Ramarajya: Envisioning the Future and Entrenching the Past 83of Parliamentary Swaraj in accordance with the wishes of the people of
India."^27 The booklet was a "theory of life" for him and he was aware that
"it requires a higher simplicity and renunciation than the people are today
prepared for." Expressing his reservations on the parliamentary system in
August 1924 that Parliament was barren, and that the voice of Parliament
could become that of hired voters, Gandhi was "searching for a device
which will enable us to listen to the voice of the entire people." Although
he could not "abandon practical considerations" his ideal was just one,
Ramarajya.^28
He defined swaraj as Ramarajya "because it is a graphic description for
a moral government based upon truth and non-violence, in other words
universal religion."^29 He said, "We call a State Ramarajya when both the
ruler and his subjects are straightforward, when both are pure in heart,
when both are inclined towards self-sacrifice, when both exercise restraint
and self-control while enjoying worldly pleasures, and, when the relation-
ship between the two is as good as that between a father and a son. It is
because we have forgotten this that we talk of democracy or the govern-
ment of the people. ... In my Ramarajya, however, public opinion can-
not be measured by counting of heads or raising of hands."^30 When Ram
found out that Sita was a subject f censure in a particular washerman's
home, he realized that it was not p per to let such criticism continue and
renounced her. This he did despite the fact that the criticism was ground-
less and Sita was dearer to him t n his own life. For Gandhi, this was
honoring public opinion. Further re, "Even a dog could not be harmed
in that State, as Ramachandra felt at all living beings were part of him-
self. There would be no licentiou conduct, no hypocrisy, no falsehood
in such a State. A people's govern ent would function in such a truthful
age."^31 If understanding of one's d ty and the observance went together,
we should have Ramarajya.^32 It ca be brought about "only if we become
brave, give up fear and have faith God."^33 Gandhi asked the people to
pray to God to give them freedom r the strength to die for it.^34
However, Ramarajya was not a wishful dream but a concrete politi-
cal program with clear goals. His "square of swaraj" had four equally
important ends, namely political' dependence, economic independence,
moral and social dynamics, and dh rma. The square "will be out of shape
if any of its angles is untrue."^35 I his conception of swaraj, the overall
population of some 31.5 crores (31 million) were the real masters, the 3.5
crores (35 million) of voters were t eir servants, and they in turn were the
masters of the 1,500 legislators. Th later were "doubly servants" if they
lived true to their trust. As Gandh* put it: "If the voters wake up only to
register their votes every three ye rs or more and then go off to sleep,
their servants will become their m sters. The only way I know to prevent
such a catastrophe is for the 3.5 cr res to be industrious and wise." This
large body of 3.5 crores of people c nscious of their numerical strength as