Mahatma Gandhi’s political thought represents a profound critique of both the structural and ethical foundations of socialism and communism as they developed in the early twentieth century. While socialism and communism emphasized economic equality, centralised planning, and the revolutionary overthrow of social hierarchies, Gandhi viewed these approaches as fundamentally flawed in both moral and practical terms. His rejection of totalitarianism was rooted in a commitment to individual and collective ethical responsibility rather than in obedience to a coercive state apparatus. For Gandhi, political authority derived not from centralized power or the threat of force but from moral legitimacy, grounded in truth (satya) and non-violence (ahimsa). This moral dimension of politics led him to insist that any society organized through coercion, even if in the name of equality or collective welfare, was inherently dehumanizing. He argued that political freedom could not coexist with a system that treated individuals as mere instruments of the state or as pawns in the pursuit of class objectives. Gandhi’s critique of class conflict was particularly significant in his political philosophy. Marxist-inspired socialism posited the inevitability and necessity of class struggle as the engine of historical progress, advocating the overthrow of bourgeois dominance by the proletariat. Gandhi, however, rejected the notion that antagonism between classes could or should form the basis of social and political organization. He argued that fostering conflict between groups inevitably led to violence, resentment, and the erosion of moral values, ultimately undermining social cohesion. Instead, Gandhi proposed a vision of constructive social harmony rooted in cooperation, ethical responsibility, and the recognition of mutual interdependence. In his view, society should be organized around principles of trusteeship and voluntary service, wherein those with wealth or power accept responsibility for the welfare of others, not because they are compelled by law or revolution, but because they are morally bound to do so. This concept opposed the redistributionist coercion typical of socialist or communist programs, emphasizing persuasion and moral example over enforcement. Violence, which Gandhi identified as both a practical and moral failing of