Gandhian Non-Violence for Peaceful Co-existence

1. Theme Peace and Co-existence Sub Theme Non-Violence Title Relevance of Gandhian Concept of Non-Violence for Peaceful Co-existence in Globalised World Paper Presentation by Dr Mahalaxmi Krishnan, Sr Lecturer, Dept of Commerce K J Somaiya College of Arts & Commerce, Mumbai Email: m2krishnan@yahoo.com Two Day National Seminar on Peace and Co-existence to be held on 17th and 18th March 2007 at K J Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce, Mumbai

2. Presentation includes… • Introduction • Gains of Gandhian Non-violence • Non-violence as a System • Chemistry of Non-violence • Significance of Non-violence • Methods of Non-violence • Practicing Non-violence • Green Philosophy and Non-violence • Criticism of Non-violence • Conclusions

3. Introduction • History is replete with violence and war • War and violence is resorted to as a means to justify the end • Every religion on earth preaches peace and harmony, but • violent methods are adopted for achieving the goals • Non-violent methods as a tool to gain ascendancy have acquired momentum

4. Scope of the Paper The paper traces • the non-violent movement, and • its relevance in the present context of integrating the world into a global village.

5. Gains of Gandhian Non-violence • Till the time of Gandhiji, the world witnessed either bloody revolutions or violent mass uprisings. • India’s freedom struggle was the first non-violent mass movement in the known history of mankind. • It was a revolutionary development in human history. • It became a model for so many peaceful agitations thereafter.

6. Gains of Gandhian Non-violence Examples • British gave up India after non-violent struggle led by Gandhi. • Nazis were resisted non-violently by Danes and other occupied nations of Europe in World War II • Blacks in US got civil rights thro non-violence in 1960s • Polish workers used strikes in 1980 to organize a free trade union • Filipinos and Chileans used non-violence to bring down dictators in 80s. • South Africa employed boycotts & other sanctions to dismantle apartheid • At the end of 1980s, east Europeans and Mongolians mounted civilian based protests to bring down the governments • Serbs ousted Slobadan Milosevic in 2000 after a non-violent student movement later joined by police and military

7. Non-violence as a System • Non-violence is both a political strategy and moral philosophy that rejects the use of violence in efforts to attain social or political change • Non-violence proclaims other means of popular struggle such as • civil disobedience, • non-violent resistance or • the power of non co-operation combined with persuasion • Historically, mass based

8. Non-violence as a System • The central tenets of non-violent philosophy exist • in each of the major Abrahamic religious traditions (Islam, Judaism and Christianity) • in the major Dharmic religious traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism). • It is also found in many pagan religious traditions • Non-violent movements, leaders and advocates have referred to, drawn from and utilized many diverse religious bases for non-violence within their respective struggles.

9. Chemistry of Non-violence • Non-violent approach to social struggle is a radical departure from conventional thinking on power and conflict • Central to any understanding of non-violent strategic theory is the idea that the power of rulers depends upon the consent of the populace. • Without a bureaucracy, an army or a police force to carry out his or her wishes and the compliance of key sectors of the population, the ruler is powerless. Power, therefore, depends largely on the co-operation of others. Non-violence seeks to undermine the power of rulers through the deliberate withdrawal of this consent and co-operation.

10. Chemistry of Non-violence • Just means lead to just ends • Actions taken in the present inevitably re-shape the social order in like form. • It is fundamentally irrational to use violence to achieve a peaceful society. • Advocates respect and love for opponents

11. Chemistry of Non-violence • Closely associated with spiritual or religious justifications of non-violence, as may be seen in the • Sermon on the Mount when Jesus urges his followers to "love thine enemy," • Taoist concept of wu-wei, or effortless action, • Philosophy of the martial art Aikido, • Buddhist principle of metta, or loving-kindness towards all beings, and • Principle of ahimsa, or non-violence toward any being, shared by Buddhism, Jainism and some forms of Hinduism.

12. Chemistry of Non-violence • Finally, the notion of Satya, or truth, is central to the Gandhian idea of non-violence. • Gandhi saw truth as something that is multifaceted and unable to be grasped in its entirety by any one individual. • We all carry pieces of the truth, he believed, but we need the pieces of others’ truths in order to pursue the greater truth. This led him to believe in the inherent worth of dialogue with opponents, in order to understand motivations. • On a practical level, willingness to listen to another's point of view is largely dependent on reciprocity. In order to be heard by one's opponents, one must also be prepared to listen to others.

