26 Role Of Social Reforms Leaders: Mk Gandhi’s Constructive Programme

Dr. Vijeta Dr. Vijeta

Content of this unit

Introduction
Role Of Social Reforms Leaders
Mahatma Gandhi’s Constructive Programme
Communal Harmony
Removal Of Untouchability
Prohibition Of Liquor
Support Of Khadi
Village Industries
Sanitation
New Education
Women’s Role In The Society
Health And Hygiene
Emphasis On National Language I.E. Hindi Or Urdu
Attention To Peasants And Agricultural Communities
Special Place To Adivasis
Economic Equality
Conclusion
Summary

Learning Objectives: from this content, one shall be able to know about the role of social reforms and role of leaders, which started well before the political awakening which despite all constraint tried to bring in a new perspective in reference to socio-political sphere. Also, about the mahatma gandhi’s constructive programmes which were his way of understanding the concept of civilization and adoption a way of life.

Introduction

Role of Social Reforms Leaders

Social reforms started well before the political awakening. We see the beginning and rise of press and journalism which despite all constraint tried to bring in a new perspective in reference to socio-political sphere, through news and articles. At the start of 2nd decade of 19th century Raja Ram Mohan Roy emerged as one of the earliest stalwarts of reforms, which were in nature of remedies to religious pandemonium. He gradually started propagation of his ideas pertaining to maladies caused by religious mores, practices and prevailing orthodox attitude. With the formation of Brahmo Samaj and propagation of his ideas regarding sati, child marriage, remarriage of widows, importance of western education, and advocacy of women’s rights, influenced generations of minds. Later Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Jyotiba Phule, byramji malabari, justice ranade, gokhle, swami vivekananda, malviya, to name a few, vehemently advocated the civilized way of life and bring in reforms. These reforms encompassed all realms of life. Cruel practices of sati, women’s education, child marriage, widow remarriage, religious reforms, untouchability, etc were some of the very prominent problems, which these leaders and institutions tried to address. Not only at individual level but also at institutional level the whole process of reforms kept going. National social conference was constituted and it had its sessions concurrently with congress sessions at the same place. Hennery Vivian Derozio formed students group who propagated modern thoughts and advocated western education. Brahmo Samaj formed by Raja Ram Mohan Roy and its subsequent versions by maharishi Devendranath Tagore and Keshavchandra Sen, Arya Samaj formed by Dayanand Saraswati and Ramakrishna mission formed by Swami Vivekananda, theosophical society and others were some organizations in socio-religious sphere which tried to give people directions towards and informed and progressive approach through religious/spiritual means. By the start of 20th century, political leaders actively participated in reforms related activities. Reforms were being taken as movement and this fervor started seeping into deep levels cutting across different religions and communities. Temple entry movement and gurudwara reforms were some such movements. Journalism was also one medium through which leaders tried to educate the masses. Tilak, Maulana Azad, Gandhiji, and many more leaders took up this approach.

At the beginning the british rulers took interests and brought reforms into broader domain giving them legal sanctity and authority. Prohibition of sati , act for widow remarriage, raising the age for marriage for boys and girls ,opening up of some educational institutions ,were some of such steps which were taken by rulers a the demand of reform leaders. However after some time government feared the wrath of conservative and orthodox elements of society and left the reforms and institutionalization of the same, largely to the people themselves. With passage of time, social reforms were taken up as part of political agenda as it started becoming more evident that an informed and progressive society only can understand ,aspire and move towards political freedom and can hold it together after achieving it. Freedom was taken as an isolated concept, it rather encompassed all sort of concepts which liberate human body and mind. This stance was taken up zealously by M. K. Gandhi.

M. K. Gandhi as rightly called father of the nation went into deep analysis of the problems of the day and came up with suggestions and programmes which will not only ensure the freedom of all sorts but would also turn out to be a permanent solution of many outstanding problems. He foresaw beyond the horizon and tried to show the way, we are trying to see through sustainable development and other such mechanisms. Constructive program was one such approach of Gandhiji. As Robert Burrowes put it “for the individual, (constructive program) meant -increased power-from-within through the development of personal identity, self-reliance, and fearlessness. For the community, it meant the creation of a new set of political, social, and economic relations”.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Constructive Programme

Through Constructive Programme, Gandhiji wanted to bring complete independence which is a broader concept then political freedom. Complete independence is the freedom of every unit in every aspect .constructive program was the means to achieve it all. In the words of gandhi “the constructive program may otherwise and more fittingly be called construction of poorna swaraj or complete independence by truthful and non-violent means”. Gandhi ji delineated some lines or constructive program along which he chose to attain poorna swaraj. This constructive program is multi-dimensional and covers all possible aspects of socio-political and economic life. It touches upon the lives across caste, creed, and gender, regional and lingual lines. The whole change is to be brought in through non-violence means and it will subsequently build a new society in the shell of the old one.

