The Power of Non-violence. Review on Gandhi -Hollywood Movie

This is not a review of Movie on Gandhi. It is about Gandhi’s doctrine of Non violence.

Mahatma Gandhi was one of the greatest national leaders of the 20th century .His methods and philosophy of nonviolence not only led India to Independence , but also influenced political activists throughout the world.

There are many misconceptions and myths surrounding Gandhi’s principle's of Nonviolence.

The doctrine of non-violence can only lead to chaos and eventful triumph of brute force; that to lie down and let people trample on you is a temptation to the aggressor rather than an example to the aggressed. It is the least bit practical in the present world.....

This was the misconception I had about Gandhi’s doctrine of non-violence. I also had the myth that non-violent action is always passive.

I am clear now: There is nothing passive about Gandhi’s non-violent action. Gandhi said that the non violent activist, like any soldier, had to be ready to die for the cause. The difference was that the non-violent activist while willing to die, was never willing to kill.

For Gandhi, non violence was a much broader concept.

The best way, however, to understand Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence is to first understand the extent of violence that we practice, consciously or unconsciously, every day of our lives.

Gandhi said: “Violence has two children – Physical and Passive.

We generally deny our own violence because we are ignorant about it or because we are conditioned to look at violence only in it’s physical manifestation – the wars, fighting, killing, beating, etc. where we use physical force. However, we don’t consider oppression in all its forms, name calling, insulting, disrespectful behavior, mud slinging etc. as passive forms of violence.

By hurting others ,the oppressor also hurts himself. But he doesn’t realize that. He may be enjoying his win and power ,but beneath all that, his injustice is cutting him off from his own deeper self and from his fellow humans. And his spirit is getting weak.

The Acts of passive violence generate anger in the victim and since the victim has not learned how to use anger positively the victim abuses anger and generates physical violence. Thus, it is passive violence that fuels the fire of physical violence, which means if we wish to put out the fire of physical violence we have to cut off the fuel supply.

The choice before humanity, to quote Gandhi’s words, is quite simple: “We have to be the change we wish to see.” Unless we change individually no one is going to change collectively. For generations we have been waiting for other person to change first. A change of heart cannot be legislated,it must come out of conviction.

Some critics feel non violent action is slow compared to violence.Well, how effective non-violent action depends on the time, place and many such variables. There is enough evidence in history to show that even violence is not quick. Vietnam embattled for 35 years, in Chinese revolution, Mao Tsc-Tung and his communist forces were engaged in combat for 22 years.

The main difference in violent and non-violent action seems to be on the negative side effects, violent action has far-reaching negative side effects, as in a violent struggle, the violence of each side goads the other to greater violence, and leaves the two sides as long-standing enemies. See for example Indo-Pak relations. On the contrary, see the non-violent struggle, the most amazing thing about Gandhi’s non-violent revolution is not that the British left, but they left as friends and India and Britain are partners in the British commonwealth.

This does not mean that I believe nonviolent action always works. There may be cases where non violent action is futile and violence may succeed in its own way. On the other hand ,the cases in which nonviolent action wouldn’t work are often just the cases in which violence as well would prove futile.

There are many other cases ,I believe, in which violence would work ,but so would nonviolent action –with much less harm.

And when nonviolence works ,both sides win. That is the power of nonviolence.

The choice is ours.