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Gandhian Ideology

Gandhian ideology (also known as Gandhism) is the set of religious and social ideas adopted and developed by India’s Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, first during his period in South Africa from 1893 to 1914, and later in India.

Although incorporating certain Western ideologies that Mahatma Gandhi was exposed to, Gandhian ideologies were primarily rooted in Indian culture.

This article will give details about Gandhian Ideology within the context of the IAS Exam . Aspirants can learn from the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and integrate it with ethics preparation of UPSC Mains GS 4.

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Major Gandhian Ideologies

The following thoughts are part of Gandhian ideologies

• Truth and Non-violence: They are the twin pillars of Gandhian thoughts.For Mahatma Gandhi, truth translated into words and deeds. For him, the ultimate truth was God and morality. Thus moral laws and code became its basis.  As far as Mahatma Gandhi was concerned, non-violence was active love, the direct opposite of violence.
• Satyagraha: Satyagraha meant the exercise of the purest soul-force against all forms of injustice, oppression and exploitation. The method secures rights by personal suffering and not inflicting injuries
• Sarvodaya : Sarvodaya is a term meaning ‘Universal Uplift’ or ‘Progress of All’. The term was first coined by Mahatma Gandhi as the title of his translation of John Ruskin’s tract on political economy, “Unto This Last”.
• Swaraj: Although the word swaraj means self-rule, Mahatma Gandhi gave it the content of an integral revolution that encompasses all spheres of life.
• Trusteeship: Trusteeship was a socio-economic philosophy that meant the rich people would be the trusses of trusts and charities set up for the purpose of the common people.
• Swadeshi: Swadeshi, the adjectival form, means of one’s own country, but can be loosely translated in most contexts as self-sufficiency.

Swadeshi is the focus on acting within and from one’s own community, both politically and economically.

It is the interdependence of community and self-sufficiency.

For more relevant notes, visit the linked article.

NCERT Notes: Indian National Movement – Extremist Period Gandhi Irwin Pact

Relevance of Gandhism in 21st Century

Although it is widely believed that Gandhism is a challenge to pursue in the 21st century; that is not the case. Gandhi’s principles can be applied in the following ways:

• Concept of Society: The contemporary society is a complex whole which is neither value-oriented nor purely speculative. Tradition and authority which were once revered are now utterly disregarded. The whole of humanity is steered by jealousy, distrust, suspicion and hatred. Violence, poverty and intolerance are on the rise. The outer homogeneity brought by science and civilization doesn’t emanate with the inner unity of our souls. So, there is a dire need to reform our minds. He says that adherence to truthfulness should be our only purpose of existence. The ultimate end of the individual is the realization of truth and justice through consistent endeavours, not only for ourselves but for the entire humanity.
• Economy: While it is generally recognized that socialism can’t be established without the use of force, Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of socialism involves the use of non-violence. He didn’t believe in extremes and neither appreciated complete liberty, as in a capitalist democracy, nor regimentation as in communist dictatorships. His idea was that power is to be as decentralized as possible. Globalization means integration of world economies through cross-country exchange of goods, ideas, information, and many services. Dominant economies with the aid of Multinational Companies and International Organizations are serving their interests to the extent that often the interest of the poor countries is compromised.
• Education: Mahatma Gandhi thought that humanization of knowledge can lead us to immunization of ideas against communal distrust. He was critical of traditional education and said that being literate doesn’t mean being educated.
• Swaraj: Swaraj meant to be free from external influences and foreign control. Now the country is independent and free from any external control. In today’s competitive and fast-paced world, there must be control over our inner conscience. Self-empowerment is the need of the hour. Every person should search for their own identity, and shouldn’t try to fit themselves in the moulds created by society.
• Technology: The Gandhian principles are still relevant and technology can be used to enhance their effectiveness. The main tenet that he propagated was Satya.

It would include truth with respect to speech, reality as it exists and good as opposed to immoral, evil, and bad. As opposed to this, in contemporary times, people are not truthful and they are not presented with the existing reality of the system.

Here, technology plays its part. Technology can help bring the reality and truth out of the systems. It can curb our main evil, corruption. Information and Communications Technology plays a significant role in this. It facilitates the movement of data among governmental institutions, among citizens and between citizens and government as well. It helps bring transparency, answerability, and public participation.

To learn about some important political ideologies and their meaning , visit the linked article.

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Gandhian Ideologies

• 05 Aug 2019
• GS Paper - 1
• GS Paper - 4
• Important Personalities
• Contribution of Moral Thinkers and Philosophers

What is Gandhian ideology?

