Gandhi's Views on the West

In order to begin this investigation, it is first helpful to consider the basic rudiments of Gandhi's philosophies that have been, in some way, extrapolated from Western thinking. Reviewing what has been written about Gandhi's basic philosophies, it becomes quite evident that Gandhi's belief in non-violence as a central means for social change was derived from Henry David Thoreau's essay entitled Civil Disobedience (Cain, 2000). In this essay, Thoreau advocated for individual freedom and respect for human rights. Unlike other authors of the time period, however, Thoreau argued that these realities could be achieved through non-violence: "I please myself with imagining a State at last which can afford to be just to all men, and to treat the individual with respect as a neighbor; which even would not think it inconsistent with its own repose if a few were to lie aloof from it, not meddling with it, nor embraced by it, who fulfilled all the duties of neighbors and fellow men" (Thoreau, 1999). Gandhi took many of Thoreau's sentiments to heart and chose to support nonviolent means as a central paradigm for conflict resolution.

Even though Gandhi found considerable solace in the work of Henry David Thoreau, a careful reading of Gandhi's autobiography demonstrates that Gandhi may have been drawn to Thoreau's work because of his own convictions about the sanctity of life. For instance, Gandhi (1927/1993) argues that there are many causes that he is prepared to die for; however, there are no causes which he is prepared to kill for. What this effectively suggests is that, at his very core, Gandhi embraced nonviolent ideologies that supported the sanctity of life. Thus, it is not surprising to find that when Gandhi encountered Thoreau's writings he became notably enthralled with them. Thoreau, in many respects, iterated many of the basic ideas that Gandhi developed as a result of his own education and experiences.

The Issue of Religion

Another area in which one could argue that Gandhi had been highly influenced by Western scholars is religion. Although Gandhi was born Hindu, and remained a devout follower of this religion throughout his life, he recognized the faults that existed within the context of the Hindu religion. In addition to recognizing the faults of the Hindu religion, Gandhi also recognized that there were various faults with all religions, even Christianity. In his autobiography Gandhi (1927/1993) writes, "Thus if I could not accept Christianity either as a perfect, or the greatest, religion, neither was I then convinced of Hinduism being such. Hindu defects were pressingly visible to me" (p. 114). In this context, it becomes clear that Gandhi had philosophically reviewed the context of each religion in search of deeper meaning that would allow him to profess one religion as "better" than all others. Unfortunately, what Gandhi discovered was that no one religion was infallible or perfect.

Clearly, Gandhi's methods for exploring religion are reminiscent of the specific methods that Western scientists used to investigate natural phenomenon. Gandhi, through his education and experiences came to idealize this method of inquiry, applying it not only to religion, but to his own life to see if certain consistencies were present. Even though some scholars may interpret Gandhi's attempts to experiment as an active engagement with Western paradigms of science, Gandhi's autobiography seems to suggest the application of these techniques for a more universal purpose: the search for truth. "But for me, truth is the sovereign principle, which includes numerous other principles. This truth is not only truthfulness in word, but truthfulness in thought also, and not only the relative truth of our conception, but the Absolute Truth, the Eternal Principle, that is God" (p. xi). What this effectively suggests is that the specific methods applied by Gandhi were to serve a specific end: elucidation of the truth, such that the truth could bring Gandhi closer to God.

Analysis of the Issues

The manner in which Gandhi chose to address the issues of religion and nonviolence clearly elucidate the particular manner in which Gandhi embraced Western thinking and ideology. However, when one looks at how these ideas fit into the larger context of Gandhi's life and his ideas on life, it becomes clear that Gandhi was not specifically empowered by Western thinking or thought. Rather, Gandhi appears to have a general approach to examining life-in pursuit of greater truth-that has some similarities to various Western ideologies that have been espoused over the course of time. For instance, Thoreau wrote about respect for the individual as an essential part of human existence. Although Thoreau's ideas were espoused under the constructs of Western democracy, the reality is that his ideas were, in many cases, transcendental. In other words, Thoreau's ideas were not purely "Western" pre say; instead, Thoreau's ideas were those that could be applied to the entire context of the human race. As such, while Thoreau may be best remembered for his inflammatory rhetoric against Western government, in actuality, Thoreau's work represents something much more extensive than just Western rhetoric; it represents a larger paradigm for human existence.

