---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was not through democratic methods…"
description: "\"It was not through democratic methods that Britain bagged India.\" — Mahatma Gandhi"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cd/mahatma-gandhi-23_britain_it-was-not-through-democratic-methods-th_1980804.jpg"
---

#  It was not through democratic methods that Britain bagged…

![“It was not through democratic methods that Britain bagged India.” quote by Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cd/mahatma-gandhi-23_britain_it-was-not-through-democratic-methods-th_1980804.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cd/mahatma-gandhi-23_britain_it-was-not-through-democratic-methods-th_1980804.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cd/mahatma-gandhi-23_britain_it-was-not-through-democratic-methods-th_1980804.jpg)

> “It was not through democratic methods that Britain bagged India.”

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Britain secured India not by democratic means but through imperial power.

**In simple terms:** Britain ruled India using force, not democracy.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the impact of power dynamics in history.

Themes

colonialism politics democracy

Mood

critical reflective serious

Type

historical political

When to use this quote

- academic lectures
- political debates
- policy analysis
- education curricula

Key Concepts

imperialism nationalism historical injustice

Questions to Reflect On

- What alternative methods could have been used?
- How does this shape modern views on empire?

A Different Perspective

Democratic narratives may oversimplify complex histories.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bagged India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bagged-india-3380708/) [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Britain Bagged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain-bagged-3380707/) [Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic/) [English language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-language/) [Englishmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishmen/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Method](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/method/) [Methods Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/methods-britain-3380709/)

## Related quotes

> [My motto is "Unite now, today if you can; fight if you must. But in every case avoid British intervention."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-motto-is-unite-now-today-if-you-can-fight-if-you-must-but-in-every/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I claim to have been a lifelong and wholly disinterested friend of the British people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-claim-to-have-been-a-lifelong-and-wholly-disinterested-friend-of/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Civilization is not an incurable disease, but it should never be forgotten that the English people are at present afflicted by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/civilization-is-not-an-incurable-disease-but-it-should-never-be/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [The builders of the British Indian Empire have patiently built its four pillars-the European interests, the army, the Indian princes and the communal divisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-builders-of-the-british-indian-empire-have-patiently-built-its/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [That I want to destroy British imperialism is another matter, but I want to do so by converting those who are associated with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/that-i-want-to-destroy-british-imperialism-is-another-matter-but-i/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [The Britisher is the top dog and the Indian the underdog in his own country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-britisher-is-the-top-dog-and-the-indian-the-underdog-in-his-own/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Englishmen must learn to be Brahmins, not banias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not-banias/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [To get rid of the infatuation for English is one of the essentials of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/to-get-rid-of-the-infatuation-for-english-is-one-of-the-essentials-of/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I must fight unto the death the unholy attempt to impose British methods and British institutions on India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-must-fight-unto-the-death-the-unholy-attempt-to-impose-british/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [The Indian struggle is not anti-British, it is anti-exploitation, anti-foreign rule, not anti-foreigners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-indian-struggle-is-not-anti-british-it-is-anti-exploitation-anti/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [My love of the British is equal to that of my own people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-love-of-the-british-is-equal-to-that-of-my-own-people/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Personally I crave not for 'independence', which I do not understand, but I long for freedom from the English yoke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/personally-i-crave-not-for-independence-which-i-do-not-understand-but/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [My attitude towards the British is one of utter friendliness and respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-attitude-towards-the-british-is-one-of-utter-friendliness-and/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [The collectors of revenue and the policeman are the only symbols by which millions in India's villages know British rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-collectors-of-revenue-and-the-policeman-are-the-only-symbols-by/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I believe in the capacity of India to offer nonviolent battle to the English rulers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-believe-in-the-capacity-of-india-to-offer-nonviolent-battle-to-the/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