• Gandhian ideology is the set of religious and social ideas adopted and developed by Mahatma Gandhi, first during his period in South Africa from 1893 to 1914, and later in India.
• Gandhian philosophy is not only simultaneously political, moral and religious, it is also traditional and modern, simple and complex. It embodies numerous Western influences to which Gandhiji was exposed, but is rooted in ancient Indian culture harnessing universal moral & religious principles.
• The spiritual or religious element, and God, are at its core.
• Human nature is regarded as fundamentally virtuous.
• All individuals are believed to be capable of high moral development, and of reform.
• Gandhian ideology emphasises not on idealism, but on practical idealism.
• Gandhian philosophy is a double-edged weapon. Its objective is to transform the individual and society simultaneously, in accordance with the principles of truth and non-violence.
• Tolstoy's book 'The Kingdom of God is within you' had a deep influence on Mahatma Gandhi.
• Gandhiji paraphrased Ruskin's book 'Unto this Last' as 'Sarvodaya'.
• These ideas have been further developed by later "Gandhians", most notably, in India by, Vinoba Bhave and Jayaprakash Narayan and outside of India by Martin Luther King Jr. and others.

Major Gandhian Ideologies

• For Gandhi ji, truth is the relative truth of truthfulness in word and deed, and the absolute truth - the ultimate reality. This ultimate truth is God (as God is also Truth) and morality - the moral laws and code - its basis.
• Nonviolence, far from meaning mere peacefulness or the absence of overt violence, is understood by Mahatma Gandhi to denote active love - the pole opposite of violence, in every sense. Nonviolence or love is regarded as the highest law of humankind.
• It is a method of securing rights by personal suffering and not inflicting injury on others.
• The origin of Satyagraha can be found in the Upanishads, and in the teachings of Buddha, Mahavira and a number of other other greats including Tolstoy and Ruskin.
• Sarvodaya- Sarvodaya is a term meaning 'Universal Uplift' or 'Progress of All'. The term was first coined by Gandhi ji as the title of his translation of John Ruskin's tract on political economy, "Unto This Last".
• For Gandhi ji, swaraj of people meant the sum total of the swaraj (self-rule) of individuals and so he clarified that for him swaraj meant freedom for the meanest of his countrymen. And in its fullest sense, swaraj is much more than freedom from all restraints, it is self-rule, self-restraint and could be equated with moksha or salvation.
• It provides a means by which the wealthy people would be the trustees of trusts that looked after the welfare of the people in general.
• This principle reflects Gandhi ji’s spiritual development, which he owed partly to his deep involvement with and the study of theosophical literature and the Bhagavad Gita.
• Swadeshi is the focus on acting within and from one's own community, both politically and economically.
• It is the interdependence of community and self-sufficiency.
• Gandhi ji believed this would lead to independence (swaraj), as British control of India was rooted in control of her indigenous industries. Swadeshi was the key to the independence of India, and was represented by the charkha or the spinning wheel, the “center of the solar system” of Mahatma Gandhi’s constructive program.

Relevance in Today’s Context

• The ideals of truth and nonviolence, which underpin the whole philosophy, are relevant to all humankind, and are considered as universal by the Gandhians.
• More than ever before, Mahatma Gandhi's teachings are valid today, when people are trying to find solutions to the rampant greed, widespread violence, and runaway consumptive style of living.
• The Gandhian technique of mobilising people has been successfully employed by many oppressed societies around the world under the leadership of people like Martin Luther King in the United States, Nelson Mandela in South Africa, and Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar, which is an eloquent testimony to the continuing relevance of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Dalai Lama said, "We have a big war going on today between world peace and world war, between the force of mind and force of materialism, between democracy and totalitarianism." It is precisely to fight these big wars that the Gandhian philosophy needed in contemporary times.

In my life, I have always looked to Mahatma Gandhi as an inspiration, because he embodies the kind of transformational change that can be made when ordinary people come together to do extraordinary things." -Barack Obama

• According to him, democracy provided the weak with the same chance as the strong.
• Functioning on the basis of voluntary cooperation and dignified & peaceful co-existence was replicated in several other modern democracies. Also, his emphasis on political tolerance and religious pluralism holds relevance in contemporary Indian politics.
• Truth, nonviolence, Sarvodaya and Satyagraha and their significance constitute Gandhian philosophy and are the four pillars of Gandhian thought.

