Articles on & by Gandhi

Gandhi and Gandhian Principles

By C. S. Dharmadhikari

At the All India Congress Committee meeting in Bombay on 8th August, 1942, that is, on the eve of Quit India Movement, Mahatma Gandhi declared.

"I want to live full span of my life and according to me, the full span of life is 125. By that time, India will not only be free but the whole world will be free. Today, I do not believe that Englishmen are free, I do not believe that Americans are free. They are free to do what ? To hold other part of humanity in bondage, the coloured races, the African races, Africans. They hold them in bondage. Are they fighting for their liberty? If they want to know real freedom, they have got to come to India. I am not arrogant. I am not a proud man. I know the distinction between pride, arrogance, insolence and so on. But what I am saying is, I believe, the voice of God. It is the fundamental truth, that I am telling you".

Thereafter in 'Harijanbandhu' dated 11th February, 1946, under the caption living upto 125 he wrote, "I have not talked about wishing to live upto the age of 125 years without thought. It has a deep significance. The basis for my wish is the third Mantra from Ishopanishad, which literally rendered, means that a man should desire to live for 100 years, while serving with detachment. One commentary says that 100 really means 125... It is service in a spirit of detachment, which means complete independence of the fruit of action... I have not the slightest doubt that without attaining that state of detachment; it is impossible to live to be 125 years old.

...The secret of happy life lies in renunciation. Renunciation is life, indulgence spells death. Therefore, everyone has right and should desire to live 125 years while performing service without an eye on the result. Such life must be wholly and solely dedicated to service. Renunciation made for the sake of such service is an ineffable joy of which none deprive one, because that secret springs from within and sustains life. In this there can be no room for worry or impatience. Without this joy, long life is impossible and would not be worth while even if possible".

This desire remained unfulfilled, because of his assassination by Nathuram Godse. Nathuram Godse was not an individual, but a philosophy personified; which believes that by killing a man you can kill his philosophy, his thought. Murder or assassination is the best method of censorship. This started with Jesus, Socrates, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Luther King and still is being perpetuated. So far as Gandhi is concerned, he wanted to magnify his cross, and believed that all wood can be used for the cross.

Gandhi was the most normal of men. He was universal. Such a man cannot be measured, weighed, or estimated. He is the measure of all things. Gandhi was not a philosopher, nor a politician. He was a humble seeker of truth. Truth unites, because it can be only one. You can cut man's head, but not his thought. Non-violence is the only other aspect of the sterling coin of truth. Non-violence is love, the very content of life.

In this principle of non-violence Gandhi introduced technique of resistance to evil and untruth. His satyagraha is inspired by boundless love and compassion. It is opposed to sin, not sinner, the evil, not evil doer. For him truth was God and in that sense he was man of God. Truth is not yours or mine. It is neither Western nor Eastern.

Gandhi's prayer stands for invoking the inner strength of men for the good of one another, his spinning wheel for productive labour, and broomstick for abolition of social inequalities based on birth. He wanted freedom from rule of merchandise. He wanted rationality in productive system, which should be based on human rationality. He was not an orthodox economist. His plan was peace, security and progress for human race as a whole. The planning should be based on 'Man power' rather than horse power. These issues are not restricted to India, but are global in nature. These principles are universal. He insisted on individual code of conduct. He introduced an entirely new dimension in technique of social transformation.

He knew that human dignity cannot be preserved on charity. Mutuality and well-being is the essence of life. It is therefore, S+G, that if "Science plus Gandhi", which alone can save a planet earth. Gandhi was an apostle of peace and brotherhood. The modern nuclear weapons, not only pose a grave threat to world peace but will destroy mother earth. So far as India is concerned the main problems are population, poverty and pollution. It appears that the people have started in believing that all these problems could be solved by money power, muscle power, media power and mafia power. Therefore, in the present National and International context Gandhian Philosophy is the only alternative. Apart from the ecological sustainable mode of development preached by Gandhi, decentralisation of socio-economic power based on nonviolence, and building up of people's power, communal harmony based on people's initiative, rather than the state power is the only alternative. Nathuram Godse killed Gandhi bodily, but his soul and thought must live for ever. Let us atleast see that he lives, if not in flesh and body but in spirit and thought. Otherwise future generation will never forgive us.

