Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/853

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certainly never violently, but peacefully quietly, courteously, humbly, prayerfully, and courageously. By the end of December every worker must find himself in gaol unless he is specially required in the interest of the struggle not to make the attempt. Let it be remembered, that in civil disobedience we precipitate arrests and therefore may keep few outside the attempt.

REQUISITE CONDITIONS

Those only can take up civil disobedience, who believe in willing obedience even to irksome laws impo- sed by the state so long as they do not hurt their conscience or religion, and are prepared equally will- ingly to suffer the penalty of civil disobedience. Dis- obedience to be civil has to be absolutely non-violent. The underlying principle being the winning over of the opponent by suffering, i.e., love.

��WORK IN GAOLS*

An esteemed friend asked me whether now that the Government have provided an opportunity for hundreds to find themselves -imprisoned and as thousands are responding, will it not be better for the prisoners to refuse to do any work in the gaols at all? I a-n afraid that suggestion comes from a misapprehension of the moral position. We are not out to abolish gaols as an institution. Even under Swaraj we would have our gaols. Our civil disobedience therefore must not be carried beyond the point of breaking the unmoral laws of the country. Breach of the laws to be civil assumes

  • Young India, Dec. 15, 1921.

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