Explain Gandhi’s critique of socialism and communism -

What is ideology? Explain Gandhi’s critique of socialism and communism

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Mahatma Gandhi was a social and political leader who played a significant role in India’s struggle for independence from British colonial rule. While Gandhi was a champion of social justice and economic equality, he had reservations about socialism and communism as political ideologies.

Gandhi believed that socialism and communism, while emphasizing the redistribution of wealth and resources, did not place enough emphasis on individual rights and freedoms. He believed that these ideologies could lead to a situation where the state became too powerful and could infringe upon the individual’s freedom of choice and action.

Additionally, Gandhi believed that socialism and communism could lead to an over-reliance on material wealth as a measure of success and happiness. He argued that such a focus on material wealth would lead to a lack of spiritual and moral development in individuals and societies.

Gandhi also believed that socialism and communism placed too much emphasis on industrialization and urbanization, at the expense of rural life and the environment. He believed that true progress could only be achieved if it was sustainable and took into account the needs of both present and future generations.

Overall, Gandhi believed that while socialism and communism had the potential to address some of the issues of inequality and exploitation in society, they could not do so at the expense of individual freedoms, spiritual and moral development, and the sustainability of the environment.

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Mahatma Gandhi’s View on Socialism and Communism!

Gandhi was also never in favor of socialism propounded by Nehru, which emphasized on large-scale production. This massive production, Gandhi feared, would lead to greater exploitation and urbanization. It is this emphasis on decentralization that endeared Gandhi to Vinoba Bhave and Jayaprakash Narayan, and not to industrialists. According to Gandhi, for a real Swaraj to be established, it is not that one class rule be substituted by the other. It is much more than that.

The villages have to be strengthened. He further believed that is much easier to change an institution than a man. Though Gandhi had great faith in institutions and their functioning, he had greater faith in the perfectibility of the individual. Gandhi strongly believed that Western socialism and communism had a strong sense of selfishness.

He wanted the capitalists and the landlords act as trustees holding their wealth for the good of their villages, workers and the peasants. His theory of trusteeship wherein the economically powerful people would surrender their power voluntarily was severely criticized. Scholars like M. N. Roy stated that such a theory would benefit only the propertied class and that the exploited could win their rights only through violence and expropriation.

However, Gandhi opined that violence might destroy one or two bad rulers, two capitalists but such capitalists always crop up. So, the only solution, according to Gandhi, was to change men and not destroy them. Further, Gandhi stated that rich cannot accumulate wealth without the cooperation of the poor; and therefore, if the poor does not cooperate with the rich they naturally mend their ways.

Gandhi also gave his own definition to the word socialism. According to Gandhi, it does not refer to nationalization of the means of production, distribution, exchange, but faith in God, truth, non-violence and equality. So, in simple terms, Gandhian socialism is based on the ideas of non-possession and trusteeship.

It was thus not an ideology of industrialization, planning or state action and, therefore, it does not appeal to the intelligentsia. Further, Gandhian socialism was humanitarian in nature. It cared for the poor and it was a moral code of personal conduct than an economic ideology. It did not envisage the expropriation of the rich through violence or state action.

As far as Gandhi’s ideas on Communism are concerned, though he appreciated its ability to organize masses, he was disappointed that it leads to the establishment of dictatorship. For a Gandhian, an alternative to communism is to establish a society wherein the instruments of production are simple and that the common man could play them in the villages.

In such a society, there would be no concentration of economic power, and so state would wither away and the Marxian dream would not be fulfilled. However, thinkers like M. N. Roy strongly criticized the ideas expressed by Gandhi and stated that he regretted that Gandhi taught his workers not to look upon their employers as exploiters but trust them as their elder brothers and that landlords were happy that Gandhi regarded them as trustees of the interests of the peasants.

He criticized Gandhi for his weak and watery reformism. Gandhi was further criticized for not having a progressive economic ideology that could give him a proper lead to the masses. In short. Communists countered any activity undertaken by Gandhi owing to their reservations against the economic and social philosophy of Gandhi. This antagonism was reflected in their denial to support Gandhi’s Quit India movement. Despite their criticism of Gandhian philosophy.

Communists had great regards for Gandhi as a great humanist. Commenting on Gandhi’s idealism E. M. S. Namboodiripad in one of his books. The Mahatma and The Ism, stated that moral values like truth, non-violence, renunciation of the pleasures of life, political ideals like freedom, democracy, emancipation of women, unity of all religious groups and communities, etc., were ail indivisible parts of his life and teachings. But, unfortunately, Gandhi regarded the workers and peasants as brothers and partners of the classes that oppressed them.

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