A shrunken acetic protest of a peace, Mohandas ‘Mahatma’ Gandhi is unlikely contender with the title of greatest political leader at the 20th century, but as the father of Indian democracy, his radical program of passive resistance still inspires nationalist movements today.
Born in Gujarat province in 1869 at the height of the British occupation of India, Gandhi studied law in England where he was introduced to the eastern philosophies that influenced his political teachings. He also read a Henry David Thoreau’s books, Civil Disobedience which had a huge impact on him.
In 1893, Gandhi moved to South Africa where he spent more than 20 years and became the first non-white lawyer to be admitted to the bar. The racism he encountered there from Europeans led him to mobilize his fellow Indians and develop the Santiago philosophy, a search for truth to a non-violence striving for freedom.
In 1914, he returned to India to fight British oppression in his homeland. He used the weapons of non-cooperation and peaceful resistance including strike action and public demonstrations. Gandhi’s hunger strikes became an effective publicity tool. In the 1920s, news rails were gaining popularity and people around the world were fascinated by the fragile body dumped with a beatable fear he fasted for a month of time. Even his arrest in 1922, couldn’t damp in his followers’ enthusiasm. He served three years of a six year sentence before the new release due his health.
Gandhi’s causes of the 1930’s include women’s equality, exploitation of the laboring classes and the flight of India’s lowest cast, the untouchables, but his main focus was Indian independence.
In 1930, he wrote a letter to British Vice for India saying that if his demands for self-determination were not met it would break the sort laws. The British ignore his demand not saying that this is much of the threat. A few days later, Gandhi set off in a match to an area rich in natural salt accompanied by reporters for many countries. They were fascinated with the independence leader unusual tactics.
On April 5, Gandhi picked up a cup of salt to find the law that gave the British a monopoly on the production and sale of salt products. Hundreds of thousands of people followed his lead and Indian jails were soon overflowing with protestors. The British were forced to hold talks with Gandhi and start negotiations through Indian self rule. There’s still some way to go until India achieved independence however.
The outbreak of World War II pushed the fight for independence to a new level. Gandhi opposed the Indian’s involvement in the war on the grounds that people could not support the British struggle from freedom when they did not have freedom for themselves. He called on the British to clearing the area and he and many supporters got years in jail until independence was finally won in 1947. About six months later, tragedy struck. A religious radical shot and killed Gandhi while he was taking his nightly walk.
Prime Minister Nehru voiced the feelings of millions when the address to the nation, he said, that Gandhi’s assassination meant the light had gone out of their lives. “We do have seen again as we’ve seen for this many years,” he said. We do not ran to him for advice or seek solace from and that is a terrible blow not only for me but the millions and millions in this country.”
Gandhi was cremated in the traditional ceremony attended by thousands of grief stricken Indians and his ashes poured into urns and sent across India. Some remained in shrines to this day. Gandhi lived what he taught and his philosophy of peaceful resistance and strength through non-violent actions has inspired millions.
On the anniversary of his death every year, schools around the world observed a day of non-violence and peace in his memory.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services