not the same.

Indians are impatient to obtain Swaraj, but

all

what

are certainly not decided as to

drive the English out of India

is

it

heard

ght

t+

To

is.

1 that many
from many mouths, but it does nr
I
be so.
have properly considered why it l
is
it
that
must'"ak you a question.
Do you think
necessary to drive away the English, if we get all
we want ?
Reader I should ask of them only one thing
:

that

is

" Please leave our country." If

after

they

have complied with this request, their withdrawal

from India means that they are still in India, I
Then we would undershould have no objection.
stand that, in our language, the

Well then,

English have

Reader
at this

retired.
:

stage.

their

is

let

What

us suppose

the

that

will you do then

That question cannot be answered

The state after withdrawal will
upon the manner of it. If, as you

depend largely
assume, they retire,
keep

gone "

"remained."

equivalent to

Editor

"

word

it

seems

constitution,

to

and

me we
shall

government. If they simply retire

we should have an army, etc. ready

shall

still

carry on the

for the
at

asking,

hand.

We

INDIAN

24

HOME RULE

should, therefore, have no difficulty in carrying

on

the government.

Editor: You may think

so: I do not.
Bat
not discuss the matter just now. I have to
answer your question, and that I can do well by
asking you several questions.
Why do you want
I will

away the English ?

Reader: Because India has become impoverished by their government.
They take away
our money from year to year. The most important
to drive

posts are reserved for themselves.

a state of slavery.
us,

They behave

and disregard our

We

are kept in

insolently towards

feelings.

Editor If tbey do not take our money away,

become gentle, and give us responsible posts, would
:

you

still

consider their presence to be harmful

Reader

That

question

is

similar to the question whether there

in associating with a tiger,

Such

a question

is

if

useless.
is

It

is

any harm

he changes his nature.

sheer waste of

time.

When

changes his nature, Englishmen will change

theirs.
This is not possible, and to believe it to be
tiger

possible

is

contrary to

human

experience.

Editor Supposing we get self-government

similar to what the Canadians and the South
Africans have, will it be good enough ?
:

Reader That question also is useless. We

get it when we have the same powers
we
shall then hoist our own
flag.
As is Japan, so
:

may

WHAT

25

SWARAJ

IS

must own our navy, our army,

and tben
and we must have our own splendour,

must India

We

be.

through the world.

well drawn the picture.
have
Editor You
rule
In effect it means this that we want English
tiger's
fche
want
without the Englishman. You
would
not the tiger; that is to say, you

will India's voice ring

:

nature, but

becomes English,
Englistan. This
it will be called not Hindustan but
is not the Swaraj that I want.
Reader I have placed before you my idea of

make India English, and when

it

Swaraj

as I think

should be.

it

If

the education

the works of
importance
any
Spencer, Mill and others be of
mother
the

and if the Eagiish Parliament be

we have

of

received

Parliaments,

copy the
exten*
to

use,

if

I certainly think that

people and

English

that,

obtain

be of

any

just

as

footing

they
in

do
their

this

not

we

to

such an

allow

country,

should

otheia
so

we

in ours.

it
should not allow them or others to obtain
has
country
own
their
in
What they have done

It is, therenot been done in any other country.

institutions
fore, proper for us to import their
But now I want to know your views.

need for patience. My

is
in the course of this
themselves
views will develop of
understand the
discourse. It is as difficult for me to
to be easy.
you
true nature of Swaraj as it seems to
content
therefore, for the time being,

Editor: There

shall,

26

INDIAN

HOME KULE

myself with endeavouring to show

that what you
call Swaraj is not truly
Swaraj.

CHAPTEK V
The Condition of England
Eeader Then from your statement,
:

the Government of England

not worth copying by us.

Editor

is

Your deduction
condition of England at present
to

God

that India

Both these

is

deduce

is
is

The

justified.

pitiable.

pray

may never

That which you consider

Parliaments

not desirable and

like a sterile

be in that plight.
to be the Mother of

woman and

are harsh terms, but exactly

a prostitute.
fit

toe case.

That Parliament has not yet of its own accord

done a single good thing, hence I have compared
it

to a sterile

Parliament
it

is

woman. The

natural condition of that

such that, without outside pressure,

can do nothing.

It is like a prostitute because it

under the control of ministers who change from
time to time. To-day it is under Mr. Asquith, tomorrow it may be under Mr. Balfour.
is

Eeader: You have

The term " sterile woman "

said

this sarcastically.

is not applicable.
The
Parliament, being elected by the people, must work
under public pressure. This is its quality.

Editor You are mistaken. Let us examine it

more closely. The best men are supposed
:

little

THE CONDITION OF ENGLAND

27

The members

serve

to be elected

by the people.

without pay and, therefore,

only for the public

sidered to be educated

it

The

weal.

must be assumed
electors

and, therefore,

are

con-

we should

assume that they would not generally make mistakes

need
in their choice. Such a Parliament should not
work
Its
the spur of petitions or any other pressure.
should be so smooth that its effect would be more
But, as a matter of

apparent day by day.

acknowledged
hyprocritical and selfish.
generally

little interest..

What
is

is

Each

are

thinks of his

own

It is fear that is the

done to-day

may

fact, it is

members

the

that

guiding motive.

be undone to-morrow.

It

not possible to recall a single instance in which the

can be predicted for its work. When the

greatest questions are debated its members have been

finality

seen to stretch themselves and to dose. Sometimes

the members talk away until the listeners are disCarlyle has called

gusted.

the world."

Members

it

the

" talking shop of

vote for their party without a

Their so-called discipline binds them to

any member, by way of exception, gives an

thought.
it.

If

independent vote, he is considered a renegade. If

Parliament
the money and the time wasted by the
naEnglish
were entrusted to a few good men, the
higher
would be occupying to-day a much
tion

platform.

The Parliament

is

simply a

costly

toy

no means,
These views
of the nation.
have
thinkers
Some great English
peculiar to me.
are,

by

28

INDIAN

HOME EULE

expressed them.
One of the members of the Parliament recently said that a true Christian
could not

become a member
baby. And,

if it

of

Another said that

it.

tence of seven hundred years,

its

babyhood

it

was a

has remained a baby after an exis-

when

will

outgrow

it

Header You have set me thinking

you do
me to accept at once all you say. You
give me entirely novel views.
I
shall have to
digest them,
Will you now explain the epithet
:

not expect

"prostitute"?

Editor
once

on

is

this

That you cannot accept my views at

only right.
If you will read the literature
subject, you will have some idea of it. The

Parliament

without a

is

Prime Minister,
is

buffeted

its

real

master.

movement

about like a

is

Under the

not steady,

prostitute.

bat

it

The Prime

Minister is more concerned about his power than

about the welfare of the Parliament. His energy
is concentrated upon securing the success of his

His care

party.

do right.

shall

made

is

not always that the Parliament

Prime Ministers

the Parliament

are

known

to

have

merely for party

worth thinking over.
Reader Then you are really attacking the
very men whom we have hitherto considered to be
patriotic and honest ?

advantage.

do things

All this is
:

Editor Yes, that is true I can have nothing

Prime Ministers, but what I have seen leads
:

against

THE CONDITION OF ENGLAND

92

think that they cannot be considered really

If they are to be considered honest bepatriotic.

me

to

cause they do not take what is generally known as

bribery, let them be so considered, but they ace

In order to gain their

with honours. I

to subtler influences.

open

ends, they certainly bribe people

do not hesitate to say that they have neither real

honesty nor a living conscience.
As you express these views about
Header
:

the Parliament, I would like

English people, so that I

to

hear

you on the

may have your views

of

Government.

their

Editor
paper

is

To

newspapers, which

same

the English voters their

Bible.

their

They take cue from

latter are often dishonest.

differently

fact is

interpreted

by

newstheir

The

different

newspapers, according to the party in whose inter-

One newspaper would conEnglishman to be a paragon of honesty,

What must
another would consider him dishonest.
newspapers
whose
people
be the condition of the

ests

they are edited.

sider a great

are of this type ?

Reader
Editor
quently.

It

seven years.
of a clock

shall describe

it.

These people change their views frethat they change them every
said
is
These views swing like the pendulum

and

would follow

them

You

are never

The people
man who gives

steadfast.

a powerful orator or a

parties, receptions, etc,

As are the people, sc

is

HOME BULK

INDIAN

30

They have certainly one quality

developed.
They will never allow

their Parliament.

very strongly

their country to be lost. If

an

evil

Bui

eye on

any person were to cast

would pluck out his eyes.

they

it,

that does not

mean

that

every other virtue or that

India copies England,

it is

it

the nation

possesses

should be imitated.

my

firm

If

conviction that

she will be ruined.

Eeader
England ?
Editor

To what do you

not due to any peculiar fault of

It is

ascribe this state of

the English people, but the condition

is

dern civilization.

only in name.

Under

it

It is a civilization

the nations of

Europe are

due to mo-

becoming de-

graded and ruined day by day.

CHAPTER

VI

Civilization

Header
Editor

Now

you mean by

you

will

have

to

explain

what

civilization.

not a question of what

It is

mean.

Several English writers refuse to call that, civilization which passes under that name.
Many books

have been written upon that

been formed
zation.

subject.

Societies have

cure the nation of the evils of civiligreat English writer has written a work
to

called ''Civilization

he has called

it

Its

a disease,

Cause and Cure." Therein

31

CIVILIZATION
Reader
Editor

Why

do

we

not

The answer

is

know this generally ?

very simple.

We rarely

find people arguing against themselves. Those who

are intoxicated by modern civilisation are not likely
to write against

it.

Their care will be to

find out

and

this they

and arguments

facts

in support

of

it,

do unconsciously, believing it to be true. A man,

whilst he is dreaming, believes in his dream he is
undeceived only when he is awakened from his
;

sleep.

tion

is

A man
like a

labouring under the bane of civilizadreaming man. What we usually read

work of defenders of modern civilization,

which undoubtedly claims among its votaries very
Tiieir
brilliant and even some very good men.
are
by
one,
hypnotise
us.
one
we
And
so,
writings
are the

drawn

into the vortex.

Readek: This seems to be very plausible.

Now will you tell me something of what you have
read and thought of this civilization.

Editor
things

is

Let us

consider what

first

described by the

word

state of
" civilization. " Its

true test lies in the fact that people living in

bodily welfare the object of

examples.

The people

of

life.

We

Europe to-day

better-built houses than they did a

it

will take

make
some

live in

hundred years

This is considered an embhm of civilizaand this is also a matter to promote bodily

Formerly,
happiness.
they
wore skins, and
their
weapons spears. Now, they wear
used as

ago.

tion,

INDIAN

32

long trousers,

and

HOME RULE

for

embellishing

their bodies

they wear a variety of clothing, and, insteai of

them revolvers containing

If people of a certain
more chambers

spears, they carry with

or

five

country,
of

who have
much

wearing

hitherto not
clothing,

been in the habit

boots,

etc.,

adopt

European clothing, they are supposed to have

become civilised out of savagery. Formerly, in
Europe, people ploughed their lands mainly by
manual labour. Now, one man can plough* a vast

by means of steam-engines, and

amass great wealth. This is called a sign

tract

zation. Formerly, the fewest

men wrote

Now, anybody

can"

thus

of civili-

books, that

and
were most valuable.
prints anything he likes and poisons people's minds.
Formerly, men travelled in waggons now they fly
through the air, in trains at the rate of four hundred and more miles per day. This is considered the
height of civilization. It has been stated that, as
writes

men
and

progress, they shall be able to travel in airships

reach any part of the world in a few hours. Men

need the use of their hands and feet. They

and they will have their clothwill press a button,
will press another button,
They
side.
ing by their
newspaper. A third, and
and they will have their
They will
in waiting for them.
a motor-car will be
up food. Everyhave a variety of delicately dished
Formerly, when
machinery.
by
done
thing will be
another, they
one
with
people wanted to fight
will not

CIVILIZATION

33

measured between them their bodily strength now

of lives by
it is possible to take away thousands
one man working behind a gun from a hill. This
Formerly, men worked in the open
is civilization.
;

much as they liked. Now, thousands

workmen meet together and for the sake of

air only so
of

maintenance work in factories or mines. Their

They are
condition is worse than that of beasts.
work, at the risk of their lives, at most
obliged^ to

millionaires.
dangerous occupations, for the sake of
pnysical
under
Formerly, men were made slaves
temptation
by
co mpulsion, now they are enslaved
can buy.
money
that
luxuries
and of the

of

money

never

There are now diseases of which people

is
doctors
dreamt before, and an army of
hosand so
engaged in finding out their cures,
of civilizatest
a
is
This
have increased.
pitals
required
were
messengers
Formerly, special
tion.

send
and much expense was incurred in order to
fellow by
letters;: to-day, anyone can abuse his
the same
at
True,
penny.
one
means of a letter for

one can seud one's thanks also. Formerly,

people had two or three meals consisting of homemade bread and vegetables; now, they require
cost,

something to eat every two hours, so that they

have hardly leisure for anything else. What more
need I say ? All this you can ascertain from several
These are all true tests of
authoritative books.
civilization. And, if auy one speaks to the contrary,
3

34

HOME EULE

INDIAN

know

that he

is

ignorant.

This civilization takes-

note neither of morality nor of religion. Its votaries

calmly state that their business is not to teach reli-

Some even

gion.

consider

it

to be a superstitious

growth.

Others put on the cloak of religion, and

prate about morality.
But, after twenty years'
experience,

Even

have

immorality

is

a child

there can

Civilization

comforts, and

to the

it

fails

conclusion that

name

of morality.

have
be no inducement to

can understand

described above
morality.

come

often taught in the

seeks

that in

to

all

increase

bodily

miserably even in doing

and

so.

has taken

This civilization
such a hold on the people in Europe that those who
They lack real
are in it appear to be half mad.
keep up their
They
courage.
physical strength or
is irreligion,

energy by intoxication.
in

solitude.

it

They can hardly

Women, who

be

happy

should be the queens

streets, or they slave

of households, wander in the
of a pittance, half
sake
the
away in factories. For
alone are labouring
a million women in England

under trying circumstances in factories or similar

This awful fact is one of the causes
institutions.

growing suffragette movement.

This civilization is such that one has only to
be patient and it will be self-destroyed. According
to the teaching cf Mahomed this would be considerof the daily

ed a Satanic civilization. Hinduism calls it the

Black Age. I cannot give you an adequats concep-

WHY WAS INDIA LOST

tion

of

It

it.

is

eating

the

vitals of

the

into

35

Parliament

must be shunned.
you will sufficiently
think over this, you will entertain the same
They
opinion, and cease to blame the English.
shrewd
a
are
They
rather deserve our sympathy.

English nation.
are really

nation and
off

the

and

It

emblems

evil.

their

immoral.

of slavery. If

therefore

they will cast

that

believe

They are enterprising and

mode of thought is not
Neither

are

they

bad

industrious

inherently

at

heart.

I,

not

an

Civilization
respect them.
incurable disease, but it should never be forgotten
that the English people are at present afflicted

therefore,

by

is

it.

CHAPTER VII
Why was India Lost ?
You have said much about civiliza^ on enough to make me ponder over it. I do not
now know what 1 should adopt and what I should
Reader

avoid from the nations of Europe, but one question

comes to my lips immediately. If civilization is
England why has
disease, and if it has attacked
a

to take India,

she been abie

and why

is

she able to

retain it?

Editor
to answer,

Your question is not very

and we shall presently be

examine the true nature

that I have

difficult

still

to

of

Swaraj

for I

able

am

answer that question.

to

aware
m\\,

36

HOME RULE

INDIAN

however, take up your previous question. TheEnglish have not taken India
we have given it to
them. They are not in India because of their
;

strength, hut because

see whether these

They came
trade.
it

at the

ed the Company's

Who

assist-

was tempted at
bought their goods ?

W ho
r

we

that

testifies

intention

Who

officers ?

the sight of their silver?

of

Who made

the slightest

time of establishing a kingdom.

History

sustained.

Company :Bahadur.

They had not

Let us now

can be

country originally for purposes

to our

Recall the

Bahadur

we keep them.

propositions

did

all

this.

In order to

become rich all at once, we welcomed the

Company's officers with open arms. We assisted
them.