## More by Mahatma Gandhi

> [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Devotion required by the Gita is no soft-hearted effusiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/devotion-required-by-the-gita-is-no-soft-hearted-effusiveness/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [So long as we fear the outside world, we must cease to think of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/so-long-as-we-fear-the-outside-world-we-must-cease-to-think-of-swaraj/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I do not want a kingdom, or heaven; what I want is to remove the trouble of the oppressed, the poor, and the needy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-a-kingdom-or-heaven-what-i-want-is-to-remove-the/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Religions are not for separating men from one another, they are meant to bind them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/religions-are-not-for-separating-men-from-one-another-they-are-meant/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-hold-flesh-food-to-be-unsuited-to-our-species-we-err-in-copying-the/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“It was only in South Africa that I got over this shyness, though I never completely overcame it. It was impossible for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-was-only-in-south-africa-that-i-got-over-this-shyness-though-i/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“Where there is life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/where-there-is-life/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [If it was wrong to seek God in a stone, how was it right to seek Him in a book called the Gita, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/if-it-was-wrong-to-seek-god-in-a-stone-how-was-it-right-to-seek-him/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [The spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism, whether governmental or popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-spirit-of-democracy-cannot-be-established-in-the-midst-of/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Champions are made from something they have deep inside of them-a desire, a dream, a vison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/champions-are-made-from-something-they-have-deep-inside-of-them-a/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [My motto is "Unite now, today if you can; fight if you must. But in every case avoid British intervention."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-motto-is-unite-now-today-if-you-can-fight-if-you-must-but-in-every/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I have no disciples, being myself an aspirant after discipleship and in search of a guru.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-have-no-disciples-being-myself-an-aspirant-after-discipleship-and/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Man becomes not the lord and master of all creation but he is its servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-becomes-not-the-lord-and-master-of-all-creation-but-he-is-its/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

[Explore all 3,284 Mahatma Gandhi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

## More Britain quotes

> [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/)

[Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/)

> [In Britain, the press want to kill a show by revealing what's coming up and spoiling the pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/in-britain-the-press-want-to-kill-a-show-by-revealing-what-s-coming/)

[Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/)

> [If we don't like modern Britain, then it is very unlikely that modern Britain will like us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/if-we-don-t-like-modern-britain-then-it-is-very-unlikely-that-modern/)

[Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/)

> [It is time Britain put its trust back into the Labour Party. I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/)

[Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/)

> [Britain has the IRA and no one cancels concerts there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-osbourne/britain-has-the-ira-and-no-one-cancels-concerts-there/)

[Sharon Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-osbourne/)

> [The establishment in Britain is certainly against the arts and against education. If something doesn't make a profit, it's invalid, and art doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maxwell-davies/the-establishment-in-britain-is-certainly-against-the-arts-and/)

[Peter Maxwell Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maxwell-davies/)

> [We from every religion feel comfortable in Britain because there is a host. The Church of England is a good host, it has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/we-from-every-religion-feel-comfortable-in-britain-because-there-is-a/)

[Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/)

> [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/)

[Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/)

> [I think the first person to call me 'Britain's Obama' was Martin Bright at the New Statesman. Harriet Harman made the comparison once at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-umunna/i-think-the-first-person-to-call-me-britain-s-obama-was-martin-bright/)

[Chuka Umunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-umunna/)

> [I am the last of Britain's stately homos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-am-the-last-of-britain-s-stately-homos/)

[Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/)

> [ As for whether what happened in Britain improves\[Donald\] Trump's chances of winning, I don't think so. He has the same chances; we may just… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-michael-cillizza/as-for-whether-what-happened-in-britain-improves-donald-trump-s/)

[Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/)

> [Britain, like other European states, is not and never will again be in the top-world-power league, so its male leaders can afford to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/britain-like-other-european-states-is-not-and-never-will-again-be-in/)

[Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/)

> [When you go away, you see where you come from in a different light. I see Scotland, and the rest of Britain, as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-you-go-away-you-see-where-you-come-from-in-a-different-light-i/)

[Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/)

> [It was very hard breaking into the film industry in Britain. I had been to art school, and I was painting and doing commercials.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-scott/it-was-very-hard-breaking-into-the-film-industry-in-britain-i-had/)

[Tony Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-scott/)

> [Germany has always stood for an E.U. of the 27 countries. But in light of Britain's continued resistance to further integration steps, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-schauble/germany-has-always-stood-for-an-e-u-of-the-27-countries-but-in-light/)

[Wolfgang Schauble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-schauble/)

[Browse all 1,648 Britain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It was not through democratic methods that Britain bagged India.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mahatma Gandhi"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-was-not-through-democratic-methods-that-britain-bagged-india/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Britain"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-was-not-through-democratic-methods-that-britain-bagged-india/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cd/mahatma-gandhi-23_britain_it-was-not-through-democratic-methods-th_1980804.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cd/mahatma-gandhi-23_britain_it-was-not-through-democratic-methods-th_1980804.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cd/mahatma-gandhi-23_britain_it-was-not-through-democratic-methods-th_1980804.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It was not through democratic methods that Britain bagged India.” — Mahatma Gandhi",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Mahatma Gandhi",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It was not through democratic methods...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-was-not-through-democratic-methods-that-britain-bagged-india/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-was-not-through-democratic-methods-that-britain-bagged-india/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
