Introduction
According to Gandhi passive resistance is a universal truth of achieving the goals through soul-force rather than violence. In fact, Mahatma Gandhi became one of the key figures in India’s struggle for independence in the Twentieth Century. Gandhi preached and practiced passive resistance and believed that it is the only way to achieve independence in a most harmonious manner. Besides, he says that passive resistance is a scientific truth as the force of love is the same as the force of the soul or truth. He says that if violence is used to achieve all the goals in life, then the entire population would disappear. He was a leader who practiced what he preached. For instance, when Gandhi was imprisoned in 1922, 1930, 1933 and in 1942, he went on hunger strike. As a result of these strikes his fame was such that his death in prison would be major headlines all over the world and would cause greatly embarrassment to the ruling British government and forced them to release him from prison. Therefore, the nonviolence movements were creating more fear among the rulers and also gaining popularity among the Indians. Gandhi says that the history only mentions about the wars and the violent acts of kings and emperors. The nonviolence movements do not take the place in the history as they are not considered significant by the historians. According to Gandhi, passive resistance is a method of securing rights by personal suffering which is the opposite of resistance by arms. Passive resistance is using the soul-force and is superior to the force of arm.
Main body
Gandhi says that a passive resister will say he will not obey a law that is against his conscience. A person with full confidence on himself and his acts can only be a passive resister. In other words he says that a man who lacks courage and manhood cannot be a passive resister. Therefore, a person even with less physical strength can fight more powerfully using passive resistance when compared to a person with good physical strength. Therefore, passive resistance can be a weapon for women and even children. Gandhi says that passive resistance is like an all-sided sword that can be used in any way and will not hurt the person against whom he is fighting.
In order to become a passive resister, Gandhi says that it takes experience. Additionally, those who want to become passive resisters for serving the country have to observe perfect chastity, adopt poverty, follow truth, and cultivate fearlessness. A person who is unchaste loses stamina and becomes emasculated and cowardly and cannot be a passive resistor. Similarly a rich person should be willing to lose even the last penny rather than give up passive resistance or in other words accept poverty without compromising on passive resistance. A person who has a fearful nature cannot become a passive resistor. Therefore it is said that when a man takes up a false path or abandons truth, he does so because of some kind of fear in his mind and he is not fit to be a passive resistor.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that passive resistance is the most harmonious way to fight for once rights and achieve the goals. It is a difficult task and is much more difficult when compared to the act of violence. A person who can be ideal chastity, accept poverty, follow truth, and cultivate fearlessness can only become perfect passive resistors. It takes courage and experience to be a passive resistor. Though it is considered difficult task, it is possible for even women and children to be passive resistors. In other words, even people with no or less physical strengths can achieve their goals through passive resistance. People who take up violence cannot become passive resistors. Mahatma Gandhi is the best example of a person who achieved the goals of independent India through passive resistance. Another example of passive resistance can be seen in the Holy Bible in Jesus. Jesus practiced non-violence in several instances. Jesus says “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly.” Lk. 6.27-28. There are several leaders such as James Morris Lawson, Jr. and Martin Luther King, Jr. who have practiced passive resistance or non violence and have achieved their goals and it is the best way of achieving goals in a nonviolent way.