In the context of India's freedom struggle and democratic thought, who famously stated that “good government was never a good substitute for self-government”?

Introduction / Context:
This question relates to political thought during India's freedom struggle. The statement “good government was never a good substitute for self-government” captures the core idea of swaraj, or self-rule, that inspired Indian nationalists. Instead of being satisfied with benevolent or efficient colonial administration, leaders argued that Indians must govern themselves. The quotation is strongly associated with Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The quotation emphasises that self-rule is more important than merely efficient foreign rule.
• We are asked to identify which national leader is famous for this view.
• Options: Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, Aurobindo Ghose, Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
• We assume standard attributions from freedom movement literature.

Concept / Approach:
Mahatma Gandhi consistently argued that even the best possible British administration could not replace the intrinsic value of Indians ruling themselves. His broader concept of swaraj included not only political independence but also moral and social self-control. This quote appears in his writings and speeches as he critiques the idea that “good government” by the British could satisfy Indian aspirations. While other leaders also spoke about self-rule, the exact formulation of this idea is most closely linked to Gandhi.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the meaning of the quote: it says that quality of governance is not enough, its source must be the people themselves. Step 2: Recall that Gandhi’s doctrine of swaraj stressed self-rule and self-responsibility over foreign benevolent rule. Step 3: Examine the options and associate each leader with their key ideas. Step 4: Recognise that Mahatma Gandhi repeatedly contrasted self-government with good British government in his works such as “Hind Swaraj.” Step 5: Choose Mahatma Gandhi as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you look at summaries of Gandhi’s political thought, many exam guides explicitly quote or paraphrase this statement under the heading of “swaraj.” Gandhi rejected the argument that reforms and efficiency under colonial rule could replace the demand for independence. Swami Vivekananda focused more on spiritual and social awakening, Aurobindo Ghose on spiritual nationalism and revolution, and Bal Gangadhar Tilak on assertive political nationalism. Although all valued freedom, the specific formulation about “good government” versus “self-government” is consistently attributed to Gandhi.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b (Swami Vivekananda) inspired national self-confidence but did not frame the political issue in this exact way. Option c (Aurobindo Ghose) wrote powerfully on nationalist themes yet this particular quote is not associated with him. Option d (Bal Gangadhar Tilak) declared “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it,” which is a different but related slogan. None of them are typically credited with the precise wording of “good government is no substitute for self-government.”

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse Gandhi’s quotations with Tilak’s or Vivekananda’s because all of them emphasised national self-respect. Another pitfall is answering based on general popularity of names, instead of recalling which thinker wrote “Hind Swaraj” and repeatedly criticised the idea of benevolent colonial rule. To avoid this, mentally pair the quote with Gandhi’s broader swaraj philosophy and with his insistence that true freedom means Indians governing themselves, even if they make mistakes.

Final Answer:
The statement that “good government was never a good substitute for self-government” is attributed to Mahatma Gandhi.