Category: Mahatma Gandhi

There are several important factors that influence the world to be a more peaceful and caring place for both humans and non-humans alike. This is an important point by several influential figures throughout history, notably Gandhi, who argues we should cherish and respect all life forms, not just humans (Davey, 2016). This essay will discuss the ways in which a more peaceful and caring world can be created, considering the importance of human rights, the promotion of nonviolence, the reformation of violent nation-states and totalitarianism, and the emphasis on protecting the environment as a whole, including non-humans and all forms of life on the planet.

Firstly, the fundamental factor for creating a more peaceful and caring world would be the continuation of human rights. The 1948 Declaration of Human Rights is seen as a milestone document in human rights history, setting out documentation enforcing the universal protection of human rights across the world, translated into over 500 languages to ensure the solidarity of the rights (United Nations, 2021). They do not just include matters of freedom or dignity, but also human solidarity, with examples of this including the conversations surrounding human rights that appeared after the Holocaust (Geras, 2011). More questions regarding human rights emerge when the Guantanamo Bay detention center is discussed, which uses methods of torture including waterboarding stress positions, sleep deprivation, confinement in a cramped box, slapping and slamming detainees into walls (Watkins, Landay, and Taylor, 2014 in Armalite et al, 2015). This outrageous treatment of civilians is often gone unrecognized, especially as the location of the detention facility is outside of the jurisdiction of any detainee’s native country. This essentially allows for anything to happen to them, which has evidently not created a more peaceful and caring world considering the torture treatment that the prisoners have to endure. Situations like this are what have inspired several human rights campaigns that focus on all aspects of the human rights agenda, such as Amnesty International and their emphasis on state cruelty, the Refugee Council, Greenpeace, and campaigns against nuclear weapons and the arms trade. Ultimately, although the fight for a universal human rights basis has improved greatly since the declaration of 1948, there are still several potholes that contribute to the destruction of human dignity and solidarity. The globalization of human rights would therefore create a more peaceful and caring world in which there are universal rights that defend every citizen of the world. The globalization process is one that has sparked many questions regarding its benefits to a kinder world that has interconnections and a shared humanity throughout. Linking with human rights, this global solidarity allows for cosmopolitanism to form, in which there are universal principles that can both shape and limit all human activity (Held, 2010). In a world of cosmopolitan agreement, human rights and peace are best secured, thus ensuring a more caring world.

The next factor to consider is the importance of nonviolence in promoting a more peaceful world. Mark Kurlansky (2007) outlines the importance of the distinction between nonviolence and pacifism while pacifism is passive, nonviolence is active. Giving a couple of stories of Jesus Christ as an example, Kurlansky states that when Jesus told victims to turn the other cheek, he was promoting pacifism, but when he said that an enemy should be won over through love, that is promoting nonviolence. Nonviolence is therefore an active form of persuasion, and examples of this remain throughout history, specifically in the life of Gandhi. Kurlansky continues this discussion, arguing that Gandhi insists that nonviolence must never come from weakness but from strength (2007:18). Using violence is therefore seen as the easy way out, as Gandhi writes, it is a barbaric retrogressive trait (Kurlansky, 2007:17), whereas promoting nonviolence is a true mark of civilization. The use of nonviolent forms of protests is popular among contemporary protests, most notably the attempts of Extinction Rebellion (XR), at outlining the climate crisis of the 21st century. Having done their research, XR discovered that nonviolent protests enhanced the legitimacy of campaigns and helped build support from security forces and authorities (Mansfield, 2020), and thus began this nonviolent approach to the awareness of our climate emergency. Promoting nonviolence is notably an obvious example of how the world can be more peaceful and caring, but with the power of violent nation-states that will be discussed shortly, nonviolence is rarely seen as being influential. However, the words of peace promoters like Gandhi paired with the appearance of nonviolent movements such as the Extinction Rebellion can begin the advocacy of a nonviolent world, based on strength, civilization, and peace.

As previously mentioned, the power of violent nation-states is hugely influential in the difficulty of promoting a more peaceful and caring world. Max Weber famously defines the state as a human community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory (1946:7). It is therefore almost impossible to have a state that is not embedded in violence, with Schell (2004) arguing that every state or empire seeks to hide the violence that it is so deeply rooted in. Schell claims that since 911, the world has become more violent, with states potentially being the greatest threat to human rights in modern society. Using nonviolence allows the violent state to become more apparent, enabling a form of critical reflection to appear and potentially change the way of thinking about the violent state. Therefore, reforming the state may lead to less violent forms of control, enabling a more peaceful and caring world to appear.

The control of others over individuals’ lives creating a less peaceful and caring world continues with ideas of totalitarianism. Bell (2013) defines totalitarianism as a system of centralized government in which the State has total authority over society and manipulates all aspects of culture including the arts, in order to control the private lives and morality of its citizens. Totalitarian movements allowed elites to assert their superiority in a way that they would take possession of man as a whole (Arendt, 2017:279), to suggest that they were the superior race was continued throughout 18th-century race thinking and through the 19th century, Social Darwinist thought of survival of the fittest. Arendt`s three-step approach to total domination involves depriving individuals of their legal rights, the murder of the moral person, and removing any sense of their individuality. The first step involves the arbitrary exclusion of certain categories of people from the protection of the law, thus rendering these individuals utterly rightless (Aharony, 2010). This stripping of human rights quite straightforwardly acknowledges the lack of care towards citizens that totalitarianism is based on. Aharony continues to explain Arendt`s stages of total domination, the next one being the destruction of moral agency, and then finally, in Arendt`swords, the final stage involves destroying the differentiation of the individual, his unique identity (Arendt, 1979:453 in Aharony, 2010). These stages are clear examples of control that certainly do not promote a peaceful and caring environment, thus, the rejection of and disregard for totalitarianism and its detrimental impacts create a kinder world as an individual are not controlled by the ruling superior who seek to regulate anything that they lay their eyes on.

A more peaceful and caring world cannot be considered solely on the attitudes of the human species: the treatment of other species and life forms should also be considered and acknowledged. Therefore, the ecological crisis is crucial when considering how we can create a more caring world. Taking a green perspective allows attention to be drawn to crimes affecting the environment, human and non-human life, and the planet itself (Higgins et al, 2013). There are several examples of this that Higgins et al touch on, including but not limited to industrial pollution, the disposal of toxic waste, and the impact and legacy of military operations on landscapes, water supply, air quality, and living organisms that populate these areas. Higgins is an advocate for the creation of a law to prevent ecocide, meaning killing the environment, the theory behind Higgins’s belief is that nobody should go unpunished for destroying the environment (Yeo, 2020). There is a need to develop, adopt and implement radical laws to stop and criminalize the (wanton) destruction of our environment (and that of other living forms) and planetary habitat (Kotter, 2014). A plethora of instances regarding the destruction of the environment have gone almost entirely unpunished, however, the introduction of the legal protection of nature in countries such as Ecuador and Bolivia can begin to signal the need for this protection. However, as Cullinan argues, most contemporary legal systems do not recognize that any indigenous inhabitants other than humans are capable of having rights (2010:144), continuing the discussion that the law directly defines land, water, other species, and genetic material and information as property, thus allowing for the exploitation of such and entering nature into the pursuit of profit, which can only be overcome by creating a Right to the Commons (Weston and Bollier, 2012). Introducing a Human Right to the Commons, paired with a law of ecocide, will ultimately bring much more peace and care to our world. Protecting nature and elements of our life that we are so dependent on is crucial for the present as well as future generations to come.

Linking in with the protection of the environment comes the idea of deep green ecology, with its key principles involving the well-being and the flourishing of all human and non-human life on Earth that have value in themselves, and that these values are independent of the usefulness of the non-human world for human purposes; richness and diversity of life forms contribute to the realization of these values and are also values in themselves; humans have no right to reduce this richness and diversity except to satisfy vital needs; the flourishing of human life and cultures is compatible with a substantial decrease of the human population; present human interference with the non-human world is excessive, and the situation is rapidly worsening; policies must therefore be changed; the ideological change is mainly that of appreciating life quality rather than adhering to an increasingly higher standard of living; and those who subscribe to the foregoing points have an obligation directly or indirectly to try to implement the necessary changes (N`ss and Sessions, 1984). The formation of Greenpeace was a result of this movement, whose vision is to create a greener, healthier, and more peaceful planet that can sustain life for generations to come (Greenpeace, 2021). Joanna Macy (2007) takes this deep green approach, arguing that through the power of caring, we need to explore the connection that humans have with nature. Although there are some criticisms of this approach, such as its biocentric egalitarianism roots that some find difficult to acknowledge as establishing the equal importance of human and non-human life can be difficult, this green ecology approach does promote a more caring and peaceful world. By protecting the environment and treating it as an equal, less harm is done, and more opportunities will arise for generations in the future. We are therefore taking responsibility for the planet and our environment, creating a more caring world.

