Gandhi and Western Civilization
By: Sunny Sambhara
Over the course of one week in 1909, while aboard a vessel bound for South Africa
from England, a slender, quiet lawyer named Mahatma Gandhi composed Hind
Swaraj, a nationalistic manifesto outlining India’s need for home rule. Heavily
disheartened with recent efforts towards securing Indian rights from the
overbearing English, Gandhi wrote with hyperbole and flourish, denouncing Western
government and civilization whilst glorifying Indian history, culture and above all,
India’s capacity for swaraj.
This elusive term is the core of Gandhi’s argument against embracing the English
life of ‘civilized’ convenience and luxury, and marks a note worthy distinction
between Gandhi’s version of Indian society and that of the West. For Gandhi, swaraj
means individual discipline, restraint from passion and indulgence and acceptance
of responsibility. He does not simply seek to apply swaraj on an individual level; he
means for the concept to be accepted by India as a nation. In solidifying this point,
he describes modern civilization of the West as corrupt; it is without strength, for no
outdoor labor is performed, without order for her Parliament is weak and
ineffectual, and without spirit, for bodily welfare is the object of the English civilized
life. Therefore, Gandhi declares, England should not be accepted as a model of
government or life style, but be replaced by pride in Indian tradition and spirit.
The measured dialogue between Reader and Editor serves as the framework through
which Gandhi seeks to discredit accepted terms of civilization and denounce the
English. These principle characters amply assist in the development of Gandhi’s
views, as Reader embodies the hot blooded, English-educated Indian youth,
conveniently longing to question and be converted by the beliefs of Editor, who in
turn, is the wise and eloquent elder, proud of India and learned in the follies of the
English. Between the two, Gandhi is able to deliver his own conclusions on modern
issues, such as religion and the influences of technology, and also renounce
common opinions he finds false or ignorant. Civilized England is meticulously
exposed as uncivilized in the midst of her splendor as her government, social
customs, and technology are all judged disfavorable. Gandhi states bluntly, through
Editor’s guise, “The condition of England at present is pitiable” . English
government is swiftly rejected as incompetent as parliament is likened to a sterile
woman and a prostitute, deemed unfruitful and constantly under changing masters,
each master filled with corruption and immoral character. Gandhi sadly observes
that little of significance is accomplished as Parliament members grow fat on bribes
and apathetically cast votes along party lines. Slaves to the poisonous newspapers,
the English people are foolish and gullible and frequently alter their views without
sufficient deliberation or research. Having delivered such a damning rendition of
English politics, Gandhi solemnly states, “If India copies England, it is my firm
conviction that she will be ruined” . Yet Gandhi does not damn England entirely
for her faulty government; it is modern civilization that is to blame.
Modern civilization is reported to be the disease of man, all at once coercive,
deceptive and destructive. Gandhi’s language is dramatic and cutting as he
describes the concept; it is obvious he despises the advancements most would
praise. The despised definition of civilization consists of housing improvements,
textile developments, advances in medicine and law practice and general love for
material wealth. All are pronounced essentially useless, for these advances either
replace the character strengthening tasks Gandhi values so highly or convolute the
natural course of life. Even the violent combat between human beings is degraded in
civilization, as one man can kill thousands from behind a hill with one gun, leaving
no room for dignity in honest competition . Lawyers are free to cheat and confound
existing legal systems and doctors merely invest in patients for personal gain. Faith
in the human being is greatly diminished as humans fall under the spell of
civilization. Gandhi also remains unimpressed by the progression of machinery.
Indeed, he abhors the train for it’s devilish influence upon the physical and spiritual
health of his people. Industry is the height of civilization’s cruelty; weakened women
and men toiling in warehouses, performing mindless tasks, essentially the
equivalent to slavery in Gandhi’s mind. Printing advancements also fall prey to his
venom, for “…now, anybody writes and prints anything he likes and poisons
people’s mind” and literature is degraded. Laziness abounds as inventions are
dreamed up to produce convenience imaginable and gluttony reigns as food is
purchased and excessively eaten ‘every two hours’, as opposed to the sound
tradition of three healthy meals daily. Such practices are unhealthful in Gandhi’s
opinion, as revealed in his maxim, “…the more we indulge our passions the
more unbridled they become”. Essentially, Western civilization offers no
inducement towards the morality or religion Gandhi embraces and thus is deemed
irreligious. Encouraging intoxication, indulgence, compromise and foolhardiness,
the West thus earns its title ‘The Black Age’.
