Gandhi and His Early Movement Archives

21. Who among the following was the founder of Phoenix Settlement?

Who among the following was the founder of Phoenix Settlement?

[amp_mcq option1=”Mahatma Gandhi” option2=”B. R. Ambedkar” option3=”Rabindranath Tagore” option4=”Swami Vivekananda” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2018

Download PDF Attempt Online

Mahatma Gandhi was the founder of the Phoenix Settlement.

The Phoenix Settlement was established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1904 near Durban, South Africa. It was one of his first attempts at creating a self-sufficient community based on the principles of simple living, hard work, and equality, which later became the foundation for his ashram model.

Inspired by John Ruskin’s book ‘Unto This Last’, Gandhi decided to establish the settlement on a plot of land. Residents were expected to share labour, live simply, and follow principles of non-violence and communal living. The settlement served as a base for printing the newspaper ‘Indian Opinion’, which Gandhi used to voice the grievances of the Indian community in South Africa.

22. Which of the following statements with regard to the speech of Mahatma

Which of the following statements with regard to the speech of Mahatma Gandhi at the opening of the Banaras Hindu University are correct?

1. He charged the Indian elite with a lack of concern for the labouring poor.
2. He asserted that our salvation can come only through the farmers.
3. He highlighted the plight of the untouchables.
4. He promised to take up the cause of the mill owners of Ahmedabad.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[amp_mcq option1=”1, 2, 3 and 4″ option2=”1 and 2 only” option3=”1, 2 and 3 only” option4=”3 and 4 only” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2017

Download PDF Attempt Online

Statements 1, 2, and 3 accurately reflect key themes of Mahatma Gandhi’s speech at the opening of the Banaras Hindu University in February 1916. Statement 1 is correct; Gandhi strongly criticized the Indian elite for their disconnect from the common people and their lack of concern for the labouring poor. Statement 2 is correct; he emphasized that India’s true strength and salvation lay with the masses, particularly the peasants and workers, advocating for the need to work for their upliftment and identify with them. Statement 3 is correct; while his major campaigns for the untouchables came later, his speech encompassed a call to address social evils and the plight of the downtrodden as part of the self-purification necessary for achieving Swaraj, implicitly including the issue of untouchability within the broader context of serving the poorest and most marginalized. Statement 4 is incorrect; Gandhi did not promise to take up the cause of Ahmedabad mill owners in this speech; his involvement with the Ahmedabad mill strike occurred in 1918.

– Gandhi criticized the elite’s disconnect from the poor masses.
– He stressed the importance of peasants and workers for India’s future.
– He highlighted the need to address the plight of the poor and marginalized sections of society.

This speech is considered one of Gandhi’s first major public addresses in India after his return from South Africa. It set the tone for his future political agenda, emphasizing the importance of working with and for the masses (peasants and workers) and focusing on social reform alongside political goals.

23. What was/were the formative influence(s) on the philosophy of Mahatma

What was/were the formative influence(s) on the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi?

Gandhi was influenced by the 18th century Pranami sect that advocated the unity of faiths.
Gandhi was influenced by the theosophists.
Gandhi was an admirer of the writings of Romantics like Wordsworth.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”2 and 3 only” option3=”1, 2 and 3″ option4=”1 only” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2017

Download PDF Attempt Online

Statements 1 and 2 are correct regarding the formative influences on Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy. Statement 1 is correct; Gandhi was influenced by the Pranami sect, which his mother followed. This sect advocated the unity of faiths and tolerance, which aligned with Gandhi’s later views on religious harmony. Statement 2 is correct; Gandhi was influenced by the Theosophical Society and its literature, particularly during his time in London and South Africa. Theosophy’s emphasis on universal brotherhood, comparative religion, and interest in ancient Indian scriptures (like the Bhagavad Gita, which he first read through Theosophists) had a formative impact on him. Statement 3 is less certain as a *primary formative* influence compared to others like Ruskin, Tolstoy, Thoreau, and the Bhagavad Gita. While Gandhi was widely read and appreciated literature, Wordsworth is not typically listed among the core figures who shaped his fundamental philosophical tenets like Satyagraha or his economic/social ideas derived from Ruskin’s ‘Unto This Last’. Given the options, 1 and 2 are demonstrably formative influences.

– Gandhi was influenced by the Pranami sect’s concept of unity of faiths.
– Theosophy played a role in shaping his early interest in comparative religion and Indian scriptures.
– Other major influences include Ruskin, Tolstoy, Thoreau, and the Bhagavad Gita.

Gandhi synthesized influences from various sources, including Indian religious traditions, Western philosophy and literature, and his own experiences, to develop his unique philosophy of Satyagraha, non-violence, and Swaraj.

24. Consider the following statements about the different meanings of ‘Swa

Consider the following statements about the different meanings of ‘Swaraj’ as articulated by Mahatma Gandhi:

Swaraj is intimately linked with Ahimsa (non-violence) and Satyagraha (adherence to truth).
Swaraj has two senses—one political and one beyond the realm of politics.
Swaraj is something that requires time and patience to acquire.
With determination, Swaraj could be obtained easily and quickly.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”1 and 2 only” option3=”3 and 4″ option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2017

Download PDF Attempt Online

Statements 1, 2, and 3 accurately reflect Mahatma Gandhi’s understanding of ‘Swaraj’. Statement 1 is correct; Gandhi’s concept of Swaraj was fundamentally linked to his principles of Ahimsa (non-violence) and Satyagraha (adherence to truth and force of truth). Statement 2 is correct; he spoke of Swaraj both in the political sense (national independence) and in a deeper, personal sense (self-rule, self-control, liberation from inner evils), which goes beyond conventional politics. Statement 3 is correct; achieving true Swaraj, both individually and nationally, was seen by Gandhi as a process requiring patient effort, self-discipline, and consistent application of Satyagraha and the constructive program. Statement 4 contradicts his philosophy; Gandhi did not believe Swaraj could be obtained easily and quickly but required deep personal and societal transformation built over time.

– Gandhi’s Swaraj is intertwined with Ahimsa and Satyagraha.
– Swaraj has political and spiritual/personal dimensions.
– Achieving Swaraj is a gradual process requiring patience and effort.

For Gandhi, Swaraj was not just the transfer of power from British to Indian hands (political independence), but also the capacity of the individual and the community to regulate themselves and be free from external control and internal weaknesses (self-rule).