To conclude, although there are several factors that have the ability to create a more peaceful and caring world, none will be achieved without the full contribution of society. These mentioned factors that can influence the changing appearance of the world can ultimately lead to a more peaceful and caring place, a world that can be sustained for generations to come. By taking responsibility now, we are therefore caring for the world that our descendants will live in.

Introduction

Mahatma Gandhi, known as the “Father of the Indian Independence Movement,” was a visionary leader, a symbol of peaceful resistance, and an inspiration to millions throughout the world. Gandhi’s life journey began on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, India, with deep change and an unshakeable devotion to justice and equality. His unshakeable conviction in peaceful civil disobedience, or Satyagraha, became a potent weapon in India’s battle against British colonial control. He not only secured India’s independence via his teachings and actions, but he also left an enduring legacy of peace and social transformation. This essay examines Mahatma Gandhi’s life, values, and enduring effect, a man whose ideals continue to echo in the hearts of those seeking justice and freedom.

Contributions of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi made significant contributions that left an indelible mark on the realms of politics, social justice, human rights, and nonviolent resistance. His most profound contribution was the development and popularization of the concept of Satyagraha, or nonviolent civil disobedience. Gandhi believed that nonviolence was a potent and morally superior weapon to fight oppression and injustice. Through Satyagraha, he led various campaigns against British colonial rule in India, inspiring movements for civil rights and freedom worldwide.

Gandhi played a pivotal role in the Indian Independence Movement, leading the country’s struggle for self-rule against British colonial rule. He spearheaded campaigns like the Non-Cooperation Movement, the Salt March, and the Quit India Movement, mobilizing millions of Indians to resist British oppression peacefully. His ability to unite people across diverse backgrounds and religions was instrumental in breaking down the barriers of caste and class, creating a powerful nationalist movement.

Beyond the political struggle, Gandhi was deeply committed to social reforms, aiming to eradicate social evils like untouchability and caste discrimination. He worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between different castes and communities, promoting equality and unity among all Indians. Gandhi’s efforts significantly contributed to the social reform movement in India and laid the foundation for a more inclusive and harmonious society.

Gandhi was a strong advocate of Swadeshi, promoting the use of locally produced goods and materials to promote self-reliance and economic independence. He encouraged the use of traditional Indian handicrafts and spinning wheels to produce cloth, thereby reducing India’s dependence on British textiles. By promoting Swadeshi, Gandhi aimed to empower the rural population and uplift their economic and social status, while simultaneously challenging British economic exploitation.

Education was another vital aspect of Gandhi’s contributions. He believed in the power of education for personal and societal transformation, particularly in rural areas. Gandhi’s advocacy for education aimed to uplift the masses and empower them to take charge of their destinies. Additionally, he was an early advocate of women’s rights and actively worked to improve the status of women in Indian society. He encouraged women to participate in public life and played a crucial role in their empowerment during the independence movement.

Central to Gandhi’s philosophy was the principle of Ahimsa, or nonviolence. He firmly believed in the power of love and compassion as means to overcome hatred and violence. Through his life and actions, Gandhi exemplified the practice of nonviolence, even in the face of severe adversity. His dedication to Ahimsa became a guiding light for many future leaders and movements seeking peaceful solutions to conflicts worldwide.

Gandhi’s principles of nonviolence and civil disobedience resonated with people worldwide, inspiring numerous peaceful movements for social justice and human rights. Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Aung San Suu Kyi drew inspiration from Gandhi’s teachings to lead their respective struggles against racial segregation, apartheid, and oppressive regimes.

Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy is one that continues to resonate across the globe, even decades after his passing. His life and teachings have left an enduring impact on various aspects of human society, inspiring individuals, movements, and nations to strive for justice, equality, and nonviolent solutions to conflicts.

Gandhi’s most significant contribution to the world was his philosophy of nonviolent resistance, or Satyagraha. His commitment to peaceful protest as a means to achieve political and social change inspired numerous movements worldwide. Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Aung San Suu Kyi drew inspiration from Gandhi’s principles of nonviolence and civil disobedience to lead successful struggles against oppression, racial discrimination, and authoritarian regimes.

Gandhi’s leadership in India’s struggle for independence from British colonial rule serves as a model for liberation movements across the world. Through his tireless efforts and steadfast commitment to nonviolence, he demonstrated that colonial powers could be challenged and overcome through mass mobilization and civil disobedience. His successful campaign for India’s independence in 1947 not only paved the way for other colonies to seek self-rule but also fundamentally altered the dynamics of the British Empire and contributed to its eventual decline.

Throughout his life, Gandhi was deeply committed to social justice and equality. He tirelessly worked to eradicate social evils like untouchability and caste discrimination, advocating for unity and equality among all members of society. Gandhi’s emphasis on inclusive and harmonious communities continues to inspire those striving to build a more equitable and just world, free from discrimination and prejudice.

Gandhi’s principles of nonviolence and human rights have had a profound impact on the development of international human rights movements. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948, drew inspiration from Gandhi’s ideals of dignity, equality, and nonviolence. His legacy in this realm remains a guiding force in the fight for human rights and the recognition of the inherent dignity and worth of every individual.

Beyond his political and social contributions, Gandhi’s spiritual and philosophical writings have also left a profound legacy. His ideas on truth, self-discipline, and the pursuit of moral values have inspired countless individuals to embark on a path of personal growth and self-realization. His emphasis on living a life of simplicity and truthfulness continues to resonate with those seeking a more meaningful and purposeful existence.

Conclusion

Mahatma Gandhi’s life and teachings have left an indelible mark on the history of humanity. Through his unwavering commitment to nonviolence, social justice, and human rights, he not only led India to independence but also inspired countless movements and leaders across the world. Gandhi’s legacy of peaceful resistance continues to be a guiding light for those seeking positive change and reconciliation in times of conflict. His emphasis on truth, love, and self-reliance serves as a timeless reminder of the power of moral integrity and the potential for individuals to bring about profound transformation in society. Mahatma Gandhi remains a symbol of hope, resilience, and the pursuit of a more just and compassionate world.

FAQs

 

• What led Mahatma Gandhi to decide to halt the Non-cooperation Movement?

 

Mahatma Gandhi stopped the Non-cooperation Movement in 1922 after the violent Chauri Chaura incident, where 22 policemen were killed during a protest. He believed that the movement had lost its nonviolent essence and could lead to further bloodshed and harm to innocent lives.

 

• Can you name two leaders who were influenced by Mahatma Gandhi?

 

Two leaders influenced by Mahatma Gandhi are Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. They adopted Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence and civil disobedience in their struggles against racial segregation and apartheid, making significant contributions to human rights and social justice.

This paper will examine the idea of social justice and the global moral theories used to achieve it. It will defend Mohandas Gandhi against Martin Luther King Jr. The reason why is because Gandhi uses cosmopolitan theory in a nonviolent way to fight for freedom and segregation on a national level, while King uses purified patriotism to end racism in the United States.

Martin Luther King Jr. adheres to the global moral theory of purified patriotism. Patriotism is the pride and support in one’s country which is what motivates a citizen to continue supporting their moral rights. Purified patriotism has slightly more detailed aspects of patriotism. This type of patriotism entails that King will promote his own country’s rights and beliefs rather than the universal rights and beliefs. Nussbaum describes it as “particularistic rather than universal” (Nussbaum, 79). From that, particularism is an approach taken where there is more support directed towards one’s own country than to the rest of the world, but that does not mean they do not support human rights for others. A strong foundation of human rights created in a country can link the patriotic and global citizen characteristics to one person. “Thus, purified patriotism melds naturally into a striving for global justice and an inclusive human love” (Nussbaum, 89). This is why it is significantly important that a country places a lot of meaning on their own human rights, so the citizens of the country turn out to be morally right. Purified patriotism can also act on a worldwide basis. If a patriot has a strong set of human rights within their country, they will advocate their beliefs on a global scale.

Mohandas Gandhi devoted his beliefs to the nonviolent global moral theory of cosmopolitanism. The core view of this theory is that one is first, a citizen of the world and secondarily a citizen to their country. This is seen as a more universal term rather than particularistic. “The idea of a world citizen…One should always behave so as to treat with equal respect the dignity of reason and moral choice in every human being” (Nussbaum, 308). Universalism means being a part of an equal community, which is the whole world, and where the same human rights are applied everywhere without any alteration. Humanity should be recognized anywhere it occurs because with this ideology all people belong to the same community with the same moral rights and beliefs. “The outward freedom…that we shall attain, will be only in exact proportion to the inward freedom” (‘National Independence Is Not Enough’, 165). Gandhi means that what is done within the homeland will be reflected within other countries around the world. A cosmopolitan view will aid the development of moral justice around the world and in one specific country because of its global perspective of inclusiveness and integration.

Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi were known for their powerful and effective leadership qualities and worth ethic when they directed their civil rights and independence movements. King fought to end racism specifically just in the United States because it violated all human rights that were stated in the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. King used the concept of nonviolence to strengthen his fight against racism. This included protests, he led, and speeches he gave. Gandhi fought in a similar way for Indian independence from the British and against racial segregation. He was known for his acts of civil disobedience against British rule. Some examples consist of sit-ins, marches, and strikes. Gandhi would show that the laws in the country were unjust by breaking them. He would be put in jail, but this was a significant portion relating to his acts of nonviolence.

King was inspired by Gandhi. He learned about him through his writing and was greatly drawn to his idea of nonviolence. Although they fought for their different ideas, they fought for them in similar ways, a technique known as civil disobedience. Gandhi’s first act of civil disobedience against the British was successful, “…I therefore had to disobey the British law because I was acting in obedience with the higher law” (Civil Disobedience, 123). However, Gandhi was not standing up for solely just India, but for the rest of the world. He was hoping to influence the rest of the world to follow in his footsteps, while Martin Luther King Jr. was just encouraging rights for his own country. Both the civil rights activists took different approaches when they fought for what they believed in whether they be particularistic or universal. It was the difference in the choice of global moral theories between purified patriotism and nonviolent cosmopolitanism. Despite the differences, in theories they all had the same basis. Gandhi and Kings theories were all rooted in a cosmopolitan morality.

Martin Luther King Jr. is known for his continued resistance against the inhumane treatment of colored people. Because of his stand for specifically just the people of the United States, this marks him as being a patriot, since that is defined as someone who extremely supports the rights of the people closest to them. However, ‘The World House’ essay contradicts that: “We have inherited a large house, a great ‘world house’, in which we have to live together – black and white, Easterner and Westerner, Gentile and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, Moslem and Hindu – a family unduly separated in ideas, culture and interest, who, because we can never again live apart, must learn somehow to live with each other in peace” (‘The World House’, 3).

The term ‘world house’ can be used to describe the struggle for human rights in the United States as well as the struggle that occurs in other countries. His main priority was to make others notice the problems the country was dealing with pertaining to racism. However, it is then mentioned that “he holds out a vision and promise for the future that should resonate in every human heart” (‘The World House’, 3). This means that King’s patriotic moral theory was stemmed with a cosmopolitan morality because his believes that his ‘world house’ perception should spread to every person in the world. However, it was not guaranteed that others around the globe would understand the morality he intended for.

Gandhi is notorious for his assistance with the Indian independence movement and his fight against racial segregation in South Africa. His first apparent goal for his movement was to gain freedom for India from Britain, but he was seeking more that many people were unaware of. He wanted to see his country along with other countries succeed in their fight for freedom. With his cosmopolitan global theory, Gandhi made great efforts to help other countries around the world. “I want the freedom of my country so other countries may learn something from my free country, so the resources of my country might be utilized for the benefit of mankind. Just as the cult of patriotism teaches us today…even so the country has to be free in order that it may die if necessary for the benefit of the world” (‘National Independence Is Not Enough’, 169-170).

Gandhi wanted to lead by example. He wanted to start in India to demonstrate to the other countries that were under control that it was possible for them to gain independence as well. Gandhi was convinced that in order to be a patriot a person would have to be thinking in a cosmopolitan way. This meant that when he was acting in the way that would release them strict governing of the British, he was relating it to a national level. “Through the deliverance of India, I seek to deliver the so-called weaker races of the earth from the crushing heels of Western exploitation” (‘National Independence Is Not Enough’, 164). He wanted to be able to be the guide for the other countries that were imperialized by dominant, superpower countries in Europe, to freedom. Gandhi was achieving social justice not just at the local level, but at the global level as well.

Gandhi’s theory of cosmopolitanism which was implemented on a patriotic level is the best way to achieve social justice. The reason it is the optimum way to obtain these moral rights is because it involves justice for all at every level. While he was focused on mainly the independence for India, he had the motivation to help all other countries be free as well. This is because of his cosmopolitan perspective taken with the implementation of patriotism. The intention of cosmopolitans is to be a citizen of the world first and then a citizen of their own country. Since Gandhi had this mindset, he was able to accomplish his goals. His theory was that in order to be a patriot, one must think in a cosmopolitan way. This method was successful because he was able to consider how his leadership in India could compare to the rest of the world. He had the mentality of saving his country from strict rule while also having the attitude that it must benefit other countries going through the same problem without a strong ruler like him.

Both Gandhi and Mandela struggled to maintain specific goals, like Gandhi’s goal to gain independence from Britain and Mandela’s goal to end apartheid. Non-violence, the use of peaceful means, not force, to bring about political or social change was the center of these movements. The three most important and effective types of non-violence that Gandhi and Mandela used were their commitment to non-violence, their use of economic pressure and their clever use of the press and media.

Gandhi and Mandela’s commitment to non-violence was one of the most important ways that they gained followers and kept their special message alive. Gandhi wrote a letter to Lord Irwin, English governor of India, before marching to the sea and breaking the English salt tax law, around March of 1930. In the letter, Gandhi says: “I cannot intentionally hurt anything that lives, much less human beings, even though they may do the greatest harm to me”. This quote shows how Gandhi and his followers are committed to not hurting anyone in their path, even though they might hurt them. In Gandhi’s letter, you can see that there are no uses of angry words and there are no signs of anger towards Lord Irwin. This shows how Gandhi keeps his calm even in a letter to someone that is doing him wrong. Mandela also really feels that the non-violence is the best tactic since “The state was more powerful than we and any attempts at violence by us would be devastatingly crushed”. If Mandela and his followers were to use violence against the English, then they would have gotten destroyed, but since they used non-violence, it showed how Mandela and his followers had self-control and did not need to fight to get their point across. Gandhi and Mandela were both masters at non-violence and knew that it was the best way to peacefully protest and enforce something at the same time.

The second reason that Gandhi and Mandela were so effective at what they did was because of economic pressure. In March of 1919, Gandhi had ordered a Hartal, a day of fasting and prayer when work had ceased. Although the economic impact of this first non-violent campaign was limited to just one day, Gandhi served notice to the British that the people of India could be organized against them. Gandhi knew that if the majority of the Indian population did not work, it would not give the British any money. He used the Hartal as a way to put economic pressure on the British without directly saying that he was doing it. Nelson Mandela also used economic pressure to his advantage. In this case, he used sanctions as his leverage against the president of South Africa. As for Mandela, he once had a private meeting with the president of South Africa, Mr. de Klerk. He asked Mandela to stop the international sanctions, but he wouldn’t budge, because Mandela knew that the sanctions were the best leverage they had against de Klerk and that Mandela would mute the call for international sanctions until apartheid was completely dismantled and a transitional government was in place. Gandhi and Mandela both very cleverly used economic pressure to get what they wanted.

The final effective reason for non-violence that Gandhi and Mandela used was the press and media. Gandhi was said to have written ten million words in his lifetime, and not a single one of them was violent. Gandhi once said that his newspapers were a “Training ground in self-restraint and a means for studying human nature in all its shades and variations. Without the newspapers, a movement like Satyagraha wouldn’t have been possible”. Gandhi uses his newspapers to spread his message of nonviolence to everyone, and by not sounding violent in his papers, then he will not have people questioning his commitment to non-violence. Nelson Mandela used the press in a more secretive way then Gandhi did. Mandela would sneak around and speak to newspaper reporters. Mandela would relay the reporters his stories of what they were planning to do, so because he was in jail, he could still get gatherings of people to end apartheid. The clever use of the press and media and how both men did not show violence in what they did really shows how the press was beneficial to their movements and that it was a great thing to use as a non-violence technique.

Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela were both legendary figures in the non-violence community because of their commitment to non-violence, applying economic pressure and the clever use of the press and media. All of these are very beneficial ways to get points across and we can clearly see that they did work for both Gandhi and Mandela.

In the movie ‘Gandhi’, Gandhi marries a girl at the age of thirteen. As he follows the death of his fathers, he was sent to England to study law. He became very interested in the philosophy of non-violence, but he didn’t fulfill the decree of law. That’s when he came back home and got into it with the British, he stood against them their rule over his country. He eventually gets his cause internationally renowned after being dismissed by the English officers. Gandhi and his gatherings of passive protest moved India towards independence.

