M. K. Gandhi - PoliPrepHub

M. K. Gandhi, born on October 2, 1869, was a prominent freedom fighter, civil rights activist, and philosopher whose impact resonated worldwide.

Global Impact and Recognition

Inspiration to Leaders: Gandhi’s personal life, along with his core principles of Satyagraha and Non-Violence, has deeply inspired major global leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr., Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, and Desmond Tutu.
Einstein’s Tribute: Albert Einstein offered high praise for Gandhi, stating, “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth”.
Notable Titles and Honors: In 1915, Rabindranath Tagore bestowed upon him the title ‘Mahatma’, and in the same year, the British government awarded him the title of ‘Kaiser-i-Hind’. Later, in 1944, Subhash Chandra Bose famously referred to him as the ‘Father of the Nation’.

A Living Philosophy

Rejection of ‘Gandhism’: Gandhi never accepted the idea of a formal ideology or ‘ism’ known as ‘Gandhism’.
Life as the Message: He did not compile substantial texts on political concepts to be categorized strictly as a political philosopher; instead, he maintained that “his life was his message”.
Fragmented Concepts: Despite the lack of a formalized political treatise, credible inputs regarding his political philosophy can be gathered from fragments of his ideas across different works.

Key Political Milestones

Gandhi’s vast political life generated numerous political ideas drawn from various stages of his journey. These defining periods include:

His early life and struggles in South Africa.
His first major public appearance at the inaugural session of the Banaras Hindu University.
His active leadership from the Champaran Satyagraha all the way to the Quit India movement.

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Non-Violence and Truth

Truth and non-violence serve as the fundamental backbone of Gandhian philosophy. Acknowledging the profound impact of these principles, the United Nations General Assembly instituted the ‘International Day of Non-violence’ in 2007, celebrated annually on M. K. Gandhi’s birthday.

For Gandhi, truth was the ultimate goal of human life and the central theme of all his discussions. To him, truth held the same foundational importance as idealism did to Plato and materialism did to Karl Marx. Gandhi firmly believed that non-violence was the exclusive path to attaining truth. Consequently, he proclaimed the following maxims:

Ahimsa Parmo Dharma, which translates to “Non-violence is the supreme virtue”.
The practice of non-violence must be maintained not only in one’s actions but also within one’s thoughts.
Individuals must learn to hate the sin, but not the sinner.
Non-violence should never be mistaken for cowardice. Instead, it is the greatest force at humanity’s disposal and serves as a weapon of the strong.

Important Influences on M. K. Gandhi

Several key figures and their literary works profoundly shaped M. K. Gandhi’s ideologies and political journey.

Personality	Key Ideas and Literary Influences
Leo Tolstoy	Gandhi adopted principles regarding the simplicity of life, purity of purpose, truth, and non-violence from Tolstoy’s works, specifically The Kingdom of God is Within You and A letter to a Hindu.
John Ruskin	The concept of socialism, or the idea of Sarvodaya, was directly inspired by Ruskin’s book Unto This Last.
Thoreau	Thoreau’s Essays on Civil Disobedience served as a significant influence on Gandhi’s methods of resistance.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale	Gokhale acted as the political mentor (Guru) to M. K. Gandhi.
Edward Carpenter	Carpenter’s writings influenced Gandhi’s perspectives and criticisms regarding the impact of modern medicine on human health.

The Idea of Swaraj

In his 1909 book, Hind Swaraj, M. K. Gandhi defined his vision of “true freedom,” which he termed Swaraj. Moving beyond the conventional idea of merely escaping British colonialism, Gandhi’s Swaraj carried a dual meaning:

The first meaning involves attaining political, economic, and spiritual independence from British rule.
The second meaning focuses on establishing “rule over ourselves”.
He explained that ruling over oneself requires individuals to limit their needs and advance along the path of Satya (Truth) and Ahimsa (Non-violence).

Gram Swaraj (village self-rule) formed an inseparable component of this broader philosophy. Gandhi stated that “the soul of India lives in its villages and these villages are self-dependent”. Consequently, he championed a model of village-led development that minimized dependence on urban cities, and he was a strong advocate for cooperatives.

The Concept of Satyagraha

Gandhi maintained that Satyagraha, defined as “firmness to truth,” was the singular method for achieving Swaraj.

Core Principles and Global Impact

He interpreted Satyagraha as a means “to win over one’s enemy”.
Though it requires time, it serves as a highly effective approach for helping an opponent recognize their errors.
This method remained a revered strategy against systemic evils both during and after his life, influencing major events like the Black Rights Movement in the US and the Forest Rights Movement in India.