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Relevance of Gandhian Principles or Philosophy in the 21st Century

Basic Principles of Gandhian Ideology or Philosophy or Gandhism: People still remember and cherish the person who was incredibly responsible for achieving this freedom. Often quoted, Mahatma Gandhi is remembered for his teachings. His ideas still resonate in people’s minds. However, how relevant are these ideas of non-violence and truth that give us freedom today? Mahatma Gandhi is considered the most splendid Statesman of India. His ideas and views still hold a significant position in the country’s policies and governance and underline the most humane way to resolve many of the problems that plague our society.

Table of Content

• 2. Satyagraha
• 4. Swadeshi
• 5. Secularism
• 6. Communal Harmony
• 7. Decentralization
• 8. Cleanliness
• 9. Sustainable Environment
• 10. Women’s Emancipation

Born in Porbandar, Gujarat, Gandhi played a significant role in India’s struggle for freedom. His thoughts of ahimsa and truth, swadeshi and swaraj, helped India free itself from colonial rule. However, the central question is whether this policy is still relevant at present times or not. Let us compare the Gandhian policy with its present scenario.

Gandhism or Gandhian Ideologies Policy Still Relevant Today:

Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of non-violence is very relevant as the world faces terrorism and other forms of violence. Mahatma Gandhi’s policy of non-violence was based on the concept of non-violence and compassion. Against colonial violence, he proposed a nonviolent response. In his view, a calm, nonviolent response reduces the attacker’s wrath and frustration and is a more potent weapon than violence. The Salt March of 1930 was one of the most famous acts of Gandhi’s peaceful resistance. In present times, the ideal of non-violence needs to guide the approach of individuals and nations, and world organizations, like violence, initiate a vicious circle of repression and injustice.

India at present faces a threat from Chinese expansionist policies, but it is Gandhi’s philosophy that is helping India not wage any China war. In the west, India constantly is facing the belligerent attitude of Pakistan, but the ahimsa policy of the country holds its respect in International forums. Still, after 74 years of Independence, Gandhi’s ahimsa policy holds ground. 

2. Satyagraha: 

Gandhiji called the general method of nonviolent action ‘Satyagraha’. It is the expression of the purest spiritual power against all injustice, oppression, and exploitation. Satyagraha was thought of as the moral alternative to war. 

Gandhi has shown us how to solve problems and conflicts from the micro to the macro level and has proved to be an effective remedy.  Many contemporary challenges related to human rights, sustainable development, climate change, socio-political unrest, war and peace, terrorism, and politico-administrative corruption can be corrected using Gandhian Ideology. The critical aspect of satyagraha is standing for truth using non-violent means, and this ideology needs to be implemented in all spheres of society.  

The farmers protesting against the Farm Law have also resorted to non-violence at present to reveal their interest in the Law passed by the Government.

According to Mahatma Gandhi “ Real Swaraj will come, not by the acquisition of authority by a few, but by the acquisition of the capacity by all to resist authority when it is abused “. Swaraj holds a significant position in today’s society. In the age of markets laden with products based on generating and gratifying instant of social approval, and when public imagination is becoming increasingly vulnerable to demagogues, the economic, social, spiritual, and political connotations of swaraj still continue to be significant.

4. Swadeshi:  

Indigenous peoples focus on political and economic action inside and outside their communities. It is the interdependence of community and self-reliance. Gandhi’s thought of swadeshi is still prevalent in our society, by taking steps towards making India self-reliant.

During the Covid times, when India was witnessing a severe economic crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called ‘ Atma Nirbhar Bharat ‘, the second version of Swadeshi. This swadeshi form aims to make the country self-reliant. In order to free the country from the shackles of hunger, unemployment, poverty, swadeshi is the best path to unshackle these.

5. Secularism:

Gandhism was tolerant of all religions. Today, the world needs more and more religious and intelligently tolerant people in societies where violence is perpetrated in the name of religion. In society, tolerance helps to neutralize religion, caste, ethnicity, region, etc. in the world, based on day-to-day ethnic-Centered prejudices. 

There are still different events held to inculcate the principles of secularism and equality in society. Though we witness different religion-based differences, i.e. Hindu and Muslim, it is the secularism ideology that is protecting the country from another partition.

6. Communal Harmony: 

Gandhi always made an effort for Hindu-Muslim unity. At the present time, this ideology is equally significant. If Hindus and Muslims are united, the country can reach the heights of becoming a world power. A person should always respect others’ faith. Cases of mob lynching are also violating the Gandhian ideology of communal harmony, so steps should be taken in this direction.

