The Gandhian Way Logo

Gandhian Values in Today’s World: Relevance and Challenges

Introduction.

Mahatma Gandhi’s values and principles continue to resonate in today’s world, offering insights and guidance in addressing the challenges we face. Gandhian values, such as nonviolence, truth, simplicity, and social justice, remain relevant as we strive for a more peaceful, just, and sustainable society. However, applying these values in the modern context presents its own set of challenges. By examining the relevance and challenges of Gandhian values in today’s world, we can gain a deeper understanding of their significance and how we can embody them in our lives.

Relevance of Gandhian Values

1. nonviolence in conflict resolution.

Gandhi’s principle of nonviolence, or Ahimsa, is as relevant today as it was during his time. In a world marked by conflicts, violence, and oppression, the practice of nonviolence offers an alternative approach to conflict resolution.

Nonviolence encourages us to seek peaceful means of resolving conflicts, engaging in dialogue, and promoting understanding. It emphasizes the power of empathy, compassion, and respect for human dignity in addressing differences and finding common ground.

2. Truth and Integrity in the Era of Disinformation

In the age of digital media and information overload, Gandhi’s emphasis on truth and integrity is more important than ever. The spread of disinformation and “fake news” has eroded trust and deepened divisions in society.

Gandhian values call for truth-seeking, critical thinking, and responsible dissemination of information. It reminds us of the importance of upholding integrity, being discerning consumers of information, and promoting transparency in public discourse.

3. Simplicity and Sustainable Living

Gandhi advocated for a life of simplicity and self-sufficiency, prioritizing needs over wants. In today’s consumer-driven culture, embracing simplicity and sustainable living has become increasingly relevant.

By adopting sustainable practices, reducing consumption, and minimizing waste, we can mitigate the environmental impact of our lifestyles. Gandhi’s emphasis on self-reliance, local economies, and ecological preservation inspires us to live more consciously and harmoniously with nature.

4. Social Justice and Equality

The pursuit of social justice and equality remains a pressing issue in contemporary society. Gandhi’s fight against discrimination and his vision of an inclusive society are still relevant in the face of ongoing inequalities based on race, gender, caste, and socioeconomic status.

Gandhian values encourage us to challenge systems of oppression, advocate for marginalized communities, and work toward a more equitable distribution of resources and opportunities. They remind us of the importance of solidarity, empathy, and active engagement in addressing social injustices.

Challenges in Applying Gandhian Values

1. violence and conflict.

One of the significant challenges in applying Gandhian values is the prevalence of violence and conflict in today’s world. Nonviolence requires immense courage, self-control, and a willingness to endure suffering, which can be difficult to uphold in the face of aggression and oppression.

Addressing this challenge involves a collective commitment to de-escalating conflicts, promoting dialogue, and fostering a culture of nonviolence. It requires cultivating empathy and finding constructive ways to address grievances, both at individual and societal levels.

2. Technological Advancements and Information Overload

Technological advancements and the rise of social media have transformed the way information is disseminated and consumed. While these developments have the potential for positive change, they also pose challenges to Gandhian values.

The rapid spread of information and the ease with which false narratives can be propagated present challenges to truth and integrity. It requires a conscious effort to discern reliable sources, critically evaluate information, and combat the proliferation of disinformation.

3. Materialism and Consumerism

The dominance of materialistic and consumerist values poses a challenge to Gandhian principles of simplicity and sustainable living. The relentless pursuit of material wealth and the culture of instant gratification hinder efforts toward a more equitable and sustainable society.

To address this challenge, individuals can strive to prioritize needs over wants, practice mindful consumption, and advocate for policies that promote sustainable development. Promoting awareness about the environmental and social impacts of consumerism is crucial in shifting societal values towards sustainability and simplicity.

4. Deep-Rooted Systems of Inequality

Gandhi’s vision of social justice and equality faces the challenge of deeply entrenched systems of inequality and discrimination. Overcoming these systemic barriers requires sustained efforts, collective action, and policy changes.

Addressing this challenge involves challenging discriminatory laws and practices, advocating for inclusive policies, and promoting dialogue and understanding among diverse groups. It requires recognizing privilege, amplifying marginalized voices, and actively working towards dismantling oppressive structures.

The values espoused by Mahatma Gandhi continue to hold relevance and offer guidance in today’s complex world. Nonviolence, truth, simplicity, social justice, and equality are timeless principles that can inspire individual and collective action toward a more peaceful, just, and sustainable society.