If

am

the habit

in

and

a seller thereof

him

or myself ?

sells it

to

By blaming

able to avoid the habit

And,

of drinking

Bhang

am

blame

me,

I to

the seller shall I

if

is

driven away, will not another

true servant of India will have to go to the

of the matter.

If

be

a particular retailer

take his

place

root

an excess of food has caused me

it by blaming

indigestion, I will certainly not avoid

water.

He

is

true physician

cause of disease and,

if

the disease of India, you

who

you pose as
will have

probes

the

a physician for
to find out

its

true cause.

Reader
will not

have

You

to

are right.

conclusions home.

Now,

much with me
I am
impatient

argue

to
to

you
drive your
know your

think

WHY WAS

INDIA LOST

We

further views,
topic*

are

I shall,

am

as

enthusiasm,

most interesting

therefore, endeavour to follow your

thought, and stop you

Editor:

now on

37

when

afraid

am

in

that,

we proceed

in doubt.

further

spite of

your

we

have

shall

Nevertheless, I shall argue

differences of opinion.
have already
you will stop me.

only

We

when

seen that the English merchants were able to get a

we encouraged them.
When our princes fought among themselves, they
That
sought the assistance of Company Bahadur.
war.
corporation was versed alike in commerce and

footing in India

because

was unhampered by questions of morality. Its

and to make
object was to increase its commerce,
increased
money. It accepted our assistance, and

It

the number

of its

warehouses.

To

protect the latter

by us also.
employed an army which was
Is it not then useless to blame the English for what
we did at that time ? The Hindus and the Mahomedans were at daggers drawn. This, too, gave
utilised

it

the

Company

its

opportunity

and thus we created

the circumstances that gave the

trol

over India.

Hence

it is

Company

truer to say

its

that

gave India to the English than that India was

Keader

Will you

now

tell

me how

they

con-

we
lost,

are

able to retain India?

Editor The causes that gave them India

Some Englishmen state
enable them to retain it.
:

that they took, and they hold, India by the

sword.

38

HOME EULE

INDIAN

Both these statements are wrong,

entirely useless for holding
India.

them.

Napoleon

the English as
a fitting

said

is

a nation of

to

The sword

Ss>

We

alone keep

have

described

shop-keepers.

It

is

They hold whatever domi-

description.

nions they have for the sake

of

their

commerce.

Their army and their navy are intended

to
protectit.
When the Transvaal offered no such
attractions, the late Mr. Gladstone discovered
that
it was not right for the
English to hold it. When
it became a paying
proposition, resistance led to war.
Mr. Chamberlain soon discovered that
enjoyed

suzerainty over

the

England
\t is

Transvaal.

related

that some one asked the late President

Kruger whether there was gold in the moon. He
replied that it was highly unlikely, because, if
there

were, the English would have annexed it.

Many
problems can be solved by remembering that
money
is their God.
Then it follows that we keep the
English in India for our base self-interest.

We

like their

commerce, they please us by their subtle

methods, and get what they want from us.
To
blame them for this is to perpetuate their
power.

We

further strengthen

amongst
ments,

it is

their hold

by quarrelling
ycu accept the above stateproved that the English entered
India

ourselves

If

for the purposes of trade.

the same purpose, and

They remain
we help them to do
,

arms and ammunition are perfectly

in
so

it

for

Their

useless.

In,

39

CONDITION OF INDIA

remind you that it is the British

Japaflag which is waving in Japan, and not the
for
Japan
nese. The English have a treaty with
that,
the sake of their commerce, and you will see
this connection, I

if

manage

they can

it,

commerce will greatly

They wish to convert the

their

expand in that country.

whole world into a vast market

That they cannot do

not be

so

They

theirs.

is

will

their

for

goods.

blame will
unturned
stone
no
leave
true, but the

to reach the goal.

CHAPTER
The
Reader
hold India.

VIII

Condition of India

now understand why the English

to know your views about

should like

the condition of our country.

Editor
it,

my

my

have grave doubts whether

to explain

what

in

is

opinion that India

is

my

throat

It is

get

parched.

heart.

my

It is

being ground

deliberate

down not under

of

modern

groaning under the monster's

weight. There

is

I shall be able sufficiently

the English heel but under that

zation.

In thinking of

It is a sad condition.

eyes water and

yet time to escape

it,

civili-

terrible

but every day

more and more difficult. Religion is dear

and my first complaint is that India is becoming irreligious- Here I am not thinking of the

makes

it

to me,

Hindu and Mahomedan

or the Zoroastrian religion,

INDIAN

40

but of the religion

We
we

are turning

which underlies

all

religions.

away from God.

Header:

How

Editor

There

HOME EULE

so?
is

a charge laid against us that

are a lazy people,

and that the Europeans are

industrious and enterprising.
have accepted
the charge and we, therefore, wish to change
our
condition.
Hinduism, Islamism, Zoroastrianism,
Christianity and all other religions teach that
we

We

should remain passive about worldly pursuits

and
active about godly pursuits, that we
should set a
limit to our worldly ambition, and
that our religious

ambition should be

illimitable.

be directed into the

Header
charlatanism.

latter

You seem

Many

Our

activity should

channel.

to be

encouraging religious

a cheat has by

talking in a
similar strain led the people astray.
Editor You are bringing an unlawful charge
:

Humbug

against religion.

about
also

all

shadow.

humbugs
humbugs
that

Where

religions.
I

am

there

there

prepared

to

in worldly matters are far

to

is

there

is

maintain

that

worse than the

The humbug of
show to you is not

in religion.

endeavour

undoubtedly
is light,

civilization
to be

found

in religion.

How can you say that? In the narns

Hindus and Mahomedans fought ag'ainst
one another. For the same cause Christians fought
Christians. Thousands of innocent men have
been
Header

of religion

CONDITION OF INDIA

41

murdered, thousands have been burned and tortured

Surely, this is much worse than any
in its name.
civilization.

Editor
hardships

submit that the above

I certainly

are

civilization.

more bearable than those of

Everybody understands that the
far

you have named are not part of religion,

although they have been practised in its name
therefore there is no aftermath to these cruelties.
cruelties

happen so long as there are

But
to be found ignorant and credulous people.
there is no end to the victims destroyed in the fire
of civilization. Its deadly effect is that people came
under its scorching flames believing it to be all
utterly
good. They become
irreligious and, in

They

always

will

reality,

derive

Civilization

soothing
will

is

compared

that

effect

full

is

superstition

religious

to rhat of

world.

mouse gnawing, while

When its

us.

see

advantage from the

little

like a

modern

it

is

realised,,

we

is

harmless

civilization. I

am

not

pleading for a continuance of religious superstitions.

We

will certainly fight

them tooth and

nail,

but

we

can never do so by disregarding religion. We can

only do so by appreciating and conserving the
latter.

Reader
Britannica

is

Editob
none.

Then you

a useless
:

will

contend that the Pax

encumbrance

You may

see peace

if

you

like

see

HOME EULE

INDIAN

42

Eeader

You make

the

light of

Thugs, the Pindaris, the Bhils were

Editor

you

If

will

thought, you will see that

means such

the terror

mighty thing.

If it

only

some
was by no

had been a very

would have died

away before the English advent.

is

that

give the matter

substantial thing, the other people

present peace

terror

to the country.

nominal,

for

Moreover, the
by it we. have

become emasculated and cowardly. We are not to

assume that the English have changed the nature
of the Pindaris and the Bhils,
It is, therefore,
better to suffer the Pindari peril than that some one
else should protect us from it, and thus render us
effeminate. I should

arrow

of a Bhil

prefer

than to

seek

be

to

unmanly

India without such protection was an

valour.

he

by the

killed

protection.

India

full of

Macaulay betrayed gross ignorance when

libelled

Indians

They never merited

as

being

practically cowards.

the charge.

Cowards

living in

a country inhabited by hardy mountaineers, infested

by wolves and tigers must surely find an early

Have'you ever visited our fields ? I assure
grave.
you that our agriculturists sleep fearlessly on their
farms even to-day, and the English, you and I
would hesitate to sleep where they sleep. Strength
lies in

absence of

fear,

not in the quantity^of

flesli

and muscle we may h~ave"^n~our"~ bod1esrTSroreover

I must rem inTyb1T~wo~~Hesire Home Bule that,
after all, the Bhiis, the Pindaris, the Assamese and
:

CONDITION OF INDIA RAILWAYS

43

To conquer
the Thugs are our own countrymen.
them is your and my work. So long as we fear
our

own

brethren,

we

are unfit to reach the goal.

CHAPTER IX
The Condition

op India {Continued)

Railways

Reader You have

:

of the consola-

but

on the religious aspect,

views as

me

have regarding peace in India.

have merely given you my opinion

tion I used to

Editor

deprived

to the

when

you

I give

poverty of India you

my

perhaps

will

what you and I have

hitherto considered beneficial for India no longer

begin to dislike me, because

appears to

me

to be so.

Reader What may

:

Editor

that

be

Railways, lawyers and doctors

impoverished the country, so

we
now

not wake up in time,

Reader

I do

not likely to agree at

all.

very institutions which

much

shall

so that,

if

have

we dc

be ruined.

indeed

You

we have

we

are

attacking

the

fear that

are

hitherto considered

to be good.

Editor

It is

necessary to

exercise

patience.

The

true inwardness of the evils of civilization you

will

understand with

difficulty.

that a consumptive clings to

about

to die.

D octors

life

assure us

even when he

is

Consumption does not produce ap-

INDIAN

44

POME KULE

>

parent hurt

it

even

about a patient's
all is well.

have

produces a

face, so as to

Civilization

to be very

is

seductive

colour

induce the belief that

such

disease,

and we

wary.

Readek Very
:

well, then, I shall hear

you on

the railways.

Editor

It

must be manifest

to

you that, but

have such a

for the railways, the English could not

hold on India as they have.

The

railways, too, have

spread the bubonic plague. Without them, masses

could not move from place to place.
They are the
carriers of plague germs. Formerly we had natural
segregation. Railways have also increased the frequency of famines, because, owing to facility of

means of locomotion, people sell out their grain,

and it is sent to the dearest markets, People become
careless,

and so the pressure

They accentuate the

fulfil

their evil

of

famine

increases.

nature of man. Bad

designs with greater rapidity.

men

evil

Toe

holy places of India have become unholy. Formerly

people went to these places with very great
difficulty.
Generally, therefore, only the real devotees
visited

such places.
order

Now-a-days, rogues

visit

them

in

to practise their roguery.

Reader You have given an one-sided account.

Good men can visit these places as well as bad
:

men.

Why

do they not take the

of the railways?

fullest

advantage

CONDITION OF INDIA RAILWAYS

Editor

Good

therefore, have

travels at a snail's pace

little

Those who want

to

to

with

do

do good

are

the

not

it

45
can,

railways.

selfish,

they

are not in a hurry, they know that to impregnate

people with good requires a long time. But evil

To

has wings.

build

house

time.

takes

Its

So the railways can bedestruction takes none.

come a distributing agency for the evil one only.
whether railways
It may be a debatable matter
spread famines, but

propagate

Reader

Be

new

beyond dispute

that as

tages of railways are

the fact that

the

it is

it is

it

may,

all

the

disadvan-

more than counter-balanced by

India
to them that we see in

due

spirit of nationalism.

Editor:

hold this to be a

we become one

it

will

nation.

The

mistake.

we were

English have taught us that

nation before, and that
before

they

that

evil.

require

This

one

not

centuries

without

is

We were one nation before they came

foundation.
One thought inspired us. Our mode of
to India.
we were one
It was because,
life was the same.
nation that they were able to establish one kingdom.
Subsequently they divided us.
Reader This requires an explanation.
Editor I do not wish to suggest that because
:

we were one

nation

we had no

submitted that our leading

differences,

men

travelled

but

it is

through-

out India, either on foot or in bullock-carts.

They

46

INDIAN

HOME EULE

learned one

another's

languages, and

no aloofness between them.

there

What

was

do you
could have been the intention of those far-seeing
think

ours who established ShethubinduKaroeshwar in the South, Juggernaut in the

South-East and Hardwar in the North as places
of
pilgrimage ?
You will admit they were
no fools. They knew that worship of God could
have been performed just as well at home. They
taught us that those whose hearts were aglow with
righteousness had the Ganges in their own homes.

ancestors of

But they saw that India was one undivided land

made by nature. They, therefore, argued that
must

so
it

Arguing thus, they established

various parts of India, and fired the

be one nation.

holy places in

people with an idea

unknown

of nationality

in other parts of

the

in

world.

Indians are one as no two Englishmen

manner

Any two
are.

Only

you and I and others who consider ourselves civilised

and superior person imagine that we are many
It was after the advent of railways that
nations.
we began to believe in distinctions, and you are at
liberty now to say that it is through the railways
that

An

we

are beginning to abolish those distinctions.

opium-eater

may

argue the advantage of opiumto understand

eatmg from the fact that he began

the

evil of the

would ask you

the railways.

opium

habit after having eaten

to consider well

what

it.

have said on

HINDUS AND THE MAHOMEDANS

47

Reader I will gladly do so, but one question

occurs to me even now. You have described to me
the India of the pre-Mahomedan period, but now
we have Mahomedans, Parsees and Christians.
:

How

can they be one nation? Hindus and Maho-

Our very proverbs prove

the West for worship
The former look
whilst Hindus turn to the East.
The Hindus
idolators.
Hindus
as
the
on
down
kill
her.
The
the
Mahomedans
worship the cow,
Hindus believe in the doctrine o'i non-killing, the
medans

it.

are old enemies.

Mahomedans

Mahomedans do

turn

to

We

not.

ences at every step.

How

thus meet with

can

differ-

be one nation

India,

CHAPTER X
The Condition of India (Continued)
The Hindus and the Mahomedans
Editor
and

yet,

Your

question

last

to be easy of solution.

a serious one

is

on careful consideration,

it

The question

arises

of the presence of the railways, of the lawyers

of the doctors.

We

shall presently

found
because

will be

examine the

and
last

We

have already considered the railways. I

should, however, iike to add that man is so made by

two.

nature as to require
as far as his

him

hands and

to

restrict his

feet will take

movements

him.

If

we

did

not rush about from place to place by means of

railways and such other maddening .conveniences,

much

of the confusion that arises

would be obviated.

HOME KULE

INDIAN

48

Our

difficulties are of

man's

to

limit

our

own

ambition

Man

body.

construction of his

God

creation.

locomotive

set a

the

in

immediately pro-

ceeded to discover means of overriding the limit.

G-od gifted man with intellect that he might know

Man

his Maker.

get his Maker.

only serve

my

abused
I

am

it,

so that he

might

so constructed that

for-

can

immediate neighbours, but in my

have discovered that I must

conceit, I pretend to

with

my

body
In

Universe.

man comes

in

every

serve

thus

individual

attempting

contact

and

with

different

religions

According

to this reasoning,

the

different

utterly

is
it

in

the

impossible,
natures,

confounded.

must be apparent

you that railways are a most dangerous

Man has there through gone further away from

to

institution.
his

Maker.

Reader: But

am

impatient to hear your

Has the introduction

to my question.
Mahomedanism not unmade the nation ?

answer

Editor

of

India cannot cease to be one nation

because people belonging to different religions live

The introduction of foreigners does not
in it.
necessarily destroy the nation, they

merge

in

it.

one nation only when such a condition

That country must have a faculty for
it
in
obtains
India has ever been such a country.
assimilation.
country

In

is

reality, thare are as

individuals, but those

many
who

religions as there are

are conscious of

the

HINDUS AND THE MAHOMEDANS

spirit

another's religion.

interfere

not

do

nationality

of

with

they do, they are not

If

the

Hindus

49
one
fit

to

believe that

be considered a nation.
India should be peopled only by Hindus, they are
living in dreamland. The Hindus, the Mahomedans,
If

the Parsees and the

Christians

who have made

India their country are fellow-countrymen, and they

will have to live in unity if only for their own interest.

and one

In no part of the ^orld are one nationality

religion synonymous terms nor has it ever
;

been so in India.

Reader

But what about the inborn enmity

between Hindus and Mahomedans ?
Editor That phrase has been invented by our
mutual enemy. When the Hindus and Mahomedans
:

fought against one another, they certainly spoke in

They have long since ceased to fight.
that strain.