13. Significance of Non-violence • Advocates of non-violence draw their preference either from religious or ethical beliefs, or from political analysis. • The first justification is referred to as principled or ethical non-violence, • while the second is known as pragmatic or strategic. • Commonly, both these dimensions may be present within the thinking of particular movements or individuals. • In the west, non-violence has been used extensively by the labor, peace, environment and women's movements, that is, sectors without mainstream political power. • Non-violence is undermining repressive regimes

14. Methods of Non-violence Non-violent actions generally comprises 3 categories viz., • Acts of Protest and Persuasion, including protest marches, vigils, public meetings and tools such as banners, placards, candles, flowers and the like, • Non-cooperation, the deliberate and strategic refusal to co-operate with an injustice; and • Non-violent Intervention, the deliberate and often physical intervention into a perceived unjust event, such as blockades, occupations, sit-ins, hunger strike, public demonstration, go-slow, etc.

15. Methods of Non-violence There are 3 applications of non-violent actions, viz., • social defense (as in protection of a neighborhood or country from outside invaders); • social change (its most known form, for advocating either reform or revolutionary changes); and • third-party non-violent intervention.

16. Practicing Non-violence • Practicing non-violence goes deeper than withholding from violent behavior or words. • It means caring in one's heart for everyone, even those one strongly disagrees with, that is who are antithetical or opposed. • Caring for those who are not practicing non-violence, who are violent. • This is one of the great personal challenges posed by non-violence - once one believes in non-violence in theory, how can the person live it? • Gandhi is one classic example of how one lived and breathed and preached non-violence with a passion. One has to study his life to understand the full import of non-violence.

17. Green Philosophy and Non-violence • Non-violence or passive resistance is core to green philosophy. • Greens believe that society should reject the current patterns of violence and embrace non-violence. • Green Philosophy draws heavily on Gandhian philosophy, which advocate measures to avoid escalation of violence, while not cooperating with those who commit violence. • Greens are opposed to nuclear weapons, environmental degradation • While Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes, the Gandhian concept of Non-violence on the other hand is all encompassing, embracing peaceful methods for overcoming any kind of injustice to mankind.

18. Criticism of Non-violence • Non-violence and pacifism are attempts to impose the morals of the bourgeoisie upon the proletariat • Violence is a necessary accompaniment to revolutionary change, • Right to self-defense is fundamental. • Human nature is innately selfish • Non-violence tends to be a slow, gradual means of achieving political change, and thus the connection between action and effect is less apparent than for violence

19. Conclusion • There is a mistaken impression that history-making political changes require violent behavior. • There is a mistaken belief that violence is the ultimate or even the exclusive form of power, in conflicts with dictators, invaders and other rights-violating rulers. • But the truth is that over the last hundred years, bloody tyrants and even military forces have been neutralized and overcome through the use of strategic non-violent conflict. • There is a growing awakening to the realization that non-violent campaigns usually produce democratic results, which in turn contribute to lasting peace. This is likely to change the nature of peacemaking itself. It addresses the peoples’ aspirations for genuine self rule and democracy.

20. Conclusion • Mahatma Gandhi formulated the ethic of non-violence in his own way, basing it on the principle of ahimsa and the law of passive resistance. • Gandhi was able to organize an anti-colonial movement uniting Indians. • Satyagraha without recourse to violence • Massive and sustained civil disobedience against and non-cooperation with the British authorities • People called Gandhi, a Mahatma, for his valor and steadfast adherence to the principle of non-violence. This prepared the ground for Great Britain to relinquish its dominance in India.

21. Conclusion • Gandhi involved common people in national movement. • He “revolutionalised” freedom struggle by bringing alienated Indian women. • He realized that India lives in its villages. They are the most neglected lot and exploited under feudal colonial economy for so many centuries. • He gave the clarion call for the awakening of the Indian villages. He was an ardent fighter against inequality, oppression, injustice, violence and all other social evils. • He regarded his political work as part of his ethical philosophy. He believed and propagated that the ultimate aim of political work is social change and service to humanity.

22. Conclusion • Today world is moving towards borderless state. • The cold war has ended but even in the uni-polar world, there is unrest in large parts with people fighting for freedom and democracy. • While some parts are enmeshed in war, there are several non-violent conflicts and nascent civilian based movements that may lead to regime changes, new democracies and greater social justice to millions of people. • The Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi is leading a longtime non-violent movement against the brutal military dictatorship in Burma.

23. Conclusion • The war today is both on political and economic fronts like arms control, the WTO agreement, etc. • The idea of disarmament, anti-war sentiments and movement for peaceful co-existence among nations are gaining momentum and this is steeply influenced by the Gandhian Philosophy of love, compassion, respect, understanding, appreciation and non-violence. • Gandhi said that no one can gain anything ultimately from violence and war. • Human greed and lust for luxury would destroy the world while non-violent co-existence would bring lasting peace and happiness. <>

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