mahatma gandhi western civilisation pdf karo

Anurag Gangal, Gandhi’s Critique of Western Civilisation 1

MAHATMA GANDHI’S CRITIQUE OF WESTERN CIVILISATION

Anurag Gangal

Professor and Head of Department, Political Science and

Director, Gandhian Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies,

University of Jammu, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Gandhi’s critique of Western civilisation is not a blindfolded exposition of a bias

of his own predilections. Otherwise, his ideas could not have become ever more relevant

even for the Western world today.1 Gandhi had said that the Western civilisation is a

“nine days wonder” and it is on the path of self destruction.2 As such, Gandhi’s relevance

is ever increasing and widening in scope not only for relatively poorer developing and

emerging populations but also the apparently developed countries of the comity of

nations and present-day globalising international civil society.

This subject of the Gandhian critique in this context needs more methodical and

deeper study in a proper structural format for the purpose of better understanding. This

study may therefore be divided into following contours:

1. Objective

2. Introduction

3. Elements of Western Civilisation

4. Fundamentals of Gandhian Critique

5. Gandhi’s Views on Mechanisation

6. Gandhi’s View on Western Education

7. Some Other Aspects of Western Civilisation

8. Conclusion

9. Summary

1. OBJECTIVE

The major objective of this write up is to understand the nature of modern

Western civilisation according to Gandhi. Another aspect is to grasp the meaning of

civilisation and its interconnections with media, IT, education and other areas of existing

life patterns such as globalisation etc. Therefore, keywords in this essay may be regarded

as civilisation, education, globalisation, civilisational domination and exploitation, just

world order and a cohesive order, right not might, civility of human behaviour.


2. INTRODUCTION

The Western civilisation is modern mechanised industrialising technologically

developed civilisation with primarily democratic and free capitalist globalising market

economy. Even India has largely adopted its main features such as its education, living

style, political and economic institutions of a parliamentary democracy and mixed and

capitalist economy alongwith continuous upward movement towards present-day

globalisation.

Mahatma Gandhi never wanted such a civilisation to be adopted in India of his

dreams. Yet he knew that his ideal dream would not be practicably realised by his own

country because India was not ripe for such a realisation and its realistic execution.3

Gandhi had therefore settled for the existing parliamentary democratic and economic

system in our country until the time when India ripens into a nation ready to adopt the

highest ideal of Gandhi in the form of an ideal society where the brute force of the State

would not be needed due to pervasive and universal permeation of the rule of truth and

nonviolence. For Gandhi that state is best which governs the least. Yet for Gandhi, all

large scale industries, if needed at all, must be nationalised for the benefit of the wider

population.

3. ELEMENTS OF WESTERN CIVILISATION

Modern or Western civilisation is more dependent on its outward projections such

as its glamour, ostentatious ways, mechanisation, top heavy technology, “irreligion” and

“Satanic” nature, superficial standards of knowledge in terms of its external requirements

of automation, efficiency, education and use of modern information technology (IT)

along with globalising values and ethics of a civil society, good governance (?) and ever

widening canvass of dependence on Internet and Intranet.4

The main elements and features of this Western civilisation in the Gandhian

framework of philosophy are:

i. Western life style and clothing such as trousers, shirts, skirts, jeans, T-

shirts, shoes, tinned food, Internet, sleeping late night, rising late in the

morning, non-vegetarianism, regular use of alcohol and intoxications

etc.


ii. Massive use of brute force of State diversely through modern media,

ever modernising conventional armaments like Drona of United States,

nuclear armaments and biological and chemical armaments as well as

spying via satellite communications.

iii. Technology and its recurring obsolescence in terms of ever new forms

of technology becoming obsolete almost daily. For example, a laptop

bought today will become obsolete and old fashioned within a years

time. Then even its essential technological parts will also not be

available from its company as well.

iv. In this sense also technology becomes ever enslaving and exploitative

for the common masses.

v. It is nearly impossible to ignore this technology in one’s daily life.

