Contribution of Mahatma Gandhi to Democratic Theory: An Analytical Study

Abstract

Highly critical of Western democracies, Gandhi propounded his own democratic theory that tries to bring the old system of village life in accordance with the democratic value of Self-government. He propounded not just a form of government, but something that relates to all walks of human life. Accepting the fact that individual lies at the heart of democracy, he argues that through continuous endeavour, democracy can be evolved. Among Gandhi’s contributions to the democratic theory, non-violence and equality are the most important. Non-violence is actually the most original legacy of Gandhi to democratic theory.. This paper will try to analyse Gandhi’s views about democracy and how it differs from some other western models of democracy. In pursuit of what Gandhi called an enlightened democracy, it cross examines Gandhi’s reflections on the key principles of the Western liberal civilization.