In the early decades of the 20th century, the Indian intelligentsia was trying to understand the effect of British colonialism on India. Political, social, economic, and religious ideas coming from the west challenged aspects of India's indigenous structures. The response of many Indians was to assert their independence and move toward swaraj or self-rule. This involved Indians reacting to the British presence, often by asserting themselves in religious, social, and political forums. Different groups advocated different interpretations of swaraj and tried to convert the population to their ideas. In this thesis, I wish to compare the views of Gandhi and Savarkar on swaraj (self-rule). Both men saw swaraj as essential for India's self-development. While the term swaraj is frequently given a purely political meaning (political independence), it is clear that for Gandhi swaraj was a religious concept as well as a political one. I will argue that this is also true for Savarkar, Savarkar's later claims notwithstanding.
展开▼