7. Decentralization:  

The Gandhian idea of decentralization was implemented in democracies through the 73rd and 74th amendments , which empowered local self-governments at the grassroots level. Indian Government, for instance, has implemented local self-government by adopting the Panchayati Raj and Municipality system in rural and urban areas, respectively, and providing them with some subjects under the state list. This ideology of Gandhi is still relevant and plays a vital role in India’s grass root development.

8. Cleanliness:  

Gandhi paid great attention to purity, or cleanliness and was a staunch advocate of ‘ Swachhata’ . He used to say, “ Cleanliness hi Seva .” India’s most significant cleanliness initiative, the recently implemented Swachh Bharat Abhiyan , fulfills Bapu’s dream of making India clean.

However, this quest for purity goes beyond physical purity and requires more attention to inner purity. Therefore, for a clean India, with clean roads and toilets, we need a corruption-free society with a high degree of transparency and accountability, which is the need of the hour.

9. Sustainable Environment: 

Gandhi always spoke of minimization of wants and advocated a nature-friendly idea. Gandhi believed that “there is enough on earth for human needs but not enough for human greed.” These lines from Mahatma Gandhi show how human behavior destroys nature, and there is a need for a sustainable lifestyle in our times. 

The world revolves around global warming, climate change, and resource depletion, and all environmental covenants and sustainable development efforts must implement Gandhi’s philosophy. The recent coal crisis also compels us to follow the Gandhian philosophy of sustainable growth. Due to the increased consumption of resources like land, water, air, the carbon footprints are accelerating.

10. Women’s Emancipation: 

Gandhi played a vital role in bringing women out of their domestic work and involved them in public life. He was against the patriarchal form of society. With glass ceilings still far from being shattered in the public sphere, the Gandhian thought of women’s emancipation remains relevant.

Conclusion:

Gandhi’s thought was an inspiration for society. Ultimately, all ideas and thoughts of the Mahatma were reached by him via lifelong experimentation with truths, which makes Gandhian thoughts more significant in the present era. In order to become a superpower, India should pay homage to Gandhian ideology and walk in the assigned path.

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Gandhism essay.

Gandhism may be defined as the ideology of Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948). “Mahatma,” or “Great Soul,” was an honorific title bestowed on him by Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941). It is significant that Tagore, a renowned Nobel Prize–winning poet of India, could hold Gandhi in such high esteem while also serving as Gandhi’s most eloquent critic. Their extensive dialogue, public and private, signifies a stellar ability for expressing profound differences with utmost civility.

The voluminous writings by leading advocates of Indian independence reveal this civility. It consistently marked the divergent ideologies of the nationalist movement from 1885, when the Indian National Congress was founded, until liberation from British imperial rule came in 1947. An initial feature of Gandhism that deserves emphasis is how its spirit of tolerance nurtured such civility in the midst of vigorous debate about fundamental moral and political issues. This flowed steadily from 1919, when Gandhi assumed leadership of the Indian Congress, until January 30, 1948, when he was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic, Nathuram Godse, who contended that Gandhi had betrayed Hinduism through his tolerance of Muslims and Islam.

Tenets Of Gandhism: Truth And Nonviolence

The attitude of tolerance in Gandhism was consistent with Gandhi’s idea of truth (satya in both classical Sanskr it and modern Hindi). This concept featured so prominently in his ideology that he titled his autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Consistently repudiating the connotations of “Mahatma,” he characterized himself as “a humble but very earnest seeker after truth,” as one who “often erred in my estimates and judgments” without “infallible guidance or inspiration.” Indeed, he insisted that any “claim to infallibility would always be a most dangerous one to make.”

However, Gandhi did claim to have found the way to truth. This path was the way of nonviolence (ahimsa). The concepts of satya and ahimsa are so entwined in his ideology that he asserted his (fallible) belief that, as stated in his autobiography, “There is only one fundamental truth which is Truth itself, otherwise known as Nonviolence. Finite human beings shall never know in its fullness Truth and Love which is in itself infinite. But we do know enough for our guidance.” Mistakes will inevitably occur as we pursue truth. This is the connection to tolerance, because any leadership, movement, or government must respect the dignity of the individual, which “necessarily includes the power as much to commit errors as to set them right as often as they are made.”

The most dire and dangerous error is the commission of violence. Gandhi called his theory and practice of nonviolence satyagraha, translated as the “force” of truth applied in a spirit of love. His pacifism is sometimes interpreted as qualified, because he sanctioned violence in exceptional cases of self-defense. The overwhelming spirit of his ideology, however, is expressed in clear pacifist statements like this one from his autobiography, made in direct refutation of Bolshevism and terrorism: “I do not believe in short-violent-cuts to success. I am an uncompromising opponent of violent methods even to serve the noblest of causes. There is, therefore, really no meeting ground between the school of violence and myself.”