The 20th century was the most violent period in human history. More people have suffered and have been killed by organized violence than any other time before. The wars, the genocides, the weapons of mass destruction have created such an enormous mass misery and agony that it is difficult to find any trace of hope. Therefore, Gandhi's teachings of non-violence are most relevant today. Now, though late, there is a realization that there is no other alternative. This is the reason why amidst report of increasing teenage violence across the United States, a Bill has been introduced in New Jersey Assembly seeking to include Mahatma Gandhi's teachings of non-violence in the school curriculum. On 12 May 2000, on Mother's Day in New York, several thousand mothers resolved and demanded a ban on the manufacture of arms, and its use. Therefore, in my view the teachings of Gandhi are not only relevant but also the only alternative. In this context it is worthwhile to note that in December 1975, Rev. Fujii Guruji requested United Nation's Secretary General to strive for complete prohibition and abolition of nuclear weapons. In October 1976, Peace March Groups were organized to urge White House to adopt world peace measures and to strive for abolition of nuclear weapons. It is my belief that the said movement is now bearing the fruits.

Recently Wolfowitiz, U.S. defence secretary has suggested and advised that Palestinians should adopt Gandhian principles. He further said, if they adopt ways of Gandhi, they could in fact, make an enormous change very very quickly; I believe the power of individuals demonstrating peacefully is enormous. Similarly, after demolition of world trade center youth of America have formed an organization, named as 'we want peace no war' and want to start a new dialogue, to replace hatred by propagating friendship among the nations and different communities.

United Nations has declared this decade as the Decade of Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the children of the world.

This declaration pinpoint the basic question before us today and will also help to understand the philosophy of Gandhi.

Gandhi said, "There is no half-way between truth and non-violence on the one hand and untruth and violence on the other. We may never be strong enough to be entirely non-violent in thought, word and deed. But we must keep non-violence as our goal and make steady progress towards it. The attainment of freedom, whether for a man, a nation or the world, must be in exact proportion to the attainment of non-violence by each." Elsewhere he stated: "Non-violence is not a garment to be put on and off at will, its seat is in the heart and it must be an inseparable part of our very being.'

At one level, non-violence is a transcendental ideal, that is a higher order or goal that we may approach but never completely attain. At another level, non-violence is a process, a way of life, an alternative to dealing with conflict. Gandhi called it a pursuit of truth. It reaches towards what is most sublime.

According to Gandhi's concept, non-violence was not a negative concept, but it was a positive approach to 'life'. Gandhi did not resort to non-violent resistance because he was unarmed, he resorted to non-violent resistance, because he had shed all fear of arms. Gandhi has also realized the futility of arms. He knew that the best cannot be achieved by fear, because 'fear is a dark room, where only negatives are developed'. He realized that all arms become powerless once the man has shed the fear of arms. This was the non-violence of Gandhi, which was positive, and dynamic. It provided metaphysical foundation to the concept of morality. Arms races are in fact just expensive ways of spreading and heightening fear and danger. The balance of power theorists argue that by spreading fear, equalising it, so to speak, danger is reduced. But if we look at history as a whole it does not appear that this method of reducing danger has been effective. Just as we have little reason to expect less violence in a country if all of its citizens are armed with guns, even if they all have the same kind of guns and the same number of bullets, so we have little reason to expect less violence in the world if all of its nations are armed with weapons of mass destruction, not even if there is some 'balance' or even equality among these weapons. In short, to adopt nonviolence is to adopt a new way of coming to terms with our vulnerability, a new way of dealing with the fear to which we are subject and the fear which we can inspire in others. When non-violence becomes a primary value, we are compelled to see new ways to carry on and to solve conflicts, new ways to protect what is most important, and new ways to struggle for the recognition of out fundamental rights. Gandhi called these attempts to find new ways 'experiments'.

