View of A HISTORICAL SURVEY ON SOCIO-POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY OF MAHATMA GANDHI THOUGHTS

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Vol. 05,Special Issue 02, (IC-IRSHEM-2020) February 2020, Available Online: www.ajeee.co.in/index.php/AJEEE

A HISTORICAL SURVEY ON SOCIO-POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY OF MAHATMA GANDHI THOUGHTS

Dr. Nivedita Kumari

Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Doranda College (RU)

Abstract - M. Gandhi become a distinguished determine within the realm of peace and humanism. He performed a noteworthy role within the movement of peace and freedom. He bestowed a variety of ideas regarding socio-political dimension. Gandhi‟s ideas are basically philosophical in nature as he became inspired through various notable philosophers of the world. Gandhi generated thoughts to create a superb trade in society. We collect new ideas by way of studying his idea. No question, he was a social engineer who attempted to build a new human society where each person can live peacefully. In case of social trade Gandhi continually attempted to set up a welfare kingdom by using non-violence and truth. His remaining dream become sarvodaya, approach welfare to all. Consistent with him, we cannot advantage anything through violent way. Due to the fact violence brings destruction;

however non-violence does no longer. Non-violence and fact assist us to purify our soul.

M.Okay. Gandhi continually attempted to convey a social change through peaceful manner, which contributes plenty in expertise the energy of truthfulness, love and affection.

Retaining these views in mind this paper is an try to understand the socio-political philosophy of M. Ok. Gandhi and its relevance.

Keyword: M. K. Gandhi, socio-political philosophy, non-violence, reality, satyagraha, and sarvodaya.

1. INTRODUCTION

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) has been regarded as one of the greatest man of our instances who continues to initiate the hobby of scholars as well as commonplace guy. Gandhi led the maximum giant nationalist warfare of 20th century in India. He emphasized the need for a ethical basis in mass politics. Gandhi concerned Indians in nonviolent struggles against British imperialism, untouchability and communal discord and for that reason conceptualized the need and the practicability of the applications of morale to mass politics. Gandhi‟s political techniques added approximately radical modifications in the Indian countrywide Congress that extended its sphere of influences to not unusual masses. Gandhi also prepared the human beings round local issues viz., mass movements in Champaran, Kheda and Ahmedabad. Describing the role of Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru opined, “Gandhiji knew India a ways better than we did, and a man who may want to command such exquisite devotion and loyalty should have something in him that corresponded to the desires and aspirations of the hundreds” (Nehru 1941; 254-55).

Gandhi stays the undisputed leader who seemed to have swayed hundreds with air of mystery and magical power. Similarly to this, Gandhi himself wrote drastically in Indian Opinion, younger India, Harijan etc. At the problems of present day relevance and his articulation is obvious and simple. In this regard Gandhi changed into motivated via many humans – lay as well as enlightened one ranging from residence-maid Rambha to eminent thinker and creator Tolstoy which was admitted by way of himself in his autobiography The tale of My experiments with fact. Although Gandhi become pretty critical to state-of-the-art and lustful aspects of modern-day western civilization yet he admitted, “i have not anything to feel embarrassment about if my perspectives on ahimsa are the end result of my Western training” (Gandhi: 1976; 109).

2. METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

The existing state of affairs of disarray in international affairs creates a want for revising of Gandhian philosophy for brand new generations. Gandhi isn't an educational philosopher.

On the maximum he was inquisitive about human affairs in all respects. Gandhi is properly aware about each Indian philosophy and western notion. He turned into deeply motivated by way of Tolstoy, Ruskin, Emerson and Thoreau. Gandhi‟s social and political philosophy is multidimensional in person. Though the essence of it's miles derived from India‟s civilization, its real evolution was formed by means of his reports in South Africa and elsewhere. His social and political ideas have been the final results of his engagement with