vi. Governments and nations and civil society start fully depending on the

modern Western technological networking beyond which there is no

respite. These networks can cause to make and unmake governments in

different countries of the world.

vii. Labour saving technology leading humanity to utmost comfort and least

possible of manual labour.

viii. More opportunities for increasing unemployment instead of ever more

employment for common masses in poorer and emerging nations.

ix. Concentration of wealth and capital in fewer hands.

x. Rising ecological threats as a result of Western technological

interference with Nature. For example, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

from air conditioners and modern transportation systems leading to

recurring depletion of ozone layer resulting in increasing instances of

ultraviolet radiation and skin cancers. This is just one example. There

are, in effect, endless list of such instances in almost every area of

human life today.

xi. Western civilisation is such that one needs to be patient and it will be

self destroyed. It is like a Frankenstein.


xii. It is leading to several dilemmas of development such as population

explosion and need for education and upliftment of the poor – what

should come first? Population control or development efforts?

xiii. There is very close relationship between Western civilisation and

modern technology. This technology is seldom for an individual. It is

always for massive consumption through influencing the minds and

psychology of the masses the world over.

xiv. Despite above mentioned elements of Western civilisation, it is still

believed that the current process of globalisation is permanent and

continuous for bringing about a new and just world order! Is it really

possible?

xv. Western civilisation is blind to larger human values vis-à-vis its need for

modern technology.

xvi. The Western civilisation is also leading to social and political

disruptions through its utter materialism and ever growing quest for

armaments and domination of other cultures and civilisations of the

world.

4. FUNDAMENTALS OF GANDHIAN CRITIQUE

Cornerstones of the political philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi lie in the Panch

Yama of Patanjali’s Yogpardeep. The principles of truth, nonviolence, non-stealing, non-

possession and celibacy are the panch yama. It is on these five principles that entire

edifice of Gandhi’s social, political and economic philosophy is based with the central

theme of the place and role of the individual in every relevant sphere of life. From

beginning till the end, in all his writings, individual is the main concern.

It is this quest for an individual’s peaceful and just life that Gandhi has devoted

his philosophy of life to. Preserving and protecting an individual’s interests versus

modern Western mechanisation, industrialisation and technologicalisation is of grave

importance to Gandhi. Technology must be labour-involving instead of labour saving.

The Western civilisation is, on the other hand, primarily based on modern mechanical

and technology superconductors and chips and nanotechnology.


In this technological world, an individual is loosing one’s identity and existence

by becoming a slave to such modern Western trends of development. This is not

acceptable to Gandhi although he appears to be ready to agree to certain dilutions in this

matter especially when he finds a number of modern Western contexts as a necessity for

India to pursue as a newly independent country and even otherwise in the international

market, economy and polity.5

Therefore, Gandhi is not an impractical person. Instead he is highly mundane and

down to earth “practical idealist”.

5. GANDHI’S VIEW ON MECHANISATION

When Gandhian philosophy is studied, one often comes across several

contradictions relating to various differing statements that Gandhi made from time to

time. Gandhi says that whenever such contradictions arise anent his views and

philosophy, it is better to believe in the later ones than the earlier opinions.6

As regards machinery and mechanisation, Gandhi says, “It is machinery that has

impoverished India.” He further says, “I cannot recall a single good point in connection

with machinery.” For him, “The workers in the mills … become slaves.”7

On the other hand, Gandhi also says, “Mechanisation is good when hands are too

few for the work intended to be accomplished. It is evil where there are more hands than

required…”8 Gandhi further says, “The supreme consideration is man. The machine

should not tend to atrophy the limbs of man. For instance, I would make intelligent

exceptions. Take the case of Singer’s Sewing Machine. It is one of the few useful things

ever invented…” Replying to a question whether he was against all machinery, Gandhi

said, “How can I be when I know that even this human body is a most delicate piece of

machinery? The spinning wheel is a machine; a little toothpick is a machine. What I

object to is the craze for machinery, not machinery as such.”9

At another place, Gandhi has said that:

