Gandhi: Struggling for Autonomy (Twentieth-Century Political Thinkers) - Softcover

Terchek, Ronald

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0847692159 ISBN 13: 9780847692156

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Pub Inc, 1998

Synopsis

This compelling introduction to Gandhi's political thought goes beyond his well-known writings to present a much broader portrait that will be valuable to students of political theory, philosophy, and history. Using the principle of individual autonomy_rather than civil disobedience, Indian independence, or duty_as an analytical lens, Ronald J. Terchek offers a completely original interpretation of his subject's political thought. Terchek argues that Gandhi's thought is animated by a concern for the equal respect and regard for all persons, and he describes how Gandhi's writings illuminate several critical discourses in political theory, debates that overlap with many Western writers to whom Gandhi is seldom compared. Throughout the book, Terchek demonstrates that the teachings and work of Gandhi continue to be relevant today, and that he should be viewed as a significant political thinker not only within the Hindu tradition but in the broader context of 20th century political thought.

About this title

About the Author:

Ronald J. Terchek is professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland, College Park, and the author of Republican Paradoxes and Liberal Anxieties: Retrieving Neglected Fragments of Political Theory (Rowman & Littlefield, 1996).

Review:

A seminal analysis of Gandhi, the Thinker. . . . Eminently succeeds in making Gandhi relevant for the next century. (Naresh Dhadhich, director of the Center for Gandhian Studies, University of Rajasthan)

This is the best study of Gandhi since Joan V. Bondurant's The Conquest of Violence(1965). If one wants to understand Gandhi's philosophy and his relevance to the late 20th century by reading one book, this is that book. (L.P. Fickett, Mary Washington College CHOICE)

In this original and trenchant exposition of M. K. Gandhi's democratic theory, Ronald Terchek demonstrates through a lucid analysis of the Mahatma's writings that Gandhi's ideas of individual moral autonomy and the civil society must not be ignored, either by social theorists or anyone concerned about shaping a better world in the next millennium. (Dennis Dalton, Barnard College, Columbia University)

A thoughtful and learned account of the full range of Gandhi's moral and political thought. It stresses both his historicity and continuing relevance and makes a vital contribution to Gandhi scholarship. (Bhikhu Parekh, University of Westminster)

It is an important book that provides a whole new way of looking at Gandhi: a wonderful defense of autonomy both from domination and violence. It will be useful to have such a penetrating analysis of Gandhi's ideas in the context of our times. (V. R. Mehta, Vice-Chancellor, University of Delhi)

Ronald Terchek's Republican Paradoxes was a timely retrieval of a neglected strand in Western political theory. His present book, Gandhi, almost compels us to redo a good deal of our politics and our political theory in terms of Gandhi's distinctive idea of the integrity and worth of everyone. (Thomas Pantham, Mahatma Gandhi National Fellow (ICSSR))

An important and original contribution to the study of one of twentieth century's truly great figures. Terchek's sophisticated interpretative strategies make Gandhi easily accessible to the readers of the twenty-first century. (Anthony Parel, University of Calgary)

[Gandhi: Struggling for Autonomy] contain[s] a penetrating analysis of Gandhi's activities and ideas, and the reasoning adopted by him to come to various important conclusions. . . .[Tercheck's] analysis of [Gandhi's] approach to modernity and tradition is particularly illuminating and helps dispel many of the false notions people attach to Gandhi's way of thinking. (Naresh Chandra, Indian Embassy)

This is quite a fresh look at Gandhian ideas and it has the advantage of, to an extent, taking Gandhi out of his particular time and place and showing his ideas have universal application. Thus light is thrown on issues that Western thinkers have for long addressed―the type of economic system, the role of the state, the role of violence, individual freedom. (George Paxton The Gandhi Way, Newsletter Of The Gandhi Foundation)

This is a careful study of Gandhi's political ideas. Terchek presents a convincing reading. This book can be thoroughly recommended as an introduction to Gandhi. (Political Studies Review)

About this edition

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Pub Inc
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0847692159
• ISBN 13: 9780847692156
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 265