While challenges exist in applying Gandhian values, they can be overcome through collective efforts, conscious choices, and a commitment to personal and societal transformation. By embracing Gandhian values and embodying them in our lives, we contribute to the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and pave the way for a more compassionate and equitable world.

Book cover

Gandhi in the Twenty First Century pp 3–16 Cite as

Gandhi in the Twenty-First Century: Ideas and Relevance

  • Anshuman Behera 3 &
  • Shailesh Nayak 3  
  • First Online: 11 February 2022

158 Accesses

This is an introductory chapter of this edited volume. This chapter reflects on the relevance of Gandhian ideas in dealing with the contemporary societal challenges. Departing from a body of literature that confines Gandhi and his ideas to a specific time, this chapter holds the view that Gandhian ideas transcend time. Accordingly, the chapter stresses on the critical need for revisiting Gandhi’s ideas keeping in mind the challenges that the society is witnessing. To blur the distinction between Gandhi as a philosopher, an activist, and a freedom fighter, this chapter highlights the surplus element in Gandhi in his multiple personality and roles. The first part of the chapter reasons with the need for and importance of revisiting and engaging with Gandhi’s ideas. And the second part briefly explains the fourteen critical themes pertaining to Gandhi’s ideas around which the book has been compiled.

  • Relevance of Gandhi’s ideas
  • Surplus philosopher

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution .

Buying options

  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
  • Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Gandhi defined his understanding of Ramraj during Indian National Congress (INC) session in Faizpore, 1936. He mentioned that: ‘By this I do not mean a mere imitation of the British House of Commons or the Soviet rule of Russia or the Fascist rule of Italy or the Nazi rule of Germany. They have systems suited to their genius. We must have systems suited to our genius. What that can be is more than I can tell. I have described it as Ramraj , that is sovereignty of the people based on moral authority’ (cited in Pandey, 1988 ).

Appadurai, A. (2011). Our Gandhi, our times. Public Culture, 23 (2), 263–264.

Article   Google Scholar  

Bilgrami, A. (2002). Gandhi’s integrity: The philosophy behind the politics. Postcolonial Studies, 5 (1), 79–93.

Bilgrami, A. (2012). Gandhi and marx. Social Scientist, 40 (9/10), 3–25.

Google Scholar  

Bilgrami, A. (2003). Gandhi, the philosopher. Economic and Political Weekly, 38 (39), 4159–4165.

Galtung, J. (1996). Peace by peaceful means: Peace and conflict . Sage Publications.

Book   Google Scholar  

Gandhi, M.K. (1927). Young India.

Gandhi, M. (1936). Harijan .

Gandhi, M. (1931). Young India.

Gandhi, M. (1940). Harijan. Collected works (vol. LXXI, pp. 207–08).

Gandhi, M. (1909). Hind Swaraj or the Indian home-rule. Madras. G A Natesan & Co.

Gandhi, M. (1925). Collected works (vol. XXVIII, p.308).

Gandhi, M. (1969). Hind Swaraj (p. 65) . Ahmedabad, Navajivan.

Galtung, J. (2011). Arne naess, peace and Gandhi. Inquiry, 54 (1), 31–41.

Khosal, R. K., & Khosal, M. (1973). Gandhian economic philosophy. The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 32 (2), 191–209.

Kishwar, M. (1985). Gandhi on women. Economic and Political Weekly, 20 (40), 1691–1702.

Kumar, R. (2007). Gandhi, Ambedkar and the poona pact, 1932. South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, 8 (1–2), 87–101.

Narayan, J. (1969). The relevance of Gandhi. A speech delivered at Indian Committee for Cultural Freedom . New Delhi.

Pandey, J. (1988). Democratic ideal state and the hind Swaraj. The Indian Journal of Political Science, 49 (1), 40–46.

Pani, N., & Behera, A. (2018). Reasoning Indian politics: Philosopher politicians to politicians seeking philosophy . Routledge.

Pantham, T. (1986). Beyond liberal democracy: Thinking with Mahatma Gandhi. In T. Pantham & K. L. Deutsch (Eds.), Political thought in modern India (p. 319). Sage Publications.

Pantham, T. (1983). Thinking with Mahatma Gandhi: Beyond liberal democracy. Political Theory, 11 (2), 165–188.

Patel, S. (1988). Construction and reconstruction of woman in Gandhi. Economic and Political Weekly, 23 (8), 377–387.

Pyarelal, (1958). Mahatma Gandhi-the last phase (vol. 2). Navajivan Publishing House.

