Gopal Krishna Gokhale favoured constructive policies. To Gokhale, ‘Swadeshi’ was the symbol of Patriotism. To him, swadeshi was not a mere weapon of economy, but it also contained the economic independence of the masses and a high sense of self – respect. He believed that swadeshi alone could pave the way to India’s economic independence. It will also awaken among the Indians a feeling of solving economic problems of one another.

This fundamental feeling hidden in ‘Swadeshi’, is the transformed shape of economic independence. Gokhale agreed with the constructive aspect of ‘swadeshi’. But he still disagreed with its negative aspect, when he told the people not to boycott every thing or idea belonging to the British government.

Boycott to Gokhale was a violent idea which bespeaks of revenge. He believed that giving up the use of foreign goods would rouse people to embrace ‘Swadeshi’. However ‘boycott’ would not inspire people to embrace ‘Swadeshi’ as a negative approach. He also treated boycotting the government services such an unbecoming behaviour as economic boycott.