--- title: Hind Swaraj or the Indian Home Rule:Reply to Critics url: https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/03-hind-swaraj-or-the-indian-home-rule-reply-to-cri/ description: 'Hind Swaraj or the Indian Home Rule: Reply to Critics, from Indian Home Rule (Hind Swaraj) by M. K. Gandhi.' section: FRAME --- ![Illustration: a pre-1914 imperial intelligence-dossier collage of colonial telegraph logs, sepia field photography and empire maps.](https://propagandaarchive.org/static/generated/detail/hero-pre1914.jpg) [Library](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/) · Book · [Indian Home Rule (Hind Swaraj)](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/) # Hind Swaraj or the Indian Home Rule:Reply to Critics This text - **Work:** [Indian Home Rule (Hind Swaraj)](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/) - **Author:** M. K. Gandhi - **Published:** 1909 Full details - **Rights:** Published in Madras in 1922; Gandhi died in 1948. A foreign work still protected in its home country in 1996 had its US copyright restored for 95 years from publication, which ended on 31 December 2017 for a 1922 book, so the edition is in the public domain in the United States (Project Gutenberg marks the ebook public domain in the USA; the Internet Archive lists the scan as not in copyright). The edition also prints a note by C. Rajagopalachari (died 1972), published with it in 1922 and covered by the same US rule; its term in India runs to 2032, so readers outside the United States should check their own law. Chapters 1. [Note](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/01-note/) 2. [Foreword](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/02-foreword/) 3. [Hind Swaraj or the Indian Home Rule: Reply to Critics](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/03-hind-swaraj-or-the-indian-home-rule-reply-to-cri/) 4. [1. The Congress and Its Officials](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/04-the-congress-and-its-officials/) 5. [2. The Partition of Bengal](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/05-the-partition-of-bengal/) 6. [3. Discontent and Unrest](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/06-discontent-and-unrest/) 7. [4. What Is Swaraj?](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/07-what-is-swaraj/) 8. [5. The Condition of England](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/08-the-condition-of-england/) 9. [6. Civilization](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/09-civilization/) 10. [7. Why Was India Lost?](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/10-why-was-india-lost/) 11. [8. The Condition of India](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/11-the-condition-of-india/) 12. [9. The Condition of India (Continued)](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/12-the-condition-of-india-continued/) 13. [10. The Condition of India (Continued)](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/13-the-condition-of-india-continued/) 14. [11. The Condition of India (Continued)](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/14-the-condition-of-india-continued/) 15. [12. The Condition of India (Continued)](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/15-the-condition-of-india-continued/) 16. [13. What Is True Civilization?](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/16-what-is-true-civilization/) 17. [14. How Can India Become Free?](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/17-how-can-india-become-free/) 18. [15. Italy and India](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/18-italy-and-india/) 19. [16. Brute-force](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/19-brute-force/) 20. [17. Passive Resistance](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/20-passive-resistance/) 21. [18. Education](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/21-education/) 22. [19. Machinery](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/22-machinery/) 23. [20. Conclusion](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/23-conclusion/) 24. Appendices 25. [Some Authorities](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/24-some-authorities/) 26. [Testimonies by Eminent Men](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/25-testimonies-by-eminent-men/) [← Foreword](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/02-foreword/) [1. The Congress and Its Officials →](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/04-the-congress-and-its-officials/) **Content note:** Period language and sweeping generalisations: calls Parliament "a sterile woman and a prostitute", makes broad claims about lawyers, doctors, Europeans and relations between Hindus and Muslims, and uses the period term "Mahomedans". This object is shown as it was published. [Why](https://propagandaarchive.org/about/#as-it-was) It is certainly my good fortune that this booklet of mine is receiving wide attention. The original is in Gujarati. It had a chequered career. It was first published in the columns of the 'Indian Opinion' of South Africa. It was written in 1908 during my return voyage from London to South Africa in answer to the Indian school of