1869 - 1948
Overview:
Ghandi is probably one of the greatest heroes this world has had. His lessons that oppressed peoples of this world can succeed against the might of tanks have inspired many other heroes today. While some of his habits may have seemed a little bizarre to some, the ideals he left behind paint the potential for a more peaceful world.
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Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi was an peaceful inpiration for millions.
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Country:
India
Type
of hero: Environmental, Cultural and Development Rights
Attributes:
Self-sacrifice, Peacemaker, Leadership
Biography:
Gandhi was born in a small state in India. His father was the chief minister. His family was not wealthy and scrapped the money together to ensure that certain traditions were followed. He married at the age of 13 following Hindu custom. He went to study law at the Inns Court of London using savings that had been carefully put acquired.
In London, he was a leading member of the vegetarian movement. As well as espousing the “no meat” philosophy, the group had many members who showed an overall preference for the simple life, for pacifism, socialism and many had experienced intense religious feelings.
He practiced law successfully in South Africa from 1893. Despite his education and occupation, he was once thrown out of a first railway carriage because he was Indian. In this instance, he applied what he called “Satyagrha”, the force of truth and love. He refused to move from the carriage, as this would have acknowledged their right to enforce racial discrimination. He was therefore hauled off the train and left to spend a cold night at the station. He continued to apply the idea of “passive resistance” while in South Africa and developed new respect from his political opponents.
He returned to India in 1914 and from 1919 became the leader of Nationalism there. To the officials of the British Empire who had spread throughout the world using their might in many countries, Gandhi was rather incomprehensible. He proposed non-violent means to resist the British, but also did not seem interested in the trapping of wealth and power. He had few possessions and often appeared wearing only the dhoti (loincloth) that he had spun for himself and a pair of plain steel spectacles. His only other possession was cheap pocket watch.
Between 1919 and 1922, he organised a campaign of mass non co-operation with the British. The aim of this was to boycott all things British. Similar tactics have been undertaken in other protests today. However, while Gandhi had hoped this non-violent protest would achieve independence, there was much violence that occurred. It seemed that not everyone had his level of patience and tolerance. Gandhi was jailed for 22 months.
One brilliant achievement was his attack on the law that prevented Indians from making their own salt. The British had a monopoly on this trade – as they had with many other elements of commerce in the country. He set out across the country with a number of followers who grew each day. Their aim was to march to the ocean, to make their own salt. He was soon arrested again; along with over 60 000 other Indians involved in peaceful civil disobedience.
At the end of the Second World War, Britain was finally ready to grant independence to India. It was a great disappointment to Gandhi that while India obtained independence, the creation of the Muslim State of Pakistan at the same time intensified the religious hatreds that had been diminished when so much energy was focused on resistance to the British.
A Hindu fanatic assassinated Gandhi on January 30th 1948. His own devotion to non-violence had not persuaded all Indians to live together in harmony. Some resented the fact that he did not display hatred of the Muslims and was therefore not fully devoted to the Hindu cause.
Citations
& References:
Links:
http://www.mahatma.org.in
http://www.mkgandhi.org/
http://www.itihaas.com/modern/gandhi-profile.html
http://www.gandhiinstitute.org/
http://library.thinkquest.org/26523/main.htm
References
Bullock, A (ed.) 1981 Great Lives of the Twentieth Century Peerage Books London P67
McGeary, J. “mohandas gandhi” in Time Australia Dec. 31, 1999
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