Gandhian
Concept of Non-Violent Society: A Modern Perspective
By P. I. Devaraj
& Syamala K.*
The
WORLD TODAY is dominated by greed and competition, speed and restlessness,
pollution, poverty and starvation, exploitation, ecological destruction, war
and violence. The standard of living of the people has risen with multiple
amenities for a comfortable living. But despite extra ordinary progress in the
fields of science & technology, there are ample signs of a sick human
society. As a result of the degradation of man, culture and society many
serious problems have arisen. If democracy is to survive and if science has to
be utilized for maintaining the stability of society, if peace and security of
the people is to be ensured we have to work hard and steady.
A
healthy and harmonized society can exist only when its members imbibe some
moral and ethical values. Only such values can ensure mutual aid and
co-operation. Only when the people internalize ethical and moral values in
their lives and actually practice them in their day-to-day lives they can build
a healthy and progressive human society. In order to attain this we have to
bring about certain changes in human nature and attitudes. For the
reconstruction of society, its social, economic, political and religious
institutions, value systems and tradition which breed violence should be
removed and replaced by new ones. As stated by Dr. Sampooran Singh, “we are
often caught in an acquisitive culture which consists of ambition, comparing,
competing and acquiring. This is called psychological aggressiveness. This is
actually a subtle violence which has led to making the whole human race in to a
civilized violent community. Violence benumbs the sensitivity and this makes
our understanding of life poorer. No wonder, man has emerged as a violent
species. Mahatma Gandhi foresaw this situation and one of his major intentions
while he wrote 'Hind Swaraj' was to teach the Indians that 'modern western
civilization' with the above said consequences posed a greater threat to them
and to humanity than did colonialism. He said that "I would ask you to
read Hind Swaraj with my eyes.... and see therein the chapter on how to make
India non-violent. You cannot build non-violence on a factory civilization..."
