Radical Change Agents Mahatma Gandhi by

Background Information

jbenn6 — 2017-04-03 23:31:08 UTC

Mahatma Gandhi, byname of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Born October 2^nd 1869 in Porbander India, and died January 30^th 1948 in Delhi India.[1] Ghandi is today known as an Indian Leader, but he started out back in India as a lawyer, politician, social activist, and writer who then became the leader of the nationalist movement against the British rule of India. In this time Ghandi then was called the ‘father’ or ‘great soul’ of his country.[2] His fame spread worldwide during his lifetime and only increased after his death. The name Mahatma Gandhi is now one of the most universally recognized on earth. During the time when Ghandi lived India was under the British suzerainty. Ghandi did not grow up with the best education as India was not full of riches, but this did guide him towards religion. Religion shaped and formed Ghana’s sights of right and wrong in the world. His mother was completely absorbed in religion and so this played a part in influencing Ghandi to seek comfort in his religion. Ghandi strongly believed “to carry out the orders of the elders, not to scan them.” [3]

[1] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi [2] ibid [3] ibid

Indian Flag

jbenn6 — 2017-04-03 23:33:40 UTC

I have included this because this is the symbol of India and this was important because this is the country Gandhi was fighting for rights in.

How Ghandi is truly radical

jbenn6 — 2017-04-04 00:08:17 UTC

Ghandi had a more open minded approach to India being independent and not overruled by Britain. This happened because Ghandi had a nonviolent approach to the situation. His work doing this abled him to help others with open mindness rather than being closed off to this way of living as it was unfair.

Ghandi challenged the status quo by taking lead with strength and truth against the British rule, in 1907 he led thousands of Indians to burn their registration cards. In 1930, Gandhi led the Salt March to protest the salt tax.[1] He organized fasts and sit-ins. He reformed the Indian National Congress into a movement that worked for the freedoms of not only the Indian people, but also for women, education and a self-sufficient economy.[2]

Ghandi risked his wellbeing for others by putting himself out there to defend Indian people against Britain using them for slavery. He didn't risk other wellbeing because everything that Ghandi did he did in the face of him.

Ghandi has worked for transformation of the situation rather than demanding conformity by starting out by working with a small group of Indians in South Africa building upon their human rights. After this experience Ghandi saw the broader picture and expanded his outlook into a more universal struggle for human rights and this started so he started with his home.[3] Ghandi thought more of the people and gave them an insight to what he wanted the goal to be and he never forced people to join him, he only offered what he thought was best for people and he persuaded them that this was a good view. He let them see that there was a chance that they wouldn't be worked away as slaves and treated like nothing.

Along the way Gandhi offended the British people a lot by challenging their rule, he stood up to them by trying to give Indian people a voice and an independence. Now this was not made easy for Gandhi as it was a common ‘white’ thing that the British saw themselves as higher class and saw that they were a better fit to run a country they did not take this well when Gandhi offended them so this cost Gandhi six years’ imprisonment, but this did not stop him. During Gandhi’s time in prison he worked hard to preserve Hindu-Muslim relations and he observed a 21-day fast from his prison cell. This brought Gandhi to see the side of the Muslims and how they faced the same issues as to what Gandhi was fighting for. He brought the Muslims into his mind and joined them up with him as he stood against the British rule. This was a kind gesture for the Muslims but the Indians saw this different, as Gandhi was helping them they became offended by this gesture.

[1] https://www.reference.com/history/did-gandhi-india-6fd1895bdcd68aaf# [2] ibid[3] http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/gandhi-and-passive-resistance-campaign-1907-1914

Ghandi's Impact on me

jbenn6 — 2017-04-04 00:37:34 UTC

I have found Ghandi to be truly inspiring to me because of his worldview. Ghandi believed in nonviolence and always acted in the need of others. His quotes of what he believed really moved me, “an eye for an eye only ends up making the world blind”. This quote makes perfect sense but back then, that meaning meant you hurt someone and they get to hurt you back or, you take something and they can take something else, but Ghandi denied this by saying that if we keep doing this the world will become much worse.

Bibliography

jbenn6 — 2017-04-04 00:37:58 UTC

Barua, M 2016,  'Gandhi and Comparative Religion', Gandhi and Comparative Religion,  Accessed 4th April  2017, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi 
Nanda, B 2017,  'Mahatma Gandhi', Encyclopedia ,  Accessed 4th April  2017, https://www.bu.edu/wcp/Papers/Comp/CompBaru.htm
SA, O 2017,  'Gandhi and the Passive Resistance Campaign 1907-1914', South Africian history Online ,  Accessed 4th April  2017, http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/gandhi-and-passive resistance-campaign-1907-1914 'What did Ghandi do for India ', Reference ,  2017,  Accessed: 4th April  2017, https://www.reference.com/history/did-gandhi-india-6fd1895bdcd68aaf#

How has he challenged my world view?

jbenn6 — 2017-04-05 05:27:27 UTC

Gandhi has challenged my worldview by sticking by the act of non-violence. I believe in non-violence but I think it was truly radical how Gandhi did not believe in violence, he approached everything he did in a calm and collected thought out way. Gandhi was seen as a very wise person and viewed as highly respected. During the time in India the British rule were not going to use violence to punish the people if they did not obey, they would not run into a crowd and shoot their guns around, the British were also a very civil group and this could be a factor as to why Gandhi stuck so strongly to non-violence as an approach.

Mahatma Gandhi

jbenn6 — 2017-04-05 05:30:04 UTC

Quote #

jbenn6 — 2017-04-05 05:30:10 UTC

This quote I have included because this makes a statement about what Gandhi saw in the world and his perspective in life.

Quote #1

jbenn6 — 2017-04-05 05:30:19 UTC

This is a quote that really struck me about Gandhi's morals and values in life

Compared and Contrasted Worldview's

jbenn6 — 2017-04-09 04:50:12 UTC

BRITISH | GANDHI
| They had a view that they should rule the world. ‘Empire’ so… they rule India | Have an independence; Indians should rule India.
| They wanted to keep control and have power. | Share power with India, as it is its rightful home.
| Use an army to threaten protestors with violence. | Use non-violence approach
| Believed ‘white’ people were intelligent and so fitted to lead. Indians were second class. | Believed all were equal.