Constructive program firstly envisage communal harmony and unity as the key component of the society and a very important essential of social fabric. He propounded that we all have to identify with each other in a context other than faith or communal characteristics. Religion or faith has to be taken as personal or private matter and it is by no means an indicator of personality and social/national identity of the person. He further envisaged that such identification on the basis of indianness will decrease discrimination and will definitely percolate down as political unity and democracy. Gandhiji went on to describe as to how democracy will work when leaders and political representatives are not reactionary and put the power invested in them by people to a good use.

Next agenda in constructive program was removal of untouchability. Untouchability to him was a form of non-violence. Gandhiji exhorted the nation for complete removal of this practice. This practice, he saw as a curse and way to disaster of hinduism.

Another agenda of constructive program was prohibition of liquor and other such addictive elements. Gandhiji even urged medical fraternity to search for some cure of addictions. He also stressed upon opening recreation booths for tired labourers and said the ultimate deliverance comes from within .he also believed that women and students are the ones who can be most effective teachers when it comes to helping out the addictives.

Khadi was another element of constructive program. Gandhiji said “proof of the pudding is in its eating…..khadi must be taken with all its implications. It means a wholesale swadeshi mentality, a determination to find all the necessaries of life in India and that too through the labor and intellect of the villagers. That means a reversal of the existing process. That is to say that, instead of half a dozen cities of India and great Britain living on the exploitation and the ruin of the 7,00,000 villages of India, the latter will be largely self-contained, and will voluntarily serve the cities of India and even the outside world in so far as it benefits both the parties. It vitally touches the life of every single indian, makes him feel aglow with the possession of a power that has lain hidden within himself, and makes him proud of his identity with every drop of the ocean of indian humanity…..khadi mentality means

decentralization of the production and distribution of the necessaries of life. Therefore, the formula so far evolved is, every village to produce all its necessaries and a certain percentage in addition for the requirements of the cities”. Thus Gandhiji put khadi in context of not only self-sufficiency but also non-violence, promotion of village industry, pride of workmanship, economic freedom and part of the identity.

Village economy would only be completed after resurrection of village industries. These industries such as hand-grinding, hand- pounding, soap-making, paper-making, match-making, tanning and oil-pressing, etc would work in harmony with khadi. He insisted on taking raw material which is locally grown thus it would increase self-sufficiency. Gandhi saw this arrangement from two perspectives. One was economic prosperity; the other was a change in popular mindset. It would make people more villages minded and subsequently the ignorance towards village will decrease.

Sanitation was another item in construction program. He dreamt of village turning into graceful hamlets and not dirty and stinking dens as they were in those days, he said that if “we put as much emphasis on social and surroundings ‘sanitation as we put on our own person or houses ,it would turn these village into the kind we all could ever aspire them to be”. His approach towards sanitation had element of voluntary service as well. It is well known fact that Gandhiji always cleaned up his place and belongings on his own. He was of the view that we can acknowledge the dignity of labor in true sense only if we perform our daily chores on our own and do not depend on help unless required immensely.

New education: later in life Gandhiji envisaged for a new education policy which had space for not only modern science and social sciences but also traditional learning, multi-lingual media and approach towards holistic development of the pupils, he said “this education is meant to transform village children into model villagers. It is principally designed for them. The inspiration for it has come from the villages. Congressmen who want to build up the structure of swaraj from its very foundation dare not neglect the children. Foreign rule has unconsciously, though none the less surely, begun with the children in the field of education. Primary education is a farce designed without regard to the wants of the India of the villages and for that matter even of the cities. Basic education links the children, whether of the cities or the villages, to all that is best and lasting in India. It develops both the body and the mind, and keeps the child rooted to the soil with a glorious vision of the future in the realization of which he or she begins to take his or her share from the very commencement of his or her career in school…”

Gandhiji was among handful of visionaries who saw education for adults and old people as a necessity. Learning has no age; it is beyond gender, caste, creed and physical status of the person. Gandhi being an ardent advocate of education, called for education to people who could not get it at early age. He also emphasized on women’s education.

