Mohandas Gandhi, the outstanding figure in modern Indian history, was born in 1869 in a village north of Bombay on the Arabian Sea. His father was a government official who presided over an extended family with strict Hindu practices. Gandhi studied law in England, and after failing to establish a legal practice in Bombay, he moved to South Africa in 1893 to serve the area’s large Indian population.In South Africa, he became incensed over the laws that discriminated against Indians, many of whom were indentured servants employed by whites or petty Indian merchants. During his struggle to improve the lot of South Africa’s Indian population, Gandhi developed this theory of satyagraha, usually translated in English as “soul force.” Satyagraha sought justice not through violence but through love, a willingness to suffer, and conversion of the oppressor. Central to his strategy was nonviolent resistance: Gandhi’s followers disobeyed unjust laws and accepted the consequences—even beatings and imprisonment—to reach the hearts of the British and change their thinking.
Gandhi first wrote about his theories of satyagraha in 1908 after meeting with a group of Indians in England who favored force to oust the British. In response, he composed a pamphlet, “Hind Swaraj,” or “Indian Home Rule,” in which he explained his theory of nonresistance and his doubts about the benefits of modern civilization. Written in the form of a dialogue between a reader and an editor (Gandhi), “Indian Home Rule” was printed in hundreds of editions and still serves as the best summary of Gandhi’s philosophy. You can pull up the full text by clicking here, but I would like you to specifically read chapters 6, 10, 13, and 17 (don't worry, they're short).
After reading the document excerpts, I would like you to consider and discuss the following: What does Gandhi see as the major deficiency of modern civilization? How, according to Gandhi, has civilization specifically affected women? Why does Gandhi have faith that Hindus and Muslims will be able to live in peace in India? What, according to Gandhi, is true civilization, and what is India’s role in preserving it? What leads Gandhi to his conviction that love is stronger than force? Why did Gandhi’s attack on civilization gain him support among the Indian masses? Compare Gandhi’s view of progress with that of Condorcet. On what points do the two men disagree?
10 comments:
Ghandi lists many different situations in which civlization is immoral. Of them being machinery, weaponry, mass production, and suplus in wealth. All of these things are relatied to one another. Machinery is the basis of civilization. Machinery induces mass production. Mass production readily provides privilages to man. Privilages include steam engines, weapons, and motor vehicles. Steam engines allow for faster and more efficient farming which leads to surplus in wealth. Steam engines and motor vehicles provide fast transportation. Mass produced weapons lead to mass death of humans.
In the end of the chapter, Ghandi explains that this is not an incurable disease, and society doesn't have bad intentions by industrializing nations. Therefore, Ghandi still respects them, but Ghandi wishes to bring peace to the world by ending all of these evils.
Ghandi says that civilization is immoral even if we think we have bodily comforts because those bodily comforts lead to worse activities.
Ghandi says that women that are supposed to be queens of the households are wandering in the streets or slaving away in factories. This shows that he thinks women are having their safety and rights taken away.
He thinks that europeans were the true creators of the enimosty b/w muslims and hindus because they didn't want india to unite against them. but they have already united for a same wanting. Nationalism is going to keep them together to keep their country safe, and if they stood up against the british together then they will stay together.
True civilization to Gandhi is the mode of conduct which points out to man the path of duty and morality. To have good conduct.
Love is of the soul and truth and so forcing upon the soul anf truth will not be able to move it.
I watched his movie during the summer and is just an amazing person who was fighting for free civilations by even going on long fasts. He was truly one of the best pioneers of world history.
I liked what Ghandi had to say about relgions. I admire that through out these pages he makes reference to BOTH religions (Hindus and Musilims) therefore, never really revealing which one he actually practices.
I also want to quote him on his thoughts about the constant bickering and fighting against the 2 MAIN parties in one country.
A country is one nation only when such a condition obtains in it. That country must have a faculty for assimilation, India has ever been such a country. In reality there are as many religions as there are individuals; but those who are conscious of the spirit of nationality do not interfere with one another's religion. If they do, they are not fit to be considered a nation. If the Hindus believe that India should be peopled only by Hindus, they are living in dreamland. The Hindus, the Mohammedans, the Parsis and the Christians who have made India their country are fellow countrymen, and they will have to live in unity, if only for their own interest. In no part of the world are one nationality and one religion synonymous terms; nor has it....
Money and luxury is the disease he speaks of, and how "civilized" people become corrupt by it. "Civilization" has affected the Europeans and is not a good thing. He does not like that women work out of households, in factories, etc. and thinks they should be queen of the households.
The two religions will have peace because because although they are different they can be tolerant of each other and having a common nationalism quality will bring them together.
True civilization is having good behavior and morals.
Woah! I love his thoughts on peace! Those who choose to do something one way will die that way. Fighting leads only to more fighting unless someone decides not to fight. If you follow your concience, (soul force) then all will be well.
One thing that i thought was interesting in these documents was the intense and harsh fighting between the muslims and the Hindus. what is suprising is the fact the Ghandhi blames the britsh for their fighting, which is ultimatly true. It is sad but i like how Gandhi believes that they can triumph over this and become a "united India". I also really admire the fact that Gandhi truly honors women and wants Europeans to treat them like the queen of the household like they should be. It is important, because he thinks that Europe is doing and living all wrong, and India is live the right way!
geesh, haven't blogged in a while, sorry prill!!
anyways, Gandhi makes a good point. this also clears up a lot of stuff from the movie. i always thought his whole "home-spun clothing" thing was some random idea he had, but being as smart as he is, he did have a reason.
i liked his thinking too, about how industrialization causes today's problems. guess it ties into that whole "no good deed goes unpunished" way of thinking huh? I also loved his views on equallity, be it women or religion. i mean, he even kinda wanted equality for the ppl he hated just because it would be unfair if he didn't want that. Gandhi's just one of those ppl who will always do the right thing. India was lucky to have him. Yay Gandhi!!
Ghandi believed that civilaization was just simply immoral. He belived that each civilization just have no physical or mental strength and that they cant really stand up for themselves. Also, he talks about how women were basically getting there status in society raised but at the same time not...i think.He thinks that the real reason that Muslim and Hindus dont like eachother is becuase what they have been tuaght.
HE thinks society is immoral due to all the worldly things we have. He also shinks that woman should be more important and treated much better.
I think his ideas on peaceful protest are very wise and are the best way of getting freedom
Ghandi talks about how women are slaving away in the factories when they should be at the home working so i think he cares about womens saftey in a sense.
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