Contrary to a misconception held by some people, however, non-violence is not just a matter of substituting non-violent means of defence, what is sometimes called civilian defence for violent means of defence on non-violent means of struggle to secure basic rights. Probably even more basic is what Gandhi called constructive programme, that is, the transformation of our social and economic institutions so that they are not a source of violence to certain segments of society and so that they do not create conditions to which violence is the expectable response. The strength of a non-violent society does not lie in weapons of destruction, it lies in the degree to which humane values are embodied in its social institutions. These social institutions involve not only the relations of human beings to our natural environment and to other forms of life. If our goal is non-violence, we cannot consume and destroy, destroy and consume, as if it made no difference.

Therefore, the moot question is, what makes life rich? Whether it is the standard of spending or the standard of living? It is again worth noting that the root of man's happiness lies in the warmth of human relationship, relationship between man and man, which is based on the basic concept of Buddhist religion, i.e., non-violence, peace, friendship and compassion. Long back, Japan Brain Trust report had said, "We are manufacturing artificial intelligence, like computers, etc., which is taken to be the basis of progress." In this context it is worthwhile to note the observations of the great philosopher, Krishnamurthy, who observed, "People do not see the great challenge to the human consciousness of the computer and genetic engineering and new technologies. The threat is that human brain could deteriorate, perhaps even atrophy, if the muscles of the mind were not exercised."

People must change their life in a fundamental way, they must be taught to accept the value of "being" rather than "having". Unless the Western model of development is countered through the constructive work and peaceful, non-violence means, I am afraid the next century and millennium will witness unprecedented proliferation of violence, because the history of Hiroshima, Nagasaki clearly tells us that the people have not learnt anything from the destruction. It should be specifically emphasized that non-violence is to be accepted as the basis of personal life and social life and also as the only feasible and desirable technique of resolving conflicts, and those who advocate peace should practice what they preach.

Today, unfortunately, the common man is fast losing his function and role. He is reduced to the position of an object and an instrument, when as a matter of fact, he should be the central figure. As W. B. Yeats has said in his poem, "Then things fall apart, when the centre cannot hold. Then mere anarchy is loosen upon the world. The blood-dimmed tide is loosen, and everywhere the ceremony of innocence is drowned. The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, "History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period was not the vitriolic works and the violent actions of the bad people, but the appalling silence and indifference of the good people. The generation will have to repent not only for the words and acts of the children of darkness but also for the apathy of children of light." We must have a movement of people willing to experiment in an imaginative way with social, economic and technological alternative at all levels from the local to the global.

In 1954, Jawaharlal Nehru had said, "Human mind all over the world was searching for a way out, an escape from terrible fear, of total destruction with atomic power constantly held up before them. Although the Western people had received all the blessings of common worship, they were not mentally happy. Materially they had progressed but had lost all the happiness of fearless soul. Material progress seemed to have killed the essence of their soul." Later in 1984, in his address to the United Assembly, Ronald Reagan had to admit, "All problems could be peacefully resolved if adversaries talked to each other on the basis of love and truth. All through history, the way of truth and love has always won. This was the belief and vision of Mahatma Gandhi and this vision remains good and true even today." As rightly observed by Martin Luther King: "Nothing in our glittering technology can raise a man to new heights, because material growth has been made an end in itself, and in the absence of moral purpose, man himself becomes smaller as the works of man becomes bigger." When an individual is no longer a true participant, when he no longer feels a sense of responsibility to his society, the content of democracy is emptied, when the social system does not build security, but induces peril, inexorably the individual is impelled to pull way from soulless society. This process produces alienation, perhaps from the pervasive and insidious development in contemporary society. Therefore in the words of Sister Nivedita, synthesis, harmony and coordination, in every field of life is necessary. Is this possible? Gandhi told us that a revolution or change is the art of making the impossible possible. For this we will have to translate human values into our life. It is said that there is no end to history. The last chapter is never written in history. Those who make history have no time to write it. Therefore, the next chapter has to be written by us, of course by our action. Otherwise, it will amount to giving lip homage to Gandhi.