The movie ‘Gandhi’ includes various ideas that contain spiritual and religious concerns. As the youthful Gandhi makes a difference, he organizes the Indian Congress Party of South Africa and leads an open exhibit against the law requiring Indians to carry enrollment passes. As he tried to burn the passes, he was seriously beaten by the police, but he denies to fight back.

The British have received Rowlatt’s bills, permitting the detainment without trial of Indians suspected of subversion. At Jinnah’s house, Gandhi meets with other political pioneers, counting Vallabhbhai Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru, to examine this danger to their rights. He proposes they arrange a satyagraha campaign, starting with a national day of supplication and fasting, such as a common strike.

The British emissary reacts by requesting Gandhi’s arrest. His detainment leads to widespread revolts all through India. In Amritsar, British commandant Reginald Dyer orders his troops to fire without caution on a rally. Within 15 minutes, 1,650 bullets caused 1,516 casualties.

At an open-air rally, he talks to the masses, encouraging them to demonstrate themselves commendable of freedom by evacuating the disgrace of untouchability from their hearts, by looking for Hindu-Muslim solidarity and dismissing European ways, in this way returning to their national legacy, symbolized by the wearing of homemade cloth and an unused accentuation on town creates. Gandhi himself learns to utilize a turning wheel.

With the emissary Master Irwin, he invites Gandhi to go to the All-Government Conference on the Independence of India in London. The British are concerned almost protecting the different interfaces of Hindus, Muslims, and princely states. Gandhi, in spite of the fact that treated well during his visit, even by the workers in England’s material industry who have endured since the Indian boycott of English cloth, returns home empty-handed.

All through the subcontinent, millions of refugees are on the move, Hindus moving to India and Muslims to Pakistan. A long time of bitter communal struggle results once more in riots. Gandhi goes to Calcutta in divided Bengal to argue for peace. He promises to fast until passing unless the slaughtering stops. When he is at long last persuaded by Nehru, the Muslim pioneer of Bengal, and Hindus from the lanes that the viciousness has been controlled, Gandhi breaks his fast.

The following day, a fantastic funeral procession in modern Delhi respects the man who worked so long and hard for independence and peace — the Extraordinary Soul who profoundly accepted: “The way of truth and adore has continuously won. There are dictators, but within the conclusion, they continuously drop. Think of it. Continuously”.

Gandhi offers us a conscience-exercising, mind-stretching, and growth-inducing involvement because it educates us approximately about a courageous man who was a moral giant and a visionary. The movie vividly depicts how Gandhi’s boldness and assurance joined together his assorted country of India beneath a standard of ethical optimism, and how his logic and identity cleared out a permanent mark on his country and the world.

1. Introduction

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi popularly known as Bapu or the father of the nation was not only a great political leader but also a radical social reformer Gandhism is a set of ideas that depicts the inspiration, vision, and the life work of M.K. Gandhi. It is especially connected with his contributions to the notion of non-violent resistance. Mahatma Gandhi is one of those great and exemplary people in history whose work has not only proved to be extraordinary during his existence but their relevance and pertinence have still remained intact even after his exit from this world.

Gandhi’s concept of non-violence played a major role in the Indian Independence movement. He firmly believed that an individual should always speak the truth and should never harm another person. Truth and non-violence are regarded as the two pillars stay of Gandhism. The prime objective of this research paper is to find out whether these two pillars of Gandhism, i.e. non-violence and Satyagraha have relevance in the contemporary world.

According to the critics of the Political ideology of Gandhism, the Gandhian notion of non-violence and satyagraha has no relevance in today’s world. According to them, non-violence has become obsolete. In today’s world, where there is a threat of the end of our life due to warfare, a pertinent question arises whether the concept of non-violence is relevant today. The answer is yes.

We have witnessed two world wars. What was the result? Millions of people lost their lives. M.k. Gandhi rightly said that an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. If everyone resorts to violence to attain his or her goal, no one will end up living on this planet. We notice so many crimes being committed in today’s world because people do not follow the notion of non-violence. Gandhi’s concept of non-violence is the need of the hour. Although the teachings and principles and Gandhiji are not as relevant as they were in the past, it can never be outdated. Gandhism influences us and will continue to influence us and it will be wrong to assume that the principles of Gandhi like non-violence and truth have no value in today’s modern world.

2. Two pillars of Gandhism

A. Non-Violence

Ahimsa is the most important notion of Gandhi’s perspective. Ahimsa or non-violence basically refers to the use of peaceful means and not force to bring about a political or social change. M.K. Gandhi, who is regarded as the founder father of the concept of nonviolence, spread the notion of ahimsa through his literary work and movement, and this has inspired many activists of ahimsa. 2 October, the day when Gandhi was born is not only commemorated as Gandhi Jayanti but also as the International Day of Nonviolence all around the world.

Ahimsa when translated to English means nonviolence however it means something more than physical violence. According to Gandhi, Ahimsa translates to love. Ahimsa means absolute nonviolence. Ahimsa is regarded as the supreme duty in Hinduism, Jainism, and other religious traditions. In ancient India, people followed the concept of ‘Ahimsa Parmo Dharma’ which means, that non-violence is supreme conduct.

Gandhiji was immensely influenced by Leo Tolstoy. Tolstoy, a great Russian writer was of the opinion that nonviolence involved not only the negative attitude of freedom from anger or hate but also the positive attitude of love for all persons. According to Gandhi, Ahimsa in its negative aspect involves doing no injury to any being either physically or mentally. This means that a person should not only avoid committing any physical injury to another person but he or she should also avoid bearing any towards him.

Gandhi was against violence because according to him it spreads hatred. He believed that the perpetrators of violence, whom he referred to as criminals, are a result of social disintegration. According to Gandhi, violence is not a natural tendency of humans. It is something that a person learns through experience. According to many people, non-violence is the weapon of the week people. However, according to Gandhiji, ahimsa or non-violence is the weapon of the brave and strong and not of the cowardly. Non-violence and cowardice do not go together just like fire and water.

When the Britishers were ruling India, Gandhi had promised the Indians that British violence will be defeated by our non-violence and he will not resort to violence. He set a practical example of non-violence when he led the march to the seashore in 1930 to defy the ban on making salt by the Indians. This ban was imposed by the British colonial rulers which was sought to be unjust by Gandhi and his followers.

B. Satyagraha

Satyagraha is a compound of two Sanskrit words Satya, meaning truth, and agrapha, meaning, “firm grasping”. Therefore, Satyagraha literally means holding onto truth, however, non-violently. Gandhi’s satyagraha played a pertinent role in the Indian Independence struggle against British rule. He also deployed satyagraha during his struggles in South Africa for the rights of the Indians. Ever since protestors have adopted satyagraha to find out the truth. satyagraha played a significant role in the civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King, Jr., in the United States and has spawned a continuing legacy in South Asia itself.

Those who practice Satygaraha are called satyagraha. The Satyagrahis aim to achieve correct insight into the real nature of an evil situation by observing nonviolence of the mind, by seeking truth in a spirit of peace and love, and by undergoing a rigorous process of self-scrutiny. In so doing, the truth of the satyagrahi encounter in absolute.[footnoteRef:1] [1: Matt Stefon, “ Satyagraha,” Encyclopaedia Brittanica, accessed 6th Feb 2019, https://www.britannica.com/topic/satyagraha-philosophy]

Truth, Nonviolence, and self-suffering are called the pillars of Satyagraha. The notion of Gandhi’s non-violence is based on these pillars of Satyagraha. It is pertinent to note ahimsa and satyagraha are closely related. Quite often, satyagraha is used to refer to the entire concept of nonviolence.

Gandhi said: “It is perhaps clear from the foregoing, that without ahinsa it is not possible to seek and find Truth. Ahimsa and Truth are so intertwined that it is practically impossible to disentangle and separate them. They are like the two sides of a coin, or rather of a smooth unstamped metallic disk. Nevertheless, ahimsa is the means; Truth is the end. Means to be means must always be within our reach, and so ahimsa is our supreme duty.”[footnoteRef:2] [2: Arvind Sharma, “Truth And Violence”, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, accessed 6th Feb 2013, https://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/truth_nonvio.htm]

3. Relevance

Gandhism is relevant today and will be relevant for centuries to come. After Gandhiji’s death, Jawaharlal Nehru rightly said, “The light is gone and yet it will shine for a thousand years”. When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., had come to visit India in 1959, he was asked a question during a press conference in Delhi: Where is Gandhi today? His reply to this cynical question was Gandhi is inevitable and if humanity is to progress, Gandhi is inescapable.