Apart from education, Gandhiji took the issue of women’s role in the society with a different perspective. He encouraged them to participate in national movement with all vigor and strength, and his call proved effective. In an incredibly short period of time, women came out to fight arms in arms with men for freedom. Gandhiji emphasized on the attitudinal changes towards women. He said “revolution is easy, if the mind is made up”… He asked for change from inside and not forced. He saw the cause of women as a privilege as it was the cause where natural order of society i.e. Respect and equal status to women, was to be established.

Gandhiji believed in “a healthy mind in a healthy body is self-evident truth. There is an inevitable connection between mind and body”. He thought of knowledge of health and hygiene as a separate subject of study and practice as well. Personal cleanliness is not enough it should be supplemented by the sanitation and cleanliness of our surroundings.

Language and culture are of immense importance for any society. Very early gandhiji realized that foreign language was being given undue importance and the masses were cut off national movements and political awakening due to english being the language of educated class and propagators of political freedom. He emphasized on using mother tongue and development of the same as it is the medium of communication among masses. It is also the part of our cultural heritage which we need to look up as something we should be proud of and should do everything to preserve. Gandhiji saw the language as part of the process of achieving swaraj. He said “it is inherent in swaraj based on non-violence that every individual makes his /her own contribution to the independence movement. The masses cannot do it fully unless they understand every step with all its implications .this is impossible unless every step is explained in their own language.”

He also was an advocate of a national language, which is spoken by largest number of people. He opted for a midway approach; a combination of hindi and urdu, which is hindustani. This hindustani had two benefits, for one it will be devoid of chaste version of either language and consequently will be easy to understand for speakers of both the language, secondly it will be a way to amalgamate ganga-jamuni cultural tradition and shall contain elements of heritage of both the communities. Thus it will be non communal and easy. He even asked to develop it on these lines. This language policy of gandhiji transcended communal and cultural boundaries and it was of course a resultant device of his tolerant and open heart approach.

Gandhiji considered swaraj as a mighty structure which is inclusive and expands vertically and horizontally. He gave special attention to peasants and agricultural communities as they were the most exploited lot, moreover the formed the biggest group of the population. He warned against their use for power politics. He called for fighting for cause of peasants as they are the people at periphery, who had been suppressed for centuries. Attaining of swaraj is not completed without inclusion of kisans and laborers.

Gandhi gave a special place to adivasis in his constructive agenda as they have been the target of suppression and ignorance for the time immemorial. He also called for attention to lepers .he said “if India was pulsating with new life, if we were all in earnest about winning independence in the quickest manner possible by truthful and non-violent means, there would not be a leper or beggar in India uncared for or unaccounted for”

Gandhiji’s call for students had been part of his attitude of hopes and positivity. He saw them as future of the country. He called on to them to participate in freedom movement but not to entangle in party politics. He emphasized that students are inseparable element of constructive program as they are young and developing part of the education who will take the society ahead not only the beneficiaries of the program but also the benefactors as well.

Economic equality is the master key to complete freedom. To eradicate the conflict between labor and the capital, to de-concentrate the wealth accumulation, to bridge the gap between classes, it is essential that equality up to maximum level in economic sphere should be achieved. Gandhiji warned about a bloody revolution in future if opportunities and share in wealth is not facilitated voluntarily. He gave his doctrine of trusteeship for the solution. He said “it is true that it is difficult to reach. So is non-violence, but we made up our minds in 1920 to negotiate that steep ascent. We have found it worth the effort. It involves a daily rowing appreciation of the working of non-violence…..i think we know the violent way. It has not succeeded anywhere.”

Conclusion

Gandhiji saw the constructive program as the embodiment of freedom in true sense. Constructive program if realized was freedom for every component of the society at the level needed for them. It is also the method of achieving emancipation through non-violence as it would remove all sort of suppression and equality without conflict. It makes the people aware about their rights and duties and enables them to attain the desired end. Thus it is an approach to empowerment while facilitating growth and development of the society and at the same time preserving the nature and livelihood means. It not only ensures achievement of democracy but also smooth function of the same.