How,

then, can there be any inborn enmity ?

remember

this too, that

we

only after British occupation.

Pray

did not cease to fight

The Hindus flourished

under Moslem sovereigns and Moslems under the

Hindu. Each party recognised that mutual fighting was suicidal, and that neither party would

abandon

its

religion

by force

of arms.

therefore, decided to live in peace.

Both

With

parties,

the English

advent the quarrels re-commenced.

The proverbs you have quoted were coined

when

both were fightmg

obviously harmful,
4

to

quote them

now

is

Should we not remember that

HOME EULE

INDIAN

50

many Hindus and Mahomedans own

the same
same blood runs through their
veins ? Do people become enemies because they
change their religion ? Is the God of the Mahoniedan
different from the G-od of the Hindu ? Religions are
ancestors, and the

different roads

does

we

as

converging

matter that

to

the-same point.

What

we

take different roads, so long

the
same goal ? Wherein is the cause
reach

it

for quarrelling ?

Moreover, there are deadly proverbs as between

Shiva and those of Vishnu, yet

the followers of

nobody suggests that these two do not belong to the

same nation. It is said that the Vedic religion is
different from Jainism, but the followers of the
respective faiths are not different nations.
is

that

we have become

The

fact

enslaved, and, therefore,

quarrel and like to have our quarrels decided by a

There are Hindu iconoclasts as there

The more we advance in true

third party.

are

Mahomedan.

knowledge, the better

need not be

may

at

we

shall

understand that we

war with those whose

religion

we

not follow.

Reader Now
:

about

cow

would

like to

know your views

protection.

Editor I myself respect the cow, that is I

upon her with affectionate reverence. The cow
because, it being an
is the protector of India,
agricultural country, is dependant on the cow's
:

look

HINDUS AND THE MAHOMEDANS

51

She is a most useful animal in hundreds

Our Mahomedan brethren will admit this.
But, just as I respect the cow so do I respect

progeny.
of ways.

my

A man

fellow-men.

Am

then, to fight with.,

T,

order to save a

cow

Therefore, the

the cow

me

join

in

him

protecting her.

that the matter

know

protecting

my Mahomedan

take

not,

listen

for the simple reason

my

the cow,

full of pity for

lrfejio^sj^jier^but

Mahomedan.

of

he would not

If

cow go

beyond

is

would become

so, I

as of the

for the sake of the country to

to me, I should let the

oyer

doing

of the

that I should approach

brother and urge

a cow,

Mahomedan or a Hindu.
or kill a Mahomedan in

cow
only method

an enemy as well
is

In

just as useful as

is

no matter whether he be a

ability.

If I

were

should sacrifice

my

my

This, I

brother's.

hold, js_the_awpf our religion.

When men become

thing.

If I pull

another.

pull

one way,

If I

do

}M>t

considered

be

of

cows

need

such

It is a

If I

bow

to

a difficult

brother will
air,

him

he

will

gently, he

and if he does not, I shall

have done wrong in having

Hindus became

increased.

protection societies
societies.

my Moslem

so,

to

Whm the

bowed.
killing

much more

it

it is

put on a superior

return the compliment.

will

obstinate,

may

protect cows, I suppose

my

insistent, the

opinion,

cow

be considered cow-killing

disgrace to

societies.

In
us

When we

that we should
forgot how to

we needed such

souiaties.

INDIAN

52

What am

I to

HOME RULE

when a blood-brother is on
cow ? Am I to kill biro, or to
and implore him? If you admit*

do

the point of killing a

fall

down

at his feet

must do the

that I should adopt the latter course, I

same

my Moslem

to

Who

protects

Hindus when they

brother.

cow from

the

destruction by

Whoever

cruelly ill-treat her ?

Hindus when they mercilessly

belabour the progeny of the cow with their sticks ?
But this has not prevented us from remaining one
with the

^laiasons

nation.'

Lastly,

if it

do

what,

not,

former

be true that the Hindus believe in

non-killing

the doctrine of

not

It is

pray,

Mabomedans

and the
is

the

duty

of

tbe

written that a follower of the

of Ahimsa (non-killing) may kill a fellowman. For him the way is straight. In order to save
one being, he may not kill another. He can only

religion

plead

therein

lies his sole

duty.

But does every Hindu believe in Ahimsa?

Going to the root of the matter, not one man really.
practises such a religion, because

We

destroy life-

we want
any kind of

are said to follow that religion because

to obtain
life.

we do

freedom from

Generally speaking,

terous

to

we may observe

that

many

meat and 'are not, therefore,

Ahimsa. It is, therefore, preposof
two cannot live
suggest that the

Hindus partake
followers

liability to kill

of

HINDUS AND THE MAHOMEDANS

together amicably

because the Hindus

Ahimsa and the'Mahomedans do

53

believe in

not.

These thoughts are put into our minds by

and false religious teachers. The English put

selfish

the finishing
history

They have

touch.

they pretend

a habit of writing

study the

manners and
customs of all peoples. God has given us a limited
mental tapacity, but they usurp the function of the
God-head and indulge in novel experiments. They
;

to

write about their own researches in most laudatory

terms and hypnotise us into believing them.
We
in our ignorance, then fall at their feet.

Those who do no; wish to misunderstand

things may read up the Koran, and will find therein hundreds of passages acceptable to the Hindus
and the Bhagavad-Gifca contains passages to which
not a Mahoraedan can take exception. Am I to
;

dislik- a

Mahomedan because

the Koran

two

to

with a

powerless

if

quarrel with

It

takes

on me, and, similarly,

I should be

Mahomedan refuses his assistance to

me.
An arm striking the air will

disjointed. If every

stand the core of his

and

make a quarrel. If I do not want to quarrel

Mahomedan, the latter will be powerless to

foist a quarrel

become

there are passages in

do not understand or like

will not allow

own

one

false teachers

there will be no room

will try to

religion

left for

under-

and adhere
to dictate to

quarrelling.

to

it,

him,

HOME RULE

INDIAN

54

Reader
two bodies

party

out

arises

peace

separate

them

consider

blame

our

metans would have

to

than the English,

we allowed them

if

two
for a

were to

they

If

your

them
we would
we Hindus and MahoSimilarly,

to be foolish.

If

possible

is it

counsels,

listen to evil

asunder.

of

shallowness.

live in

to

,to

our

betrays

It

English aver allow the

question

This

brothers want
third

will the

hands

to join

Editor
timidity.

But

if

folly
to

rather

put us

claypot would break through impact

The way
away from the
no stone would

not with one stone, then with another.

to save

the pot

is

not to

danger point, but to bake

break it, We have then

baked

perfectly

against

pret-nd

it

it

so that

make our
Then we shall

clay.

hearts of

to

be steeled

This can be easily done by the

are superior in numbers, they

danger.

all

Hindus.

keep

They
that

they are more

therefore, better

able to

educated, they are,

shield themselves

from

attack on their amicable relations with the Maho-

medans.
There

is

mutual

distrust

between the

two

The

Mahomedans, therefore, ask

from Lord Morley. Why
concessions
certain
for
should the Hindus oppose this ? If the Hindus
communities.

desisted,

the

English

Mahomedans would

would

notice

gradually begin

it,

the

to trust the

Hindus, and brotherliness would be the outcome-

CONDITION OF INDIA LAWYERS

We

55

should be ashamed to take our quarrels to the

Everyone can

English.

find out for himself that

the Hindus can lose nothing by desisting.

That

man who

has inspired confidence in another has

never

anything in

lost

do not

Mahomedans

this world.

suggest that

will

never

the

Two

fight.

We

Hindus and the

brothers living

sometimes have
Such a thing ought not to be
our heads broken.
necessary, but all men are not equiminded.
When
often do

together

so.

shall

people are in a rage, they do

These we have

many

put up with.

foolish things.

But,

when we

do

want to enagage counsel

resort to English or any law-courts. Two men
both have their heads broken, or one only.

quarrel,

and to
fight

we

to

certainly do not

How

shall a third party

them

Those who

fight

distribute justice

may

CHAPTER

amongst

expect to be injured.

XI

The Condition op India {Continued)

Lawyers
Reader You tell me that, when two men
:

should

quarrel, they
is

not go to a law-court.

astonishing.

Editor
not,

it is

Whether you

the truth.

call

And your

it

astonishing., or

question introduces

us to the lawyers and the doctors.

is

This

My

firm opinion

that the lawyers have enslaved India and they

INDIAN

HOME RULE

have accentuated the Hindu-Mahomedan dissensions, and have confirmed English authority.

Reader

It is

enough

easy

hring these

to

he difficult for you to prove

them. But for the Lawyers, who would have shown
us the road to independence? Who would have orotected the poor ? Who would have secured justice ?
charges, hut

For

it

will

Manomohan

instance, the late Mr.

fended

many

poor

man

Grhose de-

The

charge.

free* of

Congress, which you have praised so much,

is

depen-

upon the work of

the lawyers.
To denounce such an estimahle class
of men is to spell justice injustice, and you are abusdent for

its

existence and activity

ing the liberty of the press by decrying lawyers.

Editor: At one time I used to think exacffly

like you.
I have no desire to convince you that
they have never done a single good thing. I honour
Mr. Ghose's memory. It is quite true that he
helped the poor.
That the Congress.^ owes the
Lawyers are also
lawyers something is believable.
men, and there is something good in every man.
Whenever instances of lawyers having done go.^d
can be brought forward, it will be found that the
good is due to them as men rather than as lawyers.
All I

am

concerned

profession

teaches

with

is

to

immorality;

show you
it

is

that the

exposed

to

temptations from which few are saved.

The Hindus and

relled.

An

ordinary

the

man

Mahomedans have quarwill ask

them

to

forget

CONDITION OF INDIA LAWYERS

all

about

more

he

it,

and arguments

in

The

to lawyers.

They go

side with their

is to

them that both must be

and will advise them no Lor.

will tell

or less at fault

to quarrei

57

and

clients,

find out

to

of the clients

favour

duty

latter's

to

which

they do not
they (the clients) are often strangers. If
their
degraded
nave
do so, they will be considered to

advance

instead

quarrels,

Moreover, men take up

to

help

others

out

enrich themselves.

becoming

wealthy

is

and

when

ledge that they are grid

avenues

the

of

exists

my

within

is

bat

miseries,

interest

their
it

disputes,

multiplying

profession, not in order

thou
one

of

mm

have

ko

lvjl

ma
Lawyers

pooi

ple,i

ace

ttder

take up

Any

other argument

is

honourable profession.
praises.

men who have

to

indulge in luxui

Thisisal
mete pretension.
>vered that

frame their own

in

.:

Petty pleaders actually manufacture fchem,

touts, like so

them.

repressing

of

ttaJ;

It

will, as a

therefore,

profession. Trie lawyers,

They frame laws

They de

they will charge, "and they put

i a

heaven- borp.
poor people almost consider them to be
ciji
than
fees
more
want
lo

labourers?
:n

Why
:-e

requirements great
they more profitable to the co"
are their

HOME RULE

INDIAN

58

than the laboure-s?

Are those who do good enti*

?
And, if they have done
anything for the country for the sake of money,
how shall it be counted as good ?

tied to greater

payment

Those who know anything

Mahomedan
often due
families

know

quarrels

to the

intervention

have been

of

Hindu-

the

that they have been

Some

lawyers,"

of

through

ruined

them

they
have
made
brothers enemies.
Principalities,
having come under lawyer's power, have become
loaded with debt.
Many have been robbed of their
all.

Such instances can be

But the
is

Do you

think that

that they have tightened the English grip.

it

English to carry on
law-courts? It

is

would be possible for the

their government without

wrong

established for the

the

multiplied.

greatest injury they have done to the

country

who want

to consider that courts are

benefit of

to perpetuate their

courts.

If

the

people.

power do

people were to

settle

so

Those
through

their

own

cise

would not be able to exerany authority over them. Truly, men were

less

unmanly when they

quarrels, a third party

settled their disputes either

by fighting or by asking their relatives to decide

upon them. They became more unmanly and
cowardly when they resorted to the courts of law.
It was certainly a sign of savagery when they
settled their disputes
less

so

if

by fighting.

ask a third party to

any the
decide between
Is

it

CONDITION OF INDIA LAWYERS

59

of -a third party
vou aud uie ? Surely, the decision
The parties alone know who is
is not always right.
and ignorance, imagine
right. We, in our simplicity
money, gives us
stranger, by taking our

that a

justice.

The
is

that,

chief thing,

without

however, to be remembered
courts could

lawyers,

and

not

have

without

the

been established or conducted,

Supposing that
rule.
latter the English could not
Judges, English Pleaders
there were only English
could

only rule over the

and English Police, they

do without Indian
English The English could not
How the pleaders were
Judges and Indian pleaders.
how they were
made in the first instance and
Then you
well.
favoured you should understand
profession
the
for
abhorrence
will have the same
their
abandon
pleaders were to
If
that I have.
as degrading as
it just
profession, and consider
would break up in a day.
prostitution, English rule
in having the charge
They huve been instrumental
and courts, as
us that we love quarrels
laid against

fish love water.

to the pleaders

they are

first

the other.

What

have

necessarily

said with reference

applies to

the judges

cousins, and the one gives strength

to

60

HOME RULE

INDIAN

CHAPTER
The Condition

XII

op India {Continued)

Doctors

Reader

I now
understand the lawyers
may have done is accidental. I feel
;

the good they

that

r,he

profession is certainly hateful.

You,
ever, drag in these doctors also, how
is that ?

how-

Editor The views I submit to you are those

have adopted. They are not original. Western
writers have used stronger terms regarding
both
lawyers and doctors. One writer has likened the
whole modern system to the Upas tree. Its bran:

ches

are

represented

by

including those of law and

parasitical

professions,

medicine, and over

the

trunk has been raise \ the axe of true religion.

Immorality is the root of the tree. So you will see
that the views do not come right oat of my mind,
bat they represent the combined experiences of

many. I was afc one time a great lover of the

medical profession.
It- was my intention to become
a doctor* for the sake of the country.
I no longer
hold' that
opinion,
I now understand why the
medicine men (the vaids) among us have not occupied

a.

very honourable status.

The Eoglish have

medical

profession

physicians are

with several

known

certainly effectively used the

for
to

holding

us.

have used the

Asiatic potentates

English
profession

for political

gain.

CONDITION OF INDIA DOCTORS

have almost unhiEged

Doctors
times

think that quacks

qualified doctors.
of a doctor

is

Let us consider

to take care of the body,

body

us.

Some-

than

highly

the

business

or,

properly

Their business

speaking, not even that.

to rid the

better

are

may

of diseases that

61

really

is

How

afflict it.

do these diseases arise ? Surely by our negligence

I overeat, I have indigestion, I go
or indulgence.
to

a,

doctor, he gives

overeat again, and

me

medicine.

take

his

pills

am

cured,

Had

again.

would
me,
by
deserved
and
punishment
the
suffered
have
The
again.
doctor
overeaten
I would not have
My
intervened and helped me to indulge myself.
pills in

not taken the

the

first

instance,

body thereby certainly felt more at ease, but my

weakened. A continuance of a

mind became

course of a medicine must, therefore, result in

of control over the mind.

loss

have indulged in vice, I contract a disease,

a doctor cures me, the odds are that I shall repeat
I

Had- the doctor not intervened, nature

would have done its work, and I would have
the vice.

acquired mastery over myself, would have been freed

from vice, and would have become happy.
Hospitals are insiitutions for

propagating

sin.

Men take less care of their bodies, and immorality

European doctors are the worst of all.
increases.
For the sake
they

kill

of a

mistaken care

annually

thousands

of the
of

human

animals.

body,

They

HOME RULE

INDIAN

82
practise

These doctors

our

violate

sanctions

take

this.

many

so

Hindus and

pretend to be civilised,

religious

preparations

fat or spirituous liquors

tabooed by

to

our bodies.

of their medical

animal

religign

not necessary

it is

lives for the sake of

Most

No

vivisection.

All say that

instinct.

contain

both

of

Mahomedans.

call religious

either

these are

We may

prohibitions

and wantonly indulge in what we like.

