Passive Resistance
Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in India, during the rule of the British Raj. His Hindu family displayed great religious tolerance, frequently welcoming Jains, Muslims, and Hindus of other denominations into their home. His mother described Gandhi as a restless child prone to exploring – as he did later, traveling to London, where he studied law, and then on to South Africa.
Soon after arriving in South Africa as a British citizen, he experienced racial abuse and physical violence – beaten after refusing to sit on the floor of a stagecoach and later thrown off a train despite having purchased the appropriate ticket. He witnessed further discrimination against Indians there including denial of voting rights, restrictions on places of trade and residence, and uncustomary limitations on immigration and citizenship. All of this led Gandhi to remain 20 years in South Africa to lobby for Indian rights.
His experiences in South Africa changed his political theories, religious ideologies, and personal values. He traveled back to India where he became a non-violent political activist. He abandoned the western style he’d adopted for his traditional Indian dress. Aware of the plight of farmers in India, he launched peaceful gatherings under Satyagraha policy – a set of rules for nonviolent protest. He later applied these rules disputing the Rowlatt Act – an act banning the unified opinion of Indian politicians. His protests led to his arrest.
In response, his followers gathered, despite public meetings being forbidden, and were gunned down ruthlessly by Empire troops. The massacre weakened Britain's reputation and hardened the resolve of Indians to gain Independence. Freed from prison, Gandhi continued to led to further protests which led to additional arrests. His influence on the Indians’ view of British rule was immense. He later traveled to Britain to lobby for Indian rights – staying amongst the poorest and gaining their hearts.
On August 8, 1942, Gandhi made his famous ‘Do or Die’ speech calling for passive resistance. Soon a division between the Muslims and Hindus threw the country into turmoil. Gandhi swore he would not eat until the violence stopped – and it did. But it led to a hurried partition of Pakistan and India in 1947 – with each being granted independence. Gandhi was openly distraught as he supported both sides. But his position was seen as a betrayal by the Indian Hindus and led to his assassination in 1948.
Gandhi's legacy is one of peace, tolerance, and compromise – one which we fully support in today’s world and in our writing. In our second novel, Homeland Rescued, Adam becomes an arbitrator for three regions of Galtland on the verge of a bloody civil war. His approach follows Gandhi's model. He calls for an end to violence even after he fell victim to violent attacks and detainment, as did Gandhi. Through urging the leaders to ignore their differences and focus on common goals, Adam brings together a once divided nation.
We urge world leaders today to follow the same nonviolent principles of Gandhi. Let us not just tolerate but celebrate differences. As united citizens of the world, let us support uniting principles and put an end to violence around the world.
