satyagraha tries to see an opponent's point of view, and it is claimed to be successful only when both sides feel that they are winners.
Satyagraha was Gandhi's greatest legacy to mankind. His method proved itself when India gained independence from British.
As part of satyagraha, he promoted civil disobedience campaigns and organized a strike among Indian miners. He was arrested by the British, but his efforts brought important reforms. Gandhi also worked for the British when he felt justice was on their side.
Point 4. Experience brought to India.
At Sabarmati Ashram, in India, he practised voluntary simplicity. Voluntary simplicity means reducing material wants to a minimum and reaping spiritual rewards instead. Gandhi himself served as teacher, cook, nurse, and even scavenger. As a social reformer, he fought for the emancipation of women, the removal of the tradition of Untouchability. He believed that all religions contain some elements of truth.
Gandhi taught that everybody should take part in a democratic system having its roots in villages or neighbourhoods. In speeches and writing used everyday language that was simple to understand.
Gandhi's independence campaigns.
In 1915, Gandhi returned to India from South Africa. Within five years, he became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement.
In 1919, the British imperial government introduced the Rowlatt bills to make it unlawful to organize opposition to the government. Gandhi led a satyagraha campaign that succeeded in preventing passage of one of those bills. The other was never enforced. Gandhi called off the campaign when riots broke out. He then fasted to impress the people with the need to be nonviolent.
Point 5. Turning point.
His belief in the cruelty of imperial rule became more intense after the Amritsar Massacre of April 13, 1919. A British general ordered his men to fire on an unarmed crowd almost 400 Indians were killed. This made Gandhi even more determined to develop satyagraha.
In 1930, Gandhi led hundreds of followers on a 300-kilometre march to the sea, where they made salt from seawater. This was a protest against the Salt Acts, which made it a crime to possess salt not bought from the government.
He was jailed for the last time in 1942. Altogether, he spent seven years in prison for political activity.
Freedom and death.
The United Kingdom granted India freedom in 1947
Gandhi began his last fast. His purpose was to end the bloodshed among Hindu, Muslim, and other groups. On January 18, their leaders pledged to stop fighting and Gandhi broke his fast. Twelve days later, in New Delhi, while on his way to a prayer meeting, Gandhi was assassinated. Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fanatic, who opposed Gandhi's programme of tolerance for all creeds and religions, shot him three times.
Point 7. Summary
Gandhi was one of the foremost political leaders of the 1900's and the Indian people called him Mahatma (Great Soul). Gandhi's life was guided by a search for truth, he helped to free India from British rule by a unique method of non-violent resistance, and is thought of by Indians as the father of their nation. Although Gandhi was small he had great physical and moral strength. He was assassinated by an Indian who resented his programme of tolerance for all creeds and religions. Albert Einstein said "Generations to come will scarcely believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood."
The dominance of British military power severely reduced the independence of some rulers. Others lost their land completely to the British. Those who were allowed to continue as rulers had their foreign policy closely controlled by British political agents, called residents, and were not allowed to keep large armies. The political unity created by the British in India was welcomed by many enlightened Indians. So too were the moves toward social reform, and the institution of European-style education, based on the use of English.
