It does not mean a meek submission to the will of the evil-doer, but it means pitting ones whole soul against the will of the tyrant” Mohatma Gandhi “An eye for an eye makes everybody blind” summarizes Gandhis view of violence. That statement is one of the greatest things ever said, and was borrowed by other world leaders including Martin Luther King Jr. Gandhi did not believe in violence as a technique of achieving his goal of an independent India. He preached non-violent non cooperation. Gandhi considered non-violent non cooperation as requireing more courage and dedication then violence. Through the methods he used in his campaign for the Free India he proved the previous statement to be true.
Many people would find “non-violence in its dynamic condition” ironic. By the word non-violence Gandhi did not mean mere ignorance of the injustices that came upon his people, He supported active non cooperation, organizing non-violent marches and other events to protest the unfairness of the British occupation of India. In the salt marches Gandhi protested the British monopoly on salt and the salt tax Indians had to pay. He tried to a provoke violent a response from the colonial government. Such a response would show him to the world as a victim and not a tyrant.
This approach would expose the British injustice and would get the worlds public opinion on hGandhis side. As a result, even the English people supported his independence movement. Gandhis non-violent non cooperation required much more bravery and devotion then violent techniques used by some other Indian independence leaders. During a march on a salt plant organized by Gandhi, men stood in line to approach the guards. When they approached, the men stood defenseless, while the guards beat them with sticks.
As the beaten men were carried away new ones came forward. In this symbolic event the Indian people suffered greatly to show the world the cruelty of the colonial authorities and the persistence of the peple of India to achieve independence. Another showing of the British cruelty was the massacre, where protesters stood peacefully while the British soldiers gunned them down. After this event the entire world supported Indian independence.
Non-violence was successful. In non-violent non cooperation Gandhi captured the support of the entire nation. Under his leadership millions of Indians sacrificed for the cause of freedom by non-violent methods. People stood defenseless while being beaten or killed to show the world the inhumane policies of the British. Non-violent non cooperation is one of the most difficult and painful policies to be dedicated to.