Constructive program was the manifestation of Gandhiji’s technique of all inclusive and all round development. This was his way of reaching out to individual. He himself stated in 1940 in a speech at Gandhi sewa sangh meeting, that “i was born for the constructive programme; it is part of my soul. Politics is a kind of botheration for me”. He was not against any scientific or western or modern approaches so long as they accorded with his moral principles. He believed in power of the nature and his philosophy of non-violence and constructive program was in sync with nature and its rules. He was fairly against consumerism and greed which again led to crony capitalism and inequality also violence. His constructive program was his way of understanding the concept of civilization and adoption a way of life. By adopting his constructive approach, the competition and material desires could be curbed.

The constructive program of Gandhiji was a solution which was built upon his careful observations of ordinary person’s life and everyday practices. That is why his approach was not only practice but it also transcends time and space. It is still relevant and offers a solution to many problems even today. In today’s world problems like degradation of environment, climate changes, acute poverty, overly materialistic attitude and inequality at many levels are some of the problems that can be solved at least partially by adopting Gandhian approach. His approach is one which envisages empowerment, participation, democratic means and emancipation from all sorts of suppression and destitution.

Summary

With the onset of political awakening in India, social agenda started becoming the centre of the educated minds and people at the vanguard of any change that was setting in the society. With increased political consciousness they could see the miserable socio-economic conditions of the political stake holders; namely the people at large, every common person without privileges and staying at the periphery of the society. Going deep down and assessing the situation, political and social thinkers figured out that social customs and traditions were some of the causes of deteriorated economic and political conditions and vice versa, as economic conditions did not allow any access to modern education and learning and thereby rendering the masses socially and politically backward. Social reforms started well before the political awakening. We see the beginning and rise of press and journalism which despite all constraint tried to bring in a new perspective in reference to socio-political sphere, through news and articles. Raja Ram Mohan Roy emerged as one of the earliest stalwarts of reforms, which were in nature of remedies to religious pandemonium. He gradually started propagation of his ideas pertaining to maladies caused by religious mores, practices and prevailing orthodox attitude. With the formation of Brahmo Samaj and propagation of his ideas regarding sati, child marriage, remarriage of widows, importance of western education, and advocacy of women’s rights, influenced generations of minds. Later Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Jyotiba Phule, Byramji Malabari, justice ranade, Gokhle, Swami Vivekananda, Malviya, to name a few, vehemently advocated the civilized way of life and bring in reforms. These reforms encompassed all realms of life. Cruel practice of sati, women’s education, child marriage, widow remarriage, religious reforms, untouchability, etc were some of the very prominent problems, which these leaders and institutions, tried to address. Not only at individual level but also at institutional level the whole process of reforms kept going. National social conference was constituted and it had its sessions concurrently with congress sessions at the same place. Constructive program was the manifestation of Gandhiji’s technique of all inclusive and all round development. This was his way of reaching out to individual. His constructive program was his way of understanding the concept of civilization and adoption a way of life. By adopting his constructive approach, the competition and material desires could be curbed. That is why his approach was not only practice but it also transcends time and space. It is still relevant and offers a solution to many problems even today. In today’s world problems like degradation of environment, climate changes, acute poverty, overly materialistic attitude and inequality at many levels are some of the problems that can be solved at least partially by adopting Gandhian approach. His approach is one which envisages empowerment, participation, democratic means and emancipation from all sorts of suppression and destitution.

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REFERENCE /SUGGESTED READINGS

Burrowes, R. J. (1996) : The strategy of nonviolent defense: A Gandhian approach. SUNY Press.
Gandhi, M. (1945): Women and social injustice. Navajivan Publishing House.
Gandhi, M. (1981): Young India. Vol. 1, no. 52. Navajivan Publishing House.
Gandhi, M., & Parel, A. J. (1997): Gandhi:’Hind Swaraj’and Other Writings. Cambridge University Press.
Hertzberg, H. W. (1981): Social Studies Reform 1880-1980. SSEC Publications, 855 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80302.
Iyer, R. N. (1991): The essential writings of Mahatma Gandhi. Oxford University Press, USA.
Kapur, D. (2004): Ideas and economic reforms in India: the role of international migration and the Indian diaspora. India Review, 3(4), 364-384.
Srinivas, M. N. (1995): Social change in modern India. Orient Blackswan.