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problems of India‟s unusual socio-financial circumstances. The complete Gandhian philosophy stands at the bedrock of „truth‟, which, to him, become now not a mere philosophical conviction, but a realistic factor. In keeping with Gandhi, unless means are sincere the end cannot be justified. He believed that if the ethical tone isn't always the guiding spirit in the realm of politics then the skeleton that is left in it'll be useless; without moral experience of values, politics has no foundation. To Gandhi, religion need to play an essential function in politics; and, thus, Gandhi spiritualized the mass politics in India. He turned into a progressive within the feel that he geared toward converting positive social and political structures but the manner he followed were not the standard violent strategies associated with revolutions. He provided a package of alternatives to humanity. He insisted on nonviolence to violence; persuasion and reconciliation to end hostilities; trusteeship to end economic injustice; development of the lot of the depressed sections by using abolishing factors that perpetrate social iniquities; ending guy‟s tyranny on nature by means of respecting nature as the protector of human race; and proscribing one‟s wants. Gandhi launched actions simultaneously not simplest towards the British rule; but additionally against the atrocious social structures, customs, norms and values. Hence, Gandhian philosophy is appeared neither only political nor certainly social, but a complex combination of the two (Chakrabarty & Pandey: 2009; forty three).

Keeping the above perspectives in mind, this paper is an try to understand the sociopolitical philosophy of M. Ok. Gandhi. It endeavours to examine some of the primary principles of Gandhian philosophy such as ahimsa, satyagraha and sarvodaya and its realities and relevance inside the gift context. Both descriptive and analytical strategies are used in reading the information accumulated from writings and perspectives of Gandhi from distinctive sources, reference books, magazines and journals.

3. GANDHI ON AHIMSA

Gandhi‟s complete philosophical conviction rests on ahimsa. Ahimsa literally approach non-harm and hence non-killing that is translated as non-violence. Non-violence is love without attachment. It's miles strength with out ill-feeling and inaction. It is tolerance without fear and peace without being cowardly. It's far a way of lifestyles, with out all extremes of passions like anger, enmity, delight and ache. Ahimsa is in no way static however ever converting, embracing all aspects of human life (George 1973: 6; Kumar 2010:

forty five). Gandhi is the pioneer in applying ahimsa for the answer of daily troubles. He made it a challenge of life to look that the ethical approach receives its proper area and ll the members of the family and sports are carried on the idea of this well-known doctrine.

Gandhi redefined the which means of non-violence. For him, ahimsa meant “each passive and energetic love, refraining from inflicting damage and destruction to residing beings as well as positively selling their well-being”( Parekh 1999: 130; Chakrabraty & Pandey: 44).

This indicates that by means of non-violence, Gandhi did not mean merely „non-harm‟ to others that turned into a trifling negative or passive connotation; rather, it had also a fantastic which means of love and charity. Gandhi argued:

…in its poor paperwork, (ahimsa) method now not injuring any residing being whether by frame or thoughts. I might not, consequently, hurt the person of any wrong-doer or endure any sick-will to him and so motive him intellectual struggling.

In its high quality form, ahimsa means the most important love, the best charity. If i'm a follower of ahimsa, I must love my enemy or a stranger to me as i'd my wrong- doing father or son. This active ahimsa necessarily covered truth and fearlessness (Gandhi: 1916; Iyer 1973: 179-eighty; Chakrabraty & Pandey: 44).

Consequently, Gandhi defined ahimsa in two contrasting methods: on the only hand, in its narrow experience, it truely method avoidance of acts of harming others; whilst in its tremendous feel, it denoted promoting their well-being, based totally on „infinite love‟.

So, to signify ahimsa as simply “noninjury‟ to others became not appropriate within the feel Gandhi understood the term and articulated its feel. In its effective connotation ahimsa is, as Jawaharlal Nehru puts, “a positive and dynamic methods of movement” and “a powerful weapon of compulsion exercised inside the most civilized and least objectionable way”

(Nehru 1941: 540)”. To Gandhi, ahimsa was based totally on maximum ethical values, epitomized in „the unselfish self‟. He in addition asserted that non-violence isn't a protection of the weak however a weapon of the strong. Gandhi firmly believed that non-

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violence protects the self recognize and forestalls from immoral acts. For him truth became the goal and non-violence turned into the manner. In Gandhi‟s test of satyagraha, ahimsa enables him to provide a new conceptions of anti-colonial politics with the aid of absolutely averting unwell-emotions toward the ones in competition, however he changed into very cautious as he places “ahimsa with me is a creed, the breath of life. It's far (however) in no way as a creed that I region it earlier than India or, for that remember, before any on…”

(Gandhi, quoted in Pantham 1987: 302-03). Thus, Gandhi had positioned ahimsa before the congress as a political weapon to be hired for the answer of realistic problems.

