E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

85. Ibid., March 31,1946.86. Ibid.87. Ibid., August 25, 1940.88. Ibid, October 25, 1940.89. Gunnar Myrdal, Asian Drama (Harmondsworth: Penguin. Books, 1968), Vol. II, pp.755-6.90. Jawaharlal Nehru, An Autobiography (Bombay:Allied Publishers, 1962), p. 528. “Again I think of the paradox thatis Gandhiji. With all his keen intellect and passion for bettering the downtrodden and oppressed, why does he supporta system, and a system, which is obviously decaying, which creates this misery and waste? He seeks a way out, it istrue, but is not that way to the past barred and bolted? And meanwhile, he blesses all the relics of the old order whichstand as obstacles in the way of advance—the feudal states, the big zamindaris and taluqdaris, the present capitalistsystem. Is it reasonable to believe in the theory of trusteeship—to give unchecked power and wealth to one individualand to expect him to use it entirely for the public good? Are the best of us so perfect as to be trusted in this way? . . .And is it good for the others to have even those benevolent super men over them?”91. Quoted by M.L. Dantwala, Gandhism Reconsidered (Bombay: Padma Publishers, 1945), pp. 54-55.92. Gunnar Myrdal, Asian Drama, op.cit., Vol. II, pp. 755-6. “The trusteeship idea is fundamentally a conceptthat fits into a paternalistic, feudal, pre-democratic society. It is so flexible that it can serve as a justification forinequality. Possibly Gandhi realised this, for he recommended a moral revolution, a change of heart among the rich.But in the real world such a revolution is unlikely and the trusteeship idea is nought but vision of society where therich are charitable so that the poor can remain week . . . by his stress on the principle of trusteeship, and hisfriendliness towards many in exalted economic position, he established a pattern of radicalism in talk butconservatism in action that is still very much a part of the Indian scene”.93. Ibid.94. Ibid.95. Young India, February 6, 1930.96. Harijan, February 1, 1942.97. Ibid,. March 31, 1946.98. Harijan, March31, 1946. Also see ibid., June1, 1947.99. Amrita Bazar Patrika, August 3, 1934.100. Harijan, June 25, 1938.101. Amrita Bazar Patrika, August3, 1934.* This article was originally written in 1993.