Semester: 3

Paper: Gandhi and the Contemporary World

Lesson: Concept of Satyagraha, Trusteeship, Caste, and
Untouchability
Lesson Developer: Sanjana Singh (518)
College: Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College, University of
Delhi
 1. Concept of Satyagraha:
Satyagraha, popularly called a “technique of non-violent public protest”, is one of all the best
contributions Gandhi created to the fashionable world. Gandhi’s contribution was distinctive in
this it offered an answer to conflicts while not the utilization of physical force. Further, in
distinction to the standard suggests that – physical force or violence, passive resistance
emphasized more on the means - non-violence - than on the top - the attainment of truth.
Gandhi’s inflexible insistence on non-violence within the pursuit of satyagraha made it a
particular additionally as a disputable technique of social and political change.

in keeping with Gandhi, “Satyagraha is virtually holding on to Truth, and it suggests that thus
Truth-force.”
Truth, for Gandhi, was God. Gandhi outlined his personal goal as “seeing God face to face.”
Gandhi explains the reality-God relationship as follows: “There are myriad definitions of God as
a result of His manifestations are innumerable. They overwhelm me with surprise and owe and
for a flash stun me. however, I worship God as Truth only.” Gandhi, at an equivalent time, was
conscious of the very fact that the human mind cannot apprehend absolutely the fully. to possess
found the Truth completely, Gandhi believed, would mean that one has realized oneself and
reached his destiny; in different words, he has become perfect. Being conscious of human
beings’ inability to grasp reality wholly, Gandhi insisted on the importance of being receptive to
people who disagree with us. though Gandhi ne'er claimed to possess proverbial the reality, he
did claim to have found the thanks to it. though Gandhi’s personal goal was the conclusion of the
Truth (seeing God face to face), the truth part Gandhi named in passive resistance – a way for
social and political amendment – wasn't that of the Absolute. Gandhi, in his experiments with
satyagraha, each in African nation associate degreed in India, became a lot of and more
conscious of the relative character of truth as an operative principle. The relative character of
truth became evident to Gandhi as whenever occasion|anytime} the social and political issues he
took up for reform differed. during this respect, passive resistance isn't a dogma. it's neither static
nor substantial. For Gandhi, holding on to the reality in satyagraha could be a dynamic
conception and satyagraha is a technique of action. There still remains a matter that however
confusion is often avoided if attempt once truth differs in every case. Gandhi finds the solution to
the present confusion within the relation Truth has with the gospel (non-violence).
However, passive resistance as a way for social and political amendment has bound definite
characteristics and options among that adherence to truth, non-violence, and self-suffering have
preponderating importance. Since the goal of satyagraha - the attainment of truth - contains a
relative nature to it, can continuously evade the excellent definition of satyagraha.

For Gandhiji, Satyagraha wasn't simply a way of non-violent struggle however it became the
philosophy of his life. By giving the conception of Satyagraha, Gandhiji showed mankind to
convert greed and concern by love. during this principle of non-violence, Gandhi introduced the
technique of resistance to evil and untruth. His passive resistance was galvanized by infinite love
and compassion. it's hostile sin, not sinners, evil, not evildoer.
several countries have witnessed standard movements for freedom, equality, and peace, that actor
inspiration from the life and ways of Mahatma Gandhi.

2. Trusteeship Critique of Development:

Gandhi’s school of thought of trusteeship may be a social and economic philosophy progressing
to bring justice to society. It provides a way by that the rich individuals would be the trustees of
the trust that take care of the welfare of the people in general. Gandhi believed that wealthy
people can be persuaded to give up their wealth to assist the poor. This principle reflects
Gandhi’s non-secular development, which he owed partially to his deep involvement with the
belief literature and also the study of the Bhagavad Gita. Gandhi holds that labor is superior to
capital. although his views correspond to those of Marx. however unlike Marxism, he wouldn't
suggest Associate in the Nursing overthrow of the capitalists by force. he's not in favor of
inciting labor against capital. not like Marxism, he doesn't believe that battle is that the key to
social development. He believes that society should be supported love and mutual trust, not the
struggle. once the Ahmedabad manufactory staff cause Gandhi became additional alert to the
prevailing gap of interest between the house owners and workers of the industries. Gandhi
Malaysian Mujahidin Group introduced the conception of district based on the theme of the
“CLASS COOPERATION” in society. Gandhi believes that even the made individuals – the
questionable capitalist are finally human beings, and as such, they even have in the part of
essential goodness that common person essentially possesses. If that element is aroused and if
the capitalist is additionally won over by love, they'd be persuaded to believe that the wealth in
their possession ought to be used for the great of the poor. The rich people should be created to
appreciate that the capital in their hands is that the fruit of the labor of the poor men. This
realization would build them understanding that the welfare of the society lies in victimization
capital and resources for the great of others and not for one’s comforts. So it's apparent that
Gandhi‘s school of thought of trusteeship is predicated on a way of morality and love. This
doctrine is nothing however a sincere apply of the doctrine of Non- possession. The made
conjointly should be created to realize, through a smitten process, the advantage of Non-
possession. A critic of Gandhi may say that this doctrine is based on the belief of honesty on the
part of the rich but this is often no criticism of Gandhi as a result of Gandhi‘s entire belief is
based on the supposition that each man inside is good. theologist (Italian thinker of the
13thcentury) viewed that transportation justice isn't solely the responsibility of the state however
also of people by being an empathetic, compassionate, and selfless person. The trusteeship is
synonymous with this idea. it's the responsibility of made people to uphold the school of thought
of trusteeship by being charitable. Trusteeship assumes nice relevancy across the nation further
as internationally keeping in mind the growing difference and poorness, for example, Oxfam
report reveals that simple fraction of individuals within the world possess half of the world’s
total wealth and notably in Republic of India simple fraction of individuals own 58 percent of
total wealth in India. this whole image finds the socio-economic injustice prevailing in our
society. The Gandhian principle of trusteeship is close regarding the social responsibility of
Business. in keeping with the Gandhian conception of trusteeship, all business corporations
should work as a trust. Trusteeship tries to cut back inequalities. It tries to reduce the gap
between the made and the poor. in keeping with Gandhi, businessmen ought to modification their
attitude. they need no ethical right to accumulate unlimited wealth whereas most of their
countrymen sleep in poorness and misery. Few richest men within the world particularly William
Henry Gates and Warren Buffet are active in the Gandhian principle of trusteeship. These noble
philanthropists are distributing an enormous share of their wealth for social causes. Their
disposition to serve society is admirable. It displays the relevancy of the district in the gift age.