His reference here to “the school of violence” is particularly noteworthy, because it serves as a reminder that in the history of terrorist movements, India ranked high throughout the twentieth century. Gandhi frequently referred to being surrounded by two forces of violence: the oppression of the Raj or British government on the one hand, and, on the other, a well-organized group of Indian terrorists who possessed charismatic leadership and a sophisticated nationalist ideology.

Success And Failure In Gandhi’s Lifetime

In March 1930 Gandhi announced a plan of action that would become India’s and the world’s most famous mass civil disobedience campaign: a dramatic resistance to the salt tax by marching to the western seacoast and collecting natural salt in a symbolic protest against the government’s monopoly on its manufacture. He informed the British viceroy ten days before he started his march that his sole purpose was to set in motion the force of pure nonviolence. The so-called salt satyagraha did demonstrate the power of nonviolence by mobilizing millions of Indians against unjust laws and thus giving collective expression to the idea of a “duty to disobey” that Gandhi had derived in large part from the thought of American essayist and practical philosopher Henry David Thoreau. By the end of the year, hundreds of thousands of resisters had been arrested, following Gandhi through the prison gates in the cause of swaraj (national liberation).

Gandhi’s movement to independence, however, eventually crashed in civil war and the partition of the subcontinent into two nations, India and Pakistan. Neither Gandhi’s long tenure of charismatic leadership nor the ideology that he conceived and applied could prevent the horrendous civilian violence that engulfed northern India from 1946 to 1948, during which hundreds of thousands of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs were massacred. It was this terrible slaughter, unleashed even after Gandhi’s scrupulous schooling of his country in the requirements of satyagraha, that led him to proclaim on August 15, 1947, as India celebrated its independence, that both he and his methods had failed. He was assassinated four and one-half months later.

Gandhi’s Legacy

Gandhi and his legacy have gathered admirers worldwide. Writing on Gandhi’s philosophy, American psychologist Howard Gardner commends his creativity among geniuses of the twentieth century, calling Gandhi a thinker of the highest order. Soon after Gandhi’s death, American physicist Albert Einstein urged international emulation of his thought and practice. Pacifists like American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., the Dalai Lama of Tibet, and Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi expressed similar thoughts as they strove to pursue his model.

Gandhi’s life and ideas resound in many arenas and in varied formats, from opera to environmentalism. When American composer Philip Glass discussed the thought behind his unique opera, Satyagraha, he commended Gandhi’s relevance to the cause of saving the earth’s resources. In a 2008 interview with the New York Times, Glass asserted that the environment and nonviolence made a perfect match, stating that if humans followed Gandhi’s principles, the earth would not be plagued with so many problems.

Bibliography:

• Bondurant, Joan. Conquest of Violence. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1988.
• Brown, Judith. Gandhi: A Prisoner of Hope. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989.
• Dalton, Dennis. Mahatma Gandhi: Nonviolent Power in Action. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000.
• Erikson, Erik. Gandhi’s Truth. New York: Norton, 1969.
• Iyer, Raghavan. The Moral and Political Thought of Mahatma Gandhi. New York: Oxford University Press, 1973.

Rudolph, Susanne, and Lloyd Rudolph. Gandhi. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1983

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Even as years roll by, the Gandhian principles remain evergreen and hold power to enlighten the entire world. His simple life, rich values, and enriching wisdom made him uproot the mighty British Empire. On pillars of truth and non-violence, he offers solutions, through his different principles, on issues of society, economy, politics, and human substance.

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind: Gandhiji built his movement of Satyagraha on value premises of truth and non-violence. These proved to be the biggest arsenal to annihilate the empire. The use of brutal force on peaceful and unrelenting non-violent masses exposed the brutality and insensitivity of Britishers. The methodology appealed to the conscience. It is based on the assumption of the basic goodness of humanity.

In a nuclear-armed world of tanks and missiles, the relevance of these values can still not be questioned. They still form the tenants of Indian foreign policy and ‘ their reflection is found in our “no-first-use” clause in the nuclear arena. India believes in remaining prepared as the security challenges accumulate, but aggression fails to find support in our strategies in global interactions. Even on a personal level, being truthful is the most satisfying experience for a conscience-driven person and also ends up as most rewarding in the long run. ‘Satyamev Jayate’ was vindicated when tricolor unfurled in 1947 and brought a new dawn for the nation.