Rivett, K. (1959). The economic thought of Mahatma Gandhi. The British Journal of Sociology, 10 (1), 1–15.

Srivastava, K. L. (1968). The relevance of Gandhian political thought in the contemporary world. Indian Journal of Political Science, 29 (3), 212–217.

Tendulkar, D. G. (1951). Mahatma: life of M K Gandhi (p. 106) . New Delhi. Ministry of Information. Government of India.

Terchek, R. J. (1986). Gandhi and democratic theory. In T. Pantham & K. L. Deutsch (Eds.), Political thought in modern India (pp. 299–316). Sage Publications India Ltd.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Anshuman Behera & Shailesh Nayak

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anshuman Behera .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Anshuman Behera

Shailesh Nayak

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 National Institute of Advanced Studies

About this chapter

Cite this chapter.

Behera, A., Nayak, S. (2022). Gandhi in the Twenty-First Century: Ideas and Relevance. In: Behera, A., Nayak, S. (eds) Gandhi in the Twenty First Century. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8476-0_1

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8476-0_1

Published : 11 February 2022

Publisher Name : Springer, Singapore

Print ISBN : 978-981-16-8475-3

Online ISBN : 978-981-16-8476-0

eBook Packages : Religion and Philosophy Philosophy and Religion (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

  • Publish with us

Policies and ethics

  • Find a journal
  • Track your research

Home — Essay Samples — History — Mahatma Gandhi — Relevance of Gandhi’s Principles in Today’s World

test_template

Relevance of Gandhi’s Principles in Today’s World

  • Categories: Mahatma Gandhi Personal Philosophy Philosophy of Life

About this sample

close

Words: 1514 |

Published: Mar 3, 2020

Words: 1514 | Pages: 3 | 8 min read

Image of Dr. Charlotte Jacobson

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

  • 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
  • Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

author

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

  • Expert in: History Philosophy

writer

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

6 pages / 2847 words

1 pages / 370 words

4 pages / 1680 words

2 pages / 790 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Mahatma Gandhi

Although Epictetus’s Handbook consists of only fifty-three points, it manages to convey clearly the main ideas of Stoicism and how to act based on those principles. Despite the fact that reading all of the points in the Handbook [...]

History has showed human being as different colors of skin with different background stories. Every ethnic group had to deal some sort of bigotry views toward them or their life style. What most don’t do is realize that all of [...]

The question of whom to meet if given the chance to interact with anyone from history is both intriguing and thought-provoking. While there are countless individuals who have left their mark on the world, the person I would [...]

“Never do anything when you are in a temper, for you will do everything wrong.” -Baltasar Gracian. Anger is one of the strongest feelings and can cause one to do and say things drastically out of character. The events that take [...]

Strachey, in ‘Eminent Victorians’, reflects on the character of infamous historical heroine Florence Nightingale to cast the past lives of ordinary citizens, primarily women, as unsatisfactory and unfulfilling, and through this [...]

On July 11th, 1804 Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton were rowed across the Hudson River in separate boats; they were going to duel. Burr was accompanied by his loyal protg, William Van Ness; Hamilton brought with him Dr. David [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

  • Instructions Followed To The Letter
  • Deadlines Met At Every Stage
  • Unique And Plagiarism Free

essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

Gandhi-logo

  • Relevance of Gandhi
  • Importance and Relevance of Gandhian Principles in 21st Century International Cross-country Dispute Resolution
  • Search Menu
  • Browse content in Arts and Humanities
  • Browse content in Archaeology
  • Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Archaeology
  • Archaeological Methodology and Techniques
  • Archaeology by Region
  • Archaeology of Religion
  • Archaeology of Trade and Exchange
  • Biblical Archaeology
  • Contemporary and Public Archaeology
  • Environmental Archaeology
  • Historical Archaeology
  • History and Theory of Archaeology
  • Industrial Archaeology
  • Landscape Archaeology
  • Mortuary Archaeology
  • Prehistoric Archaeology
  • Underwater Archaeology
  • Urban Archaeology
  • Zooarchaeology
  • Browse content in Architecture
  • Architectural Structure and Design
  • History of Architecture
  • Residential and Domestic Buildings
  • Theory of Architecture
  • Browse content in Art
  • Art Subjects and Themes
  • History of Art
  • Industrial and Commercial Art
  • Theory of Art
  • Biographical Studies
  • Byzantine Studies
  • Browse content in Classical Studies
  • Classical Literature
  • Classical Reception
  • Classical History
  • Classical Philosophy
  • Classical Mythology
  • Classical Art and Architecture
  • Classical Oratory and Rhetoric
  • Greek and Roman Archaeology
  • Greek and Roman Epigraphy
  • Greek and Roman Law
  • Greek and Roman Papyrology
  • Late Antiquity
  • Religion in the Ancient World
  • Digital Humanities
  • Browse content in History
  • Colonialism and Imperialism
  • Diplomatic History
  • Environmental History
  • Genealogy, Heraldry, Names, and Honours
  • Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
  • Historical Geography
  • History by Period
  • History of Agriculture
  • History of Education
  • History of Emotions
  • History of Gender and Sexuality
  • Industrial History
  • Intellectual History
  • International History
  • Labour History
  • Legal and Constitutional History
  • Local and Family History
  • Maritime History
  • Military History
  • National Liberation and Post-Colonialism
  • Oral History
  • Political History
  • Public History
  • Regional and National History
  • Revolutions and Rebellions
  • Slavery and Abolition of Slavery
  • Social and Cultural History
  • Theory, Methods, and Historiography
  • Urban History
  • World History
  • Browse content in Language Teaching and Learning
  • Language Learning (Specific Skills)
  • Language Teaching Theory and Methods
  • Browse content in Linguistics
  • Applied Linguistics
  • Cognitive Linguistics
  • Computational Linguistics
  • Forensic Linguistics
  • Grammar, Syntax and Morphology
  • Historical and Diachronic Linguistics
  • History of English
  • Language Variation
  • Language Families
  • Language Acquisition
  • Language Evolution
  • Language Reference
  • Lexicography
  • Linguistic Theories
  • Linguistic Typology
  • Linguistic Anthropology
  • Phonetics and Phonology
  • Psycholinguistics
  • Sociolinguistics
  • Translation and Interpretation
  • Writing Systems
  • Browse content in Literature
  • Bibliography
  • Children's Literature Studies
  • Literary Studies (Modernism)
  • Literary Studies (Asian)
  • Literary Studies (European)
  • Literary Studies (Eco-criticism)
  • Literary Studies (Romanticism)
  • Literary Studies (American)
  • Literary Studies - World
  • Literary Studies (1500 to 1800)
  • Literary Studies (19th Century)
  • Literary Studies (20th Century onwards)
  • Literary Studies (African American Literature)
  • Literary Studies (British and Irish)
  • Literary Studies (Early and Medieval)
  • Literary Studies (Fiction, Novelists, and Prose Writers)
  • Literary Studies (Gender Studies)
  • Literary Studies (Graphic Novels)
  • Literary Studies (History of the Book)
  • Literary Studies (Plays and Playwrights)
  • Literary Studies (Poetry and Poets)
  • Literary Studies (Postcolonial Literature)
  • Literary Studies (Queer Studies)
  • Literary Studies (Science Fiction)
  • Literary Studies (Travel Literature)
  • Literary Studies (War Literature)
  • Literary Studies (Women's Writing)
  • Literary Theory and Cultural Studies
  • Mythology and Folklore
  • Shakespeare Studies and Criticism
  • Browse content in Media Studies
  • Browse content in Music
  • Applied Music
  • Dance and Music
  • Ethics in Music
  • Ethnomusicology
  • Gender and Sexuality in Music
  • Medicine and Music
  • Music Cultures
  • Music and Culture
  • Music and Religion
  • Music and Media
  • Music Education and Pedagogy
  • Music Theory and Analysis
  • Musical Scores, Lyrics, and Libretti
  • Musical Structures, Styles, and Techniques
  • Musicology and Music History
  • Performance Practice and Studies
  • Race and Ethnicity in Music
  • Sound Studies
  • Browse content in Performing Arts
  • Browse content in Philosophy
  • Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art
  • Epistemology
  • Feminist Philosophy
  • History of Western Philosophy
  • Metaphysics
  • Moral Philosophy
  • Non-Western Philosophy
  • Philosophy of Action
  • Philosophy of Law
  • Philosophy of Religion
  • Philosophy of Science
  • Philosophy of Language
  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Philosophy of Perception
  • Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic
  • Practical Ethics
  • Social and Political Philosophy
  • Browse content in Religion
