Gandhian Ideas and their Relevance Today

Gandhi was a peacemakers mentor. Gandhis ideas and practices became equally adaptable in his own
time for millions of his own country on the one hand, and on the other they proved to be a guiding force
for people of other countries.
Gandhi had a deep influence of a number of sources- Indian culture, Hinduism, Bhagvatism, Jainism,
Buddhism, Christianity, Western thinkers like- Tolstoy, Ruskin, Thoreau etc. It was the rich and varied
experience in the life of Gandhi that he was able to experiment with different ideas and practices. Every
journey and struggle made by Gandhi reaffirmed his faith in the creed of non-violence and truth.
Mahatma Gandhi refined his ideas and practices according to the demand of time and circumstances.
And, this can be perceived well through the series of events pertaining to three mass actionsthe Non-
Cooperation [1920], the Civil Disobedience [1930] and the Quit India [1942] launched to make India
free from the British Empire.
Gandhian ideas are a combination of truth, sacrifice, non-violence, cooperation and selfless service. His
ideas were not meant for the welfare and justice for a particular few (Indians) but for the whole
humankind. Welfare of all human beings was the root of his actions.
There are, in the world, many people who have fought great battles for social or political justice using
the principles of Mahatma Gandhi. Five amongst them stand out strongly: Martin Luther King, leader of
the American civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s; Nelson Mandela, who brought an end to
apartheid in South Africa; the Dalai Lama, who seeks a peaceful resolution in Tibet; Aung San Suu Kyi,
fighting for democracy in her native Myanmar (Burma); and Cesar Chavez who struggled to reduce
exploitation of farm workers in California. Three of these Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Suu Kyi
have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. All proudly acknowledge their debt to Gandhi.
Non-violence
Non-violence or ahimsa is the nucleus of his ideas. In other words, his ideas and actions revolved around
non-violence. Non-violence is the peaceful way to achieve goals and reach truth, which provides win-win
situation to the parties involved. He practiced what he preached in his personal day-to-day life and
influenced others around him too. Gandhi believed that violence, not only insults the opponent, but also
degrades ones soul.
On the basis of his philosophies, he ensured justice to Indians in South Africa. Then in India, starting
from smaller levels, he united all the Indians to fight non-violently against the injustice done to them by
British.
Freedom and justice were supreme to Mahatma Gandhi. He advocated to protect them through non-
violence and if not then by violence. But that violence should be momentary and with no ill-will towards
the rivals. According to him, Intent behind the act should be the main focus. There is room for
destruction of evil-doer. It expected the end of evil not of the evil-doer.
Satyagraha

Another one of the most important and potent ideas of Mahatma Gandhi was Satyagraha the pursuit
of truth. Satyagraha, fully imbibed with Ahimsa or non-violence, was Gandhis weapon in the political
actions.

Bravery, humbleness and freedom from hatred are the basis of non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi himself
practiced these in his individual and public life.

Freedom from hatred i.e., love is a supplementary of non-violence. It is the ornament of the brave. Love
has everything good, positive and beneficial, if it is not momentary. Gandhi loved everyone without any
discrimination. He declares that love is the path for ultimate truth.
He said:
To see the universal and pervading spirit of truth face-to-face, one must love the meanest.

He wanted to kill evil and not the evil-doer. For his pure love, he wanted to suck the poison from the
body of General Michael ODwyer, if he was bitten by a snake. He didnt hate the British, he was against
their exploitative rule.

Mahatma Gandhi was a fearless soul. His fearlessness was extraordinary or of a very high order. During
his Champaran Movement (1917-1918), he was intimated that a British Indigo planter wanted to kill
him, if he was found alone. Gandhi went to the residence of that planter and offered himself to be
killed. The British had no heart to kill this great and brave soul. Again, in March 1930, Gandhi was on his
way, to Dandi from his Sabarmati Ashram, to break the salt law and through it start the Civil-
Disobedience Movement. A man near Bharauch, who was opposed to Gandhis idea of non-violence,
threatened to kill him if found alone. Gandhi ascertained the name and address of that person, went to
his home one morning and said, Brother! I am Gandhi. You want my life. Take it soon, none will know.
But the man of ill-will could not see him eye-to-eye and ultimately accepted the idea of ahimsa and
became the follower of Gandhi. Gandhi knew that anyone having ill-will cannot withstand the power of
non-violence.

Gandhian approach and relevance in contemporary world

Gandhian approach requires courage, freedom from ill-will and freedom from gain at the cost of other.
It advocates sacrifice, compromise and living in harmony. It is the recognition of the Gandhian ideas at
the global level that the United Nations has made October 2nd, Gandhijis birthday, as the World Non-
Violence day.