In the present world, when most of the countries are facing numerous kinds of internal and external crises, non-violence is the need of the hour. Some may say that non-violence is the weapon of the weak. However, this is not true. Non-violence is the weapon of brave and strong persons.

According to many people, the Gandhian notion of non-violence has become obsolete today and they believe that Gandhism is only limited to course books and has no pertinence in this 21st century. According to the critics, Gandhism is an ideology, which has no practical use. However, this is not true. Though the concept of non-violence may not be as relevant, it is the only hope to keep the human race going. Also, it is the only solution through which one can achieve his/her goal.

The prime example of the relevance of the concept of non-violence in the present world is Anna Hazare’s protest against corruption at the Government level. We witnessed how people of different age groups supported Anna Hazare by joining him in the protest and coming out to the streets by wearing the ‘Gandhian topi.’

When anything gruesome happens, there is always a debate on how violence can be prevented. However, it’s become the way with countries to respond to violence with more violence. If the practice of non-violence is adopted by everyone, our world will become a paradise. The advantages of nonviolence are tremendous. If all the counties around the world and their citizen adopt the notion of non-violence in their thinking, actions, etc. we will be able to notice immense growth at every level of human life. It will lead to the progress of rational and non-aggressive ways of solving issues.

Nowadays, countries spend huge amounts of money on arms and ammunition. However, if we adopt the concept of non-violence, the nations would not have to spend time, energy, money, and skills to research and development of sophisticated arms and tools for warfare. Instead on spending such huge amounts on weapons, the government will be able to spend it on the well-being of the citizens. So much of the workforce will not be required to protect each nook and cranny of the land, air, and water demarcated by every nation and local group. Most importantly, lives will not be lost due to violent activities. People will not be killed, maimed, or wounded and families will not be broken or displaced due to the threat to their lives and loss of lives in violent events.

It is true that non-violence does not work in every situation. There can be instances where we should choose violence for a good cause. For instance, we can end terrorism with Non-violence, since terrorists do not have any logical or humanity-based reason behind their activity. However, when we want to bring about any political or social change, we should always try to adopt the practice of non-violence. Though non-violence and violence, both, are pertinent depending on the circumstance, nonviolence should always be given preference over violence as will help to create the way for a peaceful world.

4. Conclusion

Gandhi’s concept of truth and non-violence can never be obsolete irrespective what the critics of this ideology say or believe. The political ideology of Gandhism has always worked. History proves that those who followed the concept of non-violence brought victory in their life. Therefore, everyone needs to follow the two pillars of Gandhism in order to make a peaceful world.

Violence has never resolved any issue, but only created further conflicts. It’s only the path of ahimsa that can survive all the upheavals and yet emerge strong. War is sometimes justified and sometimes not but the relevance of the Gandhian principle of non-violence has always prevailed.

The two pillars of Gandhism worked when Martin Luther King Jr. led the civil rights movements for the rights of African Americans. It played a significant role when Nelson Mandela rallied the South Africthereans against Apartheid. Further, the two pillars of Gandhism has worked every time people have protested in non-violent ways for the enforcement of their right. It has worked every single time when people have used non-violent ways to get their voices heard.

5. References

1. Arvind Sharma, “Truth And Violence”, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Accessed March 6, 2019. https://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/truth_nonvio.htm
2. Beeraka, Sonali. “Gandhi and Gandhism.” Indian Folk. September 23, 2017. Accessed Match 5, 2019. https://www.indianfolk.com/criticism-gandhi-gandhism/
3. Brahma Kumaris, “Relevance of Non-violence in Today’s Times.” Speaking Tree. May 07, 2018. Accessed March 5, 2019. https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/relevance-of-non-violence-in-today-s-times
4. Dubey, Siddarth. ‘Relevance of Gandhian Principles.’ Jammu Kashmir Latest News | Tourism | Breaking News J&K. October 01, 2015. Accessed March 6, 2019. http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/relevance-of-gandhian-principles/.
5. Matt Stefon, “ Satyagraha,” Encyclopaedia Brittanica, accessed February 6, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/topic/satyagraha-philosophy

The Gandhian strategy is the combination of truth, sacrifice, non-violence, selfless service, and cooperation. According to Gandhi, one should be brave and not a coward. He should present his views, suggestions, and thoughts without being violent. One should fight a war with the weapons of truth and nonviolence. Gandhi said that “There is no god higher than truth.” According to Gandhi’s thoughts, non-violence is the ultimate solution to every kind of problem in the world.

In the present scenario, Satyagraha is more than a political tool of resistance. It is a holistic approach to life, based on the ideals of truth and moral courage. The similarities of the Satyagraha to some of the greatest philosophical and religious tenets of the world have been observed and much written about. Gandhi’s system of Satyagraha was based on nonviolence, noncooperation, truth, and honesty. Gandhi used nonviolence in India’s freedom struggle as the main weapon and India became independent from British rule. In present times, there are some live examples that show the success of Non- violent resistance by using the Gandhian strategy. Mahatma Gandhi was against any form of exploitation and injustice. According to him, evils must be opposed at any cost. But he insisted that the weapons must be non-violent and moral ones. The adoption of a peaceful method made one superior and put the enemy at a disadvantage but the condition is the opponent must be dealt with with mutual respect and love. Gandhi believed that only through love an enemy could be permanently won.

In quite simple and clear words, Gandhism consists of the ideas, which Mahatma Gandhi put forth before the human world. Along with that, to the maximum possible extent, Mahatma Gandhi treated his individual life in accordance with these ideas. Clearly, Gandhism is a mixture of Gandhi’s concepts and practices. I do not hold merely his theory to be Gandhism. The basic ground ship of Gandhism happens to be non-violence. Non-violence is the most ancient eternal value. This non-violence is the ground of the ancient-most civilization and culture of India. Mahatma Gandhi said on this very account while making his concepts and practices based on non-violence: “I have nothing new to teach you… Truth and non-violence are as old as a hill.” As we know, non-violence and truth are two sides of the same coin. After knowing Gandhism, it is imperative for us to know clearly the concept of non-violence also as it accords the ground for Gandhism. Gandhi’s importance in the political world scenario is twofold. First, he retrieved non-violence as a powerful political tool and secondly manifestation of a higher spiritual goal, culmination in world peace. For Gandhi, means were as important as the end and there could be only one means – that of non-violence.

As a situation opposite to violence is non-violence, we can firmly state, “Total non-violence consists in not hurting some other one’s intellect, speech or action per own thought, utterance or deeds and not to deprive someone of his life.” Mahatma Gandhi fully agrees with the above-mentioned derivation of non-violence. He himself has said, “Non-violence is not a concrete thing as it has generally been enunciated. Undoubtedly, it is a part of non-violence to abstain from hurting some living being, but it is only an iota pertaining to its identity. The principle of non-violence is shattered by every evil thought, false utterance, hate, or wishing something bad to someone. It is also shattered per possession of necessary worldly things.” In this chain Mahatma Gandhi clarified in an edition of Young India: “…To hurt someone, to think of some evil unto someone or to snatch one’s life under anger or selfishness, is violence. In contrast, purest non-violence involves a tendency and presuming towards spiritual or physical benefit unto everyone without selfishness and with pure thought after cool and clear deliberations… The ultimate yardstick of violence or non-violence is the spirit behind the action.” There are many examples of their use like resistance, non-violent resistance, and civil revolution. Mahatma Gandhi had to struggle his whole life, but he was never disappointed, he continued his innate faith in non-violence and his belief in the methods of Satyagraha. The significance of Satyagraha was soon accepted worldwide. Martin Luther King adopted the methods of Satyagraha in his fight against the racial discrimination of the American authorities in 1950. Gandhism is very much contextual today on this accord. It is significant. We should grasp the importance of Gandhism while analyzing it.

Presently a big portion of the world happens to be under a Democratic system of Government. Theoretically, this system stands out to be the best up to now. This is a truth. It is the best because people are connected with it directly or indirectly at every level. Not only this, it is this very system, which provides maximum opportunities for public progress and development. People can decide in this system the mode of their welfare. However, even though being theoretically the best system of government, if we peruse the democratic nations, we, first of all, find that there is non-equal development of the citizens. We subsequently find that these nations are more or less victimized by regionalism. All citizens must have equal development and they should have communal harmony towards making all citizens collective and unified partners in progress. But, in reality, it is not so. It is essential that the nations of a democratic system of government should be free from the above-mentioned problems, and must be capable of ensuring equal development of their all citizens and the citizens concerned must march forward on a path of progress in a unified way along with rendering contribution to world peace.

