Ours is one continued struggle against degradation sought to be inflicted upon us by the European, who desire to degrade us to the level of the raw Kaffir, whose occupation is hunting and whose sole ambition is to collect a certain number of cattle to buy a wife with, and then pass his life in indolence and nakedness.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Gandhi contrasts the Indian struggle for dignity with a stereotypical description of indigenous Africans, showing complex views on race and progress.
- In plain terms
- We fight to avoid being degraded to the level of the raw Kaffir.
- What can you take from it?
- Struggle is necessary to avoid degradation.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do we evaluate historical quotes with offensive terms?
- What defines dignity?
Another view
It relies on derogatory stereotypes to make its point.
More from Mahatma Gandhi
One can understand the necessity for registration of Kaffirs who will not work.
Permalink to quote #203 Passive resistance is an all-sided sword; it can be used anyhow; it blesses him who uses it and him against whom it is used.
Permalink to quote #205 On Showing up to meet His Majesty King Edward VII of England in just a loincloth, a reporter wondered aloud if this was disrespectful to the king. Gandhi repli…
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