Gandhi

Gandhi


     On October 2, 1869, the “little brown saint” was brought into the world;

during this time India was under the British monarchy.  During his early years

he did not show the signs of developing into the great leader that he eventually

became but nevertheless Gandhi aspired to be a lawyer, follow in the footsteps

of his father and become a respected member of the community.  Throughout his

life Gandhi fought against colour prejudice, promoted religious harmony and

toiled laboriously to gain independence for his country.


     Gandhi was a great man who brought about many changes all over the world

but especially in India.  His means of bringing about change and the effect he

had on people made him a respected and loved individual.


     Gandhi travelled to South Africa for the first time in the summer of

1892, to try his luck at a law firm.  He was not aware of how deeply he would be

involved in South African affairs while he proceeded  on his journey.  Indians

in South Africa suffered many disabilities.  For instance, an Indian “had to

carry a pass if he appeared on the streets after 9 p.m.”(Pg. 24).  Gandhi felt

this was completely unfair and by the time he had finished his campaign against

colour prejudice in South Africa, “the three pound tax on farm indentured

labourers was annulled, Hindu, Muslim and Parsi marriages were declared valid;

free Indians and their wives could continue to come into the country from India”

(Pg. 47-48). Gandhi achieved this status for Indians in South Africa by a method

called “Satyagraha” or “passive resistance”.  This involved a non-violent means

of refusing to co-operate with the government’s wishes, thus forcing the

government to meet the demands of the resistors.  This method of nonco-operation

earned Gandhi a great deal of respect, world-wide acclaim and helped him

considerably reduce legalized racism against Indians in South Africa.


     Gandhi was a very patriotic man and believed that people in his country

should become one in unity, but he knew that there were obstacles that had to be

overcome.  One of the hardest of these obstacles was easing Muslim and Hindu

tensions.  Religious tension was one aspect that Gandhi felt he should try to

bring to an equilibrium.  He knew that the relations between Hindus and Muslims

would determine the future of India.  He wrote a “6,000 word article on ‘Hindu-

Muslim Tension.  Its Cause and Cure’”(Pg. 36).  Gandhi did not feel that this

was enough and was assured of it when he heard about “Hindu-Muslim riots (and)

the forcible kidnapping and conversion of women and children from one religious

community by men of the other” (Pg. 49).  The situation, as Gandhi, concluded

were getting out of hand and so he decided that he needed another means of

communicating with his fellow man.  He fasted, abstained from eating, “to reform

those who loved him.  (He said) ‘you cannot fast against a tyrant for (he) is

incapable of love therefore inaccessible to a weapon of love like fasting”(Pg.

23).  Gandhi made up his mind to fast either until death or until reform.  This

was enough to bring instantaneous results and soon riots ceased and there were

weeks without religiously motivated killings or demonstrations.  Gandhi’s ploy

had worked.  People all over the world admired the “Mahatma” (father) and his

methods of controlling a whole population by their love for him.  This was one

stepping stone which had been safely passed and no longer posed a threat to

India.


     Throughout his life Gandhi always pondered ways to better the lives of

others.  He puThis is ONLY a preview of the article. If you would like to view the entire document, you must subscribe to Electronic References. Please register below now!


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