MAHATMA GANDHI AND HIND SWARAJ: A PHILOSOPHICAL CRITIQUE OF MODERN CIVILIZATION AND THE VISION OF TRUE FREEDOM

Abstract

This research article examines Mahatma Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj (1909) as a foundational text of modern Indian political and ethical thought. It argues that the work is not merely a nationalist tract but a profound civilizational critique of modernity, industrialism, and colonialism. Gandhi’s conception of swaraj is interpreted as an ethical and spiritual ideal rooted in self-discipline rather than mere political independence. The article further explores Gandhi’s critique of Western civilization, his insistence on the unity of means and ends, and his formulation of satyagraha as a moral force. Drawing upon critical interpretations by scholars such as Anthony J. Parel and Bhikhu Parekh, the study situates Hind Swaraj within a broader philosophical discourse, highlighting its continuing relevance in contemporary debates on development, sustainability, and ethical politics.