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Todays world subjects an individual to many different socio-religious-political influences. Out of those individuals come idealized leaders reinforcing their influences. In the increasing complexity of such memes and their interactions clarity and an understanding of evolutionary paths that is favored by nature-one that results in better survival- has become paramount. An assumption can boldly be made that violent or non violent constituents in the practice of such ideals eventually determine the desirable outcome namely the survival and success in the pursuit.
As such one begins to wonder what has happened to non-violence of Gandhian heritage. It seems a dead and irrevocable concept in the turbulent waters of today. If one said its no longer applicable, its not without ground. Let us see how an opposition to Gandhian nonviolence can be mounted. It could have only worked against British A finer point is the fact that any means of non-violence protest is sustainable provided the opposition has a moral value not to cross a certain line.
Has it been the case where British practiced shoot or execute anybody who may protest by any means, then Gandhi would have been shot lot earlier, perhaps in the train in South Africa, and there would have been no mahatma or success of non violence. Take Hitler for example. Let alone resisting, even if you try to cooperate with German for the demise of Jews, as a Jew you can be sure you will be shot. Where do you put non-violence against such a tyranny? There is no current conflict scenario where non-violence can be applied It wont be exaggeration to state that almost all the current conflict in the world has an armed oppression against unarmed public. The statement can be substantiated by following two different points.
In the most direct sense it means an authority's aggression towards specific category of people using the unitary powers they hold which eventually fuel and give birth to an armed opposition or say a revolution. Most importantly on the second sense in any such conflicts, revolution or terrorism, just or unjust, it is the innocent people who are victimized the most. It is in this context we must identify the current conflict scenarios as a new era-new era of violence. What is clear is the fact that the nature of the conflicts in the world has significantly shifted. Not long ago, it used to be fighting a foreigner-imperialist for the independence of native land. Now, mostly, it has turned into conflict due to ethnic, religious difference as oppose to colonial master especially due to minority, majority representations within a sovereign state.
Given the third party influences (arm suppliers, negotiators and peace enforcers) on such conflicts it cannot fully be categorized either as local or international conflicts rather must be called as matrix (or Diophantine) war, to borrow a term from mathematics. In this new era violence is bitter all the way down to the individual levels. In this new era, violence is spontaneous as much as calculated. In this new era violence is the way of resistance The man who united Muslims and Hindus alike against a foreign government eventually was shot as a result of internal Muslim-Hindu conflicts!
And it was not a one off incidence as the world witnessed more of similar assassinations. We could even attempt to say that the assassination of Gandhi, by a fellow Hindu, marks the beginning of the new era of much more deeply personal, bloodied local conflicts. As Gandhi was, the non-violence resistance is also shot to pieces in this revengeful fight for different kind of rights. It is inherently passive and only worked because it was new When Manual Gandhi, the second son of Gandhi, protested against injustice in South Africa after Gandhian period, he was not arrested. Authorities inflicting unjust had learnt it well how provocative it can be to arrest the son of Gandhi. Persecuting authorities of today knows it too well how easy it is to suppress a non-violence resistance.
Non-violence is no longer a new thing to catch people by surprise. Moreover the passive nature of this resistance can weaken the position to a position of women in the male dominated world. Given the intricate nature of present day conflicts controls can be exerted by say blackmail of vulnerable family members and many other similar means to easily counter such a resistance. The above argument may make you anger or appreciative. I take it as my burden in the following lines to show those of you who feel appreciative that you are wrong. Methods of non violence I would like to start by restating, within my understanding, what modern interpretation of non-violence resistance is and what it is not, for clarity of purpose.
Consider it an equation comprising primarily the following factors at various quantities. When the correct balance of the equation is achieved it can be formidable no less stronger than the equation that may underpin the atomic bomb. Mobilization of people at all level towards the cause is essential. But even more importantly, being accessible to the public in a well grounded manner is essential so that the adequate public representation can be gained and it will not be questionable. Having and making friends continuously within the oppressor or persecuting agents are critical. With the understanding a human problem in a corner is a problem of the world continuous effort must be invested in developing international pressure Use of media to the fullest potential is well understood and valid factor Campaign continuously, actively and ferociously for transforming and changing minor, major unjust on equal foot (believe in the ultimate cause as the only cause to start from and end with is a politically crude method) One could take many quotes from Gandhi and many followers to show how the above are balanced however keeping with the purpose it could be said that the above may be difficult but not impossible.
And the possibility of it what makes the non violence practical. It can be made to work against anybody Hitlerian type of opposition calls for deeper understanding of the Gandhian way. To be fair if we characterize the Hitlerian opposition as kill until gaining obedience and kill those who are obedience then Gandhian way can be characterized as make friends of the enemy even if you die at their hands. However, Gandhian way by no means desires any loss of life.
My intension is not to speculate on what could have been done against Hitler by the Jews but to strongly state any meaningful resistance or fight must be done with adherence to the non violence principle. Had Jews mounted a violent opposition, Hitler would have easily sort justification for his actions. Given the understanding of the methods of non violence one can see the missing elements of Jew's resistance if there were any! There were no concerted campaign; there were no international pressure organized within, and there were no people mobilization. In fact there was no resistance. It must be emphasized that the Gandhian method may be non violent but by no means inferior to any other form of resistance in terms of its consistency of action, intensity or aggressiveness.
In the lack of these methods it will apparently look like opposing a tyrant like Hitler in a non violent way is impossible. An ardent believer in the...
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Research essay sample on Methods Of Non Violence Son Of Gandhi Resistance
