| It is the religious and social ideas adopted and | | | | truthful path. Though they were rooted in the |
| developed by Gandhi, first during his period in | | | | highest idealism, the experiments were carried out |
| South Africa from 1893 to 1914, and later of | | | | on a very down-to-earth plane - India's moral, |
| course in India. | | | | political and social needs as he saw them. Such an |
| Introduction | | | | approach is available to all at all time. Gandhi |
| The twin cardinal principles of Gandhi's thought are | | | | believed his own moral and spiritual development |
| truth and nonviolence: the ultimate station Gandhi | | | | to be far from complete at the time of his death. |
| assigns nonviolence stems from two main points. | | | | Despite the great heights he had attained, this |
| First, if according to the Divine Reality all life is | | | | was indeed true. He had not achieved perfection, |
| one, then all violence committed towards another | | | | as some of those who were close to him have |
| is violence towards oneself, towards the | | | | testified. |
| collective, whole self, and thus "self"-destructive | | | | The perception of what is the truthful path is |
| and counter to the universal law of life, which is | | | | largely a matter for the individual's reason and |
| love. Second, Gandhi believed that ahimsa is the | | | | conscience, which therefore play key roles. The |
| most powerful force in existence. Had has-been | | | | individual should subject each idea to the test of |
| superior to ahimsa, humankind would long ago | | | | his or her own conscience and reason. Reason |
| have succeeded in destroying itself. The human | | | | and rationality have enormous roles to play in the |
| race certainly could not have progressed as far | | | | Gandhian way of thinking. This, I feel, is one of |
| as it has, even if universal justice remains far off | | | | the major Western influences in Gandhi. If there is |
| the horizon. From both viewpoints, nonviolence or | | | | genuine, sincere disagreement, an idea can be |
| love is regarded as the highest law of humankind. | | | | discarded. However, once a principle is accepted a |
| As a guide to action, Gandhian philosophy is a | | | | sincere attempt must be made to adhere to it. |
| double-edged weapon. Its objective is to | | | | Ideally there should be harmony between thought, |
| transform the individual and society simultaneously | | | | word and action. In this way the outer life |
| (rather than in sequence, as Marxism describes), in | | | | becomes a true reflection of the inner, and a |
| accordance with the principles of truth and | | | | mental harmony is also achieved. |
| nonviolence. The historic task before humankind is | | | | The remaining central concept in Gandhi's |
| to progress towards the creation of a nonviolent | | | | philosophy is Satyagraha. Defined most broadly |
| political, economic and social order by nonviolent | | | | (as Gandhi defined it), Satyagraha is itself a whole |
| struggle. The social goal was described by Gandhi | | | | philosophy of nonviolence. Defined most narrowly, |
| as Sarvodaya, a term he coined in paraphrasing | | | | it is a technique or tool of nonviolent action. |
| John Ruskin's book Unto This Last, meaning the | | | | Because of the intention here to keep this |
| welfare of all without exception. Its political aspect | | | | discussion as simple as possible, Satyagraha will be |
| was expressed by the late eminent Gandhian Dr | | | | described here in its latter guise. As a technique, |
| R.R. Diwakar in the following words: "The good of | | | | Satyagraha was developed by Gandhi in South |
| each individual in society Consists in his efforts to | | | | Africa to give the Indian population there a |
| achieve the good of all." | | | | weapon with which to resist the injustices being |
| Economic decentralisation, to prevent massive | | | | perpetrated upon it by the colonial government. |
| concentrations of economic power in the hands of | | | | ButSatyagraha can be practiced in any cultural |
| too few, and again, to distribute it in the hands of | | | | environment - provided the necessary ingredients |
| many. Therefore villages, which are anyway | | | | are present, not least Satyagrahis (those capable |
| geographically decentralised, become the basic | | | | of Satyagraha). A Satyagraha campaign is |
| economic units. However, where unavoidable, | | | | undertaken only after all other peaceful means |
| certain industries may be organised on a more | | | | have proven ineffective. At its heart is |
| centralised basis, and their ownership and control | | | | nonviolence. An attempt is made to convert, |
| come under the umbrella of the State. | | | | persuade or win over the opponent. It involves |
| The minimisation of competition and exploitation in | | | | applying the forces of both reason and conscience |
| the economic sphere, and instead, the | | | | simultaneously. While holding aloft the indisputable |
| encouragement of cooperation. | | | | truth of his or her position, the Satyagrahi also |
| Production on the basis of need rather than | | | | engages in acts of voluntary self-suffering. Any |
| greed, concentrating where India is concerned | | | | violence inflicted by the opponent is accepted |
| first on the eradication of poverty (and on the | | | | without retaliation. But precisely because there is |
| worst extreme of poverty).Recognition of the | | | | no retaliation (which can make the opponent feel |
| dignity of labour and the greater purity of rural | | | | his violence is justified), the opponent can only |
| life. The practice of extensive self-reliance by | | | | become morally bankrupt if violence continues to |
| individuals, villages, regions and the nation. | | | | be inflicted indefinitely. |
