The Law And The Lawyers

by Mahatma Gandhi

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Genres: Nonfiction, India

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India. Employing non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for non-violence, civil rights and freedom across the world.

The son of a senior government official, Gandhi was born and raised in a Hindu Bania community in coastal Gujarat, and trained in law in London. Gandhi became famous by fighting for the civil rights of Muslim and Hindu Indians in South Africa, using new techniques of non-violent civil disobedience that he developed. Returning to India in 1915, he set about organizing peasants to protest excessive land-taxes. A lifelong opponent of "communalism" (i.e. basing politics on religion) he reached out widely to all religious groups. He became a leader of Muslims protesting the declining status of the Caliphate. Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for easing poverty, expanding women's rights, building religious and ethnic amity, ending untouchability, increasing economic self-reliance, and above all for achieving Swaraj—the independence of India from British domination. His spiritual teacher was the Jain philosopher/poet Shrimad Rajchandra.

Reviews

[Ram · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a profoundly illuminating critique of the legal profession, centered on the moral responsibility of its practitioners.

The book's primary strength lies in its relentless insistence that a lawyer’s chief loyalty must be to Truth and justice, requiring them to elevate community service and reconciliation above personal enrichment and technical victory.

Gandhi views the conventional, adversarial legal system as possessing a fundamental constraint, arguing that it often exacerbates conflict, fosters dishonesty for client gain, and ultimately undermines ethical principles through its focus on formalism.

The most remarkable insight is his conclusion, drawn from his early career experiences, that the ultimate purpose of the legal practice is to facilitate compromise and understanding between disputing parties, a conviction that shaped his life’s philosophy.

This collection offers essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the ethical foundations of social justice advocacy and a higher spiritual standard for professional life.

[Achuth Matadha Gurumallpal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great to read.. this was a prescribed English text book for BBALLB .. its written great and its very inspiring

[Anushka Anand · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for class.

[Jai Bharath · Rating 5 out of 5]

the book comprised of Gandhi's law professional experience in his life of experiments with truth.