The Struggle-Truce-Struggle Method

In practicing Satyagraha, Gandhi utilized the “Struggle-Truce-Struggle Method”. Key aspects of this strategy included:

Suspending a movement if it extended beyond its anticipated duration.
Halting movements to prevent participants from resorting to violence during prolonged struggles.
Engaging in constructive work, such as campaigning for the abolition of untouchability, during periods of truce between active struggles.

Furthermore, Gandhi was careful to clearly define the differences between Satyagraha and mere Passive Resistance.

Passive Resistance versus Satyagraha

The two concepts represent fundamentally different approaches to conflict and resistance:

Passive Resistance

Violence is avoided only when it is inappropriate for the specific context.
If the situation is favorable, violence can be utilized.
Practitioners hold a feeling of enmity toward other people.

Satyagraha

It entails a complete rejection of violence.
Satyagraha is a deontological concept and serves as an article of faith in Ahimsa.
There is no animosity directed at the wrongdoer; rather, the opposition is aimed solely at the evil itself.
The ultimate goal is to assist the wrongdoer in becoming a better individual.

Trusteeship and Class Cooperation

M. K. Gandhi recognized the harsh reality of India’s economic inequalities and the backwardness of specific societal sections.
He placed a higher priority on alleviating poverty than on achieving independence from British rule.
While he strongly opposed the accumulation of wealth and resources, his approach diverged significantly from Marxist ideologies.
Instead of abolishing private property entirely, Gandhi believed it should be used judiciously for the common good.
He promoted class cooperation over the Marxist concept of class antagonism.
This philosophy led to his advocacy for a system of ‘benevolent capitalism’, which he referred to as ‘trusteeship’.
Under the principle of trusteeship, all capital possessions are considered the commonwealth of society, and the capitalists merely act as ‘trustees’ of that property.
Capitalists are expected to retain only what is necessary to operate their industries, distributing the remainder for the betterment of society and the workers.

Views on Democracy and the Oceanic Circle

Gandhi fiercely criticized political parties and parliamentary democracy, arguing that they fail to be truly representative.
He noted that parliamentary democracy operates on centralization and a ‘Pyramid Structure’, where a select few govern the massive population situated at the base.
As an alternative, Gandhi proposed a decentralized system of governance built on the “principle of oceanic circles”.
This principle champions a public administration founded on grassroots democracy, ensuring that the people always remain at the center of the circle.

Views on Science

Initial Skepticism: Early on, M. K. Gandhi was highly critical of both Western civilization and science. In his book Hind-Swaraj, he condemned science and the expansion of industrialization as ‘satanic’, arguing that they would destroy the cottage industry and village handicrafts.
Later Acceptance: As time passed, Gandhi’s perspective evolved. In the later periods of his life, he began to emphasize the humane aspects of science, actively advocating for its use to drive the progress of humanity.

Unity of Means and Ends

Rejection of Machiavellianism: Unlike Machiavelli’s crude realism, which claims that the “ends justify the means,” Gandhi held that both the ends and the means used to achieve them must be justifiable.
The Babool Seed Analogy: He famously illustrated this principle by stating that “we cannot expect the smell of roses if we have grown a babool seed”.
Ethics in Politics: Gandhi strongly supported the integration of religion and ethics into the conduct of politics. He believed that “without religion and ethics, politics is a devil’s misadventure”.

Important Organizations and Ashrams

M. K. Gandhi established numerous organizations and ashrams throughout his life to fight discrimination and promote self-reliance:

22 August 1894: He founded the Natal Indian Congress to fight against colour prejudice.
1903: He founded the Transvaal British India Association.
Nov-Dec 1904: He founded the Phoenix settlement in Natal near Durban. The Phoenix Farm is widely considered the birthplace of Satyagraha.
1910: Tolstoy Farm was established as the second ashram initiated and organized by M. K. Gandhi during his South African Movement.
1915: The Kochrab Ashram was established in Ahmedabad.
1916: He formed the Mazoor-Mahajan Sabha, or the Textile Labour Association, with Anasuya Sarabia in a mill at Ahmedabad (Gujarat) as a model trade union.
1917: The Kochrab Ashram was shifted to the bank of the Sabarmati river and was subsequently renamed as Sabarmati Ashram.
1925: The All India Spinners Association was launched by M. K. Gandhi to focus on the propagation, production, and selling of khadi.
1932: He founded the Harijan Sevak Sangh (initially known as the Anti-Untouchability League), a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating untouchability in India.
1934: He established the All India Village Industries Association.
1936: He founded the Sevagram Ashram at Wardha, Maharashtra.

