An outstanding history concerning India touches on its moral icon, Mahatma Gandhi. Also called Bapu, Gandhi was India’s first prime minister after helping the nation attain independence through non-violence actions. Instead of using armies, Indians used fasting to compel Britons to leave the country, making it (India) very unique. Studies on ethics never proceed without mentioning Gandhi. Bapu holds almost the same respect as Aristotle on morality and the need for social stability. Bearing an association with Gandhi thus makes Indians very happy. Many people and organizations in the republic purpose to promote the first primer’s morality standards, with some attaining significant success. However, Gandhi’s philosophy on the nation’s social, economic, and political realms is highly corrupted. Therefore, the following discussion reviews the leader’s principles on morality, inter-religious relations, and long-term influence. Covering the leader’s canons on the different aspects helps differentiate Bapu’s real stands from today’s tarnished interpretations.
Morality has several meanings, including the system of standards and values differentiating good and ill. Ethics is the philosophical brand under which character is studied. Aristotle and Mahatma Gandhi are the two renowned morality leaders in history. The former was a Greek scholar with profound influence on global ethics, while Gandhi’s inspiration mainly thrives in India. Mahatma was India’s first prime minister after helping the nation realize independence through non-violent means. Several literary sources contain the leader’s values for the Indian and global citizens. However, Tushar Gandhi stands out as a reliable primary source for those seeking Gandhi’s philosophy on morality. The author is the great-grandson of India’s first prime minister and provides straightforward narratives bearing the reality on the icon’s stands.
Gandhi’s morality covers several subjects, including politics, parenting, integrity, social interactions, and the use of fasting as a tool. Bapu views political leadership as an opportunity to serve, not exploit people. The leader also maintains the need for politicians to remain below the law to protect its (the law’s) sanctity (144). Gandhi starts his speech by apologizing to the audience concerning the family’s inability to provide another icon. According to the author, almost all the individuals in the Indian government and political arena go against Bapu’s morality principles. Gandhi (142) refers to the current public insults among the Indian leaders in fighting corruption as a significant deviation from Mahatma’s principles. Anna is a public icon who thinks that calling the other leaders names amounts to cleansing oneself. Instead of tarnishing the other party’s reputation, the speaker maintains that the best way is to ensure that one is clean and then use the proper channels to bring the corrupt folks to account.
The use of fasting in contemporary India also goes against Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of morality. Gandhi (142) says that Bapu’s mission thrives on making the means and the ends equally important. Accordingly, the fasting public figures must know why they are doing that to cause the appropriate effects. To reiterate this account, Gandhi (141) provides a narrative featuring Bibi Amutussalam, one of the nation’s renowned female public figures. Bibi was a social worker in Noakhali and a disciple of Bapu. A social conflict involving the destruction of an Indian temple in the village and the stealing of liturgical swords from the worship center by Muslims takes place during Bibi’s days, according to Gandhi (142). The disciple then tries retrieving the swords by going into the Islamic villages but fails. She then results to fasting to force the two conflicting communities to come together and the Muslims to return all the three stolen swords. The community returns two swords until the twenty-first day of Bibi fasting, during which society members seek her to take something.
Bapu’s response on learning about Bibi’s actions implies the need for considerate fasting. Bibi refuses to eat until all the three swords taken from the destroyed temple are back. Coupled with the disciple’s importance in society, Bibi’s many days of fasting make many people afraid. The two rifting communities also come together to take care of Bibi, who remains adamant. On learning about the incident, Mahatma Gandhi writes to Bibi, asking her to be clear on whether her fasting is to bring Muslims and Indians together or is meant for personal destruction (Gandhi 142). However, Bibi decides to maintain the fast against Bapu’s advice. Consequently, Gandhi responds with the following words, which show the need for consideration when fasting for the public good.
“She is unyielding. And if she wishes to die, then let her pass on. She does not comprehend or recognize that the intention is to bring together the hearts and not retrieve the weapons. Let us not discard our time on her…” (Gandhi 142).
Mahatma Gandhi’s moral principles on the judiciary demand that the government’s arm remains fair to all the people regardless of the political class or social status. According to Gandhi (145), India’s judicial system lives significantly contrary to Bapu’s moral requirements. The author notes that many poor people go to prison for minor offenses, while the powerful operate over the law. Furthermore, even the acquitted low-class Indians continue staying in jail because no lawyers will help them get out. Many acquitted fellows need someone to deliver their exoneration letters from the courts to the prisons, but no one is ready to undertake the job. Instead, almost all the attorneys in India cherish working for the wealthy individuals exhibiting corruption cases. The lawyers use their influence and law knowledge to secure the corrupt elite group’s freedom (Gandhi 145). Accordingly, India’s courts and lawyers fail to live by Gandhi’s moral philosophy and should change.