However, unfortunately, today modernism has become the latest orthodoxy, and we are apt to forget that modernism is not necessarily modernity; it may well be more regressive than some old customs and things. The whole economy is money oriented. It is money market based on so called capital. Capitalism means an order of things in which basis of distribution is purchase or barter. Unless you have purchasing power, you are unable to get anything that you need; even food for hungry. It is an irony of fate that things can only be bought, forcibly snatched or acquired, but nobody can get it because they are needed. This is why, in the present day social order, needy persons are deprived of the primary amenities of life. Therefore everything has got exchange value, that is price. It is price based economy and not need based or value based. It is a diabolical social order.

There is of course a scope for charity. However human dignity cannot be preserved on charity if those who live in perpetual misery are condemned to live on the sufferance of those who are well to do, then it is difficult to preserve human dignity and the whole civilization will come to an end sooner or later. Charity is a weapon invented by capitalists to preserve capitalism and protect their property by gaining sympathy of poor class. Therefore Gandhi invented and preached trusteeship, as technique of social change. He called it, the technique of change of heart. He told us that capitalist is a trustee of his wealth for the benefit of society, the labour is also trustee of his labour for the benefit of society, and Government is trustee of the people; and cannot act as a despot or a King. The lands and other peoples' property vests in the Government for use of it for the welfare of people. The concept of trusteeship will apply to everybody, in all the spheres of life.

Gandhi gave us symbols of revolution. The spinning wheel and broom-stick. Spinning wheel is symbol for productive labour which contemplate face-to-face community based on dignity of labour. He wanted to transform the existing relationship between production and distribution. He was against depersonalization and inhumanisation in the process of production and distribution. Today there is no relationship between producer and consumer. Gandhi wanted to end the kingdom of non-producers.

Broom-stick is the symbol of social equality. It reminds us of our relationship with the lowliest and the Lost. The Antyodaya, which should be the foundation of even economic growth.

Gandhi derived new definition of Swadeshi. He said: "Swadeshi means neighbourliness." You produce for your neighbour. Production for sale is capitalism hence, Gandhi advocated production for home consumption and not for sale or export only.

For Gandhi, Khadi and Village Industries meant decentralization of production and distribution of the necessaries of life. Khadi, to him was the symbol of unity of Indian humanity, of its freedom and equality and therefore, ultimately in the poetic expression of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, "The livery of India's freedom." For him, Khadi is the central sun around which the other village industries revolve like so many planets. Even today as the statistics go about sixty lakhs of people are employed in the production of Khadi and Village industries i.e. Gramodyog. If each and every citizen of India use one Khadi dress in a year about one crore people will get employment. I do not think any industry how so far big it may be, or multinational can provide such an employment. Unemployment is bound to destroy our whole culture. Empty hands are bound to cause destruction and violence. They will destroy the very fabric of our nation. It is a misunderstanding that, using Khadi is very costly. Today it is noticed that a large number of divorcee Muslim women are employed in the production of Khadi. Cottage industries provide employment to lakhs of women. While calculating the price, the cost of cotton produce, the living wages for the labouring class are taken into consideration. It is a social cost which is reflected in the price of Khadi. It is the vale based rather than price based. The exploitation is always cheap. The moot question is whether exploitation should be tolerated and encouraged.

