Gandhi's views on Man and Environment
Gandhi's views on man and environment derive primarily from his conception of man, his needs and greed. His views about man and his place in society was influenced by the Indian philosophical tradition represented by Vedas, Jainism, Buddhism and then by Christianity and theosophists. Bhagwad Gita influenced him the most. His ideas were also inspired by the writing of Thoreau, Ruskin, and Tolstoy. The moral man of Gandhi lies at the root of his philosophical tree represented by the branches of truth, Ahimsa, (Non-violence), Satyagraha and Right conduct. Gandhi's concern for the poor, the impoverished, the marginalized and the disadvantaged takes shape in this philosophical background when Gandhi sees the need to emancipate man from the social constraints and economic structures of exploitation. Gandhi was well aware of the fact that the huge population of India and its mammoth food requirements required a balanced and environment friendly approach and reckless industrialization, which might reduce the natural resources drastically, was not an answer. He was also aware that the colonial rule had undermined the nature friendly traditional institutions in India including agriculture, handicraft and local market. The western alternative for the needs of man was recklessly blind as technology and machines had displaced man from his traditional position, which was more sound and secure. Therefore, he turns to local self-reliant governance system based on Panchayati raj and and decentralized powers of the state. His idea of minimal state didn't aim at eliminating the institution completely rather strengthening the man which was possible by strengthening democracy at the grassroots level. His concept of democratic decentralization is also based on his passionate belief in non-violence, truth and individual freedom. He wants to see each village a little republic, self-sufficient in its vital wants, organically and non-hierarchically linked with the larger spatial bodies and enjoying the maximum freedom of deciding the affairs of the locality.
Gandhi's Village Republic Definition
The passage describes Gandhi's vision for a village republic. It states, "He wants to see each village a little republic, self-sufficient in its vital wants...".
This directly links the concept of a village republic to the idea of being 'self-sufficient'. Therefore, according to Gandhi's philosophy as presented in the text, his village republic is fundamentally Self-Reliant.
Analyzing the options:
- Self-Reliant: Matches the description in the passage.
- Panchayats: Represents the system of governance, not the nature of the republic itself.
- Nature Parks: Irrelevant to the definition provided.
- Minimal States: Refers to Gandhi's view on the state's size, not the village republic's characteristic.
Based on the text, the village republic is characterized by its self-sufficiency.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension (Notes)
- Despite the thunderstorm, the old man remained seated on the porch, staring into the distance. Rain lashed the ground around him, but he didn't flinch. His eyes, cloudy with age, fixed on something far beyond the horizon - something only he could see. The storm was loud, but whatever echoed in his mind was louder.
What can be inferred about the man? Complete the concluding sentence of the following paragraph with one of the options given below:
Manufacturing companies are often faced with a trade-off between advances in productivity, which is one of the main goals of automation, and flexibility. When firms implement procedures that make repetitive processes more streamlined, they are able to produce more food at a faster rate. At the same time, however, ________Complete the concluding sentence of the following paragraph with one of the options given below:
In the 1960s, Jane Goodhall observed chimpanzees removing termites from hides with strapped twigs. Initially, researchers were unable to determine whether the animals viewed a group of tasks as a single problem requiring a general tool set or used individual tools to solve specific tasks. The question was finally resolved when chimps were observed selecting tools to carry with them in anticipation of particular difficulties. Research, therefore, concluded that not only are chimpanzees capable of using tools in a sophisticated way, but they ________Rearrange the following sentences to form a coherent and meaningful paragraph.
(A) The university president has proposed scheduling several introductory-level classes online in order to save money
on building maintenance and energy costs.
(B) The curriculum would not be changed.
(C) With recent cut backs in educational funding, the state university must reduce its expenditure or face bankruptcy.
(D) Students enrolled in these proposed 'virtual classrooms' would be taught the full programme by the same instructors teaching in the regular classrooms.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:Rearrange the following sentences to form a coherent and meaningful paragraph.
(A) Lack of knowledge about the diet is what makes people raise questions.
(B) This diet often characterized as restrictive, is associated with health benefits, however, it raises concerns.
(C) The Vegan diet has gained momentum in recent years.
(D) There is a controversy about this diet with some people supporting it and others questioning its benefits.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
