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Tag: Violence

Ahimsa

Published May 17, 2022 by Neil Bhatia

Ahimsa, meaning “nonviolence”, was used in conjunction with Satyagraha by Mahatma Gandhi to form the basis for his resistance to colonial powers during the Indian Independence Movement. This concept comes from various religions, as Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism all incorporate ahimsa to varying degrees. In Jainism, Ahimsa is one of its three main pillars as a fundamental tenet of harmlessness towards all life. Within Buddhism, ahimsa is tied to a principle of non-harming.

For Hinduism, ahimsa functions as one of its primary values with a respect for all life. Gandhi was exposed to ahimsa from an early age, as he was raised in Gujarat where Jainism ran strong. He ultimately interpreted it in a secular manner of non-killing, eschewing specific religious interpretations in favor of a more general meaning and practical use with regards to civic protest. Gandhi did acknowledge ahimsa’s application across various religions on higher levels or realms, but he chose to unify the idea between the faiths as he practiced it alongside Satyagraha.

FURTHER READING

Gandhi, and Dennis Dalton. 1996. Mahatma Gandhi : Selected Political Writings. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub.

Jahanbegloo, Ramin. “Gandhi and the Global Satyagraha.” Social Change (New Delhi) 51, no. 1 (2021): 38–50.

Tähtinen Unto. 1964. Non-Violence As an Ethical Principle : With Special Reference to the Views of Mahatma Gandhi. Turun Yliopiston Julkaisuja : Sarja B, Humaniora, Osa 92. Turku: Turun Yliopisto.

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Satyagraha

Published May 16, 2022 by Neil Bhatia

Satyagraha, meaning “asserting for truth” or “holding onto truth”, is what Mahatma Gandhi used in conjunction with ahimsa as tools to engage in non-violent dissent. Gandhi coined this term from the roots of the words “Sat”, meaning truth, and “Agraha”, meaning firmness, and he used Satyagraha to organize political action in the face of untruth and injustice.

This concept’s reach extended beyond Gandhi’s work during the Indian Independence Movement due to its essence of non-violence being seen as morally acceptable action. Movements of other activists such as Martin Luther King Jr, Ghaffar Khan, and Nelson Mandela that incorporated Satyagraha show its potential to produce conflict resolution and civic protest as a contrasting force to the violent forces of tyranny across the world. Beyond political action, Satyagraha also cultivates a way of life rooted in the spiritual. Gandhi, through his interpretation of Satyagraha, developed a life of selflessness and simplicity, standing for these ideas through his body and actions and further contrasting himself in relation to his opposition.

Image courtesy of Satyagraha Foundation for Nonviolence Studies

FURTHER READING

Chakraborty, Chandrima. “Speaking through Bodies, Exhibiting the Limits: British Colonialism and Gandhian Nationalism.” Forum for world literature studies 6, no. 4 (2014): 675–691.

Gandhi, and Dennis Dalton. 1996. Mahatma Gandhi : Selected Political Writings. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub.

Jahanbegloo, Ramin. “Gandhi and the Global Satyagraha.” Social Change (New Delhi) 51, no. 1 (2021): 38–50.

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Bangladesh Liberation War

Bangladesh Liberation War

Published May 16, 2022 by Rush Lee

The Bangladesh Liberation War (1971-1971) occurred after Partition, where West and East Pakistan began to experience conflict and discontent due to its geographic separation and its economic, language, ethnic, and religious differences. Bengali nationalists advocated for self-determination and independence from West Pakistan. In 1970, Pakistan’s General Election granted Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a Bengali from East Pakistan, a majority. Deliberations over forming a government failed, prompting West Pakistan to instigate a crackdown in East Pakistan with increased military presence and martial law. On March 25, 1971, Sheikh Mujib declared Bangladesh independent.

Bengali nationalists urged resistance and used guerrilla tactics to combat the East Pakistani military, which began to weaponize violence and engage in massacres. East Pakistan committed genocide, targeting Bengali people. Millions of Bengali refugees fled to India, prompting India’s involvement as an ally. Pakistan surrendered on December 16, 1971, in Dhaka, the site of horrific massacres, which officially cemented Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign nation.