The centre of Gandhi's economics was man. For him man was the measure of everything. He was interested in 'Man Power' and not 'Horse Power'. For him foundation of economy should be man; Gandhi believed in humanism even in the economic field. System of production and the system of distribution should be coupled with the cultural development of human being. The Human personality should be capable of being developed through this process, which means that system of production and distribution should be conducive to the growth of all human faculties. He was not against machines. In a sense spinning wheel is also a machine. Use of tools should be as extension of our limbs. The hammer is the extension of man's fist. It is 'Upakaran' 'upa' in Sanskrit means samip i.e. next, upakaran is one which is next to sense. Hence tools or machines should be not as substitute for human power, but to augment it, to extend it. We should not allow tool or machine to replace human power. If glasses replace eyes, the very eyesight is lost. The man machine relationship should not mis-match. For Gandhi man being the measure of all things, he is above technology or science. Man is greater than technology.

In his economy nature and animal had honorable place. For him culture is the art of living with others. This means our planning should be such which will give ample scope for the development of faculties of the animal. For him nature is our ally. Natural resources are not meant for exploitation only. It is not our enemy. We are not interested in conquering nature or exploiting it. We want to cooperate with nature and animals to enrich our life. To make life richer, greater and more beautiful.

Gandhi's principle of non-violence was basically based on non-exploitation of man by man, or of nature. It is not a negative concept but a dynamic positive principle of life. For Gandhi live and let live was not enough, he wanted that people should also help others to live. It was a positive, living, dynamic non-violence. For him exploiting villages and villagers is in itself organized violence.

Gandhi wanted a change in basis mechanism of ownership, production and distribution. He wanted freedom from the rule of merchandise and rationality in productive and distributive system based on human relationship. Thus, fundamental principles of his economics were simplicity, non-violence and sanctity of human labour. He was against craze for machines and its indiscriminate multiplication to replace men. He was against inventing labour saving devices but wanted to provide employment to forced idleness. His plan was for peace, security and progress rather than war, or exploitation. He wanted growth in national wealth for men and not at the cost of men.

Before Gandhi, India was a mere geographical country. It was Gandhi who transformed it into a nation by uniting people in Satyagraha Movement, which resulted in creating a will among them to live together. This togetherness means sharing weal and woe. To say the least, so far as India is concerned, it is Gandhi who created this spirit of togetherness amongst the Indians by involving the common people in his mass movement of Satyagraha. Gandhi is known as Father of the Nation. It is pertinent to note that he is not called a Father of India or Bharat. India was there even before the birth of Gandhi, but only as a geographical concept and not as a nation. It is Gandhi who converted Statehood into Nationhood and, therefore, he is called as Father of the Nation and that too by none else but by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. In a broadcast speech, addressed to Gandhi on 6th of July 1944, Subhas Babu said, "In all the countries, free from British influence that I have visited, since I left India in 1941, you are held in the highest esteem, as no other political leader had been, during the last century." Thereafter, elaborating his efforts for seeking independence through Azad Hind Fouj, ultimately Subhas Babu observed, "Father of our Nation, in the holy war of India's liberation, we ask for your blessings and good wishes". It is also well-known that it was Rabindranath Tagore who gave the title of 'Mahatma' to Gandhi.

Gandhi was a seeker of truth. Such a man is bound to be humble. Truth is not denominational. It is nether yours nor mine. It knows no frontiers. Therefore, Gandhi's deeds were noble than his precepts, and this is the reason why he could say, "My Life is my Message". However, those who have studied Gandhi's life, imitated it, but forgot his message. Those who understood his Message, forgot his 'Life'. They forgot that there cannot be a divorce between an actor and his settings. Therefore, it is difficult to separate Gandhi's non-violent struggle from his message and 'Life'. Gandhi's non-violent struggle was known as 'Satyagraha'. It was perhaps the most courageous and glorious experiment ever made by a man in human history. Gandhi has blazed a trial and it is for others to follow it. For this you must study the genesis and background of these struggles. As well said, history by and large is a biography of great men.

"Independence" and "Freedom" are two words, carrying different concepts covering different areas and fields. We have achieved political Independence but not freedom. 'Swaraj' for Gandhi meant freedom from all types of slavery and exploitation-political, economic, social or religious. Till this is achieved, Gandhi's concept of 'Satyagraha' is bound to remain relevant, rather it has become more relevant today than ever before.