| Absence of oppression on the basis of race, | | | | Several methods can be applied in a Satyagraha |
| caste, class, language, gender or religion. A deep | | | | campaign, primarily non-cooperation and fasting. |
| respect for mother nature, necessitating an | | | | The action is undertaken in the belief in the |
| economic system based upon the preservation | | | | underlying goodness of the opponent, and in his or |
| rather than destruction of the natural | | | | her ability to acknowledge the injustice of the |
| environment. Such concepts clearly represent | | | | action and to cease the injustice, or at least to |
| pillars for a new social order. A theory closely | | | | compromise. Satyagraha in this sense is highly |
| linked to the concept of Sarvodaya, also | | | | creative. It creates no enemies, hatred or lasting |
| developed by Gandhi, is that of Trusteeship. Its | | | | bitterness, but ultimately only mutual regard. After |
| fundamental objective is to create nonviolent and | | | | a successful campaign there is not the least hint |
| non-exploitative property relationships. Gandhi | | | | of gloating, nor is there any desire to embarrass |
| believed that the concepts of possession and | | | | the opponent. The former opponent becomes a |
| private property were sources of violence, and in | | | | friend. There are no losers, only winners. A |
| contradiction with the Divine reality that all wealth | | | | truthful Satyagraha campaign, though it demands |
| belongs to all people. However, he recognised that | | | | courage, self-discipline and humility on the part of |
| the concept of ownership would not wither easily, | | | | the Satyagrahi, brings to bear tremendous moral |
| nor would the wealthy be easily persuaded to | | | | pressure on the opponent and can bring about |
| share their wealth. Therefore a compromise was | | | | remarkable transformations. Two factors are |
| to encourage the wealthy to hold their wealth in | | | | absolutely crucial to understand. There can be no |
| trust, to use themselves only what was | | | | Satyagraha in a cause which is not indisputably |
| necessary and toallow the remainder to be utilized | | | | just and truthful. Nor can there be any element of |
| for the benefit of the whole society. | | | | violence or bitterness in a Satyagraha campaign - |
| Gandhi's thought is equally a philosophy of | | | | it must be conducted in a spirit of genuine |
| self-transformation. The individual's task is to | | | | nonviolence. Any campaign which is insincere in its |
| make a sincere attempt to live according to the | | | | spirit of nonviolence, or is not undertaken in a |
| principles of truth and nonviolence. Its fundamental | | | | clearly just cause is not Satyagraha as Gandhi |
| tenets are therefore moral. They include - | | | | meant it. |
| resisting injustice, developing a spirit of service, | | | | To sum up, Gandhian philosophy is not only |
| selflessness and sacrifice, emphasising one's | | | | simultaneously political, moral and religious; it is also |
| responsibilities rather than rights, self-discipline, | | | | traditional and modern, simple and complex. It |
| simplicity of life-style, and attempting to maintain | | | | embodies numerous Western influences to which |
| truthful and nonviolent relations with others. It | | | | Gandhi was exposed, but being rooted in ancient |
| should be understood that by simplicity is meant | | | | Indian culture and harnessing eternal and universal |
| voluntary simplicity, not poverty, which has no | | | | moral and religious principles, there is much in it |
| element of voluntarism in it. If there is one thing | | | | that is not at all new. This is why Gandhi could |
| Gandhi does not stand for, it is poverty. A | | | | say: "I have nothing new to teach the world. |
| Gandhian should also avoid political office. He or | | | | Truth and nonviolence are as old as the hills." |
| she should remain aloof from formal party politics | | | | Gandhi is concerned even more with the spirit |
| and equi-distant from all political groupings. But this | | | | than with the form. If the spirit is consistent with |
| is not to say, and in my view Gandhi does not | | | | truth and nonviolence, the truthful and nonviolent |
| require, that the individual should remain aloof | | | | form will automatically result. Despite its |
| from all politics. For often injustice cannot be | | | | anti-Westernism, many hold its outlook to be |
| resisted unless the political power holders and | | | | ultra-modern, in fact ahead of its time - even far |
| structures are engaged, nonviolently. | | | | ahead. Perhaps the philosophy is best seen as a |
| For the individual self-transformation is attempted | | | | harmonious blend of the traditional and modern. |
| with deliberateness rather than with haste. One | | | | The multifaceted nature of Gandhi's thought also |
| should not seek to become a Mahatma overnight, | | | | can easily lead to the view that it is extremely |
| because such attempts will surely fail, but to | | | | complex. Perhaps in one sense it is. One could |
| reform oneself over the whole of one's life, as | | | | easily write volumes in describing it! Yet Gandhi |
| far as one is capable. (Nor should there be any | | | | described much of his thought as mere |
| question of superficial imitation of Gandhi.) Gandhi | | | | commonsense. Dr Diwakar sums up Gandhi's |
| viewed his own life as a process of development | | | | thought in a few words: "The four words, truth, |
| undertaken "one step at a time". He saw the | | | | nonviolence, Sarvodaya and Satyagraha and their |
| need to continually "experiment with truth" (from | | | | significance constitute Gandhi and his teaching." |
| which he derived the title of his autobiography) in | | | | These are indeed the four pillars of Gandhian |
| whatever field, in order to come to see the | | | | thought. |