Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Hind Swaraj, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Passive Resistance and Indian Independence
Modern Civilization and Colonialism
The Personal and the Political
Indian Nationhood and Identity
Summary
Analysis
Gandhi writes that his English translation of Hind Swaraj is imperfect but mostly preserves his intended meaning. When the British seized all copies of the original Gujarati version, he rushed to get the English edition printed and distributed. Still, the dialogue format that Gandhi chose is much more natural in Gujarati than in English.
Although Gandhi translated the book himself, it’s important to note that this English version of Hind Swaraj is still derivative of the Gujarati original. Gandhi’s decision to write in his native Gujarati reflects his belief that Indians should promote and prioritize their native languages. However, his willingness to publish a translation in English reflects his insistence that Indians should be willing to use English to communicate when it’s necessary or advantageous—especially when communicating across linguistic boundaries or speaking directly to the English (including English pro-independence activists). The English government’s decision to ban Gandhi’s original text shows how threatened they felt by his revolutionary ideology, but in fact this ultimately only gave him a higher profile and helped him gain a wider following.
Themes
Gandhi explains that his thinking is influenced by “Tolstoy, Ruskin, Thoreau, Emerson,” and “the masters of Indian philosophy.” But the British Government has seized his book because he defends truth, morality, and the ancient Indian civilization that Britain wants to crush with its modern civilization. But where others call for violence, Gandhi insists on nonviolence. His perspective is influenced by his participation in the Transvaal Passive Resistance campaign in South Africa. But he is publishing independently so that the British do not persecute other South African activists over his work.
While Gandhi is opposed to modern civilization, he does not oppose everything English or European—on the contrary, he thinks that European writers and activists have plenty of valuable ideas that can contribute to the struggle for Indian independence. Besides helping him form his philosophy, Gandhi’s work in South Africa shows how he views India’s independence struggle as linked with those of other colonized peoples and nations around the world.
Themes
