It seems as though many people have voiced criticisms of Hind Swaraj, and I'm sure there will be more to come. In many ways, Gandhi's tract makes an easy target for
dismantling. Railroads are evil, you say? It's little
wonder Gokhale laughed
the whole thing off, expecting Gandhi to change his views after seeing India.
Yet Gandhi stuck by everything he wrote, and I think for good reason. In my opinion, what he has said is correct, yet that does not mean I agree with his ultimate goal. I believe he has put forth a collection of accurate critiques of modern civilization. I think we can all agree, however, that his solution of eschewing modernity altogether is impossible, now more than ever.
I think the truths of Hind Swaraj become more apparent if you consider Gandhi critiques in a contemporary context. Looking at the main problems Gandhi outlines--lawyers, doctors, parliamentary government, and machinery--are these not all still broken systems in some way? (No disrespect intended to any doctors, lawyers, MPs, or machines present.)
The entire globe is becoming more litigious, yet the problems that plague our justice systems comprise a lengthy list.
Modern medicine is reaching more corners of the globe than ever before, yet the pharmaceutical industry has wrecked havoc on the dispensation of medicine, and even medical advice. Pills all around! And some more pills for the side-effects that those pills gave you.
Is not our own parliamentary-esque political system too often paralyzed by the same sort of bipartisan dithering and inconsistency that Gandhi identifies with British government?
And finally, for all the wonders that machines have brought, if their use is unchecked, they will certainly bring about the end of our species, most likely through the destruction of our habitat.
So was Gandhi all that wrong? I think the only area in which Hind Swaraj fails to hold water is in his solution to these problems. The sort of pre-modern Eden Gandhi may have dreamt of is not achievable, nor is it necessarily a good idea. If we disposed of all machinery now, billions would perish from starvation and disease--certainly something that would not ring true with ahimsa. My general view is that our homo-sapien brains and machines got us into this mess, so they'll have to get us out in the end. The solutions remain inchoate. The problems are very real, and have been since Mahatmas walked the earth.
Posts
