Comprehension

Read the following source carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Charkha

Mahatma Gandhi was profoundly critical of the modern age in which machines enslaved humans and displaced labour. He saw the charkha as a symbol of a human society that would not glorify machines and technology. The spinning wheel, moreover, could provide the poor with supplementary income and make them self-reliant.

What I object to, was the craze for machinery as such. The craze was for what they call labour-saving machinery. Men go on “saving labour”, till thousands were without work and thrown on the open streets to die of starvation. I want to save time and labour, not for a fraction of mankind, but for all; I want the concentration of wealth, not in the hands of few, but in the hands of all.

YOUNG INDIA, 13 NOVEMBER 1924.

Khaddar does not seek to destroy all machinery but it does regulate its use and check its weedy growth. It uses machinery for the service of the poorest in their own cottages. The wheel was itself an exquisite piece of machinery.

YOUNG INDIA, 17 March 1927

Question: 1

Why was Gandhiji critical of machines?

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When analyzing a critique, always try to understand the underlying factors and the point of view of the critic.
Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Gandhiji opposed machinery, viewing it as a means of human subjugation and labor displacement. He believed modern technology fostered human dependency and eliminated job prospects.
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Question: 2

Why was wheel considered as an exquisite piece of machinery?

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Pay close attention to the arguments and claims made by the text.
Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

The source indicates the charkha, or wheel, was esteemed as a superior mechanism due to its representation of human society, eschewing the glorification of technology or machinery. It offered the impoverished supplementary income, fostering self-sufficiency. The adoption of the charkha was driven by a desire to honor the dignity of manual labor over machines and technology, and to advance decentralized production methods. Consequently, the charkha was viewed as an instrument for achieving both economic and spiritual self-reliance among the populace.
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Question: 3

How did Gandhiji glorify charkha?

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Analyze how the author is using a specific image or symbol in the source, and how he promotes its importance.
Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Gandhiji advocated for the spinning wheel (charkha) to foster self-sufficiency and promote the consumption of locally sourced goods. He viewed the charkha as essential for swaraj (self-rule) and a vital component in the struggle for independence. Furthermore, he employed the charkha to urge the populace to shun English imports and embrace domestic products, establishing it as a potent emblem of the swadeshi movement. By championing the charkha, Gandhiji stimulated cottage industries, generating avenues for small-scale and home-based ventures that facilitated individual livelihoods. He recognized the charkha as a significant instrument for job creation in India.
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