Gandhian Satyagraha proved effective not only due to ideology but also due to their timings. Gandhiji had a knack of sensing the mood of the nation. This connection to the masses emerged from his genuine concern to the pain of every individual – labor, farmer, worker, and students. In present-day society, apathy has become the biggest curse. We are losing sensitivity for fellow human beings by enveloping ourselves in tight schedules and work pressures.

This sensitivity in Gandhian philosophy for all living creatures. On his farms, he would himself attend to injured sheep or goat, even while busy with larger national issues. Humanity can offer no excuses for waiting. The world community must learn this simple Gandhian lesson to fight multiple problems of society. With little efforts and sympathy, we can improve the lives of animals and people around us, by understanding the “peer parai” and rising to the occasion. His successful mass-movements soon elevated him as the most followed mass-leader. In spite of his popularity, he remained grounded. ‘Simple living and high thinking’ was the adage he lived by, undertaking rigorous fasts and largely depending on fruits and nuts; he exemplified the way of living in harmony with nature. He believed in mother earth’s capacity but cautioned, “Earth has enough for everyone’s needs, but not for their greed.’

As human society faces limits from a depleting quality and quantity of resources, ‘sustainable development’ has become the key mantra for rectifying our deeds. At the core of this concept is the Gandhian philosophy of ‘needs-based’ approach. The contemporary problems of food security with depleting soil quality and conservation of biodiversity could have been avoided had we followed the wisdom of Mahatma.

As a leader, Gandhiji respected everyone’s views but made firm decisions based on his vision. He advocated the basic philosophy of “Be the change that you want to see”, which continues to guide the present-day civil society. His message underlines a simple philosophy of valuing every individual and his efforts. This is where the global discourse of development has failed miserably. By advocating homogeneous prescriptions for growth and implanting models irrespective of ecological diversities, problems in every society have increased manifold.

Sanitation, security, literacy, or infrastructural development – all demand utilization of indigenous wisdom and traditional homegrown solutions. Gandhiji valued the wisdom at grassroots and encouraged the empowerment of the weakest. His idea of’village republics’ grows from this belief of cultivating self-sufficient villages through democratic decentralization.

Though Gandhian idea has been given shape in the form of institutionalized Panchayati Raj Institutions, they still lack vibrancy. Only political will and informed citizens can make the Panchayati Raj, a successful model to bring development and provide solutions to disabilities of the rural masses. Though fast urbanizing, it is the growth of rural India which still defines the growth of our nation.

The Indian growth story is also marked by huge disparities, which are further accentuated by casteism and communalism, rearing along with the hatred and divisiveness. Gandhiji had stuck at the very base of this divisive phenomenon by defining it by its genesis. He defended the castes, as a means to bring about the division of labor and thereby efficiency in the society. It is our attitude of not honoring and respecting every work that accentuated the divisions to levels of untouchability.

Caste divisions have grown over time and have grown over time and have assumed virulent forms with ‘honor killings’ and ‘mass-murders’, forgetting the noble genesis explained by Mahatma. Eshwar – Allah tero naam Sabko sanmati de Bhagwan: The favorite bhajan of Mahatma unfolds yet another simple wisdom which he believed in. A strong rotary of Hindu-Muslim Unity, his idea of secularism was built on respect for everyone’s individual choice. The communal riots, which occasionally rear their head to disturb the fabric of society, only grow on ignorance and parochial issues.

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Gandhiji is all the more relevant today when the problems in the society have assumed larger dimensions. In his stress on ‘Charkha-Khadi’ lay the simple strength of promoting indigenous industries and skills. In a globalized world, as we improve our intensity of trade, a large segment of our population continues to struggle with poverty and unemployment

The promotion of vocational skills and converting them into self-employment means is the sustainable means of driving out people from the grasp of poverty. The spirit of ‘swadeshi’ should be re-ignited whereby it can coexist with the challenges from multinational firms. With the help of microfinance, more clusters of indigenous items should be promoted as small and cottage industries. Along with employment opportunities in villages, factories should imbibe the ‘trusteeship’ concept of Gandhiji by ensuring proper social security for employees. Their growing role in societal concerns should inspire them to take up causes and fulfill their corporate social responsibilities.

As every segment of the society marches forth to build an inclusive India, the contribution by women should show widening possibilities. With the women’s reservation bill becoming a reality, a significant step towards empowering the women has been taken. The effects should percolate to grassroots by ensuring education for the girl child. The Gandhian principle of education gave prime importance to the girl-child, as an educated girl spreads the affectivity of her education in multiple ways.