The fact remains that the doctors induce us to
indulge, and the result is that we have become
deprived of self-control and have become effeminate.
In these circumstance?, we are unfit to serve the

.superstition

country.

To study European medicine

is

to

deepen

four slavery.
It

is

worth considering

profession of medicine.

It

is

why we

take up

the

certainly not taken up

of serving humanity.
We become
we may obtain honours and riches.
I have endeavoured to show that there is no real
service of humanity in the profession, and that it is
injurious to mankind. Doctors make a show of their

for the

purpose

doctors so that

knowledge,

and

preparati

which are

pennies,

>ns,

cost

credulity and

charge exorbitant
intrinsically

shillings.

in the

The

populace

nope of ridding

disease, allow.-' itself to be cheated.

then,

whom we

Their

fees.

worth
itself

a
in

of

few
its

some

Are not quacks

know, better thau the doctors who

v
put on an air o humaneness

WHAT

IS

TRUE CIVILIZATION

CHAPTER
What
Reader

is

You

lawyers and doctors.

all

machinery.

Editor

is

XIII

Civilization

have denounced
can see that you

railways,
will discard

What, then, is civilization?

The answer to that question

I believe that the

difficult.

evolved

True

63

is

not

civilization India

has

not to be beaten in the world.

Nothing

can equal the seeds sown by our ancestors.

went, Greece shared the same

fate,

Rome

the mighc of the

Pharaohs was broken, Japan has become westernisChina nothing can be said, but India is still,
somehow or other, sound at the foundation. The
people of Europe learn their lessons from the
writings of the men of Greece or Rome, which exist
no longer in their former glory. In trying to learn
from them, the Europeans imagine that they will
avoid the mistakes of Greece and Rome.
Such is
ed, of

In the midst of

their pitiable condition.

India remains immovable, and that

is,

a charge against

uncivilised, ignorant

India

and

is

that

not possible

it is

to induce them to adopt any changes. It

found true on the anvil

change.

Many

What we

a charge
have tested and

of experience,

is

we dare not

thrust their advice upon India, and

she remains steady.

sheet-anchor of

this

that her people are so

stolid,

really against our merit.

all

her glory. It

This

our hope.

is

her beauty

it is

the

HOME RULE

INDIAN

64

Civilization

points out

to.

man

of

morality are convertible

To observe morality is to
over our mind and our passions.
know ourselves. The G-ajarati
terms.

means

civilization

If

this

which
Performance

conduct

of

the path of duty.

and observance

of duty

mode

that

is

attain mastery

So doing, we
equivalent

for

" good conduct."

definition

be

correct,

then India,

as

learn
so many writers have shown, has nothing to
from anvbody else, and this is as it should be.

We

notice that

gets the

more

mind
it

is

a restless bird

wants, and

still

the

more

it

remains unsatis-

The more we indulge our passions, the more

Our ancestors, therefore,
unbridled they become.
They saw that
indulgences.
our
to
set a limit
fied.

happiness was largely a mental condition. A man

he is rich, or unis not necessarily h^ppy because

happy because he is poor. The rich are often seem

Millions will
to be unhappy, the poor to be happy.
this,
all
our
Observing
always remain poor.
ancestors dissuaded U3 from luxuries and pleasures.
We have managed witn the same kind of plough as
ago.
We have retainit existed thousands of years
ed the same kind of cottages that we had in formerand our indigenous education remains the
same as before. We have had no system of lifetimes

corroding

competition.

Each

followed

his

own

occupation or trade, and charged a regulation wage.

WHAT
It

TRUE CIVILIZATION

IS

was not that we

did not

know how

moral

invent

to

machinery, but our forefathers knew that,

our hearts after such things, we would
slaves and lose our

65

if

we

set

become

They, therefore,

fibre.

due deliberation, decided that we should only

do what- we could with our hands and feet. They

after

saw that our

and health consisted

our hands and feet. They further

real happiness

in a proper use of

cities were a snare aod a useless

encumbrance, and that people would not be happy
in them, that there would be gangs of thieves and
robbers, prostitution and vice flourishing in them,
and that poor men would be robbed by rich
men. They were, therefore, satisfied with small
villages.
They saw. that kings and their swords
were inferior to the sword of ethics, and they,

reasoned that large

therefore, held the sovereigns of

inferior to the Rishis

and the Fakirs.

a constitution like this

to learn

from

the earth to

is fitter

to teach

others. This nation

had

be

nation with
others than

courts, lawyers

and doctors, but they were all within bounds.

Everybody knew that these professions were not
moreover, these vakils and
particularly superior
vaids did not rob people they were considered
;

people's

dependents,

not

their

masters.

Justice

was tolerably fair. The ordinary rule was to avoid

courts. There were no touts to lure people into
them. This evil, too, was noticeable only in and
around

capitals.
5

The common

people lived independ-

INDIAN

66
ently,

and followed

They enjoyed

their agricultural

Home

true

And where

HOME RULE
occupation.

Rule.

this cursed

modern

not reached, India remains as

civilization has

The

was before.

it

inhabitants of that part of India will very properly

The English
laugh at your newfangled notions.
do not rule over them nor will you ever rule over

name we speak we do not

know, nor do they know us. I would certainly
advise you and those like you who love the mother-

them.

Those whose

land to go into the interior that has yet not been

polluted by the railways, and to live there for

months; you might then be

patriotic

and speak

six
of

Home Rule.
Now you

see what I consider to be real civiliwho want to change conditions such

Those
zation.
as I have described are enemies of the country and

are sinners.

Reader

It

would be

all

exactly as you have described

where there are hundreds

right
it

but

if

India were

it is

also India

of child-widows,

where

two-year-old babies are married, where twelve-yearold girls are

practise

mothers and housewives, where women

where the practice of Niyog

polyandry,

obtains, where, in the

name

of religion, girls dedicate

name
Do you

themselves to prostitution, and where, in the

of religion,

sheep

and goats are

killed.

consider these also symbols of the civilization that

you have described

HOW

CAN INDIA BECOME FEEE

67

Editor You make a mistake. The defects that

Nobody mistakes
you have shown are defects.
They remain in
them for ancient civilization.
Attempts have always been made, and
spite of it.
We may utilise
will be made, to remove them.
:

the

new

that

spirit

is

born

in us

purging

for

But what 1 have describmodern civilization are

of
emblems
ed to you as
The Indian civiliaccepted as such by its votariesourselves of these evils.

by me, has been so described

In no part of the world, and

zation, as descfibed

by

its

under

votaries.

no

civilization,

have

all

men

attained
t

The tendency of Indian civilization is

perfection.
western
the moral being, that of the
to elevate

propagate immorality. The latter

belief in God.
godless, the former is based on a
behoves every
it
understanding and so believing,

civilization
is

So

is

to

civilization
lover of India to cling to the old Indian
breast.
mother's
its
to
clings
even as a child

CHAPTER XIV
Can India Become Free?

How
Reader
zation.

I will

I appreciate your views

about

nave to think over them.

take in all at once.

cvili-

cannot

What, then, holding the views

you do, would you suggest for freeing India ?

Editor: I do not expect my views
accepted

all of

a sudden.

My

duty

is

to place

to

be

them

68

INDIAN

HOME KULE

before readers like yourself.

Time can be trustedto do the rest.
have already examined the
conditions for freeing India, but we have done so

We

we

indirectly;

now do

will

so

directly.

It is

world-known maxim that the removal of the cause

of a disease results in the removal of
the disease
itself

Similarly,

if

the cause of India's slavery be

removed, India can become free.

Reader If Indian civilization
:

the best of

how do you

all,

is,

as you say,

account for

India's

slavery ?

Editor

the best; but

This civilization
it is

is

unquestionably

to be observed that all civilizations

have been on their trial. That civilization which ispermanent outlives it. Because the sons of India
were found wanting, its civilization has been
placed in jeopardy

But

whole

of

India

who have been

is

strength

its

in its ability to survive the

shock.

not touched.

by

affected

have become enslaved.

verse by our own miserable

tion

are slaves,
enslaved,

we

is

we think that
Because we are

in

be

seen

the

Those alone

western

We

civiliza-

measure the uni-

foot-rule,

the

to

Moreover,

When we

whole universe is
an abject condition,

think that the whole of India

is

in

that

condi-

As a matter of fact, it is not so, but it is a&

well to impute our slavery to the whole of India.
But if we bear in mind the above fact we can see
that, if we become tree, India is free*.
And in thie
tion.

HOW
thought;

CAN INDIA BECOME FREE

you

have a

definition

6J

Swaraj.

of

It is

when

we learn to rale ourselves. It is

palm of our hands. Do not consider this Swaraj to be like a dream.
Hence there
is no idea of sitting still.
The Swaraj that I wish
to picture before you and me is such that, after we
have once reatised it, we will endeavour to the end
Swaraj

therefore in ihe

of our lifetime to

Bat

such

persuade others to

Swaraj

has

do

likewise.

experienced

by

man

will

One drowning

each one for himself.

never save another.

be

to

Slaves ourselves,

it

would be

mere pretension to think of freeing others. Now

you will have seen that it is not necessary for us
to have as our goal the expulsion of the English.
If the English become Indianised, we can accommodate them. If they wish to remain in India

along with their civilization, there

them.

is

no room

for

with us to bring about such a state

It lies

of things,

Reader

It

impossible

is

that

Englishmen

should ever become Indianised.

Editor: To say that

is

equivalent to saying

that the English have no humanity in them.

it

is

And

whether they become so

we keep our own house in order, only

really beside the point

or not.

those

If

who

are

will leave of

fit

to live in

their

own

within the experience

Reader

But

it

it

will

accord.

remain.

Others

Such things occur

of all of us.

has not occurred in history

HOME RULE

INDIAN

70

Editor
in history

To

believe that,

not

will

occur

belief in the dignity of

wfot has not occurred

at

ail,

is

man. At any

to argae dis-

rate,

it

us to try what appeals to our reason. All

are not

India

is

The

conditioned.

similarly

unique. Its strength

when

that,
th~!

have

other

drawn

Reader:
little

doubt that

we cannot

rest.

One

this.

English by

are in the

country,

our poets says that

cannot even dream of happiness.

day, becoming weakened

fact

There seems

to expel the

as they

of

the

to

have succumbed,

a shock.

cannot follow

we shall have
So long

force of arms.

many

of

We

history of other

attention

civilizations

Indians has survived

condition

immeasurable.

is

need not, therefore, refer to the

countries.

behoves

countries

owing

to

We

are,

slaves

day by

the presence of

Our greatness is gone; our people

men. The English are in the
a blight which we must remove by

the English.

look like terrified

country like
every means.

Editor
In your excitement, you have forall we have been considering.
We brought
the English, and we keep them. Why do you forget
that our adoption of their civilization makes their
presence in India at all possible? Your hatred
against them ought to be transferred to their civilizaBut let us assume that we have to drive away
tion.
;

gotten

the English by fighting

how

is

that to be done ?

ITALY AND INDIA

Reader

What
do,

for

did

it.

Mazzini and Garibaldi

to

as

Italy

You cannot deny

possible for us.

is

way

In the same

was possible

it

71

that

they

were very great men.

CHAPTER XV
Italy and India

Editor

Mazzini

Italy.

was

you have instanced

great and good man;

that

well

It is

Garibaldi was a great warrior.

from their

lives

dition of Italy

the

we can

was

instance

first

Both are adorable;

But the con-

learn much.

from that of India. In

between Mazzini
worth noting. Mazzini's ambition
different

the difference

and Garibaldi is
was not, and has not yet been realised, regarding
Mazzini has shown in his writings on the
Italy.
duty of man that every man must learn how to rule
himself.
This has not happened in Italy. Garibaldi
did

hold

not

this

vi^w

Mazzini's. Garibaldi

of

gave, and every Italian took arms. Italy and Austria

had

same

they were cousins

was a matter of tit for tat.
Garibaldi simply wanted Italy to be free from the
the

in this

civilization

respect.

Austrian

It

The

yoke.

machinations

of

Minister

Cavour disgrace that portion of the history

And what h^s been the result ? If you
that,

nation

because
is

Italians

happy,

you

rule

are

Italy,

gtoping

the
in

of Italy.

believe
Italian

darkness,

INDIAN

72

Mazzini has

HOME KULE

shown conclusively

that

did

Italy

become free. Victor

Emanuel gave one
meaning to the expression; Mazzini gave another.
According to Emanuel, Cavour, and even Garibaldi,
Italy meant the King of Italy and his henchmen.
According to Mazzini. it meant the whole of the
not

Italian people, that

was only

its

remains

still

in

Emanuel

agriculturists.

its

is,

The

servant.

Italy

a. state of slavery.

Mazzini
At the time

of

war, it was a game of

with the people of
kings,
rival
two
between
chess
in that land
working
classes
Italy as pawns. The
national

of the so-called

are

still

unhappy.

They

therefore

indulge

in

assassination, rise in revoU, and rebellion on their

part

is

Italy

always expected.

What

substantial gain did

obtain after the withdrawal of the

troops? The

gain was only nominal.

The

Austrian

reforms, for

the sake of which the war was supposed to have been

undertaken, have not yet been granted. The cond ition of the people, in general,
I

am

sure

still

remains the same.

do not wish to reproduce

you

Relieve

millions of India to

be happy, not

that you

the reins of Government in your hands.

to consider only one thing
so, we have
the millions obtain self-rule?
people under several Indian

ground down.
Their tyranny

The
is

latter

You

such a

want

that you

condition in India.

the

want

If that
:

will

admit that

princes are

mercilessly crush

greater than that of the

be

how can
being

them.

English,

73

ITALY AND INDIA

and,

you want such tyranny

if

we

patriotism does not teach

My

shail never agree.

India, that

in

me that I am to allow people to be crushed under

English
the beel of Indian princes, if only the
the
resist
have the power, I should
retire.

If

tyranny

of

Indian princes just as

By

the English.

if

as that of

the welfare of
could secure it at the

patriotism I

the whole people, and,

much

mean

head
hands of the English, I should bow down my
k>
life
his
If any Englishman dedicated
to them.
tyranny
securing the freedom of India, resisting
that Engand serving the land, I should welcome
as an Indian.
when she
Again, India can fight like Italy only
problem at
has arms. You have not considered this
not
English are splendidy armed; that does

lishman

all.

The

frighten me,

them

against

armed.
will
is

to

it

but

it

is

that,

clear

to

fit

ourselves

in arms, thousands of Indians

must be

such a thing be possible, how many years

take. Moreover, to arm India on a large scale
If

Europeanise

it.

Then her

that of

just as pitiable as

condition will

Europe.

be

This means, in

must accept European civil izition,

what we want, the best thing is that

short, that India

and

if

that

is

we have among

us those

that civilization.
will get

it is

will

what we can and

fact is ttfat the

and

We

who

are so well trained in

then fight for a few rights,

so pass our days.

Indian nation

well that

it

does not.

will

But the

not adopt arms,

74

HOME RULE

INDIAN

Reader
You are overassuming facts.
All
need not be armed. At first, we
will assassinate a
few Englishmen and strike terror; then
a few men
who will have been armed will fight openly.
We
may have to lose a quarter of a million
:

men, more

or

less,

we

but

will regain

We

our land.

will

under-

take guerilla warfare, and

defeat the English.

Editor

That

is

to say,

holy land of India unholy.

think of freeing India by

need to do

is

to kill

you want

make the
not tremble to
assassination? What we
to

Do you

ourselves.

thought, that of killing others

pose to free by assassination ?

It

is

Whom
The

a cowardly

do you sup-

millions of India

oo not desire it. Those who

are intoxicated bv the
wretched modern civilization think of
these things.

Those who

will rise to

tainly

make

not

the

power by murder

nation

will cer-

happy.

Tnose who
believe that India has gained by
Dhingra's act and

such other acts in India

make

serious

mistake-

Dhingra was a patriot, but his love was

blind.
He
gave his body in a wrong way
its ultimate result
;

can only be mischievous.

Reader But you will admit that the

English
have been frightened by these
murders, and that
:

Lord Morley's reforms are due to fear.

Editor The English are both a
timid and
brave nation.
She is, I believe, easilv influenced
:

the use of gunpowder.

