Colonialism and imperialism profoundly affect the state and its citizens, reshaping political structures, economic patterns, social hierarchies, and cultural identities. The impact is multifaceted, influencing governance, the distribution of resources, societal values, and the very fabric of everyday life. Examining these effects through the lens of Gandhi’s political thought provides a critical understanding of how he perceived the colonial state and its influence on the people, particularly in India. Gandhi viewed colonialism not merely as a political domination but as a moral and economic disruption that undermined the ethical and social foundations of society. One of the central effects of colonialism on the state is the imposition of foreign governance structures that prioritize the interests of the colonizers over the indigenous population. Colonial states were designed primarily to extract resources and maintain control rather than to promote the welfare of the people. In India, the British implemented administrative systems that centralized power in the hands of colonial officials, often bypassing traditional institutions and local self-governance. Gandhi criticized this model of governance because it eroded the moral responsibility of rulers towards the citizens. He argued that the state should function as a servant of the people, fostering justice, self-reliance, and community welfare. Under colonial rule, the state became an instrument of exploitation, enforcing policies that maintained the economic dominance of the British while marginalizing local populations. The economic consequences of colonialism were deeply disruptive, affecting both macroeconomic structures and the daily lives of citizens. Colonial policies often led to the deindustrialization of local economies, as seen in India’s textile industry, where British imports undercut local handloom production, leading to widespread unemployment and poverty. Land revenue systems, such as the Zamindari system introduced by the British, extracted wealth from the peasantry and concentrated it in the hands