Hind Swaraj- Analysis

Hind Swaraj is a book written by Mohandas K. Gandhi in 1909, when Gandhi was retruning from a voyage
from London to South Africa. It was first published in the journal Indian Opinion. In March 20, 1910 the book
was translated into English under the title Indian Home Rule. Gandhi's Hind Swaraj is a foundational text for
any understanding of the man and his mission. Hind Swaraj comprises of 20 short chapters. It is written in a
dialogic form between the Reader and the Editor of a journal/newspaper. Primarily Hind Swaraj deals with two
issues: (a) a critique of modern civilization, (b) the nature and structure of Indian Swaraj and the means and
methods to achieve it.

In chapter IV of Hind Swaraj entitled “What is Swaraj?,” the Reader and Editor opines that people define Swaraj in
various ways. According to the Reader Swaraj is just “driving the English out of India.” So, the English should leave and
hand over the government to Indians. The reason is obvious: Englad steals India’s money, and enslaves its people and
treats them like animals. The Reader thinks India just need a strong army and India should copy English institutions if it is
of any use. In reply to this, the Editor states "you want the tiger's nature, but not the tiger" as he wants to expel the
British but keep their political, military and economic institutions. The Editor argues that true independence for India
does not simply involve removing British colonial rule but also preserving India's unique cultural identity. Although the
word Swaraj means "self-rule", Gandhi gave it the content of an integral revolution that encompasses all spheres of life:
"At the individual level Swaraj is vitally connected with the capacity for dispassionate self-assessment, ceaseless self-
purification and growing self-reliance."

To attain Swaraj, the Editor makes it clear that India would require passive-ressistance, which is explained in detail in
chapter 17 of the book. The Editor believes passive resistance is an all-sided sword that blesses both the one who uses it
and the one against whom it is used. He defined Passive resistance as a method of securing rights by personal suffering.
Passive resistance is far superior than resistance by arms because it produces immense result without drawing a drop of
blood. It employs self- sacrifice and based on the concept of soul-force or satyagraha that refers to the power of truth,
nonviolent resistance, and the strength that lies within each individual's soul. Soul force involves using one's inner
strength and moral convictions to peacefully confront and transform oppressive or unjust systems.He concludes that to
become a passive resister, one must observe perfect chestity, adopt poverty, follow truth and cultivate fearlessness, and
this is not an easy job to do. Which is why he claims that becoming a passive resister is equally easy and difficult.

Furthermore in chapter 18 of the book, the Editor gives his views on education that revolved around the concept of
holistic education. He emphasised that education should not only focus on academic knowledge (knowledge of letters)
but also on the development of moral values, character, and practical skills, like our ancient Indian education system.
Gandhi, as the editor, says learning English is both important and not. Indians should strive to communicate, read, and
learn in their native languages. All Indians should learn multiple Indian languages. Hindi should be the national language,
but it should use both the Persian and Nagari scripts. And truly ethical teachers should replace the charlatans who
currently teach religion.

In conclusion, Hind Swaraj could very well be read as a classic work of 'recognized and established value'. It's not just
meant for casual reading but as something that makes you think and inspires action. It's not a promise of perfect
solutions, like making everything perfect instantly. Instead, it encourages hard work, patience, and persistence. It's not
just words to be heard, but a practical guide for real-life actions.