Mahatma Gandhi’s ethics on parenting also want parents to control the amount of freedom granted to children. Gandhi (144) provides a narrative involving Bapu and Arun, his beloved grandson. According to the author, Arun wants to take his grandfather’s photograph after securing a camera. He requests the senior Gandhi to take the snap, but Bapu denies requiring Arun to pay five rupees for the photo (Gandhi 144). The requirement comes from the fact that Gandhi charges public members interested in acquiring his signed autobiography, a project that Arun manages. The Arun one day takes his grandfather’s photo when the icon is busy. On learning about the grandson’s action, Mahatma confiscates the camera until Arun’s parents pay five rupees to the prime minister. The matter makes the great-grandson very hungry because he believes he should never pay for something he owns; the grandfather. Gandhi realizes Arun’s madness, after which he softly tells Arun that failing to do to his grandson what he does to the public denies him the moral authority to exercise the policy on others.
Mahatma Gandhi’s moral principles object to the “eye for an eye” practice in Indian politics today. Gandhi (145) compares Anna and Manish and Mahatma, Hitler, and Winston Churchill to show the difference. According to the speaker, Anna and Manish present a mistaken version of Indian politics by engaging each other on the stage. Instead of retaliating, Gandhi (145) insists on turning the other cheek to the oppressor for the sake of peace and morality. Nonetheless, the speaker notes that ignoring the accuser forms the best way to turn the other cheek and not give up one’s face for buttering (Gandhi 146). Consequently, the account reiterates Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence actions, which Indians need to re-introduce for real ethicalness. Other moral values from Bapu’s ways include perseverance, moral victory, and conservation, which are lacking in contemporary Indian and global societies.
Mahatma Gandhi’s ethics on inter-religious associations maintain the need to quit dogma-based religion and faith to a belief system that appreciates humanity and its shared origin. The former prime minister thus disregards violent religious systems that brand people and other religious groups as “others”. Other than taking religion as an alien aspect, Gandhi maintains that there can never be religion without humanity, thus the need for humans to recognize the essence of free interaction. Mahatma serves as an example of what he preaches to the people about religions. For example, the leader remained grounded in Hinduism but often read and analyzed other religions’ writings and teachings (Howard 4). Moreover, Gandhi encourages his disciples and followers to engage in genuine conversations with the other religions to gather more knowledge about God and humanity.
Bapu further accepts and supports intermarriages between individuals from different religious backgrounds, bringing a better understanding of humanity and making religion a moral issue. Howard further (5) reiterates Gandhi’s message that understanding various spiritual teachings promotes diversity in reasoning and knowing God. As such, the leader says that experimenting on the other religions creates adequate views worth supporting interreligious associations for mutual respect and deep understanding, instead of mere tolerance (Howard 5). Gandhi’s teaching on the religion subject thus forms a crucial part in the contemporary world where people fight others on religion basis. Appreciating Bapu’s moral principles on religion provides an excellent way for the world to avert the many religion-attached wars, such as those between Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and all the other groups.
Studying Mahatma Gandhi and his moral influence is crucial for the continued application of his values. According to Weber (147), Gandhism is significantly non-existent in the contemporary world, with Vinoba Bhave and Jayaprakash Narayan being two of the most significant followers of Gandhism in history. The lack of literary material concerning the movement shortly after Gandhi’s death explains the bulging void (Weber 247). However, the absence of adequate literature regarding Gandhism rhymes with the leader’s sentiments that his life should be his story (Weber 248). The argument leads to noteworthy reviews and bibliographies on Gandhi’s work and deeds in the twentieth century, with some writers viewing him as an influential figure over the period. Consequently, Mahatma Gandhi continues to influence people differently, including politically and religiously, as per Weber (253). Nonetheless, reviving the works about the leader promises to cause more impact relative to today, thus transforming the world.
In conclusion, Mahatma Gandhi remains one of the most outstanding leaders worldwide. The fellow’s moral teachings and life serve as adequate influencers towards morality. Gandhi is specially credited with the non-violence demonstrations using fasting and hunger strikes. The leader utilized this strategy to secure India’s independence, which he calls moral victory. India continuously shifts away from Gandhi’s ethical principles in several aspects. For example, the nation’s current politicians engage in corruption and public insults against Gandhi’s “cheek philosophy.” Other issues covered in this work concern Gandhi’s stands on interreligious links and his long-term significance.