It may be argued that the Indian villages are, at present, in a bad way. There are petty jealousies, quarrels, party feelings and rivalries among the villagers who are still illiterate and devoid of keen civic sense. It will, therefore, be risky to repose too much confidence and trust in the Village Panchayats. But such arguments betray gross ignorance of the fundamental principle of human psychology: ‘Trust begets trust.’ The Britishers have been telling us all the time that we are unfit for Swaraj. But we at once retort: “Good government is no substitute for self-government.” What does it matter if we commit mistakes and even blunders? We learn through our mistakes? We need not, therefore, hesitate to devolve a large measure of political power on the Village Communities. The process of devolution and decentralisation maybe gradual and by graded instalments. But the ultimate objective must be clear-cut, definite and unmistakable. I have no manner of doubt that under the Gandhian Constitution our villages will rise to their full stature and become once again the bright models of genuine and lasting democracy.
[1] ‘One World,’ p. 118.
[2] ‘Asia and Democracy,’ p. 16.
[3] ‘A Week with Gandhi’ by Louis Fischer, p. 59.
[4] ‘Dictatorship and Democracy,’ p. 9.
[5] ‘Dictatorship and Democracy’,p. 217.
[6] Aristotle’s Politics.
[7] ‘Philosophy for our Times’ by Prof. Joad, p. 331.
[8] ‘Principles of Political Science’ by Gilchrist, p. 460.
[9] ‘A History of Political Theory’ by Prof. Sabine, p. 13.
[10] ‘Grammar of Politics’, p. 37.
[11] ‘The New World Order,’ p. 122.
[12] ‘Arthashastra,’ p. 38.
[13] See ‘Acquisitive Society’ by Prof. Tawney.
[14] Essay ‘On the Rule of the Road’.
[15] ‘Everybody’s Political What’s What?’ by G.B. Shaw p.341.
[16] ‘Ends and Means,’ p. 63.
[17] ‘Inside Europe,’ p. 574.
[18] ‘Swarajya Shastra’ Hindi Ed., pp.24-25.
[19] ‘The Moral Basis of Democracy’ p. 13.
[20] ‘Republic, Book VIII’.
[21] ‘The Social Contract’, Ch. IV.
[22] ‘Everybody’s Political What’s What?’, p.336.
[23] ‘Modern Democracies’, Vo. I p. 50.
[24] ‘Democracy: The Threatened Foundations’, p. 6.
[25] ‘Modern State’, p. 84.
[26] ‘Reflection on the Revolution of our Time’, p. 149.
[27] ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’
[28] ‘The State in Theory and Practice’, by Prof. Laski, p. 328.
[29] ‘Modern Democracies’ Vol. II p. 533.
[30] ‘The Political Mad-House in America and Nearer Home’, pp. 25-26.
[31] ‘Principles of Politics’, p. 162.
[32] ‘The New World Order’, p. 123.
[33] ‘Modern Democracies.’ p. 666.
[34] ‘Democracy Up-to-Date’ p. 107.
[35] ‘Democracy: Today and Tomorrow’ p. 312.
[36]‘Everybody’s Political What’s What?’ p. 341.
[37] ‘Harijan’ 18-5-1940.
[38] Ibid 12-11-1938.
[39]‘Economic Planning in Soviet Russia’, p. 76.
[40] ‘Stalin’s Russia and the Crisis in Socialism’ p. 12.
[41] ‘On Liberty’ (Thinkers Library), p. 143.
[42]‘Harijan’ 25-8-1940.
[43]‘Modern Political Theory’, pp. 120-121.
[44] ‘A Guide to Modern Politics,’ p.532.
[45]‘Ends and Means’ p. 63.
[46] ‘The Future of Economic Society’ by Ron Glenday, p. 251.
[47] ‘The Modern State’ p. 235.
[48] ‘An Introduction to Politics’, p. 53.
[49]‘Modern Democracies’ Part II, p. 489.
[50]‘The Democratic Process’, pp. 249-50.
[51]‘Political Ideals’ p. 41.
[52]‘The Economic History of India’ by R.C. Dutt.