I entertain no fads in this regard [his avowed opposition to

machinery and capital intensive technology] All that I desire is that every

able-bodied citizen should be provided with gainful employment. If

electricity and even automatic energy could be used without…creating

unemployment, I will not raise my little finger against it…. If the


Government could provide full employment to our people without the help

of Khadi hand-spinning and hand-weaving industries, I shall be prepared

to wind up my constructive programme in this regard.10

6. GANDHI’S VIEW ON WESTERN EDUCATION

In Hind Swaraj, Gandhi provides a vehement criticism of modern Western

civilisation, education and massive industrialisation. About education, especially Chapter

– XVIII entitled “Education”, he says:

What is the meaning of education? It simply means a knowledge of

letters. It is merely an instrument, and an instrument may be well used or

abused. The same instrument that may be used to cure a patient may be

used to take his life, and so 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 that more harm has been done by it than

good.

The ordinary meaning of education is a knowledge of letters. To

teach boys reading, writing and arithmetic is called primary education. A

peasant 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. What 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

tot? And even if you want to do that, he will not need such an education.

Carried away by the flood of western thought we came to the conclusion,

without weighing pros and cons, that we should give this kind of

education to the people.

Now let us take higher education. I have learned Geography,

Astronomy, Algebra, Geometry, etc. What of that? In what way have I

benefited myself or those around me? Why have I learned these things?

…Huxley has thus defined education:


That man I think has had a liberal education who

has been so trained in youth that his body is the ready

servant of his will and does with case and pleasure all the

work that as a mechanism it is capable of, whose intellect is

a clear, cold, logic engine with all its parts of equal strength

and in smooth working order ... whose mind is stored with

a knowledge of the fundamental truths of nature.... whose

passions are trained to conic to heel by a vigorous will, the

servant of a tender conscience ... who has learnt to hate all

vileness and to respect others as himself. Such a one 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 is 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, it is not required for the main thing. It does not make men of us.

It does not enable us to do our duty.

Moreover, I have not run down a knowledge of letters in all

circumstances. All I have now shown is that we must not make of it a

fetish… In its place it can be of use and it has its place when we have

brought our senses under subjection and put our ethics on a firm

foundation. And then, if we feel inclined to receive that education, we may

make good use of it. As an ornament it is likely to sit well on us. It now

follows that it is not necessary to make this education compulsory. Our

ancient school system is enough. Character-building has the first place in

it and that is primary education. A building erected on that foundation will

last.

And it is worthy of note that the systems which the Europeans have

discarded are the systems in vogue among us. Their learned men

continually make changes. We ignorantly adhere to their cast-off systems.


They are trying each division to improve its own status. Wales is a small

portion of England. Great efforts are being made to revive a knowledge of

Welsh among Welshmen. The English Chancellor, Mr. Lloyd George is

taking a leading part in the movement to make Welsh children speak

Welsh. And what is our condition? We write to each other in faulty

English, and from this even our M.A.s are not free; our best thoughts are

expressed in English., the proceedings of our Congress are conducted in

English; our best newspapers are printed in English. If this state of things

continues for a long time, posterity will - it is my firm opinion - condemn,

and curse us.

Is it not a painful thing that, if I want to go to a court of justice, I

must employ the English language as a medium and that when I become a

barrister. I may not speak my mother tongue and that someone else should

have to translate to me from my own language? Is not this absolutely

absurd? Is it not a sign of slavery? Am I to blame the English for it or

myself'? It is we, the English-knowing Indians that have enslaved India.

The curse of the nation will rest not upon the English but upon us.

6.1 Nai Taleem or Basic Education

Another feature of Gandhian philosophy of education concerns Gandhi’s stress on

his New or Basic Education in 3Rs – reading, writing and arithmetic along with the

principle of learning and earning through regular practice including extra-curricular

activities for children, adolescents, youth and adults alike. Gandhi’s experiments in his

Tolstoy Farm -- at Phoenix in South Africa in 1904 - 1913 -- are replete with this feature

of basic education involving daily manual work and vocational training also.11

Hygiene;

manual work; learning and earning; extra curricular activities; reading, writing and

arithmetic; vocational training; and character building are to be given top priority. The

essence of this philosophy of education rests in self-sufficiency, confidence and character

building of an individual and the nation alike. One must begin from the smallest unit of

humanity.


