Greatness is achieved by making an exceptional contribution to humanity. Marie Curie (1867-1934), who founded modern oncology through her groundbreaking research on radioactivity, received two Nobel Prizes and rightfully remains one of the most celebrated women and individuals in recent history..
During the same era, an emaciated Indian man caught the attention of the world by forcing the mighty British Empire to evacuate much of South Asia without firing a single shot. Rather than being skilled in the art of scientific research, the greatness of Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) lied in his fearless quest for truth and justice. Through bold action and words of timeless compassion and wisdom, his life and legacy continues to inspire millions around the world to fight poverty, disease and ignorance.
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Born in India in the same year that witnessed the completion of both the Suez Canal and the Transcontinental Railroad in America (1869), Gandhi had a wife by age 14 from an arranged marriage prior to setting out for England to study law at University College in London in 1888. Five years later in 1893, Gandhi relocated to South Africa and proceeded to take on the system of rigid discrimination against Indians by confronting the authorities directly. After being asked repeatedly to move to a third-class railroad car despite having a first-class ticket in one famous incident, he refused on principle and was promptly thrown off the train. By 1906, Gandhi had organized a political opposition party of Indians in South Africa committed to Satyagraha or non-violent protest to achieve its objective of an equitable society.
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In 1915, Gandhi returned to India and employed the same non-violent political campaigns along with 'non-cooperation' to ultimately destroy the twisted ideological legitimacy of British colonial rule in India. By the time of his death at the hands of a Hindu radical on 30 January 1948, Gandhi had managed to accomplish with words and peaceful resistance what Hitler could not achieve with vast armies and destructive weaponry - a defeat of the British Empire.
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On the way to creating an independent India, Gandhi maintained a rigorous schedule of spinning cloth, reading, writing and reflecting on the greater truths of life. At the same time, he did not shy away from constructively criticizing the West for being overly materialistic and prone to war. For those that listened then and still listen to his sage words through books, Gandhi had a unique ability to encapsulate truths and challenge long-held assumptions by men and women with a single insightful comment. A few of his more trenchant and well-known sayings appear below with analysis:
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'Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes'
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Gandhi may have been deeply religious, but he never advocated a religious state. His views on state and society were between a type of federalism and anarchism. Gandhi rightly questioned the right of any state to impose punitive moral laws. On a personal level, people must allow others to make mistakes and live life - not to judge - but to forgive.
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I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary, the evil it does is permanent'
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Gandhi's non-violent campaigns against oppression inspired Martin Luther King Jr. to wage his successful campaign for civil rights with moral force or Satyagraha. Gandhi can also be credited with influencing French and other European activists in the 1960s. The above quote brings the second Iraq war (2003-present) and the ongoing war in Afghanistan to mind. Celebrations during the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the Taliban have turned to frustration as these conflicts continue with no end to violence in sight. It is worth noting that Gandhi opposed the use of violence to remove Hitler from power in World War II, and he once suggested that European Jews commit mass suicide as a protest against Hitler. According to Gandhi, the Jews would have been acting out of 'true heroism'. In order to remain ideologically consistent in espousing non-violence, Gandhi drifted into irrational thought. He can be forgiven, however, because his views on the 'evils' of violence upon society and the individual have been proven correct. If nothing else, leaders of democratic nations must consider the larger and long-term consequences of projecting violence to achieve political objectives.
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'When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fell. Think of it - always.'
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No commentary can add to his view on the role of truth and love in human history. Just think of it - always.
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(Photo - Mohandas Gandhi)
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Recommended Reading: Gandhi, Mahatma, The Essential Gandhi - An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work and Ideas. ed. Louis Fischer. 2nd edition. New York: Vintage, 2002
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J Roquen