[53] ‘Corporate Life in Ancient India’ by R.C. Majumdar, p. 141.
[54] ‘Local Government in Ancient India’ by Dr. Radha Kumud Mookerji, p. 10.
[55]‘Industrial Arts of India’, p. 320.
[56] ‘Report, Select Committee of House of Commons, 1832’.
[57]In “The Political Institutions and Theories of the Hindus”, Dr. B.K. Sarkar points out that the Village Councils came to be described as ‘Panchayats’ during the Middle Ages.
[58]‘India: Bond or Free?’, p. 29.
[59]‘Swarajya- Shastra’ (Hindu Edition), p. 47.
[60] ‘Democracies of the East’, pp. xxv-vi.
[61] ‘The Communist Manifesto.’
[62] ‘Das Capital.’
[63] ‘This Ugly Civilisation.’
[64] Harijan, 16-11-1934.
[65] ‘Today and tomorrow’, p. 109.
[66] ‘Moving Forward,’ p. 157.
[67] ‘The Culture of Cities,’ p. 342.
[68] ‘Hind Swaraj,’ pp. 87-88.
[69]‘I Believe,’ p. 70.
[70] ‘Young India’ 17-2-1927.
[71] Young India, 22-9-1927.
[72] Young India, 8-1-1925.
[73] Harijan, 13-1-1940.
[74] Harijan 4-11-39.
[75] Ibid, 11-2-39.
[76] ‘Principles of Political Obligation’.
[77] ‘What is Ahead of Us?’ p. 184.
[78] ‘Co-operative Democracy’ by J.B. Warbasse, p. 4.
[79] Report of the Fact Finding Committee (Hand Looms and Mills) p. 207.
[80]‘Total Peace’, 193.
[81] ‘Time for Decision.’
[82] ‘Where do we go from here?’ p. 125.
[83] ‘A Guide to Modern Politics’ by Prof. Gole, p. 370.
[84] Mahatma Gandhi : Essays and Reflections on his Life and Work.’
[85] ‘Wisdom of Gandhi,’ by Roy Walker, p. 55.
[86] ‘The Good Society’ by Walter Lippermann, p. 3.
[87] ‘Democracies of the East,’ pp. 363-4.
[88] ‘The Hindu,’ June 22, 1945.
[89] ‘The Price of Peace’. p. 87.
[90] ‘Outline Scheme Of Swaraj’ by Deshbandhu Das and Dr. Bhagvan Das. Not to Chapter VI.
[91] ‘The Hindustan Times,’ October 22, 1945.
[92] Speech at The Round Table Conference.
[93] “Local Government in Ancient India” by Dr. Radhakumud Mookerji, pp.171-172.
[94] Harijan, 16-12-1939.
[95]“India and Democracy” by George Schuster and Guy Wint, pp. 365-66.
[96] Harijan, 6-7-1940.
[97] Young India, 11-8-1920.
[98] Young India, 7-5-1925.
[99] Harijan, 1-9-1940.
[100] Viscount Morley : Recollections, Vol. 2, p. 325.
[101] Quoted in “A new approach to the Communal Problem” by Dr. Radhakumud Mookerji, p. 4.
[102] In 1933, Rehmat Ali, A Punjabi graduate of Cambridge, invented the word ‘Pakistan,’ mnemonically formed out of Punjab, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Sind and Baluchistan.
[103] The following books are specially recommended: “The Communal Triangle in India” by Asoka Mehta, & Achyut Patwardhan: “India Divided” by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, and ‘Pakistan or Partition of India’ by Dr. Ambedkar.
[104] Harijan, April 13, 1940.
[105]‘The future of India,’ Part II p. 108.
[106] Harijan 13-4-1940.
[107]‘Whither Minorities?’ by M.N. Dalal, p. 193.
[108] ‘The Case for Swaraj,’ p. 103.
[109] Young India 5-7-1928.
[110] See “Contemporary Social Problems,” by Dr. Harold Phelps.
[111] “Soviet Communism: A New Civilisation” by Sidney and Beatrice Webb, Vol. II. pp. 587-88.