Democracy

169. Let there be no manner of doubt that Swaraj established by nonviolent means will be different in kind from the Swaraj that can be established by armed rebellion. –YI, 2-3-22, 130.

170. Violent means will give violent Swaraj. That would be a menace to the world and India herself.
–YI, 17-7-24, 236.

171. I hold that democracy cannot be evolved by forcible methods. The spirit of democracy cannot be imposed from with out. It has to come from within. –Sita, 982.

172. I read Carlyle’s History of the French Revolution while I was in prison, and Pandit Jawaharlal has told me something about the Russian Revolution. But it is my conviction that inasmuch as these struggles were fought with the weapon of violence, they failed to realize the democratic ideal. In the democracy which I have envisaged, a democracy established by nonviolence, there will be equal freedom for all. Everybody will be his own master. –GC, 173.

173. I believe that true democracy can only be and outcome of nonviolence. The structure of a world federation can be raised only on a foundation of nonviolence, and violence will have to be totally given upin world affairs. –GC, 175.

True National Independence

174. I live for India’s freedom and would die for it, because it is part of Truth. Only a free India can worship the true God. I work for India’s freedom because my swadeshi teaches me that being born in it and having inherited her culture, I am fittest to serve her and she has a prior claim to my service. But my patriotism is not exclusive; it is calculated not only not to hurt another nation but to benefit all in the true sense of the word. India’s freedom as conceived by me can never be a menace to the world.

–YI, 3-4-24, 109.

175. We want freedom for our country, but not at the expense or exploitation of others, not so as to degrade other countries. I do not want the freedom of India if it means the extinction of England or the disappearance of Englishmen. I want the freedom of my country so that other countries may learn something from my free country, so that the resources of my country might be utilized for the benefit of mankind. Just as the cult of patriotism teaches us today that the individual has to die for the district, the district for the province, and province for the country, even so, a country has to be free in order that it may die, if necessary, for the benefit of the world. My love therefore of become free, that if need be, the whole country may die, so that the human races may live. There is no room for race-hatred there. Let that be our nationalism.

–IV, 170.