ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the character of Gandhi’s nationalism. It begins by describing a nationalism that is diverse, tolerant, and deeply committed to engagement with others. It shows how such a nationalism makes sense as a coherent approach to political organization in a culturally diverse world and argues for that conception against chauvinistic forms of nationalism. It then shows how that nationalism was embraced by Gandhi in his writings and practice. His nationalism was not chauvinistic. It was open and tolerant of diversity. It was, moreover, deeply federal in character, valuing the distinctive characteristics of villages, linguistically defined provinces, linguistically and religiously diverse nations, and the international community. Gandhi believed that political participation should operate at each of these levels. He did not want to concentrate political power exclusively at the level of the nation-state but rather believed that structures of political participation should be adapted to different cultural spheres. He nevertheless accepted the nationalist principle that forms of cultural difference provided good reasons for political autonomy. He affirmed that individuals could contribute most effectively to humanity if their nations enjoyed swaraj.
