The Genius Of Gandhi. Explains the genius of Gandhi's ideas, actions and principles of non violence through examples of his work in India and his following around the world.

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Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi, was one of the greatest political minds of the twentieth century and his principles and actions have inspired countless generations. It is his original ideas, his ability to apply those ideas and their enduring legacy, which makes him an Asian Genius. His influence has been wide reaching from dealing with the economic importance of self reliance, the social injustices within the Indian caste system and the futility of Muslim-Hindu religious battle. Yet his most significant achievements have been through his revolutionary principle of non violence. It is through this his genius will be proven.

Part of Gandhi's greatness was that he was an original thinker and ingenious idealist. Gandhi had theories on everything from hygiene and nutrition to education and labor, but his legacy is in his concept of non-violence. The principles of non-violence and toleration were not new; they can be found in the world's major religious and philosophical traditions.

Gandhi's greatness and originality lay, however, in the way he used them so they were applicable as policies for action and reform. He called this concept Satyagraha. Developed during his stay in South Africa, where he used his legal background to organize resistance to the notorious apartheid system, Satyagraha promoted using non-violence and civil disobedience as the most appropriate methods of obtaining social and political objectives. Before Gandhi, non-violence was never used as a political concept. Indians, before Gandhi's arrival had, for example, taken part in aggressive uprisings against British colonial rule only to be put down with harsh military action; such as the 1857 Mutiny that lead to the massacre of many Indian army conscripts. Before the influence of non-violence in South Africa too, offensive movements against the apartheid system were never able to achieve significant outcomes. Gandhi was...