Swaraj

noun

/swəˈrɑːdʒ/

Self-rule or self-governance; in the Indian independence movement, it referred both to political independence from British colonial rule and to Gandhi's broader vision of community-based self-governance and individual self-discipline.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

For Gandhi, Swaraj signified far more than the substitution of brown rulers for white; it demanded the moral and economic self-reliance of the citizen, making genuine freedom inseparable from the responsibilities of self-governance.

Synonyms

self-ruleself-governancehome ruleindependenceautonomysovereignty

Antonyms

subjugationcolonialismforeign rulesubjection

🌱 Word Family

Swarajist (n), Swarajya (n, Sanskrit/Hindi variant), Purna Swaraj (n, compound), Swarajists (n pl)

🔡 Root

Sanskrit sva = own, self; rāj = rule, sovereignty; compound svarāj (स्वराज्) = self-rule

📜 Etymology

From Sanskrit svarāj (स्वराज्), combining sva ("own, self") and rāj ("rule, sovereignty"); entered English political usage around 1907–1908.

🧠 Memory Hook

Break it as "swa" (self, as in swadeshi/swatantra) + "raj" (rule/raj, as in British Raj): SWA + RAJ = "self-rule" — ruling oneself instead of being ruled.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Prelims 2014 — Modern India

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Swaraj” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

🏛️ History & Culture 📖 Seen in: Gandhi's Early Movements (1915–1922)

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