  • Biblical Studies
  • Christianity
  • East Asian Religions
  • History of Religion
  • Judaism and Jewish Studies
  • Qumran Studies
  • Religion and Education
  • Religion and Health
  • Religion and Politics
  • Religion and Science
  • Religion and Law
  • Religion and Art, Literature, and Music
  • Religious Studies
  • Browse content in Society and Culture
  • Cookery, Food, and Drink
  • Cultural Studies
  • Customs and Traditions
  • Ethical Issues and Debates
  • Hobbies, Games, Arts and Crafts
  • Lifestyle, Home, and Garden
  • Natural world, Country Life, and Pets
  • Popular Beliefs and Controversial Knowledge
  • Sports and Outdoor Recreation
  • Technology and Society
  • Travel and Holiday
  • Visual Culture
  • Browse content in Law
  • Arbitration
  • Browse content in Company and Commercial Law
  • Commercial Law
  • Company Law
  • Browse content in Comparative Law
  • Systems of Law
  • Competition Law
  • Browse content in Constitutional and Administrative Law
  • Government Powers
  • Judicial Review
  • Local Government Law
  • Military and Defence Law
  • Parliamentary and Legislative Practice
  • Construction Law
  • Contract Law
  • Browse content in Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Criminal Evidence Law
  • Sentencing and Punishment
  • Employment and Labour Law
  • Environment and Energy Law
  • Browse content in Financial Law
  • Banking Law
  • Insolvency Law
  • History of Law
  • Human Rights and Immigration
  • Intellectual Property Law
  • Browse content in International Law
  • Private International Law and Conflict of Laws
  • Public International Law
  • IT and Communications Law
  • Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law
  • Law and Society
  • Law and Politics
  • Browse content in Legal System and Practice
  • Courts and Procedure
  • Legal Skills and Practice
  • Primary Sources of Law
  • Regulation of Legal Profession
  • Medical and Healthcare Law
  • Browse content in Policing
  • Criminal Investigation and Detection
  • Police and Security Services
  • Police Procedure and Law
  • Police Regional Planning
  • Browse content in Property Law
  • Personal Property Law
  • Study and Revision
  • Terrorism and National Security Law
  • Browse content in Trusts Law
  • Wills and Probate or Succession
  • Browse content in Medicine and Health
  • Browse content in Allied Health Professions
  • Arts Therapies
  • Clinical Science
  • Dietetics and Nutrition
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Operating Department Practice
  • Physiotherapy
  • Radiography
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Browse content in Anaesthetics
  • General Anaesthesia
  • Neuroanaesthesia
  • Browse content in Clinical Medicine
  • Acute Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Clinical Genetics
  • Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
  • Dermatology
  • Endocrinology and Diabetes
  • Gastroenterology
  • Genito-urinary Medicine
  • Geriatric Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Medical Oncology
  • Medical Toxicology
  • Pain Medicine
  • Palliative Medicine
  • Rehabilitation Medicine
  • Respiratory Medicine and Pulmonology
  • Rheumatology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Sports and Exercise Medicine
  • Clinical Neuroscience
  • Community Medical Services
  • Critical Care
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Forensic Medicine
  • Haematology
  • History of Medicine
  • Medical Ethics
  • Browse content in Medical Dentistry
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Paediatric Dentistry
  • Restorative Dentistry and Orthodontics
  • Surgical Dentistry
  • Browse content in Medical Skills
  • Clinical Skills
  • Communication Skills
  • Nursing Skills
  • Surgical Skills
  • Medical Statistics and Methodology
  • Browse content in Neurology
  • Clinical Neurophysiology
  • Neuropathology
  • Nursing Studies
  • Browse content in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  • Gynaecology
  • Occupational Medicine
  • Ophthalmology
  • Otolaryngology (ENT)
  • Browse content in Paediatrics
  • Neonatology
  • Browse content in Pathology
  • Chemical Pathology
  • Clinical Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics
  • Histopathology
  • Medical Microbiology and Virology
  • Patient Education and Information
  • Browse content in Pharmacology
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Browse content in Popular Health
  • Caring for Others
  • Complementary and Alternative Medicine
  • Self-help and Personal Development
  • Browse content in Preclinical Medicine
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology and Genetics
  • Reproduction, Growth and Development
  • Primary Care
  • Professional Development in Medicine
  • Browse content in Psychiatry
  • Addiction Medicine
  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Forensic Psychiatry
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Old Age Psychiatry
  • Psychotherapy
  • Browse content in Public Health and Epidemiology
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health
  • Browse content in Radiology
  • Clinical Radiology
  • Interventional Radiology
  • Nuclear Medicine
  • Radiation Oncology
  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Browse content in Surgery
  • Cardiothoracic Surgery
  • Gastro-intestinal and Colorectal Surgery
  • General Surgery
  • Neurosurgery
  • Paediatric Surgery
  • Peri-operative Care
  • Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
  • Surgical Oncology
  • Transplant Surgery
  • Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Browse content in Science and Mathematics
  • Browse content in Biological Sciences
  • Aquatic Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Ecology and Conservation
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics and Genomics
  • Microbiology
  • Molecular and Cell Biology
  • Natural History
  • Plant Sciences and Forestry
  • Research Methods in Life Sciences
  • Structural Biology
  • Systems Biology
  • Zoology and Animal Sciences
  • Browse content in Chemistry
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Computational Chemistry
  • Crystallography
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Industrial Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Materials Chemistry
  • Medicinal Chemistry
  • Mineralogy and Gems
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Physical Chemistry
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Study and Communication Skills in Chemistry
  • Theoretical Chemistry
  • Browse content in Computer Science
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computer Architecture and Logic Design
  • Game Studies
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Mathematical Theory of Computation
  • Programming Languages
  • Software Engineering
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Virtual Reality
  • Browse content in Computing
  • Business Applications
  • Computer Games
  • Computer Security
  • Computer Networking and Communications
  • Digital Lifestyle
  • Graphical and Digital Media Applications
  • Operating Systems
  • Browse content in Earth Sciences and Geography
  • Atmospheric Sciences
  • Environmental Geography
  • Geology and the Lithosphere
  • Maps and Map-making
  • Meteorology and Climatology
  • Oceanography and Hydrology
  • Palaeontology
  • Physical Geography and Topography
  • Regional Geography
  • Soil Science
  • Urban Geography
  • Browse content in Engineering and Technology
  • Agriculture and Farming
  • Biological Engineering
  • Civil Engineering, Surveying, and Building
  • Electronics and Communications Engineering
  • Energy Technology
  • Engineering (General)
  • Environmental Science, Engineering, and Technology
  • History of Engineering and Technology
  • Mechanical Engineering and Materials
  • Technology of Industrial Chemistry
  • Transport Technology and Trades
  • Browse content in Environmental Science
  • Applied Ecology (Environmental Science)
  • Conservation of the Environment (Environmental Science)
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Environmental Science)
  • Management of Land and Natural Resources (Environmental Science)
  • Natural Disasters (Environmental Science)
  • Nuclear Issues (Environmental Science)
  • Pollution and Threats to the Environment (Environmental Science)
  • Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Environmental Science)
  • History of Science and Technology
  • Browse content in Materials Science
  • Ceramics and Glasses
  • Composite Materials
  • Metals, Alloying, and Corrosion
  • Nanotechnology
  • Browse content in Mathematics
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Biomathematics and Statistics
  • History of Mathematics
  • Mathematical Education
  • Mathematical Finance
  • Mathematical Analysis
  • Numerical and Computational Mathematics
  • Probability and Statistics
  • Pure Mathematics
  • Browse content in Neuroscience
  • Cognition and Behavioural Neuroscience
  • Development of the Nervous System
  • Disorders of the Nervous System
  • History of Neuroscience
  • Invertebrate Neurobiology
  • Molecular and Cellular Systems
  • Neuroendocrinology and Autonomic Nervous System
  • Neuroscientific Techniques
  • Sensory and Motor Systems
  • Browse content in Physics
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
  • Biological and Medical Physics
  • Classical Mechanics
  • Computational Physics
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Electromagnetism, Optics, and Acoustics
  • History of Physics
  • Mathematical and Statistical Physics
  • Measurement Science
  • Nuclear Physics
  • Particles and Fields
  • Plasma Physics
  • Quantum Physics
  • Relativity and Gravitation
  • Semiconductor and Mesoscopic Physics
  • Browse content in Psychology
  • Affective Sciences
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Criminal and Forensic Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Educational Psychology
  • Evolutionary Psychology
  • Health Psychology
  • History and Systems in Psychology
  • Music Psychology
  • Neuropsychology
  • Organizational Psychology
  • Psychological Assessment and Testing
  • Psychology of Human-Technology Interaction
  • Psychology Professional Development and Training
  • Research Methods in Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Browse content in Social Sciences
  • Browse content in Anthropology
  • Anthropology of Religion
  • Human Evolution
  • Medical Anthropology
  • Physical Anthropology
  • Regional Anthropology
  • Social and Cultural Anthropology
  • Theory and Practice of Anthropology
  • Browse content in Business and Management
  • Business History
  • Business Strategy
  • Business Ethics
  • Business and Government
  • Business and Technology
  • Business and the Environment
  • Comparative Management
  • Corporate Governance