It is possible that
Morley has granted the reforms
through fear

bv

Lord
but

75

BRUTE-FORCE
what

only so

granted under fear can be regained

is

long as the fear

lasts.

CHAPTER XVI
Brute-Forge

Reader

This

is

through fear

gained

new

is

doctrine

that

what

is

retained only while the fear

what is given will not be withdrawn ?

Editor Not so. The Proclamation of 1857
was given at ihe end of a revolt, and for the purWhen peace was secured
pose of preserving peace.
and pepole became simple-minded, its full effect was
toned down. If I ceased stealing for fear of punishment, I would re-commence the operation so soon
This is almost a
as the fear is withdrawn from me.
universal experience. We have assumed that we
Surely,

lasts.

can get

we

men

do

to

things by force

and, therefore,

use force.

Reader: Will you

admit

not

you are

that

You know that what the

their
own country they have
in
English obtained
I know you have
obtained by using brute-force,

arguing against yourself?

argued that what they have obtained

that

does not affect

useless

things,

tbat their desire

what means
obtain

our

my

argument.

is

useless,

and they got them. My

was fulfilled. What does

they
goal

adopted

which

is

Why
good,

but

They wanted
point
it

is

matter

should we not

by

any meaus-

?6

HOME EULE

INDIAN

whatsoever even by using violence? Shall I

think
means when I have to deal with a thief in
the house ? My duty is to drive
bim out anyhow.
of the

You seem

to

and that we

Why,

then,

admit that

may

we have

received nothing,
nothing by petitioning.
we not do so by using brute-force?

shall

receive

And, to retain what we may receive,

we
up the fear by using the same force

shall

keep

to the extent

it
may be necessary. You will not find fault
with a continuance of force to
prevent a child from
thrusting its foot into fire? Somehow

that

or other,

have

we

to gain our end.

Editor: Year reasoning is plausible. It has

deluded many. I have used similar arguments
before
now. But I think I know better now,
and I shall
endeavou/ to undeceive you. Let us first take.
the
argument that we are justified in gaining our end
by using brute-force, because the English gained
theirs

true

by

using similar

that they

possible

for

us

used
to

means.

It

do

likewise

perfectly

is

and that

brute-force,
:

but

by

it

is

using

similar

means, we can get only the same thing

got.
You will admit that we do not
want that. Your belief that there is no connection
between the means and the end is a great mistake.
Through that mistake even men who have been
that they

considered

religious

have

crimes.

Your reasoning

we

get a

can

is

the

rose through

committed grievous
same as saying that
planting a

noxious

BRUTE-FORCE
weed.

want

If I

to cross

the

only by means of a vessel

if

77

ocean,

were

can

do

so-

to use a cart

and I would soon

"As is the God, so is the votary,"
worth considering
Its meaning has
is a maxim
have
gone astray. The
been distorted, and men
means may be likened to a seed, the end to a tree;,
and there is just the same inviolable connection
between the means and the end as there is between
the seed and toe tree. I am not likely to obtain
the result flowing from
the worship of God by

for that purpose, both the cart

find the bottom.

laying myself prostrate before Satan.

anyone were

to say

does not matter that I

it

would be

exactly as

down as ignorant
we sow. The English
set

greater voting power by violence.

brute-force,

appreciate

better

If,

therefore,

want to worship God: it

do so by means of Satan,"

"I

folly.

in

We

reap

1833 obtained

Did they, by using

their

duty

They

wanted the right of voting, which they obtained by

using physical-force.
of

performance

We,

obtained.

of

But

duty

real rights are a result

these rights they have not

England
and insisting on
duty. And, where

therefore, have before us in

the force of everybody

wanting

nobody thinking of his

everybody wants rights, who shall give them and to
whom ? I do not wish to imply that they never
perform their duty, but I do wish to imply that they
do not perform the duty to which those rights

his rights,

should

correspond

and, as they do not

perform

HOME RULE*

INDIAN

78

that particular duty, namely,

rights have proved

words, what they have

In other
an exaet result

is

They used the means

If I want to deprive you

corresponding to the end.

of

fitness, their

them.

to

obtained

means they adopted.

of the

acquire

burden

your watch, I shall certainly have to fight for it

want to buy your watch, I shall have to pay you

if I

for
it

it

and,

if

want

and, according

watch

is

to

the

stolen property,

donation.

three

a gift, I shall have to plead for

Thus we see three

means.

different

means

employ,

my own

property,
results

different

Will you

still

the
or

from

say that

means do not matter ?

Now we shall take the example given by you
of the thief to

be driven out.

do

agree with

not

any
you that the thief may
means. If it is my father who has come to steal
is
If
it
an
I shall use one kind of means.
out by

be driven

acquaintance, I shall use another

of a perfect stranger,

a white man, you will

means

different

Indian

thief

it

is

and, in the case

shall use a third. If

perhaps

from those you

If

you

say,

will

adopt with

a weakling, the

it

is

will use

means

an
will

be different from those to be adopted for dealing

with an equal in physical strength and, if the
;

armed from tip to "toe, I shall simply

Thus we have a variety of means
quiet..
remain
between the father and the armed man. Again, I

thief

is

fancy that

should pretend to be sleeping whether

BPOJTE-FORCE
the thief was

The

my

79

man.

father or that strong-armed

reason for this

that

is

my

father would also

be armed, and I should succumb to the strength

possessed by either, and allow my things to be
The strength of my father' would make
stolen.

me weep

with pity

the strength of the armed

would rouse in
Such
enemies.

me

these examples,

we may

is

curious

the

man

we should become

anger, and

From

situation.

not be able to agree as to

I myself
means to be adopted in each case.
in all
done
seem clearly to see what should be
these cases, but the remedy may frighten you.
For
I, therefore, hesitate to place it before you.

the

time being,

the
if

you

adopt
also

is

it

is

fit

away the

thief.

in

each

means

You

each case. Hence

not to drive

that you

clear

means

different

have seen that any

drive
to

cannot,

leave you to guess

I will

will

willl

to

have

You

case.

have

and,

not

to

will

avail to

adopt means

follows

that your duty

thief by

any means you

it

away the

will

it,

like.

Let us proceed a

armed man has

little

That

well-

property, you

have

further.

stolen your

harboured the thought, you are filled with anger

you argue that you want to punish that rogue,
not for your own sake, but for the good of your
;

you have collected a number of armed

you want to take his house by assault,
he
duly informed of it, he runs away

neighbours

men,
he is

INDIAN

80
too,

and sends you

robbers,

he

will

He

incensed.

is

HOME RULE

commit robbery

in

They complain

that you are doing

that your

ail

before you, you reply

for their sake

robber

the

you do not

Your

stolen.

never

pestered

and that he commenced his depreda-

before,

tions only after

you declared

hostilities against

him.

and Charybdis. You are

the poor men.
What they say is

are between Sylla

full of pity for

What

true.
if

you are prepared

own goods have been

neighbours reply that

You

You

broad day-light.

him. Meanwhile, the robber pesters your

neighbours.

them

brother-

message that

defiant

are strorjg, you do not fear him,

to receive

mind

his

collects

are

you

to

do

You

will be disgraced

you now leave the robber alone. You, therefore,

the poor men: ''Never mind. Come, my wealth
yours, I will give you arms, I will teach yon how

tell
is

them you should belabour the rogue don't

you leave him alone." And so the battle grows;

to use

the robbers

increase in

number your neighbours

;

have deliberately put themselvs to inconvenience.

Thus the result of wanting to take revenge upon
the robber is that you have disturbed your own
peace you are in perpetual fear of being robbed and
;

assaulted
If

you

your courage has given place to cowardice.

examine the argument, you will

will patiently

see that I have

one

You

of

not overdrawn

the means.

set this

Now

let

armed robber

the picture. This

is

us examine *he other.

down

as an

ignorant

BEUTE-FORCE

81

you intend to reason with him at a suitable

opportunity you argue that he is, after all, a fellowman you do not know what prompted him to steal.
You, therefore, decide that, when you can, you will
Whilst you
destroy the man's motive for stealing.
the
man
comes
yourself,
with
are thus reasoning
again to steal. Instead of being angry with him,

brother

you take pity on him. You think that this stealing

habit must be a disease with him.
Henceforth
your
doors
and
therefore,
keep
windows
you,
open
you change your sleeping-place, and you keep
your things in a manner most accessible to him.
The robber comes again, and is confused, as all
;

this

new

is

to

your things.

him
But

about

inquires

you

learn # about your

he

pents,

begs

he takes away

nevertheless,

his

mind

the village,

in

he comes

broad and loving heart,

your

pardon,

He

agitated.

is

returns

he

you

to
re-

your

and leaves off the stealing habit.

He
your servant, and you find for him
honourable employment. This is the second method.
Thus, you see different means have brought about

things,

becomes

totalely

from

different results.

this

manner
and

in

all,

that

all

will act

will

have

in

the majority

of

cases,

the force of love and pity

6

in

the

above

the

fair

al least

robbers

wish to deduce

same pity
like you
but I wisii only to show that
means can produce fair results, and that,

or

love

only

that

I do not

is

if

not, indeed,

^infinitely

greater

INDIAN

82
than the

force

HOME KULE
There

arms.

of

harm

is

in

the

exercise of brute-force, never in that of pity.

Now we

will take the question of petitioning.

beyond dispute that a

out the backing of force, is useless.
It is a fact

Justice

late

Ranade used

petition,

say

to

with-

However, the
that

petitions

served a useful purpose because fchey were a means

of educating people.
They give the latter an idea
their

of

warn the

and

condition,

From

rulers.

this point of view, they are not altogether useless.

of an equal is a sign of courtesy

a
from a slave is a symbol of his slavery,
petition backed by force is a petition from an

petition

petition

equal

and,

when he

form

of

petition,

Two

transmits his
testifies

it

demand

to

his

kinds of force can back petitions.

hurt you

if

force

is

it

we have

you do
the

not give this"

force of arms,

already examined.

force can thus be stated

is

in the

nobility.

"We

will

one kind of

whose

evil

results

The second kind

"If you do not

of

concede

we will be no longer your petitioners

You can govern us only so long as we remain
we shall no longer have any dealings
the governed
with you." The force implied in this may be
our demand,

described as love-force, soul-force, or,

but
is

less accurately,

indestructible.

He who

stands his position.

which

literally

more popularly

passive resistance.

We

means

This force

uses it perfectly under-

have an ancient proverb

"One negative cures

BRUTE-FORCE

83

The force of arms is powerless

when matched against the force of love or the soul.
Now we shall take your last illustration, that

thirty-six diseases."

of the child thrusting

avail you.

What

Supposing that
that

it

you cannot prevent it.

two remedies open to you

only

must

kill

in order

it

ing in the

you

is

it-

or you must give your own

you do not wish to see it perish

You

before your very eyes.

heart

prevent

to

There are
you
from perish-

either

flames,

because

life,

not

can exert so much physical force

powerless and rushes into

then

fire,

It will

fire.

you

renders

it

foot into

its

do you really do to the child?

not quite

will not

full

of

will not kill

pity,

it is

it.

If

your

possible that

surrender yourself by preceding the

child and going into the fire

You, there-

yourself.

go into the flames. Thus,

you are not using physical force. I hope

fore, helplessly allow

it

to

any rate,
you will not consider that it is still physical-force,
though of a low order, when you would forcibly
prevent the child from rushing towards the fire if
you could. That force is of a different order, and
we have to understand what it is.
at

Remember

that, in

thus

you are minding entirely

exercising

authority

its

for

example does not apply

preventing the child,

own

its

to the

sole

interest,

you are

benefit.

English.

Your

In using

brute-force against the English, you consult entirely

your own, that

is

the national interest

There

is

no

HOME RULE

INDIAN

84

question here either of pity or of love. If you say

that the actions of the English, being evil, represent

and that they proceed to their actions

they
therefore,
that,
through ignorance, and
want
you
that
child,
and
a
of
position
occupy the
to
protect such a child, then you will have
to
whomsoever
overtake every such ievil action by
committed, and, as in the case of the child, you
fire,

have to sacrifice yourself. If you are capable

such immeasurable pity, I wish you well in its

will
of

exercise.

CHAPTER XVII
Passive Resistance

any historical evidence as to

the success of what you have called soul-force or
truth-force? No instance seems to have happened
soul-force.
I
of any nation having risen through

Reader

still

evil

Is there

think that the evil-doers

will'not cease doing

without physical punishment.

Editor:

The

religion, pity or love

poet
is

Tulsidas

the

root,

has

said:

"Of

as egotism of the

wo should not abandon pity so long

This appears to me to be a
as we are alive."
in it as much as I believe
believe
I
truth,
scientific
The force of love is the
four.
being
in two and two

body. Therefore,

same

as the force of

evidence of

its

the soul or truth.

working

at every, step.

We

have

The universe

PASSIVE RESISTANCE

85

would disappear without the existence of that

force.
But you ask for historical evidence. It is,
therefore^ necessary to know what history means.
The Gujarati equivalent means "It so happened "
If that is the meaning of history, it is possible to
give copious evidence. But if it means the doings
of kings and emperors, there can be no evidence of
:

soul-force or passive resistance in such history.

You

cannot expect silver-ore in a tin-mine. History,

we know
and

it,

is

so there

a record of the

is

a proverb

among Englishmen

a nation which has no history, that

How

happy nation.

how

that

no wars,

is,

bow

kings played

enemies of one another and

as

wars of the world,

is

they become

they murdered one

found accurately recorded in history

and, if this were all that had happened in the
If the
world, it would have been ended long ago.
story of the universe had commenced with wars,
another

is

man would have been found

Those people who have been warred

not

alive to-day.

disappeared,

as,

whom

Australia, of

the intruders..

hardly a

Mark,

not use soul-force in

require

much

instance,

for

against h$ve

the

man was

natives
left alive

natives did

please, that these

self-defence,

foresight to

know

and

of

by

it

does not

that the Australians

same fate as their victims " Those

that wield the sword shall perish by the sword.'*
will share the

With

us, the

will find a

proverb

is

that professional

watery grave.

swimmers

HOME BULE

INDIAN

86

The

many men

fact that there are so

still alive-

world shows that it is based not on the force

arms but on the force of truth or love. Therefore
the greatest and most unimpeachable evidence of
in the
of

be found in the fact

the success of this force

is

to

wars

of

the world,

that, in spite of the

it

lives

still

n.

Thousands, indeed, tens

for
of

this

on

existence

their

force.

thousands, depend

of

very

quarrels

Little

active

working

millions

of

of

before the
families in their daily lives disappear
live in
nations
of
Hundreds
exercise of this force.

cannot

peace. History does not and

this fact.

History

or of the soul.

really a record of every inter-

is

ruption of the even

note of

take

working

Two

of the force of

brothers quarrel

one

of

love

them

repents and re-awakens: the love that was lying

dormant in him the two again begin to live in
peace: nobody takes note of this. But if the two
;

brothers, through the

intervention of

solicitors or

law
some other reason, take up arms or
which is another form of the exhibition of bruteforce their doings would be immediately noticed
their neighin the press, they would be the talk of
to history.
down
bours, and would probably go
is,
communities
And what is true cf families and
There is no reason, to believe
true of nations.
go to

that there
for

is

nations.

one law
History,

for

families,

then,

is

and

another

record

of an-

PASSIVE RESISTANCE
interruption of

the course of nature.

being natural,

not noted in history.

Readek

is

87
Soul-force,

what you

According to

say,

is

it

plain that instances of the kind of passive resistance

are not to

be found in history.

It

necessary

is

to understand this passive resistance more fully.

It will be better, therefore, if you enlarge upon it.
Editor Passive resistance is a method of
it is the
securing rights by personal suffering
:

reverse of

do a thing that
use

When I refuse to
my conscience, I

by arms.
repugnant to

resistance
is

For

soul-force.

instance,

the government of

the day has passed a law which

me

do not like

force the

it,

government

may

employing what

do not obey the

its breach, I use

if,

by

is

applicable to

using

to repeal

violence,

the law.

law and

am

be termed body-force.
It involves

If

accept the penalty

soul-force.

for

sacrifice

of self.