6.2 Constructive Programme

Another significant facet of Gandhian philosophy of education is seen in his

Constructive Programme and also in his magnum opus, namely, Hind Swaraj or Indian

Home Rule. In his Constructive Programme, Gandhi lays focus on discipline of a civil

disobedient nonviolent soldier, communal unity, removal of untouchability, training for

promotion of khadi and other village industries, village sanitation, adult education,

women as equal partners, economic equality, patriotism, prohibition, bravery and

honesty.

This constructive programme has to be put in its right Gandhian perspective of

local, regional, national, international and global contexts.

6.3 Eleven Vows

Gandhi points out eleven vows as absolutely necessary rudiments for proper

education in ethical values, imbibing Indian culture, personality development and

character building. He has taken up these so-called eleven commandments from

Patanjali’s ancient work Yogapradeepta. These eleven vows are satya (truth), ahimsa

(nonviolence), asteya (non-stealing), aparigraha (non-possession), brahmcharya

(selfcontrol, self-discipline and celibacy), sharirshrama (bread-labour), aswada (palate

control), sarvtra bhayavarjana (fearlessness and bravery), sarva dharma samantva

(equality of all religions), swadeshi (using locally available resources and produced

goods), sparsha bhavana (removal of untouchability). The first five vows, among these

eleven, are also known as the panchyama of Patanjali.

7. SOME OTHER ASPECTS OF WESTERN CIVILISATION

Gandhi is very critical of the immoralities inherent in the Western civilisation

such as utter materialistic thinking and behaviour leading to braking of families and

socially ostracised old aged persons. There are so many other aspects and dimensions of

modern Westernised behaviour and tendencies in this world of ‘knowledge bloom’ and

Internautian culture of a ‘free world’.

Such Western civilisation is moving towards complete doom and destruction of

social cohesiveness and order. Even ethical standards are becoming more commercial and

technological than personal and social in nature. New money churning educational and

other professions – finance, management and information technology – are emerging


with their own ethics of the corporate world. Where does the individual stand in this

world of the web of Aridnae’s Thread?

In addition, the modern Western modes of transportation spreading all over the

world are also becoming carriers of ever new type of diseases and viruses like immune

deficiency syndrome etc. How really inhuman civilisation is the widespread Western

civilisation today? Yet, its comfort and glamour attract us and we remain stuck in its web.

8. CONCLUSION

Main perspectives of Gandhi’s critique of the Western civilisation have been

discussed here. The focus of this essay is primarily on what Gandhi has to say in this

matter. This is the major frame of reference in this research paper.

However, the Gandhian type of Indian civilisation is possible in the twenty-first

century only when individuals and nations alike keep away from absolute personal

aggrandizement of political and economic power in the interest of public welfare oriented

political will, proper intention and societal commitment. In the interest of mere human

survival, one has to end certain practices and start anew with what Mahatma Gandhi has

suggested in his Hind Swaraj. Ethical principles and character building provide the real

bases to every human action – on individual, national and international planes. The

direction of not only the Indian education but also global education system has to be set

right through root and branch transformation. What if materialism of the West and

spiritualism of the East meet! Otherwise there cannot be any respite from the continued

onslaught of the Western civilisation all over the world.

9. SUMMARY

The Western civilisation revolves around materialism and massive consumerist

culture through multimedia, information technology, modern education, globalised

networking and liberal market economy with international corporate norms and

functioning. Gandhi calls this civilisation as immoral and merely a “nine days wonder”.

Western civilisation itself has now started realising its limitations and inherent follies

while Gandhi had predicted and analysed them about a hundred years ago.

Just look at the visionary nature of Gandhi’s understanding of the national and

global affairs not only in his own time but also much beyond of what anyone else can see

and visualise!