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Health Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • Industrial and Employment Relations
  • Industry Studies
  • Information and Communication Technologies
  • International Business
  • Knowledge Management
  • Management and Management Techniques
  • Operations Management
  • Organizational Theory and Behaviour
  • Pensions and Pension Management
  • Public and Nonprofit Management
  • Strategic Management
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Browse content in Criminology and Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Justice
  • Criminology
  • Forms of Crime
  • International and Comparative Criminology
  • Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice
  • Development Studies
  • Browse content in Economics
  • Agricultural, Environmental, and Natural Resource Economics
  • Asian Economics
  • Behavioural Finance
  • Behavioural Economics and Neuroeconomics
  • Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
  • Economic Methodology
  • Economic Systems
  • Economic History
  • Economic Development and Growth
  • Financial Markets
  • Financial Institutions and Services
  • General Economics and Teaching
  • Health, Education, and Welfare
  • History of Economic Thought
  • International Economics
  • Labour and Demographic Economics
  • Law and Economics
  • Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics
  • Microeconomics
  • Public Economics
  • Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
  • Welfare Economics
  • Browse content in Education
  • Adult Education and Continuous Learning
  • Care and Counselling of Students
  • Early Childhood and Elementary Education
  • Educational Equipment and Technology
  • Educational Strategies and Policy
  • Higher and Further Education
  • Organization and Management of Education
  • Philosophy and Theory of Education
  • Schools Studies
  • Secondary Education
  • Teaching of a Specific Subject
  • Teaching of Specific Groups and Special Educational Needs
  • Teaching Skills and Techniques
  • Browse content in Environment
  • Applied Ecology (Social Science)
  • Climate Change
  • Conservation of the Environment (Social Science)
  • Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Social Science)
  • Natural Disasters (Environment)
  • Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Social Science)
  • Browse content in Human Geography
  • Cultural Geography
  • Economic Geography
  • Political Geography
  • Browse content in Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Communication Studies
  • Museums, Libraries, and Information Sciences
  • Browse content in Politics
  • African Politics
  • Asian Politics
  • Chinese Politics
  • Comparative Politics
  • Conflict Politics
  • Elections and Electoral Studies
  • Environmental Politics
  • European Union
  • Foreign Policy
  • Gender and Politics
  • Human Rights and Politics
  • Indian Politics
  • International Relations
  • International Organization (Politics)
  • International Political Economy
  • Irish Politics
  • Latin American Politics
  • Middle Eastern Politics
  • Political Theory
  • Political Methodology
  • Political Communication
  • Political Philosophy
  • Political Sociology
  • Political Behaviour
  • Political Economy
  • Political Institutions
  • Politics and Law
  • Public Administration
  • Public Policy
  • Quantitative Political Methodology
  • Regional Political Studies
  • Russian Politics
  • Security Studies
  • State and Local Government
  • UK Politics
  • US Politics
  • Browse content in Regional and Area Studies
  • African Studies
  • Asian Studies
  • East Asian Studies
  • Japanese Studies
  • Latin American Studies
  • Middle Eastern Studies
  • Native American Studies
  • Scottish Studies
  • Browse content in Research and Information
  • Research Methods
  • Browse content in Social Work
  • Addictions and Substance Misuse
  • Adoption and Fostering
  • Care of the Elderly
  • Child and Adolescent Social Work
  • Couple and Family Social Work
  • Developmental and Physical Disabilities Social Work
  • Direct Practice and Clinical Social Work
  • Emergency Services
  • Human Behaviour and the Social Environment
  • International and Global Issues in Social Work
  • Mental and Behavioural Health
  • Social Justice and Human Rights
  • Social Policy and Advocacy
  • Social Work and Crime and Justice
  • Social Work Macro Practice
  • Social Work Practice Settings
  • Social Work Research and Evidence-based Practice
  • Welfare and Benefit Systems
  • Browse content in Sociology
  • Childhood Studies
  • Community Development
  • Comparative and Historical Sociology
  • Economic Sociology
  • Gender and Sexuality
  • Gerontology and Ageing
  • Health, Illness, and Medicine
  • Marriage and the Family
  • Migration Studies
  • Occupations, Professions, and Work
  • Organizations
  • Population and Demography
  • Race and Ethnicity
  • Social Theory
  • Social Movements and Social Change
  • Social Research and Statistics
  • Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
  • Sociology of Religion
  • Sociology of Education
  • Sport and Leisure
  • Urban and Rural Studies
  • Browse content in Warfare and Defence
  • Defence Strategy, Planning, and Research
  • Land Forces and Warfare
  • Military Administration
  • Military Life and Institutions
  • Naval Forces and Warfare
  • Other Warfare and Defence Issues
  • Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
  • Weapons and Equipment

