Reflections on Gandhi by George Orwell Summary of the Essay In English

अनुक्रम (Contents)

Reflections on Gandhi by George Orwell Summary of the Essay In English

Reflections on Gandhi by George Orwell Summary of the Essay In English – Before granting sainthood to anyone, one should apply Some tests, which may not be the same in all cases. In Gandhi’s case one feels inclined to raise some questions as to what extent Gandhi was vain because of his almost superhuman power to shake an empire through sheer spiritual resources? To what extent he compromised his principles by entering into politics, which by its very nature is inseparable from coercion and fraud. To know the definite answers to those questions one has to be closely familiar with Gandhi’s acts and writings, as Gandhi’s life was like a pilgrimage where everything one does is significant. The Autobiography of Gandhi deals with a part of his life ending in nineteen twenties and within that short span convinces a reader of his capabilities both material and spiritual.

The writer was not attached to Gandhi’s way of life, his clothes, or his doctrine of ‘Soul Force’ and his vegetarianism, as they seemed quite outdated and not suited to a backward, starving, overpopulated country. Through his non-violence Gandhi seemed to the British to be very serviceable and useful at the time of crisis. The capitalists too feared no harm from him.

People belonging to various (and at times antagonistic) walks of life, however, held him in great respect, thinking him to be ‘our man’. He was free from the common Indian vice of ‘maniacal suspiciousness’ and feeling of inferiority, even though he was from a middle class background and was not much to look at.

He never thought in terms of race or color. He had friends among mutually exclusive incompatible and inimical groups of people.

Gandhi’s life did not begin extraordinarily, as the lives of saints usually do. He showed no promise other than that of an average middle class young man of his time, given to fashions and ambitions of his age, His possessions, as well as his vices were, however, not many to call serious attention. Though right from childhood he had a deep earnestness, an attitude ethical rather than religious; no very definite direction was discernible till he was about thirty. He, sort of made his first entry into public life by way of vegetarianism. In spite of Gandhi being a saintly person without personal ambition, he was shrewd enough resourceful enough and energetic enough as will go to make a successful businessman, lawyer and politician. His character was a mixed one, but there was almost nothing reprehensible in it. Even his enemies granted that he was an interesting and unusual man who enriched the world simply by being alive.

Gandhi’s techniques are in a way anti-humanist, For him God exists and comes first, and Man afterwards. He was also against normal human appetite for good food and drink and natural sex drive. He was even against close friendship, as through the loyalty to ones friend one can be led into wrong-doing.

Gandhi was ready to risk family life, a considerable part of humanity for sake of principles and was perfect an Arian to a degree as will obviate the claims of need-based human society and personal relationship.

Gandhi’s pacifism, was different from the western pacifists, free from circumlocution and in fact a sort of non-violent warfare against the enemy without hurting or being hateful. Whether these principles are practicable in a hostile or totalitarian set up or not is another matter. Again, one has doubts whether ‘Satyagraha’ or or non-violent protests and civil disobedience can be effective against a despotic ruler like Hitler. With all that one cannot fail to notice that the British did go out of India without fighting, which was unconceivable even more than a year before it did take place.

One may have reservations against Gandhi’s life-style and teachings but he was one of those rare tribe of politician, pure and clean, that has done grace to the political sphere.

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