Mohandas K. Gandhi: liv, virke og ikke-vold

Gandhi (1869-1948), also called "Mahatma" ( "great soul"), Indian freedom fighter, socialreformator, probably the most important individual in shaping a theory and practice of nonviolence (hindi: 'ahimsa') through its' satyagraha 'method (hindi: "sticking to the truth"). Gandhi belongs to the relatively few who turns equally strong against both direct and structural violence (see Violence) in his struggle for nonviolent forms of struggle against colonial exploitation between countries (especially England in India, and children against Indians in South Africa), against cities exploitation of the peasantry, against class and caste society's exploitation of the lowest in society (in India, the untouchables, "harijans" - "children of God"), against male exploitation of women. Gandhi's ideal society was based on numerous small, self-sustaining units (especially villages) were able to support themselves; populated by persons with a minimum of property - a goat, a spinning wheel and some palm trees - to keep himself alive in an emergency ; where people of different sex and caste are working side by side. Gandhi was in favor of a horizontal caste society with any professional from birth, where all the throws are equal and act as a trade union, which protects against the competition and further relieve the man of choice of occupation, just as humans are exempt from sex selection. Gandhi's method was a combination of non-cooperation and civil disobedience with constructive work. The method is complicated compared to, for example. the western working class's main weapon: the strike. Gandhi would, for example, boycotting British textiles, but not to hit British workers, merchants or Indian grocers. The aim was not to force them to abandon the economic dominance of India through to plunge them into distress - even Gandhi organized a fundraising for them - but to get the Indians to rebuild its own textile crafts. So to rely on its own strength. It is difficult to give an accurate assessment of Gandhi's life and work, even 50 years after he was killed by the more orthodox Hindu, Gods, which, incidentally, in his defense emphasized that India needed was a modern nation state, which could put themselves in respect, based on proper political institutions with the power struggle inwards and outwards to, not Gandhi's moralism and traditionalism. Gods killed so Gandhi from a philosophy that lay close to Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter, Indira Gandhi, politics. The speech was long kept secret. India was free, not least thanks to Gandhi and his countless fans, and not least thanks to a 'soul force', spiritual force that had its effect on the British. Anyway after they had been weakened by World War II. But it was a divided India. Muslims left the country in large quantities to form Pakistan, and it was India who were in favor of industrialization and urbanization, rather than a substantive one, and spiritually rich life in the villages. Caste system and gender relations changed anything. Probably in part thanks to Gandhi's efforts, but in the long run is not nearly as much as he had hoped. And poverty increased. It is not diminished. Much of this can be said that because Gandhi did not put enough emphasis on capitalism. He was even from a large merchant caste. The comparison with Mao close. They resemble each other in their faith in the peasants as bearers of the new society, on the constructive action as part of the struggle, the small, self-sustaining units. However, Mao wanted to destroy the capitalist / bureaucratic framework; Gandhi's analysis and practice did not go in that direction. On the other hand, Mao had the advantage that the Chinese community made it possible to create an alliance among the top three groups (except the very top of society): the intellectuals, peasants, craftsmen from the lower merchants. For Gandhi did not: He had the top throw against him, and almost no allies there. With Gandhi's nonviolence activists got their arsenal significantly expanded. A key element in the fight against all forms of violence.