Cursory Analysis
Having finished up with the answer of the evils of religion as opposed to the evils of civilization, Gandhi criticizes the requirement of protection from “the Pindaris, and the Bhils”. He states that suffering their perils would be better than requiring the British protection to repel it, as that would “render us effeminate”. The chapter is concluded by putting forth the idea that home rule can only be achieved when “we” stop fearing our countrymen, whoever or whatever they may be.
Now the idea changes from pax britanica being questioned to how “Railways, lawyers, and doctors have impoverished the country”. Consumption is treated as a disease that plagues the population, showing a false pretense of wellbeing as is apparent from the lines “Consumption does not produce apparent hurt – it even produces a seductive color about the patient’s face, so as to induce the belief that all is well”. Now the concept of civilization being the broader umbrella which covers consumption and other such maladies is introduced. The example used to substantiate this assertion comes in the form of the railways, a symbol of modernity which showcases the spread of civilization. Arguments including the spread of germs, the bubonic plague, and evil in general is used to drive the point home. It is further stated that the same cannot be used to spread the word of the “good”, as the virtuous are not selfish and, hence, travel at a snail’s pace, further stating that the obstacle of distance ensured that until now only the true devotees could persevere to reach the holy places of India and that railways now allow all sorts of people to visit them. The analogy of creation against destruction using the example of building a house is drawn to highlight this divide between “good and evil”.
Now the argument shifts to the unity of India and how the railways disrupt this sense of oneness or unity. The reference of holy places such as Haridwar, Shevetbindu Rameshwar, etc. is given to introduce the idea that “those whose hearts are aglow with righteousness had the Ganges in their own homes” i.e. establishing holy sites along a common geographical landmark to appeal to a nation’s ideals and belief of unity. The driving force behind this belief of divide is that the spread of distinction and the concept of “many nations” only came up after the establishment of railways as the natural segregation of distance maintained unity among separate communities, the bridging of which distance caused the spread of “evil” and subsequently the spread of divide. The last example of an opium eater serves as sort of a contradiction wherein the opium eater states the advantage of his habit as being able to see the evils of said habit. So we can conclude that the habit, referring to civilization through the example of railways, would be better left unindulged.
The chapter concludes with the reader putting forth the question of clashing religious ideologies, and how the unity referred to before the advent of railways did not account for the integration of multiple religions such as “Mahomedans, Parsees, and Christians”. A few points of distinction are pointed out such as the worship of cows as opposed to their consumption, the belief in the doctrine of non-killing, idolaters vs. iconoclasts, etc.
This is all put forth to question how India can be one nation with the prevalence of clashing religions and cultures.

Parel on Gandhi
The main concept, pertaining to Hind Swaraj, being that of speed replacing the, until now slow, pace of life is more harmful than beneficial. From Taylor’s Falacy of Speed we can draw the inference that the assumption of “fast is better” may not necessarily hold true. One of the principle ideas being that the opportunities for leisure and relaxation are dwindling as now there is a possibility of doing more within the same time period. Hence, the idea of railways corrupting not only our national identity and sense of unity but also our healthier lifestyle is clearly documented and put up for public consideration.