3. Temple entry and Caste Issues:

When the period for this thesis began within the time of the year of 1932, Mohandas Gandhi was
in jail for direct action against the colonial power. There he planned and propagated a quick till
death with the intent of gaping a temple in Guruvayur in Kerala for untouchables.38 This fast
was abandoned for a brand new fast in 1933 which, in distinction to his planned fast in 1932, was
extended to treat all temples in the Republic of India and thereby created a national campaign for
untouchables. thirty-nine each Indian and international press coated Gandhi‘s fast period and, as
we tend to shall see, he wrote an outsized number of articles and letters each concerning his
reasons for fast and therefore the goals by enterprise it. Gandhi created it clear early in 1933 that
untouchables‘ access to temples was the key for untouchability in the Republic of India as an
entire to be eradicated: if untouchability became obsolete, Gandhi was convinced that alternative
issues among the Indian society, together with economical, political and social problems, would
solve themselves. For Gandhi, the fast was a little sacrifice that provided a shift focused in India
from direct action to promoting things of the untouchables, tho' initial and foremost during a
non-secular context. The civil disobedience campaigns of the Nineteen Twenties Associate in
Nursingd early Thirties had gathered the country‘s population around a typical political center,
particularly Gandhi and therefore the Indian National Congress, in an endeavor to deport itself
from the colonial power. The campaigns of 1932 to 1934, however, targeted society itself and
created unity and opposition among it.
Gandhi needed to get rid of untouchability as he saw it as an evil obligatory by man, not by any
divine authority. The word ―untouchable of course, refers to the facet of Hinduism referred to
as ―pollution. coming back into physical contact with untouchables, who numbered between
forty and sixty million people in 1940, impure a Hindu of a better rank. there have been others
operating for the termination of untouchability, among them the untouchable leader Bhim Rao
Ambedkar, who needed reform. wherever Gandhi differed from the opposite abolitionists was the
tactic wont to reach this goal. For Gandhi, faith was at the core of the untouchability problem. it
absolutely was Hinduism that had created untouchability, it was the Hindus that had acted upon
these divisions among society, and it was, therefore, the Hindus that had to get rid of the taint on
Hinduism. to produce the untouchables with an additional positive connotation, Gandhi gave the
blood type new name, particularly Harijan which means ―Children of God, in an endeavor to
form caste Hindus see that they were all equal below God.
Accordingly, temples mustn't be closed to a part of society, however receptive to everybody who
followed the Hindu non-secular guidelines. Gandhi needed to get rid of untouchability, but rather
than insisting on abolishing the caste system in which untouchability was created and practiced,
Gandhi wanted to incorporate untouchables within the servant or Shudra caste. Untouchables
themselves would need to be elated by clean caste-Hindus, who would have a modification of
heart when Gandhi enlightened them concerning the wrongs that they had committed. This
wasn't all, however; Gandhi wanted the caste system to solely comprise the Shudra caste. His
reason for suggesting this was that ―Whilst we are able to all service and thence be known as
Shudras, we don't all possess learning nor will we possess divine knowledge. so it would be
untruthful to regard ourselves as Brahmins. This view was contrary to centuries of following and
shows that Gandhi used rhetoric that contained acquainted terms but, particularly within the case
of Varna, had an inherent different meaning. though Gandhi gained support for the demolition of
untouchability through his campaign, he faced opposition to his interpretations and target faith –
even among his own active participants.