Swaraj

Swaraj can mean generally self-governance or "home-rule" or specifically refers to Mahatma Gandhi's concept for Indian independence from foreign domination. However its meaning goes much beyond simply governance of a country by its own people. Gandhi's concept of Swaraj laid stress on discarding British political, economic, bureaucratic, legal, military, and educational institutions as they were morally inadequate for a free and just society. A key strategy, described by Gandhi as the soul of swaraj, is self-sufficiency.

History

In 1917, Gandhi asked Indians nationwide to sign a petition demanding Swaraj. This petition was supported by, among others, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Ram Manohar Lohia. Critics include Muhammad Ali Jinnah (who said that only constitutional struggle could lead to independence (See Proposed Indian Round Table Conference 1922 and Rabindranath Tagore).

In 1919, the Navajivan Trust was founded by Gandhi to propagate peaceful means for the attainment of Hind Swaraj (Swaraj for India).

At the Indian National Congress annual session in September 1920, delegates supported swaraj, and in the same year they agreed with Khilafat leaders to work and fight together for both causes.

In 1927, Jawaharlal Nehru had introduced a resolution demanding "complete national independence" (Purna Swaraj), which was rejected owing to Gandhi's view that the Congress had to re-learn how to fight, not re-phrase its goal.

The Payyannur Conference in May 1928 passed a resolution requesting the Indian National Congress to adopt “Complete Independence” instead of “Swaraj” as its goal.

The three Round Table Conferences of 1930-32 were organised by the British government in response to the demands for swaraj.

The philosophy of Swaraj

Swaraj lays stress on governance not by a hierarchical government, but self governance through individuals and community building. The focus is on political decentralization. Actually the key concepts of Swaraj are nothing but a kind of Social Anarchism. Gandhi said, "It is swaraj when we learn to rule ourselves." The real goal of the Indian freedom struggle according to the principles of Swaraj was not only to secure political independence from Britain, but rather liberation and self-rule in the sense that British institutions too must be destroyed.

Gandhi explained his vision in 1946. "Independence begins at the bottom. A society must be build in which every or village is self sustainable and capable of managing its own affairs. It will be trained and prepared to perish in the attempt to defend itself against any onslaught. This does not exclude dependence on and willing help from neighbours or from the world. It will be a free and voluntary play of mutual forces. In this structure composed of innumerable villages, there will ever widening, never ascending circles. Life will not be a pyramid with the apex sustained by the bottom. But it will be an oceanic circle whose center will be the individual. Therefore the outermost circumference will not wield power to crush the inner circle but will give strength to all within and derive its own strength from it."

After 1947

It is generally believed that Gandhi's model of swaraj was not followed by the Indian government. Gandhi wanted a stateless society in India as he felt that the overall impact of the state on the people was harmful. He wanted a system of a classless, stateless direct democracy. For achieving this he wanted to disband the Congress party after independence. He said "Its task is done. The next task is to move into villages and revitalize life there to build a new socio-economic structure from the bottom upwards." However none of these objectives was achieved when India became independent. India, although a federation, got a strong central government. Representative democracy, rather then direct democracy was adopted. The congress party was not disbanded. Rather it went on to become one of the frontrunners in running the government of India.

Quotes

• "Power resides in the people, they can use it at any time."
• "In such a state (where swaraj is achieved) everyone is his own ruler. He rule himself in such a manner that he is never a hindrance to his neighbour."
• "Everyone will have to take swaraj for themselves."

See also

• The history of community development
• Anarchism
• Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
• Purna Swaraj
• Swaraj Party
• Swaraj Dal

Influences

• Sri Lanka Independence Struggle

References

Template:IndiaFreedom