Gandhi, Satyagraha, and the Western Mind

Gandhi, Satyagraha, and the Western Mind

There is much that can be said about such a great leader like Gandhi. He had many skills that were needed to make a difference in the world. Perhaps the most important quality that he possessed was the attributes of knowledge and common sense. These attributes made him a very levelheaded man who knew how to treat his opponent with respect while stating the issue at hand.

Gandhi achieved many accomplishments throughout his life. Overall, the most significant was that one man could make a difference within his own country that received worldwide recognition. One of the reasons as to why Gandhi was such a success is in order to be a great leader, one must possess a great deal of inner peace. He was very capable of doing so, and in return, the opposing side listened to what this man had to say. The philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi is very different than those of Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X. Gandhi took philosophy to a further level, which allowed people to understand themselves before trying to take on the opposing side.

One of the main terms used in Gandhi's philosophy is Satyagraha, which is the force of truth and love (Chadha, 112). This term can be applied to many different situations. Satyagraha has many different meanings, which is good because it allows people to interpret it in their own way. Webster's dictionary defines Satyagraha as "insisting on" or "the strong and obstinate inclination for" (280). Satyagraha can be used in both political as well as domestic situations. The individual must use his or her inner soul to achieve peacefulness, which is brought on by Satyagraha.

The term Ahisma is the second principle of Gandhi's philosophy, which means "nonvio...

... middle of paper ...

...ndia was able to show to the world that nonviolent resistance can make a difference. It is peaceful and the enemy is able to step back and see what the opposing side is trying to accomplish.

In conclusion, the works of Gandhi were very successful. He was able to prove that the country of India, which was thought not to have power, did indeed possess an enormous amount of power. He showed that this power was different, because India's power did not lie in the use of weapons or money. Rather India's power was found within Satyagraha, the "soul-force" power. What Gandhi accomplished was inspiring and he showed Westerners a new way to deal with conflict. It is very hard to prove a point to another culture with extremely different thoughts and beliefs. Yet it is a great accomplishment to make others acknowledge a new way of resolving conflicts with their enemies.