Gandhian thought has always been at the centre of discussions and debates from its inception, and the trend continues to post the 150th year of his birth. There are several among the masses as well as intellectual circles who raise questions regarding the relevance of Gandhi in today’s times. Mahatma Gandhi has always had several critics from all sides of the political and social spectrum. This article will neither be a defence of Gandhi nor will it be a reply to the critics. The point of this search is to understand the relevance of the Gandhian message and valuable lessons from the man’s life. This article is an opinion on how the Gandhian message is relevant in our times to an individual, society, politics, and humanity at large.
The Continuous Struggle And Willingness To Change
Mahatma Gandhi was not a born messiah; neither was he a perfect leader without flaws, even at the end of his life. Many times, critics of Gandhi first install a perfect idol as a template and then use the flaws to prove the ideal model as being false. The fundamental mistake here is considering Gandhi as the perfect idol in the first place. The greatness of Gandhi is not in his perfection, but his constant struggle with imperfection.
Beginning his public life with several stereotypical and regressive conditioning as many in his times, Gandhi constantly struggles with himself. He goes to war against his ideas throughout his life. But at the same time holds on to some ground rules such as Ahimsa and Truth. This is very clear for any reader of Gandhi as his opinions and ideas keep constantly evolving until his death. Gandhi showcased a skill that most leaders of our times lack, the willingness to change over time and evolve one’s thinking. Gandhiji was also someone who tried to go extremes with his honesty in writing out his opinions and ideas, which many times seem absurd and wrong when reading today.
Famous Malayalam writer Sunil P Ilayidam in one of his speeches, pointed the fact with humour that Gandhi himself would have written 100 pages of content that can easily be used to criticize him. So one might reasonably ask the question, why is Gandhi considered a Mahatma? And more importantly, what is it’s relevant today? Gandhi represented the human struggle within and the importance of changing one’s views over time. We are all products of conditioning, and thus it is necessary to question our opinions and ideas from time to time. But it should also be noted that Gandhi himself may not have been a complete success in this matter, the most famous being his failure to understand the caste question, which was far better followed by BR Ambedkar. But it is these very flaws and the constant struggle to find the truth that makes Gandhi the Mahatma we know and is also relevant to our understanding.
Avoiding The Environmental Catastrophe In The Future
Gandhian economic ideas may seem irrelevant and redundant to many in the modern age, and rightfully so. The concept of a village economy and self-sufficiency are impractical in today’s economic environment. But is Gandhian economic vision redundant? One of the biggest failures of the modern economic models has been the total failure in protecting the environment and a rapid movement towards a future catastrophe. Gandhi warned the world about an impending environmental crisis much before it became a popular subject of discussion.
In his 1909 classic ‘Hind Swaraj,’ Gandhi writes against unrestricted industrialization and materialism. Gandhiji’s philosophy in this matter can be summed up in his widely quoted lines, “The earth has enough to satisfy every man’s need but not every man’s greed.” The Gandhian idea of simple living might be a nearly impossible model for everyone in the modern world to follow. Still, the possibility and message of simple life are more relevant today than in Gandhi’s times. The Gandhian economic ideas of sustainable development have several essential concepts that need to study and applied in our times after necessary changes. In times like these where the neo-liberal model has run into crisis after crisis, Gandhian thought needs to be revisited to get valuable lessons, if any. The in-depth analysis of the same needs another article or articles all together. But more than pure economics, the relevance of Gandhian thought is in the protection of the environment and sustainable living.
Satyagraha And Passive Resistance
Today, the world is a much better place than it was in the previous centuries, but that in no waypoints to an oppression free Utopia. The need for social progress and movements of change continues to be present. Mahatma Gandhi offered the world a tool to deal with oppressive structures without resorting to violence. Many people today wrongly understand the idea of Gandhian struggle. It is not just about few hunger strikes as being perceived by many, thanks to the mockery made out of it by several politicians.
On the contrary, it is a mass mobilized political movement that used passive resistance. In modern society, several people, especially the middle class, move away from political and social movements, mainly due to their fear of violence and not due to a heart made of stone. The Gandhian model of mass movements is the most inclusive and can be taken up by any individual. It is also a historical fact that masses, and especially women’s involvement in mainstream politics, increased rapidly during the Gandhian phase of our freedom struggle.
Gandhian ideas are thus an indispensable guide for social and political movements in the 21st century that wish to build mass involvement. According to Gandhi, the non-cooperation with evil is a sacred duty, and Satyagraha empowers every individual to do the same. In many ways, the Gandhian political strategy gives a sense of supreme inner strength to every individual involved, thereby liberating them of fear. And there is no wonder why Mahatma Gandhi was and continues to be an inspiration for non-violent movements and leaders around the world.
A Society Based On Tolerance, Acceptance, And Non-Violence
In conclusion, one can go on writing about Gandhi and his relevance in today’s times, but the most important question is regarding the kind of society we wish to build around us. Mahatma Gandhi represents a path of tolerance and acceptance, which most modern human beings consider as the basis of contemporary society. Gandhi writes about how he finds no problems with his critics because he understands that he is talking from the truth in his perspective, and the critics are also speaking from the fact-based on their view, and thus there was no need for conflict. In essence, Gandhi was pointing at the need for tolerance and acceptance of various thought streams and ideologies. But this never means backing down on your perspective but rather a peaceful way of fighting for what you believe in.
One can go on arguing about the decisions Mahatma Gandhi made in his life. One can easily find ways to criticize the man and his ideology. And to be honest, many of those criticisms are accurate and needs to be raised. But the far more profound question is the need and relevance of the Gandhian thought today more than ever. The legacy of Gandhi and his ideas will stay on as part of our history, but the question is about using them in today’s times. As Gandhi himself believed, there is no ‘Gandhism’ but only Gandhi. Thus Gandhi is not a creator of a dogmatic philosophy that needs to be followed with closed eyes.
On the contrary, Mahatma Gandhi represents a free-spirited search for truth and constant improvement, and as he rightly said, “his life is his message”. It is for us to evaluate the rights and wrongs there and take note of the critical lessons for our times. There is no doubt that Gandhi should be criticized for the wrong positions he had taken on several issues. But his thought and ideals remain a shining light for a better world. Gandhi forces us to ask questions about ourselves, gives the strength to question, and at the same time, does not compromise on the principle of non-violence. These ideas are very relevant in times we live in due to increased incidents of violence and extremist activities.
In a world being divided based on all sorts of identities and increasing incidents of violence, Gandhian thought offers the world a way out, and that in itself is why Mahatma Gandhi remains relevant to us. Mahatma Gandhi and his ideas in many ways are India’s gift to humanity, and thus it is upon us to take the ideas forward in today’s era.
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”-MK Gandhi
Long live the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi! Vande Mataram. Jai Hind.