Everybody

admits

that

sacrifice

infinitely superior to sacrifice of others.

if

this kind of force

is

only the person using

of self

is

Moreover,

used in a cause that is unjust

He does not make
it suffers.

have .before now

done many things which were subsequently found
No man can claim to be
to have been wrong.
others suffer for his mistakes.

Men

absolutely in the right, or that a particular thing

wrong, because he
#

him

so

thinks

long as that

is

so,

his

but

it is

deliberate

is

wrong for
judgment


HOME EULE

INDIAN

88

meet thathe should not do that

is, therefore,
which he knows to be wrong, and suffer the
consequence whatever it may be. This is the
key to the use of soul % force.
Header You would then disregard laws
rack disloyalty. We have always been
this
is
considered a law-abiding nation. You seem to be
It

They say that

going even beyond the extremists.
the laws that have been passed, bus

we must obey
that,

laws

the

if

be bad, we must drive out the

law-givers even by force.

them or
Editor: Whether I go beyond
whether J[ do not, is a matter of no consequence to
We simply want to find out what is
either of us.
The real meaning
right, and to act accordingly.
of the statement that
is

that

we

we

law-abiding nation

are a

When we

are passive resisters.

like certain laws,

we do

not break

do

the heads

not
of

law-givers, but we suffer and do not submit to the

That we should obey laws whether good or
laws.
bad is a new-fangled notion. There was no such

thing in
those

former
they

laws

penalties for

manhood,

if

days.

did

The
not

their breach.

people

like,

It

is

disregarded

and suffered

the

contrary to

our

we obey laws repugnant

to

our

Such teaching is opposed to religion

and means slavery. If the government were to
ask us to go about without any clothing, should we
do so ? If I were a passive resister, I would say to

conscience.

PASSIVE KESISTANCE

89

would have nothing to do with their

law. But we have so forgotten ourselves and become
so compliant, that we do not mind any degrading

them

that I

law.

has realised his manhood,

A man who

who

fears

only God, will fear no one else, Man-made laws

Even the govare not necessarily binding on him.
ernment do not expect any such thing from us.
They do not say " You must do such and such a
:

thing," but they sav

" If

you do not do

we will
we fancy

it,

punish you." We
to do what the
that it is our duty and our religion
are sunk so low, that

that it
law lays down. If man will only- realise
unmanly to obey laws that are unjust, no man's
This is the key to selftyranny will enslave him.
is

rule or home-rule.

and an ungodly thing

binds a minoto believe that an act of a majority
in which
given
be
can
Many examples
ritybeen
have
to
found
acts of majorities will be
been
have
to
wrong, and those of minorities
It

is

right. All

superstition

reforms owe their origin to the initiation

If among
majorities.
of minorities in opposition to
is oblirobbing
of
knowledge
of robbers, a

band

gatory,

is

a pious

man

to accept the obligation

So

?
^

should obey unjust

long as the superstition that men

And
exist.
laws exists, so long will their slavery
remove such a supera passive resister alone can
stition.

INDIAN

90

To

HOME RULE

use brute-force, to use gun-powder

to passive resistance; for

contrary

is

means that we want our

that which we desire but

it

opponent to do by force
he dees not. And, if such a use

of force is justifi-

And

he is entitled to do likewise by us.

should never come to an agreement.

able, surely

we
may simply
so

We

moving in
a circle round a mill, that we are making progress.
Those who believe that they are not bound to obey
laws which are repugnant to their conscience have
only the remedy of passive resistance open to them.
Any other must lead to disaster.
Reader From what you say, I deduce that
passive resistance is a splendid weapon of the weak
but that, when they are strong, they may take up
fancy, like the blindborse

arms.

Editor

This

resistance, that

is,

is

force

men

are

weapon

strangers

the

of
to

requisite in a passive resister.

is

matchless.

How,

superior to the force of arms.

considered only a

Passive

ignorance

gross

soul-force,

then, can

weak

Do you

force.
I

"Why do

to

that

is

believe that a
dislikes ?

be advocates of brute-

they, then, talk about obeying

do not blame them.

be

Physical-

the courage

coward can ever disobey a law that he

Extremists are considered

It is
it

They can

laws?

say nothing else.

When

they succeed in driving out the English, and

they themselves become governors, they will want

you and

me

to

obey

their laws.

And

that

is

PASSIVE EESISTANCE

91

But a passive
thing for their constitution.
that is against
law
a
obey
not
will
he
resister will say
fitting

even though he may be blown to

pieces at the mouth of a cannon.
What do you think? Wherein is courage
required in blowing others to pieces from behind
conscience,

his

cannon or with a smiling face to approach a

cannon and to 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?

me

Believe

that a

man

devoid of courage

and manhood can never be a passive resister.

that even
I will admit:
This, however,

man, weak

in body, is

capable

One man can offer it

ance.
Both men and women can

of offering this resist-

just as well as millions-

indulge in

does

It

it.

it needs no
not require the training of an army
necessary,
Jiu-jitsu. Control over the mind is alone
;

and,
of

when

the

that

is

attained,

and

forest,

his

man

very

is

free like the king

glance

withers the

enemy.
Passive resistance

be used

him

anyhow

against

it

whom

is

an all-sided sword

blesses
it

is

him who
Without

uses

used.

it

it

can
and

drawing

produces far-reaching results.

Competition
It never rusts, and cannot be stolen.
The
exhaust.
not
between passive resisters does
a
require
not
sword of passive resistance does
a drop

of

scabbard.

blood,

It

is

it

strange

indeed

that

you should:

INDIAN

92

HOME RULE

weapon

consider such a

to

be a weapan merely of

the weak.

Reader: You have

is

Have cannons never been

a speciality of India,

used in India

said that passive resistance

Editor: Evidently, in your opinion, India

means its few princes. To me, it means its teeming
millions, on whom depends the existence of its
princes and our own.
Kings

To
to

use

always use their kingly weapons.

will

force

is

bred

in

They want
obey commands,

them.

command, but those who have

to

do not want guns; and these are

They have
soul-force.
Where

throughout the world.

body-force or

in

majority

to learn either

they

learn the

former, both the rulers and the ruled become like so

many mad men, but, where they learn soul-force,

the commands of the rulers do not go beyond the
point of their swords, for true men disregard unjust
commands.
hy the

know

not

have never

Peasants

and

sword,
the

use

never
of

will

been subdued
be.

the sword, and

They do
they are

not frightened by the use of it by others.

That
nation is great which rests its head upon death as

Those who defy death are free from all

For those who are labouring under the
delusive charms of brute-force, this picture is not
its

pillow.

fear.

Overdrawn.
at large

The

fact is that, in

India, the nation

has generally used passive resistance

in all

PASSIVE RESISTANCE
departments of

We

life.

our rulers when

93

c-ase to co-operate with

This

they displease us.

is

passive

resistance.
I

remember

command

an

the

principality,

issued

when, in a small
were offended by some
The former imthe prince.
instance

villagers

by

The

mediately began vacating the village.

prince

became nervous, apologised' to his subjects and

withdrew his command. Many such instances can
Real home-rule is possible only
force of the
is the guiding

be found in India.

where

passive resistance

Any other rule is foreign rule.

Reader: Then you will say that

people.

all

it is

not

at

necessary for us to train the body ?

Editor I will certainly not say any such thing.
:

It is diffcult

to

become

passive

resister,

unless

mind,

residing
As a rule, the
is trained.
body that has become weakened by pampering,
also weak, and where there is no strength of
is
mind, there can be no strength of soul. We will have
to improve our physique by getting rid of infant
If I were to ask a
marriages and luxurious living.

the body
in a

man having
mouth

a shattered

would make

of

body

Reader From what you

:

appear that

it is

not

passive resister, and,

to

explain

resister.

how

a
if

to

face a

cannon's

myself a laughing-stock.
small

that

say, then,

would
become a

is so, I*

man may

it

would

thing to become
like

you

passive

INDIAN

:94

HOME RULE

Editor To become

a passive resister

enough, but

known

it

resister

wise and

is

also equally difficult.

fourteen

a lad of

years

become

is

easy

have

passive

have known also sick people doing likehave also known physically strong and

I
I

otherwise happy people

being unable to

take

up

passive resistance. After a great deal of experience,

it

seems

to

me

who want

that those

to observe perfect chastity,

truth,

to

become

country have

passive resisters for the sevice of the

poverty,

adopt

follow

and cultivate fearlessness.

Chastity

is

one

of the

without which the mind

A man who

firmness.

attain

requisite

loses

stamina,

unchaste

is

becomes

emasculated

and cowardly.

mind

given

to

is

capable of any

over

great

disciplines

greatest

cannot

He whose

animal passions

effort.

This

can

be

is

not

proved

by innumerable instances. What, then, is a

married person to do, is the question that arises
When a husband
naturally and yet it need not.
is
it
no less an animal
the
passions,
gratify
and wife
Such an indulgence,
indulgence on that account.
;

except

perpetuating

for

prohibited.

But a passive

the

race,

resister has to

that very limited indulgence, because

no

desire for progeny.

married

is

strictly

avoid even

he can

have

man, therefore,

This subject is not

can observe perfect chastity.
Several
capable of being treated at greater length.
questions arise

How

is

one

to

carry

one's wife

PASSIVE KESISTANCE
with one

What

?
?

Just as there

and such other

her rights,

are

Yet those
great work are bound
questions

who wish
necessity

take part in a

to

to solve these

is

95

puzzles.

for

chastity, so

is

Pecuniary ambition and passive

resistance cannot well go together.
Those who
have money are cot expected to throw it away, but
there for poverty.

they are expected to be indifferent about

must be prepared to lose every

give up passive resistance.
Passive resistance has
course of

our

discussion

They

it.

penny rather than

been described
as truth-force.

in the

Truth,

therefore, has necessarily to be

followed, and that

any cost. In this connection, academic questions
such as whether a man may not lie in order to save
at

life, etc.

those

but these questions

arise,

who wish

occur

only to

Those who

to justify lying.

want

to follow truth every time are

quandary, and,

if

not placed in such a

they are, they are still saved from

a false position.

Passive resistance cannot proceed a step withThose alone can follow the path
of passive resistance
who are free from fear

out fearlessness.

whether as

to their possessions, false

relatives, the

government, bodily

These observances are not

the

belief

that

implanted in the

any

they

human

are

honour, their

injuries, death.

to be

difficult.

abandoned in
Nature has

breast ability to

difficulty or suffering that

cope with

may come

to

man

HOME RULE

INDIAN

96

These

unprovoked.

even for

qualities

who

those

do

the

country.

Let

those

who want

to train

arms are
or less.

there

worth

are

wish

not
be

no

having,

mistake

in the

themselves

serve

to

as

use

of

have these qualities more

Everybody does not become a warrior for

also obliged to

woald-be warrior will have to observe

be satisfied with poverty as his lot.
chastity, and
A warrior without fearlessness cannot be conceived

the wish,

to

of.

It

be thought that he would not

may

be exactly

When

fearlessness.

so owing to

in

fear

need

to

but that quality follows real

truthful,

man abandons
some shape

truth, he does

or

form.

The

above four attributes, then, need not frighteen any

It may be as well here to note that a physical-force man has to have many otber useless

one.

qualities

which

passive

never needs.

resister

And you will find that whatever extra effort a

swordsman needs is due to lack of fearlessness. If
he is an embodiment of the latter, the sword will
He does
drop from his hand that very moment
free
One
who
is
from
support.
hatred
not need its

A man

requires no sword.

came

face

raised his

to

face

weapon

that he had only

with a
in

with

lion,

and

self-defence.

stick

suddenly

instinctively

The man saw

about fearlessness when

That moment he dropped
there was none in him
the stick, and found himself free from all fear.
prated

EDUCATION

97

CHAPTER XVIII
Education
In the whole of our discussion, yoa
have cot demonstrated the necessity for education
we always complain of its absence among us. We

Reader

movement for compulsory education in our

country. The Maharaja of Gaekwar has introduced
notice a

it

in his territories.

We

them.

bless the

Every eye is directed towards

Maharaja for it. Is all this

then of no use?

effort

Editor

If

we

consider our civilization to

be

have regretfully to say that much

have described is of no use. The
you
effort
of the
motive of the Maharaja and other great leaders
who have been working in this direction is perfectly
They, therefore, undoubtedly deserve great
pure.
But we cannot conceal from ourselves the
praise.
the highest,

result that

likely to flow

What

is
is

from

their effort.

the meaning of education? If

it

simply

knowledge of letters, it is merely an

instrument, and an instrument may be well used
The same instrument that may be used
or abused.
to cure a patient may be used to take his life, and so

means

may a knowledge of letters. We daily observe that

many men abuse it, and very few make good use of
it,

and

if

this is a correct statement,

we have proved

more harm has been done by it than good.

The ordinary meaning of education is a
To teach boys reading,
knowledge of letters.
that

INDIAN

98

HOME RULE

writing and arithmetic

A peasant

is

called primary education.

earns his bread honestly.

He

has ordinary

knowledge
of the
world.
He knows fairly
well how he should behave towards his parents, his
wife, his children and his fellow-villagers.
He
understands and observes the rules of morality, But
he cannot write his own name. Wbat do you propose to do by giving him a knowledge of letters ?
Will you add an inch to his happiness? Do you
wish to make him discontented with his cottage or
his lot ? And even if you want to do that, he will
not need such an education. Carried away by the
we came to the concluflood of western thought,
sion, without weighing pros and cons, that we should
give this kind of education to the people.

Now

let

us take higher education.

have

learned Geography, Astronomy, Algebra, Geometry,

etc.

What

of that ?

In what way have

benefitted

myself or those around me? Why have I learned

these things ? Professor Huxley has thus defined
education:
education

body
ease
it

is

logic

is

"That man

who

think has had a liberal

has been so trained in youth that his

the ready servant of his will and does with

and pleasure
capable

of,

engine with

all

the work that as a

whose
all its

intellect

is

mechanism

a clear, cold

parts of equal strength

and

whose miod is stored

smooth working order
truths of
fundamental
the
of
knowledge
a
with
to come
trained
are
passions
whose
na ture
in

EDUCATION
to heel by a vigorous

the servant oi a tender

will,

who

conscience

99

has learnt to hate

all vile-

Such an one

ness and to respect others a3 himself.

and no other, I conceive, has had a liberal education, for he is in harmony with Nature. He will
make the best of her and she of him."
If this be true education, I must emphatically
say that the sciences I have enumerated above, I
have never been able to use for controlling my
senses.
Therefore, whether you take elementary
education

or higher education,

main

for the

thing.

Reader:

If

another question.
things

to

higher education,
to explain to

Editor
answer
that

does not

it

is

not

make

required

men*

of us

not enable us to do our duty.

It does

these

It

my

is

that

is so.

I shall

have

yoa

to ask

What enables you to tell all

me ? If you had not received
how would you have been able

me the things that you have ?

You have spoken well. But my

simple: I do not for one moment]believe

life

would

have

been wasted,

had

Nor do

.received higher or lower education.

nob

con-

sider that I necessarily serve because I speak.

But
I do desire to serve and, in endeavouring to fulfil that

make

desire, I

And,

if

use of the education I have

am making

good use

not for the millions, but

of

it,

can Use

it

it

13

only for such

as you, aud this supports my contention.

I have come under the bane of what

and

received.

even then

Bjch you
is mainly

INDIAN

100

false education.
its ill-effects,

of

my

and

HOME RULE

claim to have become free from

am

trying to give you the

doing

experience, and, in

benefit

am demon-

so,

strating the rottenness of this education.

Moreover, I have not run down a knowledge of

under all circumstances. Ail I have shown is

letters

we must not make of it a fetish. It is not our

Kamdhuk. In its'place it can be of use, and it has
our senses under
its place when we have brought

that

on

subjection, and put our efchic3

And

then,

pation,

ment
that

we

is

necessary to

of

us.

now

It

make

primary education

Header

follows

education

this

is

enough.

and that
A building erected on that

Character-building has the

foundation will

edu-

As an orna-

it.

Our ancient school system

compulsory,

is

on

likely to sit well

not

a firm foundation.

inclined to receive that

feel

we may make good use

it is

it

if

first

place in

it,

last.

