Preface to the centenary edition

Summary

The centenary of Hind Swaraj and recent developments in Gandhi scholarship have prompted the issuing of a revised centenary edition. The discovery that Gandhi had made the theory of the ‘canonical aims of life’ (purusharthas) the framework of his thought is the most significant of these developments (Parel 2006, 2008). The Introduction to this edition takes due note of this. Supporting evidence from Gandhi's writings has been added. They include the Introduction and ‘Farewell’ to his Autobiography, the Introduction to his translation of the Bhagavad Gita and his ‘Foreword’ to Gokhale's Speeches. The Gandhi–Nehru dialogue has been updated in view of the new materials that have come to light. Finally, new footnotes on such key topics as ‘civilisation’, ‘technology’ and the place of the English language in India have been added. On the debit side, in the interest of keeping this edition within reasonable length, the Gandhi–Wyberg letters and materials relating to Gandhi's ‘Quit India’ speech have been dropped.