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© 2012 Sanjeev Sabhlok's revolutionary blog
On Gandhi jayanti, some Gandhian thoughts:
"Government that is ideal governs the least. It is no self-government that leaves nothing for the people to do".
“[Government] control gives rise to fraud, suppression of truth, intensification of the black market and artificial scarcity. Above all, it unmans the people and deprives them of initiative, it undoes the teaching of self-help".
"I look upon an increase in the power of the State with the greatest fear because, although while apparently doing good by minimizing exploitation, it does the greatest harm to mankind by destroying individuality which lies at the heart of all progress".
“the individual is the one supreme consideration. No society can possibly be built upon a denial of individual freedom. It is contrary to the very nature of man. Just as a man will not grow horns or a tail, so will he not exist as man if he has no mind of his own. In reality even those who do not believe in the liberty of the individual believe in their own".
"Submission [...] to a state wholly or largely unjust is an immoral barter for liberty [...] Civil resistance is a most powerful expression of a soul’s anguish and an eloquent protest against the continuance of an evil state".
"[The] means to me are just as important as the goal, and in a sense more important in that we have some control over them, whereas we have none over the goal if we lose control over the means".
'I hope to demonstrate that real Swaraj will come not by the acquisition of authority by a few but by the acquisition of the capacity by all to resist authority when abused. In other words, Swaraj is to be attained by educating the masses to a sense of their capacity to regulate and control authority'.
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If Gandhi was all for individual liberty, i wonder why he chose Nehru (who was socialist long before independence) to be his uttaradhikari. It is proven that he actively promoted Nehru to be the PM of independent India, why? Whats the objective behind promoting charka as a daily noble activity? Did his actions really reflect his words?
Nehru – given his charismatic personality and intense hard work for India’s independence – and great communication skills – was better to unite India in 1947 than Patel, and better in terms of its international reputation.
He was also a great democrat. As I’ve clarified in BFN and elsewhere, India owes its democratic practice entirely to Nehru. In many ways he was more idealistic than everyone else. I continue to hold Nehru in high esteem. One of India’s greatest sons. None of his calibre on the horizon today.
So he was a good choice.
Just that his knowledge of economics was poor. I have clarified in BFN and elsewhere that Gandhi was NOT a socialist. Had Patel and Gandhi lived, Nehru would have failed to convert India (despite his intentions to the contrary) into a poverty-stricken socialist nation.
s
Why reduce the choice between Patel & Nehru? Congress had great stalwarts during that time. Why choose a socialist who openly violated his guru’s advice (Nehru loved women & alcohol for eg.) and hope a mortal person would be chain from Nehru implementing his socialist ideas. I think C. Rajagopalachari had better qualifications in all respects including economic freedom (who cares about international reputation, we made HD Deve Gowda our PM whom nobody outside his state know). Nehru being a great democrat, please spare me that. This is a person who clinged on to his post for 17 years till the last day of his life (unlike say George Washington & american founder presidents who sacrificed their power after 2 terms) and even promoted his daughter to be INC president.
Sunil
I agree Rajaji would have been better. But till 1958 he did not openly come out against socialism. Till then, he, too, was absolutely convinced about Nehru’s ability to lead. I’ve read his writings on this subject.
Nehru was ELECTED leader, and yes while Gandhi played a part, there were no contenders.
Re: his commitment to democracy. That was absolute and complete. He taught most Indians about democracy. He tutored Chief Ministers about democracy.
Please don’t second guess one of India’s greatest sons.
If you are better, prove it. Or keep your peace. I challenge you to contribute more to India than Nehru did. Don’t whine. Be a man and DO.
s