The simple life of the Mahatma advocates principles, each of which is heavy with profound wisdom. They may appear trivial and unpractical but our deviations from these basic values have been the root cause of many of our maladies. It is essential we bring back Gandhigiri in each of our fives. It will only require us to re-look and search for that basic inherent human goodness which had got buried deep down somewhere within all of us. The desire to see quick results and lack of patience due to time constraints of fast-paced fives may be hurdles in evaluating these principles. But, the sustainable solution that they offer is enriching and satisfying. Similarly, even at the policy level, a re-look at basic Gandhian philosophies may re-orient our efforts to bring inclusive growth and happiness to the faces of millions.

• Gandhiji is all the more relevant today when the problems in the society have assumed larger dimensions.
• Principles of Mahatma Gandhi are valid and eternal.
• Not all the principles are valid today but many of them are still followed and valued by most of the people.

The Gandhian Values are truth, non-violence, renunciation, humility, equanimity, etc.,

Gandhism is a body of ideas that describes the inspiration, vision, and the life work of Mohandas Gandhi.

• His policy of non-violence made him an instant hit among the Indian masses.
• The policy of non-violence gave people a way to fight for freedom without being subject to violence.
• His simple living and high thinking made him fondly called as Bapu.
• Gandhian principles help to reshape the lost morality, regain humanity, etc.
• Gandhian ways and his ideas seem to be the only solution to overcome the present-day problems.

FAQs on Relevance of Gandhian Principles in Today’s World

1.  Are the principles of Mahatma Gandhi valid today?

Principles of Mahatma Gandhi are valid and eternal. Not all the principles are valid today but many of them are still followed and valued by most of the people.

2. What do you mean by Gandhian principles?

3. What are Gandhian values?

4. Is gandhism relevant today?

The Gandhian idea of trusteeship holds relevance in the current scenario as people live a lavish lifestyle and destroy the resources recklessly indebting future generations. Old Blockhead repairs his House Summary

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'Gandhism' is a figure of thought representing the vision, work, and stimulus of Mahatma Gandhi.

• Mahatma Gandhi had supported 'nonviolence' and 'truth'. This is primarily linked with his ideas about nonviolence resistance, also known as 'civil resistance.
• This has also been associated with how Gandhi's work, thoughts, and ideas helped all the people around the world and how the citizens of the world had used Gandhi's vision to construct their own future.
• Truth has a vital role in Gandhism and Mahatma Gandhi always followed the truth because in his views there is nothing greater than the truth.

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Essay on the Criticism of “Gandhism” (Gandhi’s Philosophy)

1. lack of originality:.

Mahatma Gandhi was a religious person whose ethics is grounded in his religious faith. Although not systematic his ethics voices the spirit of the age. But not withstanding this redeeming feature from scholarly viewpoint his ethics or moral thoughts are unorganized and unbalanced.

Image Source: nonviolenceinternational.net

Thus he has been subjected to severe criticism. His thoughts lack any originality. According to B.G. Ray, Gandhiji starts from Hindu religion, and the metaphysical solution of eternal problems from a Hindu angle of vision form the basis of his philosophy.

He has not sought to answer or solve the problem from an independent perspective of experience or reason.” It is not too incorrect to say that Gandhiji did not present any novel moral laws but he cannot be said to be completely without originality.

He gave to the old moral laws a completely new form. Gandhiji was the first one to introduce non-violence into the political field and he also made successful use of it.’ He declared punishment immoral. Gandhiji was the precursor of non- violent revolution.

2 . Extremism:

According to Miller, “Gandhiji belongs to the type of sanyasis who repress the flesh consciously, reject all the colour and warmth of life, denounce everything which is not necessary for mere livelihood, hasten the dissolution of the body, so that the spirit imprisoned in it may the more quickly be united with the divine.”

Gandhiji is called an extremist, an allegation of undeniable veracity, but it should not be forgotten that he made the utmost effort to make his vows practicable and proved their practicability by following them himself.

Excessive emphasis upon repression of senses has led to his ethics becoming permeated with stringency. Probably his assumption regarding celibacy may strike one as untalented and even harmful to happy matrimonial life but a balancing stress upon qualities like non-violence, love, equanimity etc., have prevented his sermons from becoming utterly heartless.

Actually, Gandhiji himself was an experimenter and did not recognize any means as the final. He had hoped that there would be new experiments in the application of non-violence and looked at attentively that this hope does not impress one as a false one.

3. Criticism of Non-violence:

Many critics express grave doubts regarding the probabilities of experimentation in non-violence but in order to comprehend Gandhiji s thought it will be essential to set aside the general pragmatic idea and approach the hub of the problem whence the utility of non-violence, for purposes of all kinds of health and permanent improvements will become transparent.

