Final answer:
Mahatma Gandhi emphasized the importance of self-discipline and internal reform before effectively challenging British rule. His quote calls for personal and collective reflection and aligns with his principles of satyagraha and ahimsa for non-violent resistance in the Indian independence movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Mahatma Gandhi said, 'we can't rebel against the government unless we can learn to rebel against ourselves first', he was emphasizing the idea that true resistance against an oppressive external force like the British government required individuals to first confront and overcome their own internal weaknesses and societal flaws.
This meant reflecting on personal behaviors that contribute to a system's power, such as complicity in one's own subjugation or tacitly supporting unjust traditions or practices.
Gandhi saw self-reform and the cultivation of personal discipline through satyagraha (holding onto truth) and ahimsa (nonviolence) as essential. Indians needed to develop the moral authority that comes from self-discipline before they could effectively challenge British rule.
Therefore, Gandhi's quote invokes a call to personal and collective self-discipline and internal reform, rather than suggesting that one should take up arms or act out of anger, he stressed the need for non-violent resistance and viewed passive resistance as a potent tool for the Indian independence movement. Gandhi believed that in order to resist the external oppression of the British, the citizens had to first cultivate a spirit of self-reliance and inner strength within themselves