To further illustrate this point, one only needs to consider what Gandhi espouses in the Hind Swaraj. In Chapter 16, Gandhi makes the argument that, "Just as dirt is matter misplaced, reason misplaced is lunacy! I plead not for the suppression of Reason, but for a due recognition of that in us which sanctifies reason itself" (Chapter XVI). What this effectively suggests about Gandhi's ideologies is that they come from a deeper search for a more integral understanding of meaning, rather than from a specific influence. In this context, it becomes evident that Gandhi's teachings and philosophies are rooted not in the Western experience, but in the human experience that is central to all of mankind. Further, Gandhi's worldview is directly linked to his own moral view of how even the most fundamental issues should be addressed in the context of the individual's life.

When placed in this perspective, it becomes clear that Gandhi was not specifically drawn to Western scholars or ideologies. Rather, what Gandhi was attracted to was the universal and transcendental nature of what some Western scholars had to say. Gandhi had learned through his education and experiences that the depths of human wisdom did not just come from one specific source. Only through exploring various sources and looking for truth could true enlightenment be gained. This is what Gandhi sought above all else: the truth. Gandhi believed that through uncovering the truth he could eventually reach enlightenment. Thus, Gandhi did not limit his education or experiences to one specific religion or culture. Instead, Gandhi used an open mind that sought truth in every aspect of society and culture. Hence, even though Gandhi had little affection for Western culture, this did not exclude him from examining its underpinnings and appreciating the diversity and insight that Western scholars could provide.

Conclusion

Overall, Gandhi's disdain for Western culture would seem to indicate a paradox when compared with some of the basic philosophies he developed. However, when one looks at the specific context of the Western ideas that Gandhi embraced, two notable facts become clear. First, many of the Western philosophies embraced by Gandhi were, in some rudimentary form, a part of Gandhi's basic philosophies on discovering truth. Second, while many of the paradigms and philosophies that Gandhi embraced came from Western scholars, the ideas that were espoused by these scholars were more transcendental, than Western, in nature. To illustrate this point, the case of Thoreau's writings again comes to mind. Even though Thoreau wrote Civil Disobedience as a means to demonstrate the oppressive power of American democracy, Gandhi's interpretation of the work demonstrates that Thoreau's ideas could be applied outside of the Western context in which his arguments were originally framed. As such, Gandhi was not drawn explicitly to Thoreau's work because of its Western appeal; rather Gandhi was drawn to the work because of its larger ramifications for human existence.

Clearly, when explicated in this manner, the presence of a paradox becomes a moot point. For Gandhi, the search for truth led him to explore and embrace philosophies and paradigms from all cultures. When Gandhi noted his disdain for Western culture, it was not because he had become a hypocrite. Rather, Gandhi's disdain for Western culture stemmed from the fact that Western culture became the antithesis of what Gandhi sought to attain: the truth. In many respects, one could argue that Thoreau through his work made similar statements about Western society and culture. Even though Western government and society had been conceived in principles and philosophies that personified truth, freedom and human rights, by twentieth century, many of these altruistic ideologies had been left by the wayside. What Gandhi saw in Western philosophy was a clear criticism of what had evolved in Western society as well as potential means to put society, culture and government back on the right path toward achieving a higher degree of truth.

References

Cain, W.E. (2000). A Historical Guide to Henry David Thoreau. New York: Oxford University Press.

Gandhi, M.K. (no date). Hind Swaraj. Accessed February 15, 2006 at: http://www.mkgandhi.org/swarajya/coverpage.htm

Gandhi, M.K. (1927/1993). Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.Thoreau, H.D. (1999). Civil Disobedience. American Transcendentalism Web. Accessed February 2, 2006 at: http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/transcendentalism/authors/thoreau/civil/