Gandhi by Abhra Ghosh [Hardcover]

In India’s struggle for independence, Mahatma Gandhi stood as the foremost symbol of ethics, ideals, and values. Historian Arnold Toynbee once remarked that Gandhi had infused morality into politics, making ethics the ultimate foundation of his political approach. However, was Gandhi’s moral politics universally accepted? Not at all. At every step, he encountered resistance—often rooted in differing ideologies, principles, and methods. These diverse perspectives on Gandhi are deeply intertwined with the history of India’s independence movement. While some followed his philosophy and political practices, others opposed him outright, and even his staunchest supporters critiqued certain aspects of his ideology. As a result, debates and controversies surrounding ‘Gandhism’ remain ongoing. This book presents a fact-based historical analysis of how Gandhi was perceived and interpreted by his contemporaries—eminent figures of his time—as well as later historians and social scientists. It aims to provide an insightful exploration of the varied and often conflicting assessments of Gandhi’s philosophy and political legacy.