The fundamental pillars of a civilisation reside in its character building, moral

strength, cultural diversity, equality among its citizens, least power to the State,

decentralisation of political and economic power, suitable education, near full

employment, social security and balanced development and education system. One

civilisation must not impose its nature and salient features upon other civilisations

through domination and exploitation. A civilisation must be nonviolent. Without

nonviolence, by definition, a civilisation cannot be called as such. Civility is a must for

any civilisation and it must not be borne on sleeves only. It must be truly human.


References and Notes

1 S. C. Gangal and Anurag Gangal, Contemporary Global Problems: A Gandhian Perspective, Vinod

Publishers, Jammu, 1995, pp. 2-3, 2-28. 2 M. K. Gandhi, Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule, Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, Twentieth

reprint, 2008, p. 33. 3 Ibid, pp. 25-36.

4 Ibid, p. 33; Anurag Gangal, Contemporary Issues: Gandhian Relevance, Pothi Publishers, Hyderabad,

2010, pp. 50-60. V. A. Patil and D. Gopal, Politics of Globalisation, (Authors Press, Delhi: 2002), pp. 01 –

11. “The term ‘globalisation’ was first coined in the 1980s, but the concept stretches back decades, and

even centuries, if you count the trading empires by Spain, Portugal, Britain and Holland. The resolve of

Western states to build and strengthen international ties in the aftermath of World War II laid the

groundwork for today’s globalisation. It has brought diminishing national borders and the fusing of

individual national markets. The fall of protectionist barriers has stimulated free movement of capital and

paved the way for companies to set up several bases around the world. …. Supporters of globalisation say it

has promoted information exchange, led to greater understanding of other cultures and allowed democracy

to triumph over autocracy. Critics say that even in developed world, not everyone has been a winner. The

freedoms granted by globalisation are leading to increased insecurity in workplace….. Many see

globalisation as a primarily economic phenomenon, involving the increasing interaction, or integration, of

national economic systems through the growth in international trade, investment and capital flows…, one

can also point to rapid increase in cross-border social, cultural and technological exchange as part of the

phenomenon of globalisation. The sociologist, Anthony Giddens, defines globalisation as a decoupling of

space and time, emphasising … instantaneous communication, knowledge and culture … shared around the

world simultaneously.” See pp 01 – 02. World Trade Organisation (WTO), International Monetary Fund

(IMF), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development IBRD) or World Bank, United Nations

(UN) and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) etcetera are a few major

international organisations regulating the process of globalisation. Mahatma Gandhi places an individual at

a prime spot in the social, political and economic setup in society. There is a widespread misconception

that Gandhi stresses “de-emphasis of individual self in pursuit of higher goals.” David P. Brash and

Charles P. Webel, Peace and Conflict Studies (Sage, California: 2002), p. 05. Individual’s self-knowledge

is the highest goal and the best instrument to bring inner, national and global peace and development for

Gandhi. G. N. Dhawan, The Political Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi (Navajivan, Ahmedabad: 1957),

Chapters 03 – 07 and pp. 312 – 351.

5 M. K. Gandhi, Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule, Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, Twentieth

reprint, 2008, pp. 25-38. Harijan, 16 November 1939. Ram K. Vepa, New Technology: A Gandhian

Concept, New Delhi, 1975, p. 70. M. K. Gandhi, From Yervada Mandir, Navajivan, Ahmedabad, 1933, pp.

96-97. 6 Harijan, 29.04.1933, p.2. Hind Swaraj, Ibid, p. 4.

7 Hind Swaraj, Ibid, pp. 80-84.

8 Op. cit. n. 5.

9 M. K. Gandhi, Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule, Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, Twentieth

reprint, 2008, pp. 7-9. 10

Ram K. Vepa, Op. cit. n. 5. 11

Gandhi, An Autobiography or The Story of my Experiments with Truth, Part – III, Chapter – V; Part – IV,

Chapters – XIX – XXIII and XXXII; Harijan, 18 September 1937.

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