Code Swaraj
systems of our democracies. Likewise, swaraj is the principle of self-rule, that a government is owned by the people and ruled by our common will. Code swaraj means an open rule book, a book owned by and known by the people.
Without an open rulebook, the Internet we have today would have been very different. We believe all our infrastructures should be based on open and transparent rules, ones that allow anybody to understand how the system works and how to make it better. Such a principle is a core principle of democracy, it is what we mean by democratizing information, removing barriers to entry.
We believe that in a society with true code swaraj, there is room to strive even further, to achieve aspirational goals such as universal access to all human knowledge. The Internet has taught us that an open system can grow beyond our wildest dreams. That lesson must be applied more broadly.
Gandhi’s movement for freedom was not just about freedom for India, it was about instilling the principles of self-rule, democracy, and decolonization for the entire world. The principles of equal opportunity for all, of democratizing information, of trusteeship and nurturing the common good are deeply embedded in the ideas of Gandhi and those he led.
The techniques we use are inspired by those who came before us. Even if the peril that we face personally are nowhere near as dangerous, we have taken to heart the lessons of continuous struggle. The techniques and methods of satyagraha may be applied to problems both big and small, but what matters is that we all strive to make our democracies work. We own our governments in a democracy, and unless we engage in public work, unless we educate ourselves and our rulers, we will cede our position as trustees of our world.
We have included a large number of photographs in this book. This book is a mashup. This is because we are inspired by the photographs, we love looking at the old photos contained in the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi and in the archives of the Ministry of Information. All knowledge builds on what is already there, and we have built this book on material that is on the net for free access by all.
We also hope that you will take time to explore these wonderful resources and use the materials in your own work. Universal access to knowledge is a human right, but we must do more than just consume knowledge, we must all contribute to the common pool.
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