Famous Satyagrahas Led by M. K. Gandhi

September 1906: Gandhi organized the first Satyagraha campaign in protest against the Transvaal Asiatic ordinance that was constituted against local Indians.
April 1917: Champaran Satyagraha took place in Bihar.
Feb-March 1918: He led the Ahmedabad Mill Strike.
11 March 1918: The Kheda Satyagraha began. While Gandhi was its spiritual head, it was principally led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel after the region was struck by famine, cholera, and plague, which had destroyed the agrarian economy.
6 April 1919: He initiated the Rowlatt Satyagraha, a non-violent movement against the unjust Rowlatt Act passed by the British government.
1920–21: He led the Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement.
March 1930: The Civil Disobedience Movement was started.
8 August 1942: The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Movement, was launched.
15 August 1947: The Naokhali Satyagraha took place.

Literary Works and Publications

Books

Publication Year	Title	Key Themes and Details
1909	Hind Swaraj	Explores his views on Swaraj, mechanization, and modern civilization.
1921	Swaraj in One Year
1927	The Story of My Experiments with Truth	His autobiography, detailing his struggle against racism, violence, and colonialism, serving as a window to the evolution of his ideas over time.
1928	Satyagraha in South Africa
1941	Constructive Programme Its Meaning and Place
1947	India of My Dreams

Magazines

Indian Opinion: Founded by M. K. Gandhi in 1903 in South Africa.
Young India (1919–32): An English weekly journal. This journal was notably reprinted in the US by the India Home Rule League of America by Lala Lajpat Rai.
Harijan Publications: Published in multiple languages, including Harijan in English (1933), Harijan Bandhu in Gujarati, and Harijan Sevak in Hindi.
Navjivan: Founded in 1947 by M. K. Gandhi alongside J. L. Nehru.

M. K. Gandhi vs. Dr B. R. Ambedkar

Although M. K. Gandhi and Dr B. R. Ambedkar were both lawyers by profession and great patriots, their viewpoints clashed on numerous issues.

The Second Roundtable Conference and Poona Pact

During the Second Roundtable Conference in 1931, Dr B. R. Ambedkar demanded a Separate Electorate for Dalits.
M. K. Gandhi opposed this demand, referring to it as a divisive policy.
British Prime Minister Ramsey McDonald subsequently accepted the separate electorate demand in his “Communal Award” of 1932.
In protest of this move, M. K. Gandhi undertook an indefinite hunger strike at Yerwada Jail.
Ultimately, M. K. Gandhi prevailed over Dr B. R. Ambedkar, resulting in the historic Poona Pact of 1932.

Ideological Contradictions

Dr B. R. Ambedkar was an advocate for western education and parliamentary democracy.
Conversely, M. K. Gandhi supported education conducted in the mother tongue and was a fierce critic of parliamentary democracy.
Regarding rural life, M. K. Gandhi referred to villages as the “soul of India”.
In stark contrast, Dr B. R. Ambedkar described villages as “a sink of localism, a den of ignorance and narrow-mindedness”.

M. K. Gandhi vs. Karl Marx

The philosophical and political ideologies of M. K. Gandhi and Karl Marx feature distinct approaches to society, religion, and economics.

Issue	M. K. Gandhi	Karl Marx
Philosophical Basis	Grounded in Spiritualism and Moral Individualism.	Rooted in Materialism and Scientific Socialism.
Attitude towards Religion	Maintained a positive view, believing all religions are equal and hold a constructive role in political life.	Held a negative view, stating that religion is the “opium of the masses”.
View on Class Division	Believed it exists due to a false mentality that considers manual labour as a sin.	Argued it exists due to the concentration of the forces of production in the hands of the capitalists.
Recommended Relation Between Classes	Advocated for Class Cooperation.	Advocated for Class Struggle.
Vision of a Classless Society	Envisioned it being based on respect for the “dignity of labour” and the importance of “Bread Labour”.	Believed it is achieved through abolishing capitalism and establishing common ownership over the means of production.
Vision of a Stateless Society	Sought the establishment of Ramrajya through decentralized Gram Swaraj and a social order based on non-violence.	Sought the establishment of Communism through a proletariat revolution.