Do

do not consider

then

English

understand

education

that

you

necessary for

Home

Rule?
Editor My answer is yes and no. To give
millions a knowledge of English is to enslave them.
The foundation that Macaulay laid of education
has enslaved us. 1 do not suggest that he had any
obtaining

such intention, but that has been the

not a sad commentary that
of

Home

result.

we should have

Rule, in a foreign tongue ?

to

Is

it

speak

EDUCATION
And

it is

worthy

of

101

note that the systems which

the Europeans have discarded are the systems

vogue among

Their learned

us.

men

ifl

continually

make changes. We ignorantly adhere to their castThey are trying each division to imsystems.

off

prove

its

own

status.

Great

England.

Wales

efforts are

a small

is

portion of

being made to r-vive a

Welsh among Welshmen.

The
English Chancellor, Mr. Lloyd Greorge, is taking a
leading part in the movement to make Welsh children speak Welsh. And what is our condition ? We
knowledge

of

write to each other in faulty English, and from this

even, our

M. A's

are not

English

are expressed in

Congress are conducted

in

free

our best thought

the proceedings of our

English

papers are printed in English.

our best news-

If this state of

continues for a long time, posterity will

firm opinion
It is

education,

tyranny,

condemn and curse

worth noting
have

etc.,

into the people.

the people at

all,

things
is

my

us.

the nation.

Hypocrisy,

English-knowing
cheat and strike terror

increased

Indians have not hesitated to

it

by receiving English

that,

we have enslaved

Now, if we are doing anything for

we are paying only a portion of

the debt due to them.

Is it not a most painful thing that, if I want
go to a court of justice, I must employ the
English language as medium that, when I become
a barrister, I may not speak my mother-tongue, and
to

INDIAN

102

some one

that

else should

my own

from

absurd

Is

HOME EULE

language?

it

have

me

to translate to

not this absolutely

Is

not a sign of slavery

Am

I to

blame the English for it or myself ? It is we, the

English-knowing men, that have enslaved India,
The curse of the nation will rest not upon the
English but upon us.
I have told, you that my answer to your last
I have explained to
question is both yes and so.
you why

it is

We are

yes.

so

I shall

much

now

explain

why

it is

no.

beset by the disease of civiliza-

we cannot

altogether do without English

Those who have already received
it
may make good use of it wherever necessary. In our dealings with the English people, in our

tion, that

education.

dealings

with our

own

people,

when we can only

correspond with them through that language, and

for the purpose of knowing how much disgusted

they (the English) have themselves become with

their civilization, we may use or learn English, as
the case

may

Those who have studied English

be.

will have to teach morality to their progeny through

their mother-tongue, and to teach them another

but when they have grown up,

the ultimate aim being
English,
learn
may
they
The object of making
it.
need
that we should not
money thereby should be eschewed. Even in
learning English to such a limited extent we will

Indian language

have

to consider

what we should learn through

ife

EDUCATION

103

and what we should not. It will be'necessary to know

what sciences we should learn. A little thought
should show you that immediately we cease to care
for English degrees, the rulers will prick
cars.

up

their

we

give ?

Reader
Editor

shall

This has been somewhat considered

we

above, but

Then what education

will consider

it

more.

little

think

we have to improve all our languages. What

subjects we should learn through them need not be
that

Those English books which

elaborated here.

valuable

we should

We

languages.
learning

many

should abandon the pretension of

Religious,

sciences.

education will occupy the

Indian

will

language,

if

know
a

first

place.

in addition to his

Hindu, Sanskrit

if

that

is

ethical,

Every cultured

own
a

provincial

Mahomedan,

if a Parsee, Persian
and all, Hindi.
Hindus should know Arabic and Persian

Arabic

are

translate into the various Indian

Some

some
and Parsees,
Sanskrit.
Several
Northerners and Westerners should learn Tamil. A
universal language for India should be Hindi, with
;

Mahomedans

the option of writing

ters.

it

in Persian or

Nagric charac-

In order that the Hindus and the Mahomedans

may have

closer relations,

it

is

necessary to

know

And, if we can do this, we

both the characters.
can dfive the English language out of the field in
a short time.

All this

is

necessary for us, slaves.

Through our
and

it

very

been enslaved,

slavery the nation has

be free with our freedom.

wiil

Header
is

HOME EULE

INDIAN

104

The

education

question of religious

difficult.

Editok Yet we cannot do without

Bank atheism cannot

never be godless.

will

in that

The

land.

task

head begins to turn as

Our
they

is

indeed

have

to be

flourish

My

difficult.

think of religious education.

and

religious teachers are hypocritical

will

India

it.

The

approached.

selfish

Mullas, the

Dasturs and the Brahmins hold the key in their

hands, but if they will not have the good sense,

energy

the

that

This

education.

we have

have

education will

is

to

be

derived from

devoted

not very

the ocean has been

fringe

of

those

who

cleansing.

polluted,

who come under

who

English
religious

Only the

difficult.

are within the fringe

We

to

and

it

is

alone need

this category

can
even cleanse ourselves, because my remarks do not
apply to the millions.
In order to restore India to
its

prestine condition,

our

own

we have

civilization, there will

gress, restrogression, reforms,

one

effort

Western

to

is

required,

civilization.

and

return to

naturally be pro-

and reactions

that

In

it.

is

to

All else will follow.

but

drive out

MACHINERY

105

CHAPTER XIX
Machinery
Readeb When you speak

of

Western

civilization, I

you

suppose

driving
will

out

aho say

we want no machinery.
Editor By raising this question, you have
opened the wound I had received. When I read

that

Mr.

Datt's

and, as

Economic History

think of

it,

again

my

of India I

wept

heart sickens,

It is

machinery that has impoverished India. It is

difficult to measure the harm that Manchester has
It is due to Manchester that Indian
-done to us.
handicraft has

all

but disappeared.

How can Manchester

wore Manchester cloth, and that
is why Manchester wove it.
I was delighted when
There are no
I read about the bravery of Bengal.
But

make

be blamed

a mistake.

We

cloth-mills in that Presidency.

fare,

able

occupation.

It

mill-industry of

ed a boycott of

is

true

zation

it

is

there-

hand- weaving

Bengal encourages

the

Bombay. If Bengal had proclaimall machine-made goods, it

would

have been much better.

Machinery has begun
Ruination is now knocking

Machinery

They were,

the original

to restore

the

chief

to
at

symbol

desolate

Europe.

the English gates.

modern

of

civili-

represents a great sin.

The workers
become slaves. The

in

Bombay have
women working

the mills of

condition of the

in

HOME RULE

INDIAN

106
the mills

is

When

shocking.

there were

no

women were not starving. If the

machinery craze grows in our country, it will
become an unhappy land. It may be considered^

mills,

these

am bound

heresy, but

for us

send

to

to

flimsy Manchester cloth

By

India.

say that

to

money

than to

multiply mills in

using Manchester cloth

waste our money, but by

we

were better
to use

it

Manchester and

we would only

reproducing

Manchester

keep our money at the price of

our blood, because our very moral being will be
sapped, and I call in support of my statement the
in India,

shall

And those who have

amassed wealth out of factories are not likely to be
better than other rich men.
It would be folly to
assume that an Indian Rockfeller would be better
than the American Rockfeller. Impoverished India
can become free, but it will be hard for an India,

very mill-hands as witnesses.

made

rich through immorality, to regain

I fear

we

support

with

The
are

will

have

British rule

poisou,

their

is

of the

snakebite

not, therefore,

growth

of

man

renders a

helpless.

is

a lesser

Both

poison than

former merely destroys the

body, but the latter destroys

need

freedom.

that

as harmful as sexual vice.

these two, because the

We

its

moneyed men
interest is bound up

admit

Money

its stability.

other thing

to

body,

mind and souL

be pleased with the prospect

the mill-industry.

MACHINERY
Reader: Are
down ?
Editor That
:

away with

to do

the mills, then,

be

to

It is

difficult.

is

thing that

107
closed

no easy task

established.

is

We,

therefore, say that the non-beginning of a thing

supreme wisdom.

We

is,

cannot condemn mill-owners,

would be too much to expect

up their mills, but we may implore them
If they
would be good,
not to increase them.
they would gradually contract their business. They

we can but
them

pity them. It

to give

can establish in thousands of households the ancient

and sacred handlooms, and they can buy out the

may be thus woven. Whether the
cloth that
mill-owners do this or not, people can cease to use

machine-made goods.

Reader: You

have

so

far

spoken

about

machine-made cloth, bat there are innumerable

machine-made things. We have either to import
them or to introduce machinery into our country.
Editor Indeed, our gods even are made in
Germany. What need, then, to speak of matches,
pins, and glassware ? My answer can be only one.
:

What

did India do before these articles were

duced

? Precisely the same should be done to-day.

intro-

As long as we cannot make pins without machinery,

so long will

we

do witnout them.

dour of glassware we

make

and we

will

cotton,

and use

will

The

tinsel splen-

have nothing

wicks, as of old, with

hand-made earthern

to

do with

home-grown
saucers for

INDIAN

108

HOME EULE

lamps. So doing,

we

and

Swadeshi, and so shall

will

Horn

support

be conceived

that

we

attain

up

all

machine-made things

men will do
men will

all

some

these things at one time, or that

give

and money,

Rule.

It i3not to
all

shall save our eyes

But,

once.

at

if

is sound, we will always

find ouc what
we can give up, and will gradually cease to use this.
What a few may do, others will copy, and the
movement will grow like the cocoanut of the mathe-

the thought

matical

What

problem.

lace will gladly follow.

plicated nor

difficult.

we can carry
losers who will

the leaders do, the popu-

The matter
You and I

neither com-

is

shall not wait

until

others with us. Those

the

not do

do

it,

it,

will be

who

and those

will

although tbey can appreciate the truth,

not
will

deserve to be called cowards.

Reader

What, then,

of

the tram-cars and

electricity?

Editor

This

qestion

signifies

nothing.

railways,

we shall have

If

we
to

is

now

are to

do

too

late.

It

without the

do

without

tram-

the

a snake-hole which
Machinery is like
cars.
snakes.
a hundred
one
to
from
may contain
Where there is machinery there are large cities
;

and where there

are large

cars and railways;

electric light.

cities,

and there only

English villages do

of these things.

there are

Honest

tram-

does one see

not

boast

physicians will

tell

any
you

MACHINEEY
where means

that,

of

artificial

109'

locomotion have

increased, the health of the people has suffered.

European town there was

a scarcity of money, the receipts of the tramway
company, of the lawyers and of the doctors, went
down, and the people were less unhealthy. I cannot

remember

when

that,

in a

good point in connection with machiBooks can be written to demonstrate its

recall a single

nery.
evils.

good point or a bad one that

you are saying will be printed through machi-

Reader:

ail

nery

It is a

Editor.

This

is

one

of those instances

which

demonstrate that sometimes poison is used to kill

poison. This, then, will not be a good point regardAs it expires, the machinery, as it
ing machinery,
were, says to us

"

You

Beware and avoid me.

derive no benefit from me, and

will

may
who are

the benefit that

accrue from printing will avail only those

infected with the machinery-craze/' Do not, there-

main thing. It is necessary to realise that machinery is bad. We shall then be able
Nature has not progradually to do away with it.
reach a desired goal
may
we
whereby
way
any
vided
machinery
welcoming
of
all of a sudden. If, instead

fore, forget the

as a boon,

we would

would ultimately

go.

look

upon

it

as an

evil,

it

INDIAN

110

HOME KULE

CHAPTER XX
Conclusion

Reader

From

your views I gather that you

would form a third party. You are neither an
extremist nor a moderate.
Editor: That is a mistake. I do not think of
:

a third party at

all.

cannot say that

We

all

the

And how can

views.

only have a party

do not

all

think alike.

We

moderates hold identical

those who want to serve

would serve both the moder-

and the extremists. Where I should differ

from them, I would respectfully place my position
before them, and continue my service.
Reader What, then, would you say to both
ates

the parties ?

Editor

know
not to

to take

not

would say to the extremists

" I
want Home Rule for India it is
be had for your asking.
Everyone will have
:

that you

it

for himself.

What

Home

others get for

me

is

Rule but foreign rule therefore, it would

not be proper for you to say that you have
obtained
Home Rule, if you expelled the English. I have
;

already described the true nature

of

Home

Rule.

This you would never obtain by force of

arms.
Brute-force is not natural to the Indian soil.
You
will have, therefore, to rely

wholly on soul-force.
not consider that violence is necessary at
any stage for reaching our goal."

You must

CONCLUSION
I

would say

tioning

derogatory

is

To say

rity.

to

111

the moderates

we thereby

th^t British rule

anybody or anything

to state that, for the time

English in India

is

confess

peti-

inferio-

We

is

cannot say

indispensable except

is

common sense

Moreover,

God.

" Mere

indispensable,

is

almost a denial of the Godhead

that

should

us that

tell

being, the presence of the

necessity,

is

to

make them

conceited.
" If

English

the

baggage,

it

vacated

India

must not be supposed

be widowed.

It

is

bag

that she

possible that

and
would

who

those

are

peace under their pressure would

There can be no
fight after their withdrawal.

forced to observe

advantage in suppressing an eruption,

its

vent.

If,

we must
we do so.

peace,
that

it

must have

we can remain

before

therefore,

amongst ourselves, it
There is no occasion for

fight

at

is

better

third

weak. It is this so-called

protection which has unnerved us. Such protection
can only make the weak weaker. Unless we realise
party

this,

to

protect

the

Home

we cannot have

Rule.

would

paraphrase the thought of an English divine and

say that anarchy under
orderly foreign rule.

home

Jearned divine attached to

Indian

We

Home

have

rule were better than

Only, the meaning that the

home

Rule according

to learn,

and

rule
to

is

my

different to

conception.

to teach others, that

we do

HOME RULE

INDIAN

112

not want the tyranny of

their

English

ruie or

Indian rule."

were carried out both the

extremists and the moderates could join hands.
There is no occasion to fear or distrust one
If

idea

this

another.
then, would you say to the

Reader: What,
English?

Editor

To them

" I admit you are

my

would respectfully

rulers.

It is

say:

not necessary to

debate the question whether you hold India by the

sword or by my consent. I have no objection to

my

your remaining in
are the rulers,

you

country,

have

will

to

but although you

remain

as servants

we who have to do as you

of the people.
wish, bus it is you who have to do as we wish. You
may keep the riches that you have drained away
from this land, but you may not drain riches henceYour function will be, if you so wish, to
forth.
It is

police India

not

you must abandon the idea

of

deriv-

We

hold the
ing any commercial benefit from us.
civilization that you support to be the reverse of
civilization.

We

superior to yours.

consider our civilization to be far

If

you

be to your advantage, and,

to

your

own

realise this truth,

if

you do

not,

it

will

according

proverb, you should only live in our

country in the same manner as we do. You must

not do anything that is contrary to our religions.
It is your duty as rulers that, for the sake of the;

CONCLUSION

113

Hindus, you should eschew

beef, and for the sake

Mahomedans, you should avoid bacon and
hauu.
We have hitherto said nothing, because we
have been cowed down, but you need not consider
that you have not hurt our feelings by your conduct.

of the

We

not

ace

expressing

our

sentiments

either

through base selfishness or fear, but because it is

our duty now to speak out boldly. We consider
your schools and law courts to be useless. We

want our own ancient schools and courts

The common language

English but Hindi. You should,

restored.

We can

it.

of

India

therefore,

hoid communication with

to

be

is

not

learH

you only

in

our national language.

"

We

cannot tolerate the idea of your spending

money on railways and the military. We see no
occasion for
not.

When

either.

You may
we will

she comes'

fear Russia;

we do

look after her.

If

we will then receive her jointly.

We do not need any European cljth. We will
manage with articles produced and manufactured
you are with

at
ter

us,

home. You may not keep one eye on Manchesand the other on India. We can work together

only

if

our interests are identical.

" This has not been said

You have

to

you in arrogance.