Surely, Western Civilization is not as horrid or immoral as Gandhi portrays it to be,
though his argument does indeed ring of truth on certain issues. Perhaps it is wise
to note that Gandhi remains the master of both Reader and Editor throughout the
dialogue of his book and that his purpose is not to denounce his own message, for
as he himself states, “we rarely find people arguing against themselves”.
Therefore, the weakened sections of his argument may not appear so, because he
may reinforce his views through the exchange between his principle identities. For
example, as Editor expounds his views on civilization, and is ‘questioned’ by
Reader, he is free to comment, “…anyone who speaks the contrary, know that he
is ignorant”. Gandhi himself does not directly profess this statement, but
through the guise of Editor, and thus seems to strengthen Gandhi’s validity. But
insofar as his arguments against transport and modern invention fare, little
supportive evidence exists and his views do appear grossly unfavorable. Railroads
appear to be harmful to physical and spiritual welfare, according to Gandhi. Disease
and plague are supposedly spread by mass transit; yet Gandhi offers no evidence in
support of this assertion. Though he condemns the railways, Gandhi also neglects
to note the importance of speedy transport in his own career as a community
activist. Required to travel great distances across miles of land and ocean, Gandhi’s
could not be as successful or influential without riding at the very ‘civilized’ speed
of “four hundred and more miles per day”, which he lavishly mocks. Nor could his
general fame and respect have reached such intensity had advancements in printing
not spread his eloquent words of freedom in pamphlet and book. Certainly, freedom
of print allows for immoral or unconventional literature to be produced, but this
same freedom allows and encourages great works to be wrought .Who is to say
whether the painstakingly hand hewn book is more valuable in content than a book
printed with the ease of machinery? Gandhi’s charge against Western Civilization
regarding invention is for the most part invalid.
A charge that is valid is that of the English government’s in competency. Gandhi’s
depiction of English government is ruthless and critical, but adequately represents
the effectiveness of the government at the time of his fight for Indian rights. The
English were subject to the governmental corruption and inefficiency and thus were
a poor model to follow for a nation wobbling on hypothetical new legs, especially a
nation bred on Gandhi’s version of swaraj. For the concept of swaraj was intended
to be accepted and enacted by India as a nation. In Western realms, such a personal
sacrifice made to extensive governmental control of life was and is not thought
appropriate, and Gandhi’s makes use of this truth in decrying the corrupt modern
civilization of the West. Whereas the West cannot manage to conduct herself with
dignity, appearing ‘half mad’ and certain to burn herself out, Gandhi views India as
quite capable of administering proper restraint and accepting swaraj. Unlike every
other empire in history, “…India remains immovable and that is her glory”. This
distinction between England and India may have merit, for the culture and class
system of India was vastly different from that of England. Adherence to social status
and all the connected implicit regulations of that status was a fundamental sacrifice
in India’s history. Yet Indian human beings hold to the same emotions and desires
as English human beings, and the freedoms of the English life style, however
unconventional or scandalous, may be embraced in place of the self-restraining
traditions preached by Gandhi. It is important to note that even though
independence from Western Government is gained, Western influence cannot be
obliterated. Gandhi’s declaration that India has nothing to learn from any other
nation is overtly ridiculous, and is even contradicted by Gandhi himself in his later
years. Realistically, Gandhi’s argument that the immoral West should not influence
the hearts of India has holds little importance in the face of this fact. Yet another
point by which Gandhi may glean respect is his condemnation of industrial work as
a detriment to the general health and well being of the English people, especially to
that of women.
Factory work broke down the family system in Briton during the
Industrial Revolution and broadened the gap between the rich and the poor. Gandhi
does well in addressing this issue. Gandhi also makes use of a series of generalities
and stereotypes in attempting to strengthen his argument, claiming all of England is
lacking courage, strength and happiness in solitude, and further more, is
intoxicated “to keep up energy”. These actions undoubtedly occurred in
England, yet in generalizing, Gandhi only succeeds in weakening his case against
Western Civilization. For it is impossible for such sins to be totally non-exist in
India, even before direct English influence, and therefore forces the two nations to
be equal in this respect. Gandhi is placing India on too high a pedestal to claim
credence.
The intent of Gandhi in Hind Swaraj was to remove the India he loved from trusting
in the greatness and infallibility of Western Civilization and to encourage her to take
pride in India’s own identity as a civilization and culture. His enthusiasm slightly
exaggerates the grandeur of India and accounts for some margin of error in his
esteem for his homeland, but Gandhi’s overall message is sound and wise; India
must be proud of her heritage and mindful of sacrifice, for by these means, true
freedom and true swaraj will be reached.
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