Before and during Satyagraha, he was always ready for negotiations and discussions. He was opposed to
the exploitations of the textile workers in Ahmedabad by the mill-owners; he went on a strike with the
workers and demanded for discussion and negotiation. In other matter of disputes also, whether small
or big in nature, local or national in level, he advocated discussions, negotiations, conciliations,
arbitrations, dialogues and adjudications. He applied same method in actions taken for the
independence of the country.

In the contemporary society, the relevance of Gandhian ideas is proven by the fact that the world,
today, is increasingly indulged in quarrels and conflicts over petty issues of material interest. Most of the
countries face various kinds of internal and external crisis. Due to unprecedented changes in social,
political, economic and cultural spheres, awakening amongst the group of people has reached a high
level. There is an increasing competition among different communities of people and nations, to gain at
the cost of others. Sometimes, a group or groups of people become hostile and create such problems
that authorities become helpless. Few years ago, such situations were witnessed in Punjab, Assam and
other parts of India.

Currently, there is an internal crisis going on in many countries like Thailand, where martial law has been
declared. China and Vietnam are in disputes over the usage of water of South China Sea. India and Sri
Lanka are in disputes, regarding the issue of poaching by the fishermen of both the countries. We can
see civil wars going on in Ukraine as well as in Nigeria. Ukraine is going through internal disputes where
certain Russian-speaking south-eastern regions of the country want separation and demand to join
Russia. Every now and then, newspapers are fraught with skirmishes among various countries or within
the countries.

However, violence is not the solution to get demands fulfilled nor is it the solution to suppress public
demands. Human history is full of instances relating to conflicts, or in other words wars between groups
and nations. We have, in front of us, the account of the two world wars. We, very well know, the results
of those deadly world wars. The nations involved in the two world wars, lost millions of lives and faced
destruction throughout. It took 10-15 years for those nations, to stand again on their feet and pave way
to development. Ultimately, when these nations were tired of the naked dance of violence and death
aspired for peace and pacific measures, they formed League of Nations after the First World War and
United Nations Organization after the Second World War.

After the formation of League of Nations, the parties concerned had not come ahead to reach mutually-
beneficial conclusions and make sacrifices. Instead of honesty and sincerity, diplomacies in their full
swing were there in dialogues, negotiations, compromises and treaties. Resultantly, they prepared the
ground for Second World War in 1918. They also paved way to anew international situation after the
World War Second in 1945, of which Cold War and Balance of Power were some of the features. Along
with this, some new conflicts emerged, and transformation of which has not been feasible till day.

What was the use of such wars in the first place, causing destruction to the whole world, nations own
resources, degrading the environment and other myriad fatal consequences? Those nations could just
follow peaceful ideas and avoiding human loss and lethal destruction, reach their goals and aspirations
through negotiations and discussions with other nations, but on the basis of honesty, sacrifice and
compromise; which are the basis of Gandhis ideas. Gandhian ideas gave a plausible method of conflict
resolution, through peaceful means. Gandhian ideas provide a mutually beneficial means of arriving at
the truth.

It is necessary to become familiar with the method of the application of Gandhijis ideas of non-violence
and Satyagraha in the changed situations of todays world. The authorities, while dealing with the
serious issues in the whole world, must have the humility to understand and accommodate the opposite
point of view. They should have love and regard for those who cry for justice, rights and even those
clamouring for separation. There should be room for discussion, negotiation and settlement. By
following the path of non-violence and Satyagraha or pursuit of truth, even the most unpleasant stand
of the opponent can be understood calmly. For those who cry for justice, Satyagraha would mean non-
cooperation without ill-will and suffering for their rights. They should be ready to compromise when
their demands are being fulfilled without separation. Separation is not a permanent solution.

Same methods of Gandhi hold full relevance even in the present world. All the problems faced in all
walks of life and at different levels; all the world problems, be it between two nations or between nation
and its people or between two groups of nations, can be easily solved and ultimate goal be reached, by
following and applying Gandhis ideas of non-violence and Satyagraha. Gandhis ideas can be refined to
suit the current situations according to the demand of time and circumstances. Gandhian ideas can help
the different communities and nations to embark upon the common human heritage and walk towards
a cosmopolitan culture.

Gandhis ideas are not some religious rituals to be followed blindly by the followers to see the
miraculous outcomes. Instead, they are the common-sense and mature approach towards everything
and every situation in life of an individual, family, institution, state or nation. Gandhijis ideas hold
common moral values. Non-violence (Ahimsa) and pursuit of truth (Satyagraha), though sometimes
prove to be long process, but they ensure less or no damage to people and property and do not leave
behind any animosity.