Influences of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi is recognized as being the ‘father’ of India. Both his spiritual and political beliefs have been an inspiration to many people, not only in India but in many countries throughout the world.
His beliefs held that non violent protest or passive resistance were a far more effective method of demonstrating against any form of injustice rather than displays of violence He was a Hindu from birth until his death in 1948, but he taught that God could be reached by any path by a true believer in a higher power.
Gandhi was educated in London were he became a lawyer, and later tried to establish a law practice in his native India. Not achieving any degree of success he joined a law firm in South Africa, soon discovering that the existing Indian population in that country was subjected to much racial discrimination.
Such were the strengths of the man that the influences of Mahatma Gandhi rapidly surfaced and he successfully led a peaceful protest against the South African authorities resulting in a satisfactory settlement with the South African government.
His strong beliefs relating to non violence insisted that this kind of passiveness should be practiced by all levels of society including government, police, military, and the populace at large. He advocated that any conflicts which existed within a democracy could be settled by peaceful negotiation and dreamt that his type of non violence demonstration should become common place throughout global society.
The beliefs of Mahatma Gandhi had a profound influence on Dr. Martin Luther King in the USA who led the civil rights movement in that country, achieving civil liberties and equality for all US citizens. During 1986 the people of the Philippines followed in the footsteps of Gandhi and brought about a totally non violent demonstration which ousted the Dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his wife from power, and brought about a complete change in the country towards democracy.
Even today 60 years after the death of this great thinker his thoughts still promote non violence, justice, equality, and peace.
Written by admin on September 9, 2011 under Influence by Theme.
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