Abstract

In this paper I attempt to uncover the concept of alienation in M. K. Gandhi’s seminal work, the Hind Swaraj. It is my contention that there is an implicit notion of alienation that informs the whole of Hind Swaraj, which is, to some extent, similar to the concept of alienation found in Karl Marx’s thought. The Gandhian and Marxian concepts seem to have affinity and seem to share the same critical, diagnostic spirit, since they are employed for the same purpose, namely as keys to understanding the ills of modern civilization. However, as far as I know, although Gandhi and Marx have been compared in numerous books and papers, there have been no at­tempts to read the Hind Swaraj as presenting a Marxian-looking concept of alienation. So I propose to do that here. I would first delineate the Marxian concept of alienation. I would then try to make explicit the implicit Gandhian notion of alienation. I would then turn to comparing the two concepts. This comparative study would show that a Gandhian way to a non-alienated state is to make constant use of one’s “hands and feet”, whereas a Marxian way seems to regard the non-alienated state as something to be achieved once and for all.