4. GANDHI ON SATYAGRAHA

Just like the doctrine of non-violence, the concept of satyagraha has were given very complete connotations. Literally it manner retaining at the truth. It denotes the technique of securing rights by using self suffering; it is opposed to resistance by means of hands.

Subsequently, it is not simply a passive resistance but severe interest by the people. For Gandhi, Satyagraha become the effective weapon of the nonviolent conflict. It is a form of ethical strain for the sake of truth. Gandhi‟s philosophy of satyagraha is a herbal final results of the ideally suited concept of fact. Its exercise requires selfdiscipline and readiness to bear all kinds of sufferings. Gandhi used this weapon in his South African experiment and the agitation in opposition to the Rowlatt Act. He additionally referred to as it love- pressure. Gandhi endorsed a few conditions for the achievement of satyagraha – (i) the satyagrahi need to not have any hatred in his coronary heart against the opponent; (ii) the issue need to be real and good sized; and (iii) the styagrahi ought to be organized to go through till the quit of his cause (Harijan, 31-03-1946: 64; quoted in Kumar: seventy eight).

The satyagrahi ought to stand for the simply purpose without the usage of violence. If violence is exercised the simply cause is defeated. He need to exclude using violence in any shape or shape whether in thought, speech or deed. Satyagraha cannot be resorted for non- public advantage however simplest for the coolest of others. The technique of satyagraha may be categorized into 4 classes – purification; kinds of non-cooperation; techniques of civil disobedience; and the constructive programme.

To Gandhi, satyagraha means prepared resistance and civil disobedience of „unjust legal guidelines‟ or „unjust authorities‟. An individual has the moral proper to disobey and oppose a political authority which has ceased to be moral. A satyagrahi is normally a regulation abiding citizen. It's miles simplest while a regulation or a kingdom is so patently unjust and stands in opposition to „truth‟, after which an person acquires the right to withstand the regulation of the state. Hence, the satyagraha was the doctrine of the robust and courageous and a satyagrahi is a torch bearer of fact which gave him energy and braveness to face any threat that may are available in his manner. Gandhi followed it as a method in the course of his involvement in the Indian countrywide movement that became non-violent in nature. On this regard Gandhi argued, „we do not preference to make armed attacks at the administrators, nor to u.S.A. Them from electricity, however handiest to remove injustice‟ (Gandhi 1971: 523; Pandey & Chakrabraty: 46). The approach of satyagraha is rational, religious and metaphysical. But, it's far very difficult and even not possible to comprehend it in exercise. Greater importantly it is towards the human temperament and behavior and won't be relevant in all conditions.

5. GANDHI ON SARVODAYA

Every other noteworthy guideline changed into sarvodaya on which Gandhi attached exceptional significance. In essence sarvodaya manner the uplift of all and welfare of all. It's miles a social concept for it lays emphasis on society and its development. Gandhi used the phrase sarvodaya for the first time in his autobiography and gave Gujarati translation of sarvodaya to John Ruskin‟s „Unto This remaining‟. Gandhi used the term as the perfect of his personal political philosophy. The sarvodaya includes the values of freedom, equality, justice and fraternity and opposes the state machinery. Gandhi stated that nation is an device of coercion and exploitation and based totally on force and prepared violence; whilst sarvodaya seeks to replace the politics of energy by means of the politics of cooperation. It ensures exact lifestyles to all in every sphere of life – social, economic, political and tradition. Sarvodaya shuns violence as it breeds counter violence. There's additionally a distinction between sarvodaya and socialism though each trust in social equality. The

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former rests on fact and non-violence and objectives at setting up a regime making sure liberty, equality and justice thru love and non-violence. Gandhi lays strain at the values of person and social life that socialism strives to reap and make the idea of a brand new civilization.

