India of My Dreams

Chapter 06
INDIA AND COMMUNISM
I must confess that I have not yet been able to fully understand the meaning of
Bolshevism. All that I know is that it aims at the abolition of the institution of private
property. This is only an application of the ethical ideal of non-possession in the realm
of economics and if the people adopted this ideal of their own accord or could be
made to accept it by means of peaceful persuasion, there would be nothing like it. But
form what I know of Bolshevism it not only does not preclude the use of force, but
freely sanctions it for the expropriation of private property and maintaining the
collective State ownership of the same. And if that is so, I have no hesitation in saying
that the Bolshevik regime in its present form cannot last for long. For it is my firm
conviction that nothing enduring can be built on violence. But, be that as it may, there
is no questioning the fact that is Bolshevik ideal has behind it the purest sacrifice of
countless men and women who have given up their all for its sake, and an ideal that is
sanctioned by the sacrifices of such master spirits as Lenin cannot go in vain; the noble
example of their renunciation will be emblazoned for ever and quicken and purify the
ideal as time passes.
Young India, 15-11-28

Socialism and communism of the West are based on certain conceptions which are
fundamentally different from ours. One such conception is their belief in the essential
selfishness of human nature. I do not subscribe to it for I know that the essential
difference between man and the brute is that the former can respond to the call of
the spirit in him, can rise superior to the passions that he owns in common with the
brute and, therefore, superior to selfishness and violence, which belong to the brute
nature and not to the immortal spirit of man. That the fundamental conception of
Hinduism, which has years of penance and austerity at the back of discovery of this
truth. That is why, whilst we have had saints who have worn out their bodies and laid
down their lives in order to exploring the remotest or the highest regions of the earth.
Our socialism or communism should, therefore, be based on non-violence and on
harmonious co-operation of labour and capital, landlord and tenant.
Amrita Bazar Patrika, 2-8-34

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What does communism mean in the last analysis? It means a classless society-an ideal
that is worth striving for. Only I part company with it when force is called to aid for
achieving it. We are all born equal, but we have all these centuries resisted the will of
God. The idea of inequality, of high and low, is an evil, but I do not believe in
eradicating evil from the human breast at the point of the bayonet. The human breast
does not lend itself to that means.
Harijan, 13-3-37

Communism of the Russian type, that is communism which is imposed on a people,

would be repugnant to India. If communism came without any violence, it would be
welcome. For then no property would be held by anybody except on behalf of the
people and for the people. A millionaire may have his millions but he will hold then,
whenever they would need them for the common cause.
Harijan, 13-3-37

The Socialists and Communists say they can do nothing to bring about economic
equality today. They will just carry on propaganda in its favour and to that end they
believe in generating and accentuating hatred. They say, when they get control over
the State they will enforce equality. Under my plan the State will be there to carry out
the will of the people, not to dictate to them or force them to do its will. I shall bring
about economic equality through non-violence, by converting the people to my point
of view by harnessing the forces of love as against hatred. I will not wait till I have
converted the whole society to my view but will straight away make a beginning with
myself. It goes without saying that I cannot hope to bring about economic equality of
my conception, if I am the owner of fifty motor cars or even of ten bighas of land. For
that I have to reduce myself to the level of the poorest of the poor. That is what I
have been trying to do for the last fifty years or more, and so I claim to be a foremost
Communist although I make use of cars and other facilities offered to me by the rich.
They have no hold on me and I can shed them at a moments notice, if the interests of
the masses demand it.
Harijan, 31-3-46

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We must have the ability and courage to subsist on what our soil can give us rather
than depend on foreign charity. Otherwise we shall not deserve to exist as an
independent country. The same applies to foreign ideologies. I would accept them only
to the extent that I can assimilate them and adapt them to the Indian scene. But I
must refuse to go under them.
Harijan, 6-10-46

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India of My Dreams

Chapter 07
THE CURSE OF INDUSRIALISM
There is a growing body of enlightened opinion which distrusts this civilization which
has insatiable material ambition at one end and consequent war at the other. But
whether good or bad, why must India become industrial in the Western sense? The
Western civilization is urban. Small countries like England or Italy, may afford to
urbanize their systems. A big country like America with a very sparse population,
perhaps, a big country, with a teeming population with an ancient rural tradition which
has hitherto answered its purpose, need not, must not copy the Western model. What
is good for one nation situated in one condition is not necessarily good enough for
another differently situated. One mans food is often another mans poison. Physical
geography of a country has a predominant share in determining its culture. A fur coat
may be a necessity for the dweller in the Polar regions, it will smother those living in
the equatorial regions.

Young India, 25-7-29

I would categorically state my conviction that the mania for mass-production is

responsible for the world crisis. Granting for the moment that machinery may supply
all the needs of humanity, still it would concentrate production in particular areas, so
that you would have to go about in a roundabout way to regulate distribution;
whereas, if there is production and distribution both in the respective areas where
things are required, it is automatically regulated, and there is less chance for fraud,
none for speculation.
You see that these nations (Europe and America) are able to exploit the so-called
weaker or unorganized races of the world. Once these races gain an elementary
knowledge and decide that they are no more going to be exploited, they will simply be
satisfied with what they can provide themselves. Mass-production, then at least where
the vital necessities are concerned, will disappear.
When production and consumption both become localized, the temptation, the
temptation to speed up production, indefinitely and at any price, disappears. All the
endless difficulties and problems that our present-day economic system presents, too,
would then come to an end.
Harijan, 2-11-34
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Machinery has its place; it has come to stay. But it must not be allowed to displace
necessary human labour. I would welcome every improvement in the cottage machine,
but I know that it is criminal to displace hand labour by the introduction of powerdriven spindles unless one is at the same time ready to give millions of farmers some
other occupation in their houses.
Young India, 5-11-25

I refuse to be dazzled by the seeming triumph of machinery. I am uncompromisingly

against all destructive machinery. But simple tools and instruments and such
machinery as saves individual labour and lightens the burden of the millions of
cottages, I should welcome.
Young India, 17-6-26

Dead machinery must not be pitted against the millions of living machines represented
by the villagers scattered in the seven hundred thousand villages of India. Machinery to
be well used has to help and ease human effort. The present use of machinery tends
more and more to concentrate wealth in the hands of a few in total disregard of
millions of men and women whose bread is snatched by it out of their mouths.
Harijan, 14-9-35

Industrialization on a mass scale will necessarily lead to passive or active exploitation

of the villagers as the problems of competition and marketing come in. Therefore, we
have to concentrate on the village being self-contained, manufacturing mainly for use.
Provided this character of the industry is maintained, there would be no objection to
villagers using even the modern machines and tools that they can make and can afford
to use. Only they should not be used as a means of exploitation of others.
Harijan, 29-8-36

I do not believe that industrialization is necessary in any case for any country. It is
much less so for India. Indeed, I believe that Independent India can only discharge her

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