It will be clear, what we initially thought was impossible, became possible by Gandhi's non-violent struggle. Gandhi's non-violent Satyagraha struggle, right from Champaran to Quit India Movement, in a sense is a chain of passive resistance. Passive resistance is breaking laws for certain principles. This can be legitimately offered by a person who respects rule of law and otherwise obeys laws. In fact, a Satyagrahi refuses to obey the law that he feels is wrong and immoral. After breaking such a law, by accepting the extreme penalty prescribed for the so-called offence, he respects the rule of law. He respects the law but offers non-cooperation with regard to its evil elements only. Gandhi introduced an entirely new dimension in the technique of revolution. It was not only non-violent resistance to the evil, but it was also assistance in the right direction.

Two words should be properly understood, one Satyagrahi and another Satygrahi. Satyagrahi means one who accepts and adopts truth as a principle as well as way of life. Therefore, Gandhi's non-violence was not a negative concept, but it was a positive approach to life. This was Gandhi's non-violent movement which was positive and dynamic. It provided metaphysical foundation to the concept of morality. In this context, therefore, non-violence becomes a primary value in itself which is positive in nature and for this we must have a broad-based grassroot movement, in which common people can participate. This is the foundation of his movements. From Champaran to Quit India Movement.

If we properly understand the strength of these movements, it will be clear as to how great personalities like Sardar Vallabhabhai Patel and others could emerge from those movements. These movements gave us leaders with sterling qualities, who ultimately became the pillars of the Nation.

Now, though late, there is a realization that there is no other alternative. I am afraid that next Century and Millennium might witness unprecedented, proliferation of violence because history of wars and human destruction clearly tells us that people have not learnt anything from destruction. Therefore, it should be specifically emphasized that non-violence is to be accepted as the basis of personal life and social life and also as the only feasible and desirable technique of resolving conflicts and those who advocate peace should practice what they preach.

Future of mankind depends upon its adopting non-violence as the principle of life on which depends a happy union of science and spirituality.

If we follow the teachings of Gandhi which implies a sense of belonging and sharing, then alone we can achieve the goal of peace and non-violence. After all, progress means advance and advance means approach...... approaching one another or coming nearer to one another. In the global context, our neighborhood is not restricted to the next door. Therefore, our enquiry and thinking will have to be based on universalisation, viz., the concept of "think globally, act locally". In this march, the real question is what human values we seek to preserve in our progress towards globalisation or universalisation. Shall we worship largeness and speed as our new Gods? The production will only be a mass production or will it be production by masses also? We must understand that the present technique cannot hold persons together. We cannot forget that love is the best solvent for isolationist tendencies, as well as egoistic intentions. Therefore, we will have to seek nearness of hearts based on the principle of non-violence, which alone can save the planet earth from disaster.

Gandhi lifted the notion of nationalism from its regional littleness to worldwide dimension. It was not exclusive, but it was inclusive and comprehensive. Gandhi's religion knew no geographical limitations. Today, we are placed in a vicious circle of threat and counter-threat. We have forgotten that the ultimate sufferers of violence and wars are innocent civilians. Non-violence is a primary value in itself, which is positive in its nature. In this, we must have broad-based grassroots movements, which could cross the boundaries of the nations and are global in its nature. The principle of non-violence is not only an experience but it is the heart and soul of man's behaviour, and for propagating this principle, Gandhi did not look back to his followers but rather walked alone. He walked alone throughout the world, he struggled alone for achieving this goal and today we find that the number of persons who believe in his ideology is ever increasing.

Let me conclude with the words of Shelley, who sang:

Are we not formed, as notes of music are,

for another, though dissimilar?

Gandhi's soul is waiting for an emphatic 'yes' from us.

Let his tribe increase.

Source: Essay on Gandhian Thought; Published by Institute of Gandhian Studies