Gandhi demonstrated to a world, weary with wars and continuing destruction that adherence to Truth and Nonviolence is not meant for individuals alone but can be applied in global affairs too. Gandhi’s vision for the country and his dreams for the community as a whole still hold good for India. He got the community to absorb and reflect on the true values of humanity and to participate in tasks that would promote the greater good. These issues are still relevant to what free India is and represents. The main cause of worry today is intolerance and hatred leading to violence and it is here the values of Gandhi need to be adhered to with more passion.

Gandhian Strategy

Gandhian strategy is mainly comprised with:

1. Satyagraha
2. Truth and honesty
3. Non-violence
4. Co-operation
5. Peace and love

“Satyagraha’s goal is winning over people’s hearts, and this can be achieved only with tremendous patience,” Satyagraha is more than a political tool of resistance. The similarities of the Satyagraha to some of the greatest philosophical and religious tenets of the world have been observed and much written about. However, in the specific context of India, Satyagraha was an immense influence. It went a long way in instilling among the Indians dignity for hard labor and mutual respect. In the traditional Indian society torn apart by caste and creed-based discriminations, Satyagraha stated that no work was lowly. It championed secularism and went a long way in eradicating untouchability from the heart of India’s typically stratified society. Satyagraha glorified the role of women as important members of society. All in all, Satyagraha instilled in the Indian mind a dignity and self-respect that is yet unprecedented in its modern history.

Gandhi’s system of Satyagraha was based on nonviolence, non-cooperation, truth, and honesty. Gandhi used non-violence in India’s freedom struggle as the main weapon and India became independent from British rule.

Gandhism is more about the spirit of Gandhi’s journey to discover the truth, than what he finally considered to be the truth. It is the foundation of Gandhi’s teachings, and the spirit of his whole life to examine and understand oneself, and not take anybody or any ideology for granted. Gandhi said: “The Truth is far more powerful than any weapon of mass destruction.” Truth or ‘Satya’ was the sovereign principle of Mahatma Gandhi’s life. The Mahatma’s life was an eternal conquest to discover the truth and his journey to that end was marked by experiments on himself and learning from his own mistakes. Fittingly his autobiography was titled ‘My Experiments with Truth.’ Gandhi strictly maintained that the concept of truth is above and beyond all other considerations and one must unfailingly embrace truth throughout one life.

Gandhi pioneered the term Satyagraha which literally translates to ‘an endeavor for truth.’ In the context of the Indian freedom movement, Satyagraha meant the resistance to British oppression through mass civil obedience. The tenets of Truth or Satya and nonviolence were pivotal to the Satyagraha movement and Gandhi ensured that the millions of Indians seeking an end to British rule adhered to these basic principles steadfastly.

Gandhian strategy is the collection of inspirations, principles, beliefs, and philosophy. The fundamentals of Gandhi’s nonviolence theory, Jainism, and Buddhism were the most important influence. Both Jainism and Buddhism preached non-violence as the basic principle of existence. Gandhi was also influenced By Bhagavad Gita with its stress on nonattachment and selfless action, Christianity, along with its message of love and compassion, which extended even to one’s enemies, was another important influence on Gandhi’s life. Gandhi’s life was based on truth, honesty, and moral courage.

Mahatma Gandhi was a great national hero, who served the nation with truth and non-violence. Gandhi was against violence. He always disliked war on the ground of its violent nature. That’s why when the Second World War began in 1939; he opposed the stand of the British government dragging India into war without consulting Indian leaders. Gandhi was in favor of non-violence; therefore he was against in any cooperation in war efforts. According to Gandhi, the use of non-violence consists of anger, selfishness, hatred, and enmity. According to him, violence cannot do anything good to human beings. A Gandhian strategy for confronting terrorism, therefore, would consist of the following:

Stop an act of violence in its tracks. The effort to do so should be nonviolent but forceful. To focus solely on acts of terrorism, Gandhi argued, would be like being concerned with weapons in an effort to stop the spread of racial hatred. Gandhi thought the sensible approach would be to confront the ideas and alleviate the conditions that motivated people to undertake such desperate operations in the first place.

As we know, non-violence and truth go side by side. After knowing Gandhism, it is imperative for us to know clearly the concept of non-violence also as it accords the ground for Gandhian.

In modern times, nonviolent methods of action have been a powerful tool for social protest. There are many examples of non-violence like civil resistance, non-violence resistance, and civil revolution. Here certain movements particularly influenced by a philosophy of nonviolence should be mentioned, including Mahatma Gandhi led a decades-long nonviolent struggle against British rule in India, which eventually helped India win its independence in 1947, Gandhi had to pay for his ideals with his life, but he never veered from his innate faith in non-violence and his belief in the methods of Satyagraha. The significance of Satyagraha was soon accepted worldwide. Martin Luther King adopted the methods of Satyagraha in his fight against the racial discrimination of the American authorities in 1950.

He dreamt of ethics and values practiced in daily life. But more than half a century after independence is it really so? But should we judge Gandhi and nonviolence only by the test of short-term success? If there lies inbound strength in truth that could free us from the chains of British rule then why can’t it rid us of the corruption prevalent everywhere? It’s not the principles that have become irrelevant rather it is the impatient nature of today’s progress that has made “corruption” so popular. Violence is definitely not the answer to burning issues. The need for the day is to shut down the egoistic attitude and mutual distrust. Non-violence can be a good force if practiced. If we “shoot the messenger” we can’t progress. There is no room for patronage among equals. M. N. Roy, who founded Radical Humanism, said: “When a man really wants freedom and to live in a democratic society he may not be able to free the whole world… but he can to a large extent at least free himself by behaving as a rational and moral being, and if he can do this, others around him can do the same, and these again will spread freedom by their example.” If that is the goal, then Gandhi is more relevant than ever. In present times, there are some live examples that show the success of Non-violence resistance by using the Gandhian strategy.

Gandhi dreamed of a new world of non-violence with an overall peaceful environment. Non-violence is a universal phenomenon and it has great relevance and significance. It is the ultimate solution to all kinds of problems and conflicts in society, nations, and the world. However, its result depends upon its understanding and proper application. The present scenario of violence and exploitation all over the world has raised an important issue. Any nation which has suffered from communalism, dictatorship, corruption, and power games really needs to go back to Gandhi’s conviction of nonviolence and truth as his mission. By adopting nonviolence, social, political, economic, and religious conflicts shall be removed. Undoubtedly, the social doctrine of non-violence that has emerged from Gandhian ideas has now become the key to forging and sustaining the new social and political order. Today, there is a need to adopt Gandhian philosophy and ideology in overall world to remove all kinds of problems and create a peaceful environment. Gandhi is not the past, he is the future.

References

1. Jai Narain Sharma, “Indian society of Gandhian studies”, Journal of Gandhian Studies, Vol. 5, 2007.
2. Jain, N.K., WTO Concept Challenges and Global development.

To him, every illness was but a breach of some unknown law of nature. As against the doctrine of majoritarian democracy, every issue to him needed to be judged from the touchstone of morality rather than in terms of numbers. Though Gandhi appeared very frail, he was a man of extraordinary courage, determination, and perseverance in the face of adversity. He had an original mind which probed into the matrix of human problems. His magnetic personality could command the loyalty of men and women of diverse temperaments and differing intellectual endowments. What is necessary is a scientific and systematic assessment of the theory and practice of Gandhi and his socioeconomic and political impact and contemporary relevance to mold the development of Indian health infrastructure as per the Indian cultural and social milieu.

Expanding the scope and ambit of Article 21 of Part III of the Constitution of India and reading into it the Right to Health and Healthcare, to provide socioeconomic entitlements to people, a matter of fact leads us on to the road to nowhere. It creates hierarchies of communities and also tantamount to conflicting with the sovereignty of the nation-state and promotes the West-led idea of capitalism and consumerism. It leads to more curative health provisioning, needing more numbers of healthcare professionals and healthcare establishments to solve the health problems of the population. This in turn leads to rising costs of treatments and insurance premiums. The more we focus on the “rights-based approach”, the more conflicts it results in. Defensive medicine practiced by physicians and litigation cost in malpractice cases add to hierarchical structures created in the healthcare delivery system and it adversely affects the achievement of SDG-3 which aims to include all global citizens through national legislation.. In the alternate, robust public health, which the modern welfare state governed by the thick conception of the rule of law is bound to ensure for its subjects, decreases the healthcare expenditure on disease and cure and in the long run, ensures healthy population and more productivity of the nation. The concept of Universal Healthcare Coverage and its Indian version, Ayushman Bharat, goes one step ahead of the Right health entitlements approach for individuals and ensures healthy and productive people, health for all, entailing less financial risks because of healthcare costs and less number of people pushed in penury not being able to afford the out of pocket spends on health.

