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G view on state
- "soulless machine"
- harmful
- individualsn cannot develop spiritually
- degenerates, passitivity, dependence
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Swaraj
- self rule
- home rule
- political self determination of nation and of a person
- independent of gov control - foreign or national
- moral authority
- more than freedom from all restraints but SELF rule SELF restraint
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Constructive Programme
- "poorna swaraj"
- complete independence by truthful and non-violent means
- state work in partnership with civic associations
- way of community and self improvement
- structures/systems/processes thay are alternative to alienation
- self suffiency
- regardless of race/colour/creed
- removal of untouchability
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civil disobedience def
- active refusal to obey certain laws or commands of a gov or of an occupying intl power
- used in Gandhi's campaigns for independence from British colonial rule
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non-violence - means and ends
- transformative effects of non violence
- the means affect the ends
- one cannot control ends, but can control means he is pursuing
- one cannot obtain peaceful means through violent ends
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means and ends Creed of Non Violence
"swaraj by nonviolent means can therefore never mean an interval of chaos and anarchy"
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Tolstoy and Gandhian non violence
- philosophy and stategy of social change
- Satyagraha - non violent action/truth force
- non violent action as an alternative to passive acceptance of oppression
- not passive
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Criticisms on non violence
- Trotsky -
- non violence and pacificism are an attemt to impose morals of bourgeoisie upon pro
- Malcom X
- violence is necesssary for revolutionary change
- right to self defence fundamental
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Rebuttal on critics of non violence
- objections based on belief that non-violence has no power
- Orwell - effective in countires with "a free press and right of assembly"
- Gandhi not a pacifist
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Rebuttal: Non Violence "Satyagraha" IS powerful
- action driven through reason and fact
- agitates/draws attention/'problematising' situation
- old patterns of dominance challenged
- demonstrates serious conviction
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Rebuttal: Non Violence "Satyagraha" IS powerful - spiritual reasons
- builds up "spiritual power" - protesters fighting for own experience of truth
- spiritual influence on oppressor
- prompts process of self reflection
- act of love - giving up vengeance, choosing to suffer
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Non Violence "Satyagraha"
- suffering alone not enough for systematic change, has to be led by "truth force"
- a philosophical practise
- within non-violent reistance movement
- goes beyond passive resistence and is a VINDICTION of truth of oneself
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Satyagraha is different from passive resistence
- passive resistence "weapon of the weak"
- Satyagraha "weapon of the strong, admits of no violence and INSISTS upon the truth"
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Truth - crucial in politics
- "Truth is God and God is Truth"
- spiritual, non material - no one person can experience whole truth
- unique
- = dictates non violence as it prevents truth being expressed
- harmful
- SO: RESPECT TRUTH through non violence
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Ahimsa
- "compassion" "not to injure! - do no harm
- Ends: non violence/truth
- Means: Ahimsa
- "Ahimsa is the means and Truth is the end"
- applies to all spheres of life - politics
- crucial for Swaraj
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Critique of Gandhi philosophy - Rothemund
- Against individualism? Emphasis on "good for all", sacrifice, social harmony
- suggests "onslaught of individualism"
- Mallif - constant conflict between humanist (legal state, independence, individualism) and mystic (moral state, group civilisation, unity)
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Critique of Gandhi philosophy - Rothemund critique
- BUT Western dichotomy of the humanism does not do justice with Indian philosophy
- in which individuals could co-exists with ideas of social order
- (gandhi - recognised necessity for coersive laws, basic order)
- G not against European individualism, but how EU civilisation hampers the advancement and spirituality of man
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Critique of Gandhi philosophy - Mantema
- "Another Realism: The Politics of Gandhian Non-violence"
- G perceived to be a spiritual idealist/moralist
- bu Mantema argues his understanding of politics is fundamentally realist
- strategic and pragmatic
- attuned to unintended consequences f violence
- coersion - everyone becomes power seeker
- nature of escalation of conflict
- THUS seeked to constrain adverse consequences of poltics through SATYAGARHA (non violent action)
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