Gandhiji on Functioning of Democracy

IT IS A superstition and an ungodly thing to believe that an act of a majority binds a minority. Many examples can be given in which acts of majorities will be found to have been wrong, and those of minorities to have been right. All reforms owe their origin to the initiation of minorities in opposition to majorities.

THE TRUEST test of democracy is in the ability of anyone to act as he likes, so long as he does not injure the life or property of any one else.

THE WISE policy is to enact as little class legislation as possible. A constitution under which laws are modified or repealed every now and then cannot be said to be stable or well organized.

PEOPLE are generally unaware that Governments often deliberately violate their own laws. In face of emergency there is no time for undertaking fresh legislation. Governments therefore break the laws and do what they please. Afterwards they either enact new laws or make the people forget their breach of the law.

STATES amenable to public opinion get out of awkward positions by appointing a commission which conducts only a nominal inquiry, as its recommendations are a foregone conclusion.

THE DEMOCRACY of my conception is wholly inconsistent with the use of physical force for enforcing its will.

DEMOCRACY cannot be evolved by forcible methods. The spirit of democracy cannot be imposed from without. It has to come from within.

DEMOCRACY must in essence mean the art and science of mobilizing the entire physical, economic and spiritual resources of all the various sections of the people in the service of the common good of all.

A BORN democrat is a born disciplinarian. Democracy comes naturally to him who is habituated normally to yield willing obedience to all laws, human or divine…. A democrat must be utterly selfless. He must think and dream not in terms of self or party but only of democracy.

LIBERTY and democracy become unholy when their hands are dyed red with innocent blood.

POWER resides in the people and it is entrusted for the time being to those whom they may choose as their representatives. Parliaments have not power or even existence independently of the people.

DEMOCRACY will break under the strain of apron strings. It can exist only on trust.

PARLIAMENTRARY democracy is not immune to corruption, as you who remember Tammany Hall and the Mayor of Chicago should know.

MY NOTION of democracy is that under it the weakest should have the same opportunity as the strongest.

ANY secrecy hinders the real spirit of democracy.

Edited excerpts from the book, "Wit And Wisdom of Gandhi" -by Homer A. Jack. The Perennial Press Bombay India 1961.