There of course, are some practical doubts about the possibility of trustees. Progress is imminent in the attempts of making practical Vinobaji’s campaign of Gandhism. Only the future can tell the extent of its practicability. Gandhiji endeavoured to discover the fundamental solution of all problems.

Another major reason why his solution of existing problems and his sketches of man’s future see impractical is that human society has not achieved that level and mar also lacks the necessary moral strength to successfully use those means.

But the only conclusion which can be drawn from this is that society will have to acquire moral strength to proceed upon his path Non- violence is a means in moral behaviour.

The means contradicting it are violence and use of brutal strength. In order to conclude which of these two means is superior and to the extent to and reason for which it is so, it is necessary to precede it by analyzing right and wrong.

From the ethical view point, right is that which is good and conversely, bad is wrong. Now, the result of any moral action can consist of two aspects-individual and social, upon the object.

If any activity favour the perpetrator but harms the object or if the result of an action benefits the individual and harms society, or if it is favorable immediately but detrimental in the long run, then the activity cannot be said to be good because in order to be so, the result of an activity must be good for the individual and society, at present and in future.

Here, this question arises only when the reason and the result differ. In the preceding example the result implies the reason. Judging violence from this criterion, we realize that it can benefit either the individual or the society, never for the two together—a wealthy person exploits the poor and lives in luxury but he causes misery to innumerable more who subsist in misery and poverty.

In a hierarchical society, there is of course general progress but in the absence of a state of independent thought the person’s personality remains dwarfed. Besides, only the more immediate result of violence can be good.

Over a long period it benefits neither the individual nor society. The tendencies of a violent person become degenerate and his character devolves. People fear him but also hate him unostentatiously.

Then he is always conscious of misgivings about his opponent’s seeking after revenge. Violence gives rise only to further violence. On the contrary non-violence results in just the converse way.

It may lead to some delay in the maturation of the result but the results are permanent as well as good. , It is possible, too, that the one that pursues non-violence may even have to sacrifice his life and bear pain without being rewarded.

But even this suffering produces result calculated to aggrandize the spiritual pleasure of both himself and his opponent. The patience of man is dependent upon his character.

A non-violent person is conscious of intrinsic happiness although he may be undergoing extrinsic pain infliction. Even though the opponent does ostensibly resist any such overtures, he internally becomes addicted to this and finally submits himself.

The next question to be considered is whether the use of force is admissible under city circumstances or not? The answer is that in some exceptions it is both necessary and possible.

Violence or resorting to force is objected to only when it is used either indiscriminately or for the interests of this or that class or individual. If a particular individual class refuses to abandon, by any means, his incorrect and deplorable path and does immense harm to others then use of force also becomes necessary.

At this stage it can be objected that how is it possible to make use of one person or class as a means to the benefit of another class or individual? Its solution is that the person conducting himself in an objectionable maimed does the greatest extent of damage to himself.

Gita goes to the extent of saying that although apparently alive, he is in reality dead. In this way, it becomes irrefutably clear that use of force is in the interest of the offending person or class’ and all others concerned and also that if peaceful means are not going to yield any desirable result then the use of force is both unavoidable and moral.

Yudhisthira’s lying and Sri Krishna’s urging Aijuna to war claim the sanction of identical argument Pandavas had made unsuccessful and fruitless use of all peaceful means.

The misconduct on the part of the Kauravas has assumed such proportions as to have caused the degeneration of society. Both in the interest of society and the fulfillment of duty it had become indispensable for Arjuna to fight, it being absolutely non-violent to have engaged in war, both from the mental and spiritual viewpoints, as it was qualified by lack of yearning and done with the intention of offering to God.

Thus it was also moral. In the present age, Gandhi too has licensed resort to use of force in exceptional cases.

But it is a necessary condition that all other means should have proved ineffective and use of force should be in positive interests of both the one using it and the one upon whom it is used.

Even Gandhiji himself behaved in a similar way sometimes. The infringement of the salt law was both an evidence of use of force and unconstitutional but it was violating the law of India hi the interests of India.

There was no other alternative at hand. At the same time it also caused moral improvement of the English people because having reduced India to dependence they were acting in an extremely humeral way.

It is also worth noting that this action was purely for the sake of duty and done without attachment in the war against the English Gandhiji invariably advocated love and not hatred for them. He declared himself the best friend of the Britons.

In this way, the morality or immorality of resorting to force can be judged obey with reference to the entire situation and hi some cases it becomes inevitable.

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