Question

Mahatma Gandhi strongly criticized the modern age for what specific reason?

• A. Poor depended on rich
• B. Humans lacked technology
• C. Humans became poor
• D. Machines enslaved humans

Hint:

To understand Gandhian philosophy, remember the word **'Charkha'** (spinning wheel). The Charkha was his answer to modern machinery—it was a simple tool that empowered the individual and promoted self-reliance, directly opposing the "enslavement" caused by large factories.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Concept: Mahatma Gandhi’s critique of "modern civilization" was primarily articulated in his seminal 1909 work, \textit{Hind Swaraj}. He viewed modern civilization not as a sign of progress, but as a "black age" or a "curse" that prioritized material comfort over spiritual and moral growth. A central pillar of this critique was his opposition to the unchecked rise of industrialization and machinery.
Step 1:Understanding Gandhi's view on Machinery.
Gandhi believed that while machines were designed to save time and labor, in reality, they led to the exploitation of the masses. He argued that:

• Machines led to the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few, rather than providing employment for the many.
• The reliance on large-scale industrial production turned humans into "cogs in a wheel," stripping them of their creative dignity and self-reliance.
• He famously stated that machinery is the "chief symbol of modern civilization; it represents a great sin," because it makes humans subservient to the tool rather than the other way around.

Step 2:The concept of "Enslavement".
Gandhi’s use of the term "enslavement" regarding machines referred to psychological and economic dependency. He felt that as humans became accustomed to machine-made goods and automated processes, they lost their manual skills and the ability to live a simple, autonomous life (Swaraj). This is why statement (d) is the most accurate representation of his specific criticism of the "modern age."
Step 3:Evaluating other options.

• (a) \& (c): While Gandhi was deeply concerned about poverty and the gap between rich and poor, he saw these as \textit{outcomes} of the modern industrial system rather than the root philosophical reason for his critique of the "age" itself.
• (b): This is incorrect because Gandhi’s critique was that the modern age had \textit{too much} focus on technological advancement at the expense of human ethics, not a lack of it.