The idea of using these four weapons seems very hard to actually accomplish. It
appears that Gandhi takes great ease in dealing with the enemy. “In the end, the
enemies are converted to friends,” said Gandhi (Prasad, 28). Although this idea
seems almost impossible to accomplish, Gandhi did succeed in getting his
followers to put in extreme amounts of effort to achieve peace. In today’s
world, three different types of situations can be aided through the practice of
Satyagraha. They are self, family, and work. Once the true understanding of the
term Satyagraha is developed, it becomes possible for conflicts within these
situations to become resolved. Gandhi’s hunger strikes, marches, and civil
disobedience acts were crucial towards his accomplishment of peace. His
followers were very faithful and were able to make a statement that got the
attention of the British government. The principle of Satyagraha worked well in
a country such as India because of its strong religious spirituality. Indians
are highly dedicated and motivated when it comes to the topic of faith. Poverty
is everywhere in this country, and faith becomes central to one’s life. Gandhi
had a great deal of success in showing to the world just exactly how nonviolent
resistance could make a difference. He was a very educated man and possessed the
qualities necessary to be a great leader. He disagreed with the methods put
forward by Western civilization. It was perceived that Westerners were
“enterprising, impatient, engrossed in multiplying their material wants and in
satisfying them, fond of good cheer, anxious to save physical labor and prodigal
habits” (Prasad 235). Westerners were fond of good cheer and in need of having a
good time. The British were perceived as having little or no self-control.
British and Indian cultures are so different, how could an interaction between
the two ever be successful?
It is much easier to look back and say what could
have been done. The British overstayed their welcome in India, although they
were never really invited in the first place. The British imposed their views
onto another culture. They were rude, disrespectful, and degrading to another
country on that country’s soil. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of British
rule was the introduction of social Darwinism into Indian culture. To introduce
racism into another land is sickening because the repercussions of it never
fully go away. Yet Gandhi was able to teach the British and the rest of the
world something about nonviolence and its positive results. The term Satyagraha
is very complex and is accompanied with great dedication. To fight back without
violence takes a huge amount of inner self control, a certain peace of mind, and
the physical ability not to strike back. The country of India was able to show
to the world that nonviolent resistance can make a difference. It is peaceful
and the enemy is able to step back and see what the opposing side is trying to
accomplish. In conclusion, the works of Gandhi were very successful. He was able
to prove that the country of India, which was thought not to have power, did
indeed possess an enormous amount of power. He showed that this power was
different, because India’s power did not lie in the use of weapons or money.
Rather India’s power was found within Satyagraha, the “soul-force” power. What
Gandhi accomplished was inspiring and he showed Westerners a new way to deal
with conflict. It is very hard to prove a point to another culture with
extremely different thoughts and beliefs. Yet it is a great accomplishment to
make others acknowledge a new way of resolving conflicts with their enemies.
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