Abstract
‘Critical appreciation’ examines Gandhi's legacy. Even five decades after his death, opinions about Gandhi's achievements remain deeply divided. For his critics he was too implacably hostile to modernity to offer an adequate understanding of its nature, let alone provide answers to its malaise. For his admirers, he saw through the madness of modernity, and offered an alternative vision that combined the best insights of both the pre-modern and modern world-views. He led the greatest anti-colonial struggle in history, encouraged a humane and liberal form of patriotism, showed how to lead a successful political life without compromising one's integrity, and offered a rare example of morally responsible leadership.