Your naval
power is matchless. If we wanted to fight with
you on your own ground we would be unable to do
so, but, if
8

great military

resources.

the above submissions be not

acceptable

to you,
if

HOME RULE

INDIAN

114

you

we

cease

the

play

to

mouth.

at the cannon's

If

You may,

ruled

You may

cut us to pieces.

like,

you

shatter ug

our

act contrary to

will, we will not help you and,

wifcho it oar help,
we know that you cannot, move one step jrward.
*'

hkely that you will laugh

It is

the intoxication of your power.

able to disillusion you at once, but,

manliness in
toxication

expense

is

is

us,

you

suicidal,

will see shortly

that

you belong

of

your in-

We

iutetlci.

to a religious

are living in a land which

is

not be

be any

there

and that your laugh

an aberration

that, at heart

if

at

or.

our

oelieve

nation.

the source

in

this

all

We may

We

religions.

How we

came together need not be considered, but

mutual good use of our relations.
make
we can
" You English who have come to [ndia are not
a good specimen of the English natsioj, u>r can we
almost half Anglicised Indians, beconsid red a good
specimen of the real Indian nation. If toe English

know

nation were to

oppose

many

of

all

it

would

m-tss

of the

you have done\

your actions.

The

If- you
1.
Indians have had few dealings with
will abandon your so-called civilization, and search
5

into

your

demands
demands

own
are

being

India, and,

if

you will find that our

Only on conditions of our

scriptures,
just.

fully satisfied

may you remain

in

you remain under those conditions we

several things* from you, and you will

shall

learn

learn

many from

us,

So doing, we

snail benefit

CONCLUSION
each other and

the world.

115

But

that will

only when the root of our relationship

is

happen
sunk in a

religious soil."

Reader
'

Editor

What

wil

Who

is

Reader

you say

to the nation ?

the nation ?

For our purposes

it is

the

nation

have been thinking of, that is, those

of us who are affected by European civilization, and
who are eager to have Home Rule.
that

you and

To
those Indians who
Editor

strain without
to

is

civilizations

to be

no

have
so.

imbued,

force of the

>

love

real

English

only

It is

in the

who

above

frightened, and those only

imbued who conscientiously
civilization is the best, and that
days' wonder.
Such ephemeral
often come and gone, and will
Those only can be considered
who, having experienced the

being

a nine

continue to do

be so

believe that Indian

European

imbued with

are

speak to the

will be able to

can be said

these I would say

ii

within themselves, will

before brute-force, and will not,

on

not

any

cover

account,

Those only can be conimbued who are intensely

desire bo use brute- force.

sidered to nave been so

dissatisfied

with

the

present

having already drunk the cup

If

pitiable

condition

of poison.

there be only one 'such Indian, he will speak

and the English will have

as above to the English,

to listen to him.

INDIAN

116

HOME KULE

These demands are not demands, but they

show our mental state. We will get nothing by
asking we shall have to take what we want, and
;

we need

requisite strength

the

that strength will be avaiiabe to

1.

will,

for the

and

effort

him only who

make

ccly on rare occasions,

use of th6

English language
2.

if

up his profession and

a lawyer, will give

take up a hand-loom
3.

if

a lawyer, will devote his knowledge to

enlightening

both

people and

his

the

English;

meddle with the quarwill give up the

rels between parties, but
courts and from his experience induce the
people to do likewise

4.

if

a lawyer, will not

5.

if

a lawyer, will refuse to be a judge, as the

will give
6.

if

up

doctor,

his profession;

7.

if

doctor,

give

will

understand that
bodies, he should

mend

will

matter to what

up medicine, and
than mending

rather

souls;

understand,

better that bodies remain

trumentality of the diabolical

is

practised in

medicine;

it

is

diseased rather

than that they are cured through the

that

no

that

religion he belongs,

ins,*

vivisection

European schools of

CONCLUSION
8.

117

although a doctor, will take up a hand-loom

and, if any patients come to him, wiU

them the cause of their diseases, and

advise them to remove th6 cause,
rather than pamper them by giving useless
tell

will

drugs

he

undestand

will

that,

if

by not

taking drugs, perchance the patient

the world will not

he
9.

will

come

to grief,

dies,

and that

have been really merciful to him

although a wealthy man, regardless of his

wealth, will speak out his mind and fear

do one
10.

if

a wealthy man, will devote his

establishing hand-looms,

and

money

to

encourage

others to use hand-made goods by wearing

them himself
11.

like

this

every other Indian, will

if?

a time

and mourning
12.

for repentance,

thai

expiation

like every* other Indian, will

blame the English

came because

know

is

know

useless,

that to

that they

of us, and remain also for

the same reason, and that they will either

go or change their nature, only when we

reform ourselves
;

13.

understand that, at a time

mourning, there can be no indulgence,
and that, whilst we are in a fallen state, to>
like others, will

of

HOME RULE

INDIAN

118

be in gaol or in banishment

much

is

14.

the

best

know

like others, will

that

superstition

it is

we should
guard against being imprisoned in order
to

imagine

that
15.

necessary that^

it

we may

deal with the people

know

like others, will

is

much

our duty to
what we think and face the

better than speech

say exactly

consequences,
then

that action
it is

and that

we

that

that

shall be

be

will

it

only

impress

able to

anybody with our speech;

16.

17.

through suffering

free only

like others, will

expiation

for

18.

Andamans

the

sin

civilization

of

is

encouraging

killing of others,

so in the warfare of
like

is

in

suffering

much more

passive resistance

know that it is an idle

we will do a thing when
do it that we should do

others, will

excuse

to say that

the others also

what ws know
will

even

that,

physical warfare, the true test

19.

not enough

that no nation has

without suffering;

and not the

know

like others, will

risen

will

understand that deporta-

tion for life to the

European

we

understand that

like others, will

become

do

it

to be right,

when they see

the

and that others

way

that

when

CONCLUSION

119

I fancy a particular delicacy, I do

till

others taste

it

that to

mike

not wait

a national

and to suffer are in the nature of

delicacies; and that to suffer under preseffort

sure

Reader
all

carry

it

is

a large order.

is

You make

When

will

have nothing

to

his duty.

If

suffering.

This

out

Editor

no

I shall be able

a mistake.

do with the others.

my

do

duty, that

is,

You and I
Let each do
serve myself,

Before 1 leave you,

tn k >rve others.

I will take the liberty of repeating.

1.

Real hom^-ruJe

2.

The way

3.

In order to exert this force, Swadeshi in

to

is

it is

se'f-rule or self-control.

passive resistance: that

is

soul force or love- force.

every sense
4.

is

necessary.

What we want to do
because we object to
we want to retaliate,
duty

do

to

so.

should bo done, not

the English or that

but because it is our

Thus, supposing that the

English remove the salt-tax, restore our

money, give the highest posts 'o Indians,
withdraw the English troops, we shall
machine-made
cer ainly not use their
goods, nor use the English language, nor

many

of

nothing

their

industries.

that these

It is

things are,

worth
in their

INDIAN

120

HOME EULE

nature, harmful

them.

bear

English, but I

hence,

we do not want

enmity towards th
towards
their civilizado

no

tion.

In

my

opinion,

we have used

without understanding

endeavoured

my

conscience

dedicated to

its

to explain

its

it

the term "Swaraj"

real significance.

as I understand

testifies that

attainment.

my

life

I
it,

have

and

henceforth

is

APPENDICES:
Some

Authorities.

Testimonies by Eminent Men.

APPENDICES.
Some

The

Authorities.

recommended for perusal

up the study of the foregoing

following book3 are

to follow

11

The Kingdom

"
u

What

is

Art

of

God

is

Within

You" Tolstoy.

T Tolstoy.

Slavery of Our Times "Tolstoy,

"

The

"

How

First Step '''Tolstoy.

Shall
" Letter to a

We

"

Slaves of England

The White

" Civilization

Escape "Tolstoy.

Hindoo

"

The Fallacy

"

A New

Its

of

"

Tolstoy.

"Sherard.

Cause and Cure

"

Carpenter.

Speed "Taylor.

Crusade "Blount.

Duty of Civil Disobedience "

Thoreau.
Life Without Principle "
" Unto This Last "Buskin.
"

11

On

the

Thoreau.

A Joy

for

Ever

"

HOME EULE

INDIAN

122
"

Uuskin.

" Duties of Man "

Mazzini.
" Defence and Death of Socrates
" Paradoxes of Civilization "
Max

"From Plato.

Poverty

'*

Economic Histovy

" Village

anil

Nordau.
Naoroju

Un-British Rule in India "

"

of

Communities

India "
"

Dutt.

Maine.

Testimonies by Eminent Men

The

following extracts from Mr. Alfred Webb's

valuable collection,

be

true,

has

little

show

if

the testimony g<ven

therein

shat the ancient Indian civilization.

to learn

from the modern

Yictor Cousin,

(17921867).

Founder of Systematic Electricism

in Philosophy.

hand when we read with attenand philosophical movements of

the East, above all, those of India, which are
beginning to spread in Europe, we discover there
so many truths, and truths so profound, and which
make such a contrast with the meanness of the
results at which the European genius has sometimes
stopped, that we are constrained to bend the knebefore that of the East, and 10 see in this cradle of
"

On

tion the

the

the other

poetical

human

race the

philosophy."

native

land of

the

highest

"

APPENDICES
Seymour Keay, M.

123
P.

Banker in India and India Agent.

{Writing in9 1883.)
" It

cannot be too

well

understood that our

position in India has never been in

aiy degree that

bringing

to s-ivage races.

of

civilians

When we

landed

we found

there a hoary

which, during the progress of thousands

civilization,

of years,

civilization

in Lndia

had

flitted itself into

the character and ad-

justed itself to the wants of highly intellectual races.

The

was not prefunctory, but uniand ali-pervading furnishing the country

not only with political systems but with social and
domestic institutions of the most ramified descripcivilization

versal

tion.

The beneficed nature

whole may be judged

character of

who show

other people in the world

their characters the

own

of these institutions as

from their effects on the

the Hindu race. Perhaps there are no
of

advantageous

They

civilization.

are

parents, reverential

amiable, law-abiding, compassionate

helpless,

and patient under

Friedrich

Max

much

in

business,

sober,
to

in

of their

effects

shrewd

acute in reasoning, thrifty, religious,

able, obedient to

so

charit-

old

towards

age,

the

suffering.

Muelier, LL.D.

what literature
were
we hear in Europe, we who have been nurtured almost exclusively on the thoughts of Greeks and
"If

to

ask myself from

HOME RULE

INDIAN

124

Boinans, and of one Semetic race, the Jewish

may

draw that corrective which is most wanted in order

to make our inner life more perfect, more comprehensive, more universal, in fact more truly human,
a life, not for this life only but a transfigured and
eternal

life

again

should point to India."

Michael G. Mulhall, FR.S.S.

Statistics {1899).

Prison population per 100,000 of inhabitants

Several European States

100

...

England and Wales

7fi.S.S..,

230

90
38

India

" Dictionary of

to

Statistics,"

Michael G. Mulhati,

houtledge and Sons, 1899.

Colonel

Thomas Munro.

Thirty -two years' service in India.

" If a good

manufacturing
can contribute

system of agriculture, unrivalled

skill,

to

a capacity to produce whatever

convenience or

established in every village, for

luxury

schools

teaching, reading,

and
arithmetic the general practice of
hospitality and charity among each other and, above
writing

all,

treatment of the female sex,

respect and delicacy, are

full

among

of

the

confidence,
signs

which

denote a civilised people, then the Hindus are no*

inferior to the nations of
^is

to

become an

article

Europe

and if civilization
of trade between the two
;

APPENDICES
countries, I

am

convinced that

this

1-26

country [Eng-

land] will gain by the import cargo."

Frederick Yon Schlegel.

cannot be denied that the early Indians

" It

possessed a knowledge

of the true

God

all

their

writings are replete with sentiments and expressions

and severely grand, as deeply conceived

and reverently expressed as in any human language
in which men have spoken of their God
noble, clear

Among

nations possessing

indigenous philosophy

and metaphysics, together with an innate relisn for

these pursuits, 3uch as at present characterises Germany and in olden times, was the proud distinction
;

of Greece,
"
of time

Hindustan holds the

The Indian

in point

village has thus for centuries re-

mained a bulwark against

home

rank

William Wedderburn, Bart.

Sir
"

first

political disorder,

and the

domestic and social virtues. No

wonder, therefore, that philosophers and historians
of the simple

have always dwelt lovingly on this ancient

tion

which

is

the natural social unit

institu-

and the

best
self-contained, industrious, peaceloving, conservative in the best sense of the word.

type of rural

life

;'

think you will agree with me that there is

is both picturesque and attractive in this
glimpse of social and domestic life in an Indian village.
It is a harmless and nappy form of human existence.
Moreover, it is not without good practical
I

much

that

HOME RULE

INDIAN

126

Young.

J.

Secretary, Siivon Mechanics' Institutes.

{Within recent years).

"

Indian viewed from a moral

most remarkable people in
Taey breathe an atmosphere of moral
the world.
purity, which cannot bat excite admiration, and this
isj3specia( > the case with the poorer classes who,

Those

races, fthe

-aspect] are peihaps the

notwithstanding the privations of their humble

lot,

happy and contented. True children of

nature, they live on from day to day, taking no
thought of to-morrow and thankful for the simplefare
which Providence has provided f jr them. It is curi-

appear

to ha

ous to witness the spectacle of coolies of both sexes

returning home at nightfall after a hard day's work
often lasting

from sunrise

to sunset.

In spite of

tigue from the effects of the unremitting

are, for the

most

toil,

fa-

they

gay and animated, conversing

part,

cheerfu'iy together and occasionally

breaking into

Yet what awaits

snatches oi l^ht-hoatted song.
them on their return to the hovels which they call

home? A
bed.

dish of rice for food, and

Domestic

felicity

the Natives, and this

the

fl

>or for

among
more strange when the

appears to be the rule

is

the

customs of marriage are taken into account, parents

arranging all such matters. Many Indian households
afford examples of tne married state in its highest
This may be due to the
degree of perfection.

APPENDICES
teachings of the Shastras,

and

127

to the strict injunc-

which they inculcate with regard to marital

it
to say that
is no exaggeration
bed to their
husbands are generally devote"
tions

obligations; but

wives, and in

many

instances the Utter have

most exalted conception

their husbands."

Abbe J

A.

of their

duties

the

towards

Dubois.

Missionary in Mysore. Extracts from

letter

dated

Seringa pat am, 15 th December, 1820.

"

The

houses

is

authority of married

chiefly

women

within their

exerted in preserving good, order

and peace among the persons who compose their

families: and a great many among them discharge
this important duty with a prudence and a discretion which have scarcely a parallel in Europe.
I
have known families composed of between thirty

and

forty persons, or more, consisting of

sons and daughters,

all

married and

grown-up

having

all

chil-

dren, living together under the superintendence of

an

The

old

matron their mother

latter,

by ^ood

mother-in-law,

or

management,

v.:

by accom-

modating herself to tne temper of the daughters-inlaw, by using, according to circumstances, firmness
or forbearance, succedeed in preserving peace and
harmony during many years amongst so many
females, who had all jarring interests, and still more
jarring tempers.
I ask you wbetner it would be

128

INDIAN

possible to attain the

HOME RULE

same end,

stances, in our countries, vvhere

to

make two women

living

in the
it is

same circum-

scarcely possible

under the same foot to

agree together.
" In fact, there

is

perhaps no kind of

honest

which

the
employment in a civilised country
Hindu females have not a due share. Besides the
management of the household, and the care of the
family, which (as airead noticed) under their control, the wives and daughters of husbandmen attend
in

husbands and fathers in the labours

Those of tradesmen assist theirs in
Merchants are attended
carrying on their trade.
and assisted by theirs in their shops. Many females
are shopkeepers on their own account and without

and

assist their

of agriculture.

a knowledge of the alphabet or of the decimal scale,

they keep by other means their accounts in excellent order, and are considered as still shrewder than
the males themselves in their commercial dealings.'''

TEE MODERN PRINTING WORKS, MOUNT ROAD, MADRAS,

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Rai.
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any the less. Every ohild
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GAiNESH

81

is life

in his limba, or breath in

"

for national liberty.

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James

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v
In a bo^k of charming essays which he
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an undesirable but necessary incident in freedrm's battles,
* d that
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GANESH

81

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Library Bureau

Cat no. 1137

CLAW

TO*

I
5221
gQ02 00411

?hom.r./

DS 480. 45

Gandhi,

G253 1922

1869-1948.

Indian home rule