To Ruskin, there's no difference of honour and human dignity for the wages of labourers, a center elegance guy and a person from the better rank; and Gandhi additionally expressed the same view. According to Gandhi, sarvodaya implies (i) that the best of the person is contained inside the precise of all; (ii) that a labourer‟s work has the same values because the barber‟s in as lots as all have the same right of incomes their livelihood for his or her paintings; and (iii) that a existence of a labour, i.E., the existence of the tiller of the soil and handicraftsman, is the lifestyles well worth living (Gandhi 1976:

124). Gandhi resolved to use those standards into exercise. Sarvodaya stands as a technique to the social, political and financial trouble. It is a humanistic and idealistic idea related with the development of the society wherein man is a part and parcel. It seeks to redeem and reform the character and society (Kumar: 63). Sarvodaya makes guy to be conscious of his responsibilities and enables to set up an order inside the society. It's far steady with non-violence which asserts „live so that you can assist others live‟. On the premise of this conviction Gandhi aimed toward organising an excellent society wherein guys of different castes should meet and live as brothers. But, the idea of sarvodaya regarded to be unrealistic and utopian, which assumes the individual to be an epitome of virtues. In addition, the sarvodaya view regarding the nation as „an device of coercion‟ is being criticized; because a democratic state can function an tool to promote material nicely- being of the human beings.

6. CONCLUSION

Certainly, Gandhi‟s social and political philosophy becomes a innovative one which is applicable and legitimate till these days. Gandhi‟s social and political doctrine changed into not only directed towards the country, it had also social and monetary thrusts applicable to and drawn on human nature. In assessment to constitutional and extremist strategies of political mobilization, Gandhi‟s philosophy changed into a especially authentic and creative conceptualization of social change and political action. He now not only creatively defined the character of the warfare for freedom, but additionally furnished a well-designed shape for political mobilization. His philosophy become extremely humane and creative in handling disagreements and conflicts concerning the ruler and the dominated, and additionally the various socio-economically beneath privileged lessons. What is most distinct in Gandhi‟s conceptualization turned into the significance of rational dialogue and persuasion. There may be no denying of the fact that Gandhi was deep-rooted in his cultural and non secular traditions. The phenomenal fulfillment Gandhi registered inside the a long way away South Africa, combating for human rights and civil liberties and later the adoption of the Gandhian techniques, if not completely, with the aid of Nelson Mandela and the following revelations made via the previous South African President Mr. De Klerk that he turned into also encouraged by way of Gandhi in adopting the path of reconciliation and forgiveness, actually show that Gandhi had now not spent many years in South Africa in vain. Inside the American continent, Martin Luther King‟s heroic combat for civil liberties on the Gandhian lines and his very own admission that it became from Gandhi that he learnt his operational approaches also is not an remoted example of the relevance of the Gandhian procedures. Consequently, Gandhi changed into basically a person of movement and committed himself to the remarkable venture of the transformation of the Indian society according with the social vision he had. The ideas he developed have been conditioned by his enjoy, perception, education and the lessons acquired from top notch students like Leo Tolstoy and John Ruskin. While the modern man is faced with issues like environmental pollutants, dehumanization and alienation; and there is no get away from hatred, violence and battle the international locations want to use Gandhian philosophy.

Although the techniques carried out with the aid of Gandhi cannot be done definitely in content material and spirit in the present context; yet Gandhi‟s willpower to reality, non- violence and justice, his braveness and conviction, his ethical fibre to face problems, his difficulty for downtrodden and his great confidence in humanities make his social and political philosophy applicable until nowadays.

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REFERENCES

1. Chakrabarty, B. & Pandey, R.K. 2009. Modern Indian Political Thought. Sage Publications, New Delhi.

2. Gandhi, M.K. 1971. Satyagraha – Not Passive Resistance, in Collective Works of Mahatma Gandhi. Vol.

13. The Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, New Delhi.

– Gandhi, M.K. 1976. The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad.

– Gandhi’s letter in Modern Review, October 1916, reproduced in Chakrabarty, B. & Pandey, R.K.

2009, ibid.

3. George, K. 1973. Ahimsa – Gautama to Gandhi. Sterling Publishers, New Delhi.

4. Iyer, R. 1973. The Moral and Political Thought of Mahatma Gandhi. Oxford University Press, New Delhi.

5. Kumar, C.V. 2010. Gandhi: Humanistic Model. Aknsha Publishing House, New Delhi.

6. Nehru, Jawaharlal. 1941. An Autobiography. London: John Lane, The Bodley Head.

7. Pantham, T. 1987. Practical Discourse and Gandhi’s Satyagraha, in B. Parekh and T. Panthan (ed), Political Discourse: Explorations in Indian and Western Political Thought, Sage Publications, New Delhi.

8. Parekh, B. 1999. Colonialism, Tradition and Truth: An Analysis of Gandhi’s Political Discourse, Sage Publications, New Delhi.

9. Harijan (various issues)