violence, and its prototype in South Africa. I came in contact with every known Indian anarchist in London. Their bravery impressed me, but I feel that their zeal was misguided. I felt that violence was no remedy for India's ills, and that her civilization required the use of a different and higher weapon for self-protection. The *Satyagrah* of South Africa was still an infant hardly two years old. But it had developed sufficiently to permit me to write of it with some degree of confidence. It was so much appreciated that it was published as a booklet. It attracted some attention in India. The Bombay Government prohibited its circulation. I replied by publishing its translation. I thought that it was due to my English friends that they should know its contents. In my opinion it is a book which can be put into the hands of a child. It teaches the gospel of love in the place of that of hate. It replaces violence with self-sacrifice. It pits soul force against brute force. It has gone through several editions and I commend it to those who would care to read it. I withdraw nothing except one word of it, and that in deference to a lady friend. I have given the reason for the alteration in the preface to the Indian edition. The booklet is a severe condemnation of 'modern civilization.' It was written in 1908. My conviction is deeper to-day than ever. I feel that if India would discard 'modern civilization' she can only gain by doing so. But I would warn the reader against thinking that I am to-day aiming at the Swaraj described therein. I know that India is not ripe for it. It may seem an impertinence to say so. But such is my conviction. I am individually working for the self-rule pictured therein. But to-day my corporate activity is undoubtedly devoted to the attainment of Parliamentary Swaraj in accordance with the wishes of the people of India. I am not aiming at destroying railways or hospitals, though I would certainly welcome their natural destruction. Neither railways nor hospitals are a test of a high and pure civilization. At best they are a necessary evil. Neither adds one inch to the moral stature of a nation. Nor am I aiming at a permanent destruction of law courts, much as I regard it as a 'consummation devoutly to be wished for.' Still less am I trying to destroy all machinery and mills. It requires a higher simplicity and renunciation than the people are to-day prepared for. * * * * * The only part of the programme which is now being carried out in its entirety is that of non-violence. But I regret to have to confess that even that is not being carried out in the spirit of the book. If it were, India would establish Swaraj in a day. If India adopted the doctrine of love as an active part of her religion and introduced it in her politics, Swaraj would descend upon India from heaven. But I am painfully aware that that event is far off as yet. I offer these comments because I observe that much is being quoted from the booklet to discredit the present movement. I have even seen writings suggesting that I am playing a deep game, that I am using the present turmoil to foist my fads on India, and am making religious experiments at India's expense. I can only answer that *Satyagrah* is made of sterner stuff. There is nothing reserved and nothing secret in it. A portion of the whole theory of life described in 'Hind Swaraj' is undoubtedly being carried into practice. There is no danger attendant upon the whole of it being practised. But it is not right to scare away people by reproducing from my writings passages that are irrelevant to the issue before the country. M. K. GANDHI, *Young India, 26th January, 1921*. CONTENTS > CHAP. PAGE > I The Congress and Its Officials 11 > II The Partition of Bengal 18 > III The Discontent and Unrest 21 > IV What is Swaraj? 22 > V The Condition of England 26 > VI Civilization 30 > VII Why was India Lost? 35 > VIII The condition of India 39 > IX Do. Railways 43 > X Do. Hindus and Mahomedans 47 > XI Do. Lawyers 55 > XII Do. Doctors 60 > XIII What is True Civilization? 63 > XIV How can India become Free? 67 > XV Italy and India 71 > XVI Brute Force 75 > XVII Passive Resistance 84 > XVIII Education 97 > XIX Machinery 105 > XX Conclusion 110 > Appendices 123 INDIAN HOME RULE [← Foreword](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/02-foreword/) [1. The Congress and Its Officials →](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/04-the-congress-and-its-officials/) Indian Home Rule (Hind Swaraj), M. K. Gandhi. Published in Madras in 1922; Gandhi died in 1948. A foreign work still protected in its home country in 1996 had its US copyright restored for 95 years from publication, which ended on 31 December 2017 for a 1922 book, so the edition is in the public domain in the United States (Project Gutenberg marks the ebook public domain in the USA; the Internet Archive lists the scan as not in copyright). The edition also prints a note by C. Rajagopalachari (died 1972), published with it in 1922 and covered by the same US rule; its term in India runs to 2032, so readers outside the United States should check their own law. [Provenance and rights](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/gandhi-hind-swaraj-1909/).