FURTHER READING

Raghavan, Srinath. 1971. Harvard University Press, 2013.

McDermott, Rachel Fell, Leonard A. Gordon, Ainslie T. Embree, Frances W. Pritchett, and Dennis Dalton, eds. “BANGLADESH: Independence and Controversies Over the Fruits of Freedom.” In Sources of Indian Traditions: Modern India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, 3rd ed., 833–98. Columbia University Press, 2014.

Bass, Gary Jonathan. The Blood Telegram : Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide. First edition. New York: Alfred A Knopf, 2013.

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Mahatma Gandhi

Published May 6, 2022 by Neil Bhatia

MAHATMA Gandhi (1869-1948), through the self-coined concept of Satyagraha (“asserting for truth”) as well as the idea of ahimsa (“nonviolence”), fought discrimination in South Africa in his early life and later resisted British occupation in India.

This resistance of British authority with the goal of Indian independence came through secular organization of ahimsa, as civil disobedience in response to violence and oppression was paramount to Gandhi. He led by example through what some call his nationalist-asceticism during the Indian Independence Movement, as he played the role of a political Gandhi as well as the role of Gandhi the spiritual hermit. His political nature shows within his nationalist “Quit India” speech and his attempts to prevent the partition of India, while his ascetic lifestyle is evident in how he used his body as a vehicle to embody self-discipline and simplicity during his hunger strikes and chosen attire of loin cloth. While Gandhi did not succeed in his negotiations with the Muslim League and Muhammad Ali Jinnah for a unified India, the British granted independence to India in the face of growing Indian nationalism and economic pressures.

FURTHER READING

Chakraborty, Chandrima. “Speaking through Bodies, Exhibiting the Limits: British Colonialism and Gandhian Nationalism.” Forum for world literature studies 6, no. 4 (2014): 675–691.

Jahanbegloo, Ramin. “Gandhi and the Global Satyagraha.” Social Change (New Delhi) 51, no. 1 (2021): 38–50.

Prem Anand Mishra. “POLITICAL THEORY OF ANARCHISM IN GANDHI’S WRITINGS.” Indian journal of political science 74, no. 3 (2013): 453–462.

Singh, Frances B. “A Passage to India, the National Movement, and Independence.” Twentieth Century Literature 31, no. 2/3 (1985): 265–78. https://doi.org/10.2307/441295.

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Regeneración

Published May 1, 2022 by Amy Weitzman

Regeneración (1900–1918) was an inflammatory anti-capitalist newspaper founded by the Magón brothers in response to Mexico’s military dictatorship under Porfirio Díaz. It began more reformist than revolutionary to appeal to a wider crowd; however, it gradually grew revolutionary as the Mexican Revolution took off. The articles covered government corruption, violent repression, the institution of indigenous slavery, and specific officials’ injustices. Daily political cartoons were also a hallmark.

As the Liberal Party formed, Regeneración became an important outlet to voice political platforms and inform the people of government corruption. It primarily advocated against capitalism, clericalism, restriction of free speech and press, and occasionally the existence of authority as a whole. Many of its articles addressed the proletariat directly to call them to action or bring awareness to their situation. The newspaper met its end when Magón was finally convicted under the U.S. Espionage Act.

FURTHER READING

Magón Flores Ricardo, Chaz Bufe, and Mitchell Cowen Verter. Dreams of Freedom: A Ricardo Flores Magón Reader. Oakland, CA: AK Press, 2005. 

‌Magón, Flores Ricardo. Regeneracion Newspaper. Huntington Library, San Marino, CA. https://californiarevealed.org/islandora/object/cavpp%3Anp-reg

Archivomagon.net. “Archivo Digital de Ricardo Flores Magón | Archivo Digital Del Trabajo Histórico de Ricardo Flores Magón,” 2021. http://archivomagon.net/.

Regeneración, November 29, 1913
Regeneración, September 10, 1910
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