List No. 095

SEVEN SOCIAL SINS

Mohandas Gandhi

October 1947

In October 1947, Mohandas Gandhi handed a piece of paper to his visiting grandson, Arun Gandhi, upon which was written the following: a list that he said contained “the seven blunders that human society commits, and that cause all the violence”. The next day, Arun returned home to South Africa with the list, never to see his grandfather again. Gandhi was assassinated three months later. The very same list was originally published by Gandhi in his journal, Young India, in 1925, where it was titled, “Seven Social Sins”.

Wealth without work.

Pleasure without conscience.

Knowledge without character.

Commerce without morality.

Science without humanity.

Worship without sacrifice.

Politics without principles.