Introduction

The term “Museum” originally derived from the Greek word meaning the “Sanctuary of the muses”. The Museum’s first duty is to survey, collect documents and preserve genuine objects and information, may it be any field of specialization. The other aspect is to utilize them for the research and education for the present and future generations, for which the museums as a custodian of information and artifacts have a chief responsibility1

While describing the museums of the first decade of the twentieth century, David Muray writes, “A Museum, as now understood, is a collection of monuments of the antiquity of the objects interesting to the scholar and the man of Science, arranged and displayed with scientific method’’.

The Museums today intended to play a lively role not only in preserving the art and culture of a particular locality or community but also in contributing the social and cultural uplift of humanity by means of presenting the original evidence of man’s creativity and his control over nature. The preservation of such material is one of their functions. The explanation and use of this material for the advantage of present society.

• Classification of Museums
• Museums can be classified into many numbers based on their contents or area of coverage. Among them some important classifications are;
• Art and Archaeology Museum
• Industry and Commerce Museum
• Science and Technology Museum
• Crafts Museum
• History Museum2
• Personalia Museums
• Natural History Museums
• Anthropology Museums
• Modern Art Museums
• Multi-purpose Museums

There are several Personalia Museums in India viz.., Gandhi Museum, Nehru Museum, Nethaji Museum, Ravindra Sangrahalaya Museum, etc… Gandhi Museum is fall under the category of Personalia museums3

History of Museums

Humans have always been curious to understand their environment and people. One of the most interesting ways to achieve this is to examine the objects everyone creates. Historically, the beginning of acquiring and displaying objects of curiosity and art can be traced to the Renaissance in Europe, somewhere in the 14th century. This was the period when the world was becoming more accessible with the opening of new trade routes from Europe and the idea of acquiring objects from these new regions held appeal.

These collections attained a great public and historical value, placing their owners in a prominent place in society. They also proved to be an aesthetic and pleasant means of learning about the world. The urge to extend knowledge to the public through private collections took shape in 1523.4

The word museum owes its origins to the Greek ‘mission,’ meaning ‘seat of the muses,’ and was used to denote a philosophical institution or a place of contemplation. It was used for the first time by Ptolemy I serious for the great museum founded by him in the 3rd century BCE at Alexandria, though that was mainly a library or a prototype university.

In India, with the entry of the British, French, Portuguese, Danish, and Armenian traders beginning in the 13th century, the objects of trade such as textiles and decorative arts garnered much interest and appreciation. They moved beyond the realms of trade and represented an ‘exotic’ new culture5

In 14th century the world came to know the importance and impacts of museums in society. In India, the importance of museums was known during the British period by Sir William Jones who formed an institution called the Asiatic Society. It established the first Oriental museum of the Asiatic Society. In this way, the History of museums started in India.

It was only in the 17th century that the term gained currency all around Europe to describe collections of curiosities. Ashmolean was the first museum to open to the public in 1682, consisting of the collections of John Trade scant, bought by Elias Ash mole, and donated to Oxford University.

Although there is some ambivalence in the use of museums in the legislation, drafted in 1753, founding the British museum, never less the idea of an institution called a museum and established to preserve and display of collection to the public was well established in the 18th century. Indeed, Denis Diderot outlined a detailed scheme for a National Museum for France in the ninth volume of his Encyclopedia, published in 17656

When the British colonized the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century, the European idea of the museum percolated to India. Sir William Jones, one of the prominent British historians, formed the Asiatic Society in 1784 at Calcutta (now Kolkata) to study India’s cultural and historical heritage, and disseminate it7

This was the development of the seed of the idea to have a permanent space dedicated to displaying objects and in 1796 the members of the Asiatic Society approved the proposal to start a museum. India’s first museum was set up at Asiatic Society; Calcutta in 1814 was called as ‘Imperial Museum’ to be changed late as ‘Indian Museum’. It still is one of the largest museums in India.

Museums in Independent India

After India got Independence on August 15th, 1947, the leaders started searching for a museum that would preserve the free country’s vast heritage and its national identity thus, resulted in the establishment of the National museum. Though it stands as one of the biggest edifices of independent India in the cultural sector, the initial idea to set up the National Museum in New Delhi was introduced by the British in 1946 and opened to the public at Janpath in 1960. Its initial collections came from Ajit Ghosh, S.T. SrinivasGopalachari, Sharan Rani Bakliwal and others, acquired through donations or purchases. Grace Morley (1900-1985), who was the museum’s first Director, came to India in 1960. She was the founder of the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco and was invited to direct the National Museum.8

History of Museum in Tamilnadu

The city of Tamil Nadu is visited by numerous people for every year. While quite a lot of people visit the city for exploring the place and going to other places and come to Tamil Nadu as halt quite a big number of people also visit Tamil Nadu to know more the roots of the country India. For all those who are interested to know about the rich heritage and history of India, they have to visit the museums. Upon visiting these various Museums, they will be able to explore the museums in which many artifacts have been well preserved by the Government of India.9 The state of Tamil Nadu is an important city for historians and scholars to enjoy. The typical objects displayed in various museums of Tamilnadu attract people the most. Interesting objects vary from archaeology to anthropology and from the ancient days to the present times.

• Some of the important museums in Tamil Nadu and their important feature
• Anna Library and Museum at Kanchipuram
• Different kinds of pen and key chains along with various objects of art and architecture are displayed in this museum10
• Archaeological Site Museum at Dharmapuri
• Established in 1979, this museum stores various objects of archaeology11
• Art Gallery at Thanjavur
• Most of the art objects belonging to the Chola period, between the 9th and 13th centuries
• Art Museum at Madurai
• This museum is a storehouse of bronzes, paintings, jewelry and various other historical objects
• Central Leather Research Institute at Chennai (CLRI)
• It is a leading unit, associated with education, research and training in leather-related technologies.
• College museum at Coimbatore
• Displayed objects include cereals, pulses and other materials of agriculture12
• Museum Of Anatomy at Vellore
• It is a well-known museum of anatomy. The museum contributes to the learning of human anatomy.
• The Department of Ancient History and Archaeology at Chennai
• Excavated materials and antiquities of Chennai and the allied areas are displayed in this museum.
• District Science Centre (National Council of Science Museum, Government of India) at Tirunelveli
• As the name suggests, the exhibits are all scientific and science related objects13
• Fort St. George Museum at Chennai
• Established a year after the independence, the museum houses important objects like Odeyars of Mysore period.
• Government Museum at Chennai
• It is a multipurpose museum that houses several objects of natural history and botany.
• Government Museum at Erode
• Being a multipurpose museum, it is a storehouse of objects of art, archaeology, and other objects of the past14
• Government Museum at kanyakumari
• Established in the year 1991, this museum displays typical historical items of the place.
• Government museum at Madurai
• The Government Museum at Madurai in the state of Tamil Nadu was established in the year 1980 as a multipurpose museum15
• Government Museum at Pudukkottai
• Nestled in the state of Tamil Nadu, this museum is a treasure house of historical antiquities.
• Government Museum at Salem
• Along with anthropological and archaeological items, this museum also exhibits objects of natural history.
• Government museum at Sivaganga
• A multipurpose museum itself, this museum has valuable objects of the past in its core.
• Government museum at Tiruchirapalli
• Natural history objects, philately and objects of children’s interest are in the possession of this museum16
• Government museum at Tirunelveli
• Established in 1922, this museum exhibits objects of historical interest.
• Government museum at Tiruvayur
• Established in the year 1988, the Government Museum at, Tiruvayur is a show house of ancient historical objects of India
• Government museum at Udhagamandalam
• The objects displayed in the museum include art, archaeology, anthropology, and various others of the ancient days.
• Government museum at Vellore
• With the oldest historical tradition in the core, this museum is famous for archaeological and anthropological objects.
• K. Sreenivasan Art Gallery &Textile Museum at Coimbatore
• A storehouse of ancient objects, this museum was built in the year 1988 as an art museum.
• Kalaimahal Meenakshisundram Archaeological Learning & Research Centre at Erode
• Nested in the city of Erode in Tamil Nadu, the Kalaimahal Meenatshi Sundram Archaeological Learning &Research Centre was established in the year 1981.
• Madras Regiment War Museum at Wellington (nilgiris)
• The objects that have been displayed for the general visitors to enjoy include archives and history of madras Regiment down the ages.
• Marine Biology museum at Parangipettai
• Established in 1958, this museum exhibits nothing other than the marine organisms17
• Museums of Tamil Nadu Padmanabhapuram Palace at Thuckalai
• The objects that have been exhibited in the museum include sculptures, ceramics and many others.
• Raja Raja Cholan Museum at Thanjavur
• It is an archaeological museum exactly located in the palace Complex of Thanjavur
• Raja Serfoji li Memorial Hall at Thanjavur
• The museum welcomes people to show its ancient stores of a variety of interesting objects.
• Ramalinga Vilas Palace Museum at Ramanathapuram
• In order to preserve the ancient historical objects of the past, the museum has stored objects like glass paintings, photographs, etc.
• Royal palace museum at Thanjavur
• The royal palace museum at Thanjavur in the state of Tamil Nadu was established in the year 1994
• Saraswathi Mahal Museum at Thanjavur
• Today, the museum gas in its store an accumulation of varied objects, such as, very important palm leaf manuscripts, Ramayana, Paper manuscripts, etc18
• Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple museum at Srirangam
• Other than the historical items, this museum also stores objects like ivory idols, icons, etc.
• Sri Vasavi College of History Museum at Erode
• People visit this museum to see the oriental collection of historical items.
• Tamil University Museum at Thanjavur
• Tamil University Museum at Thanjavur in the state of Tamil Nadu is an important museum for its storage of ancient historical objects.
• Theosophical Society museum at Chennai
• As the name suggests, it is a religious museum situated in Chennai

