The Power of Nonviolence: Ghandi, Martin Luther King and Dalai Lama

"People try nonviolence for a week, and when it 'doesn't work' they go back to violence, which hasn't worked for centuries." Nonviolence has become increasingly popular due to its effectiveness, and some people even treat it as a way of life. Gandhi is one of those people who lived by this theory. Even through the harshest of times he never responded with violence. Mohandas Gandhi’s reliable theory of nonviolence helped to repeal the Black Act in South Africa, bring independence to India, and influence other nations.

As a result of being thrown off of a train in South Africa, Gandhi’s eyes were opened to racism. Through this realization of how unfairly specific races were being treated, he decided to stand up to the government. One of the issues that needed to be tackled was the Black Act. This required all Indians to get fingerprinted and keep registration papers on them at all times. To oppose this act Gandhi gathered followers and used a method of resistance known as forceful nonviolence. Thousands of Indians refused to get fingerprinted, and mass protests were held at documentation offices. There was also the case when Gandhi gathered everyone’s passes and burned them as a protest. Many Indians were beaten, shot, and arrested for peacefully resisting the government. However, the Black Act was repealed after seven years of protest. This proved that nonviolent resistance could be surprisingly useful.

In July 1914, Gandhi returned to India. The British ruled India at this time, and Indians were subject to discrimination in their own country. Gandhi immediately began using his influence to help destitute farmers negotiate lower rents. Doing this helped him gather even more followers. Mass protests were then organized, but wit...

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...e talks with Mao Zedong and other leaders, the Dalai Lama was eventually exiled from the country and escaped to India. Hundreds of thousands of followers have still come to visit him from all over the world. He may not have been successful with his resistance against China, but many look at him as hope for a peaceful future.

It is incredible how one man changed nations with a simple belief. Nonviolence has proved itself time and time again to be the correct logical solution when a problem arises, large or small. Hopefully, other countries adopt this way of thinking in the near future to avoid unnecessary chaos. Nonviolence has a domino like effect, when one person builds up the courage to resist others quickly follow, and before you know it there are thousands of supporters. As long as this theory remains effective it will continue to influence people worldwide.