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| Gandhi, Civilization, Non-Violence and Obama — A representative image. |
File Information
| Document Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | Gandhi, Civilization, Non-Violence and Obama |
| Article Credit | Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences, Vol.: 2, Issue: 1, Year: 2010 |
| Author | Tamer Söyler (Humboldt University) |
| Subject | An analysis of Gandhi’s concept of non-violence as inseparable from his idea of true civilization, with close attention to Hind Swaraj and the contrast between Gandhi and Obama. |
| Category | Article |
| Institution | Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences |
| Main Topics | Gandhi’s non-violence, Civilization in Hind Swaraj, Gujarati and English versions of Hind Swaraj, Ahimsa and Satyagraha, Purusharthas and dharma, Modern civilization and reform, Obama’s references to Gandhi, Critique of modernity |
| Number of Pages | 16 |
| Language | English |
| File Type | |
| File Size | 112.2 KB |
Summary Note of this Document
Gandhi, Civilization, Non-Violence and Obama
This article examines Gandhi’s non-violence as a concept grounded in his understanding of civilization, with Obama used as a contemporary contrast. Tamer Söyler argues that Gandhi cannot be read as treating non-violence merely as a tactic against aggression; instead, it is part of a broader moral and civilizational framework. The essay centers on Hind Swaraj and compares Gandhi’s Gujarati and English formulations of civilization, especially the terms sudharo and kudharo. By reading these terms through purusharthas and dharma, the author contends that Gandhi links true civilization to duty, morality, religious life, and disciplined self-mastery. The article also uses translation differences to show that Gandhi’s critique is not aimed at static social structures alone, but at processes of change that modernity renders destructive. This leads to a broader argument about reform, colonialism, and the ethical costs of modern civilization. In the final sections, Söyler rejects selective violence and critiques Obama’s appeal to Gandhi while defending war in Afghanistan, arguing that such references conflict with Gandhian thought. The piece closes by situating Gandhi within debates over modernity, alternative modernities, and the Global South.
Core Themes
- Non-violence as an existential principle
- Civilization as moral and dutiful conduct
- Translation and interpretation of Hind Swaraj
- Critique of modernity and reform
- Rejection of selective violence
- Tension between Gandhi and Obama
Keywords
About Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi lived from 1869 to 1948. Born in India, he trained as a lawyer and became a political thinker. Colonial rule repelled him. He opposed it fiercely and eventually led India’s independence movement.
Gandhi pioneered Satyagraha, the power of truth and nonviolent resistance. He put these ideals into practice during political and social upheavals. Over twenty years in South Africa shaped his thinking. That’s where he developed his tactics of nonviolent defiance. He returned to India in 1915 and launched major movements against British rule. Non-Cooperation Movement. Salt March. Quit India Movement. Each one challenged colonial domination.
In 1883 he married Kasturba Gandhi. Marriage and family life remained central to who he was. He spoke powerfully about his beliefs. His writing included Hind Swaraj, Satyagraha in South Africa, and The Story of My Experiments with Truth, his autobiography.
His vision stretched beyond political independence. Religious harmony mattered to him. Social equality. Self-reliance. Women’s rights. Ending untouchability. All of these were part of what he fought for.
Nonviolence and Satyagraha shaped movements worldwide. Civil rights activists drew from his example. Freedom struggles across the globe felt his influence. His approach changed how people thought about resistance and change.
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