Soul Force: Gandhi's Writings on Peace

by Mahatma Gandhi, V. Geetha (Editor)

Mahatma Gandhi led a lifelong search for social peace and political non-violence. Committed to dialogue across classes, cultures and faiths, his life and politics stand testimony to a remarkable civic life, which valued restraint, tolerance and transparency above all else. This book historicizes his earnest and provocative writings—on the bomb, Zionism and Palestine, the partition of India—showing his ideas maturing over time into a unique model of public action.

225 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2000

About the author

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India. Employing non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for non-violence, civil rights and freedom across the world.

The son of a senior government official, Gandhi was born and raised in a Hindu Bania community in coastal Gujarat, and trained in law in London. Gandhi became famous by fighting for the civil rights of Muslim and Hindu Indians in South Africa, using new techniques of non-violent civil disobedience that he developed. Returning to India in 1915, he set about organizing peasants to protest excessive land-taxes. A lifelong opponent of "communalism" (i.e. basing politics on religion) he reached out widely to all religious groups. He became a leader of Muslims protesting the declining status of the Caliphate. Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for easing poverty, expanding women's rights, building religious and ethnic amity, ending untouchability, increasing economic self-reliance, and above all for achieving Swaraj—the independence of India from British domination. His spiritual teacher was the Jain philosopher/poet Shrimad Rajchandra.

Reviews

[Rakesh Awasthi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gives Gandhi and his philosophy a new perspective.