Madurai

As pointed out in the introductory part, the Gandhi memorial museum in Madurai is the first and the biggest museum in India. It was built in dedication to the people of South India. It remembers in our minds about the heroic days of Gandhi, and his motivation to the millions of people in India and led them to victory and freedom. The museum serves all four southern states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Mysore and Kerala. The prominence of Madurai from early times as the Athens of South India has been added with much fame by the location of the Gandhi Memorial Museum here. This Gandhian Institution seeks to help an ever-increasing number of people, particularly youth, to understand and to value the life, work and ideologies of Gandhiji.19

Selection of Madurai for a Gandhi Memorial Museum

There are many places in South India that are important in relation to Gandhiji. But among them, Madurai can claim a distinct place of its own. When the Gandhi Nation Memorial Trust planned to start Gandhi Memorial museums throughout India, it decided to start one of them in South India at first. Madurai was selected for locating a Gandhi Memorial Museum for south India because of many reasons.

It was in Madurai on 21st September 1921 that Gandhiji discarded the Khadi aware made of dress and donated the dress to the poor, the loin cloth. Since then Gandhiji was known throughout the world as the “Semi naked Fakir”. It was in Madurai again that Gandhiji won a historic battle against untouchability. The doors of the great Meenakshi temple were thrown open to Harijans, on 2nd February 1946, Gandhiji entered into the Meenakshi temple with the Harijans.

Moreover, Gandhiji began his spiritual movement form Madurai that finally released India form the bonds of foreign rule the next important reason for selecting Madurai for housing a Gandhi Memorial Museum is that Madurai, the temple city, remains as a place of great pilgrimage. People of various states come to Madurai to Sri Meenakshi temple, on their way to Rameswaram.20

The place selected for the housing of Madurai museum is a great one and plenty of opportunities to come in contact with the great number of people of India and the atmosphere is very much favorable to the work of the museum. Gandhiji made five visits to Madurai. Thus the city became one of the places hallowed by him.

At first, he visited Madurai on 26th March 1919 in order to enroll the volunteers for Satyagraha in connection with Rowlett Act. His second visit to Madurai on 20th September 1921 is famous for the adoption of loin cloth. Gandhiji made his third trip to the city of Madurai to collect funds for Khadi and to spread the message of Swedish. He again visited Madurai on 25th January 1934 during his all-India Harijan tour21.

The final and historical visit of the Mahatma to the city of Madurai occurred on 2nd February 1946, when he visited in order to win the battle against untouchability. All these five visits of mahatma to Madurai made the city more suitable for starting a Memorial museum in the name of Gandhiji here. One more important cause for the establishment of the Gandhi Memorial Museum at Madurai was that the Central Trust wanted to make this museum as a memorial for the patriots of South India, who gave their lives for the cause of Indian Independence.

Madurai has taken an active part in all the programs of Gandhiji, thus, the Gandhi National Memorial trust selected Madurai to house a memorial museum. Thus, Madurai’s outstanding contribution in the freedom struggle, in the constructive field, her importance as a historic city and as an ancient seat of learning brought her this well-merited distinction of having a Gandhi memorial Trust selected Madurai to house a center of Gandhian ideology for the whole of South India.22

Aims of the study

To bring out the importance of the Gandhi Memorial Museum all over India and most importantly to carry out the social impact and work of the Gandhi Memorial Museum at Madurai. There are not much more systematic study has been made on the Gandhi Memorial Museum in Madurai. The present study hence aims at an effective study and investigation on the importance of the Madurai Museum.

The main objectives of the study are

• To trace out the history and formation of the Gandhi Memorial Museum in India
• To analyze the historical background of the Gandhi memorial Museum in Madurai
• To identify the social impact of the Gandhi Museum at Madurai
• To insist the importance of the Gandhi museum to the Society
• To find out the works and internal problems inside the Madurai Gandhi museum.

Scope of the study

The scope of the present work is to insist the importance of the Gandhi museum at Madurai and to find out the present social impacts of the museum to the people. And also to find out the administrative difficulties at the Madurai Museum.

Sources

Primary sources:

To know the history of the Gandhi Memorial Museum in India in general and the Gandhi Memorial museum of Madurai in particular, source materials are plenty in the original. The records are preserved in the archives of the Gandhi memorial museum, Madurai.

The Government of India passed many orders for the organization and development of the Gandhi Memorial museum. The Madurai District Gazetteers also remain as primary source materials to know the historical background of the Tamukkum Bungalow, where the Madurai Gandhi Memorial museum is housed.

It contains the annual reports of activities, official correspondences and the minute books of the Madurai Gandhi Memorial museum with the proceedings of its Managing Committee. The Tamukkum bungalow files kept in the archives of the Madurai Museum help much to reconstruct the historical background of the Tamukkaum building. The manuals were published by the Gandhi Memorial museum. The proceeding of the meeting of the Madurai Managing committee makes clear the important changes in the administrative setup to the Madurai museum.

Secondary sources:

There are many printed and digitalized pamphlets, journals, newspapers, and other authentic sources have helped the researcher enrich the subject matter of this study. And many of the books constitute the secondary sources available in public and private libraries.

Methodology

The methodology adopted for the study consists of both Primary and secondary sources. Critical evaluation is made with the available data. The study is fully descriptive and analytical and theoretical research work has been completed. Personal observations made by the researcher during every occasion also helped to carry out the project work.

Limitation

The researcher has limited the work as per to have a deep research on this particular museum. There are many oldest museums in Tamilnadu, I have restricted my research work to give widen and depth of knowledge information for tht the museum.

To him, every illness was but a breach of some unknown law of nature. As against the doctrine of majoritarian democracy, every issue to him needed to be judged from the touchstone of morality rather than in terms of numbers. Though Gandhi appeared very frail, he was a man of extraordinary courage, determination, and perseverance in the face of adversity. He had an original mind which probed into the matrix of human problems. His magnetic personality could command the loyalty of men and women of diverse temperaments and differing intellectual endowments. What is necessary is a scientific and systematic assessment of the theory and practice of Gandhi and his socioeconomic and political impact and contemporary relevance to mold the development of Indian health infrastructure as per the Indian cultural and social milieu.

Expanding the scope and ambit of Article 21 of Part III of the Constitution of India and reading into it the Right to Health and Healthcare, to provide socioeconomic entitlements to people, a matter of fact leads us on to the road to nowhere. It creates hierarchies of communities and also tantamount to conflicting with the sovereignty of the nation-state and promotes the West-led idea of capitalism and consumerism. It leads to more curative health provisioning, needing more numbers of healthcare professionals and healthcare establishments to solve the health problems of the population. This in turn leads to rising costs of treatments and insurance premiums. The more we focus on the “rights-based approach”, the more conflicts it results in. Defensive medicine practiced by physicians and litigation cost in malpractice cases add to hierarchical structures created in the healthcare delivery system and it adversely affects the achievement of SDG-3 which aims to include all global citizens through national legislation.. In the alternate, robust public health, which the modern welfare state governed by the thick conception of the rule of law is bound to ensure for its subjects, decreases the healthcare expenditure on disease and cure and in the long run, ensures healthy population and more productivity of the nation. The concept of Universal Healthcare Coverage and its Indian version, Ayushman Bharat, goes one step ahead of the Right health entitlements approach for individuals and ensures healthy and productive people, health for all, entailing less financial risks because of healthcare costs and less number of people pushed in penury not being able to afford the out of pocket spends on health.