Ethics For Our Times: Essays in Gandhian Perspective (1st edn)

A newer edition of this book is available.

  • < Previous chapter
  • Next chapter >

1 Gandhian Perspective: Essence and Applications

  • Published: July 2011
  • Cite Icon Cite
  • Permissions Icon Permissions

This chapter analyzes the essence and applications of Gandhian thought in the modern globalizing world. It discusses Mahatma Gandhi's advocacy of non-violence and his principle of trusteeship and examines their relevance to issues related to politics, economics, sustainable development, and environment. The chapter also evaluates how far India has followed Gandhian ideals and principles and suggests that the essence of the Gandhian perspective is formed by his firm faith in and commitment to truth and non-violence. It also mentions that Gandhi has been an inspiration for several mass movements for social justice and environment protection.

Signed in as

Institutional accounts.

  • Google Scholar Indexing
  • GoogleCrawler [DO NOT DELETE]

Personal account

  • Sign in with email/username & password
  • Get email alerts
  • Save searches
  • Purchase content
  • Activate your purchase/trial code

Institutional access

  • Sign in with a library card Sign in with username/password Recommend to your librarian
  • Institutional account management
  • Get help with access

Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:

IP based access

Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.

Sign in through your institution

Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.

  • Click Sign in through your institution.
  • Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in.
  • When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
  • Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.

If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.

Sign in with a library card

Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.

Society Members

Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:

Sign in through society site

Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:

  • Click Sign in through society site.
  • When on the society site, please use the credentials provided by that society. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.

If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.

Sign in using a personal account

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.

A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.

Viewing your signed in accounts

Click the account icon in the top right to:

  • View your signed in personal account and access account management features.
  • View the institutional accounts that are providing access.

Signed in but can't access content

Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.

For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.

Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.

  • About Oxford Academic
  • Publish journals with us
  • University press partners
  • What we publish
  • New features  
  • Open access
  • Rights and permissions
  • Accessibility
  • Advertising
  • Media enquiries
  • Oxford University Press
  • Oxford Languages
  • University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

  • Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
  • Cookie settings
  • Cookie policy
  • Privacy policy
  • Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

Relevance of Gandhian Principles in Today's World

Article sidebar, main article content.

The moment the mighty character of Gandhi rises before us, the question presents itself: What is his significance today and for the future? What inspiration can we take from his life? What light can his thought and wisdom shed on our complications? How does his way of life disturb our course of action in private and public affairs? That Gandhi is significant today and for centuries to come is not in hesitation at all. The words which Nehru uttered almost instantly after Gandhi’s sudden exit from this world are found to prove prophetic. Nehru said, the light is gone and yet it will shine for a thousand years. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Nobel Peace Prize winner of America, came to India as a pilgrim in 1959. After a month’s sojourn in the land of Gandhi, on the eve of his departure, he was questioned a cynical question at a press conference in Delhi. Where is Gandhi today? He was asked: we see him nowhere. Dr. Martin Luther King ’s reply was that Gandhi was inevitable. If humanity is to growth, Gandhi is inescapable. He lived, thought and acted, inspired by the vision of a humankind evolving towards a world of peace and harmony. We may ignore him only at our own risk.

Article Details

Gandhi is still relevant – and can inspire a new form of politics today

essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

PhD Candidate in History, University of York

Disclosure statement

Tom Shillam does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of York provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

View all partners

essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

Seventy years after Gandhi’s assassination on the streets of New Delhi, Ramachandra Guha’s new book, Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World, 1914-48, reopens a familiar debate around his legacy. What was Gandhi’s message? What were his politics? What can we learn from him today? And is he still relevant?

Guha, presenting the second half of a biography that began with his 2013 book, Gandhi Before India , offers a straightforward but detailed narrative in which “the Mahatma” negotiates a principled path between the warring political trends of the age. Historian of empire, Bernard Porter , welcomed Guha’s work and its subtle defence of a “gentler, more tolerant and consensual forms of politics” that is now, in the age of Donald Trump, Brexit and Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, on the decline in the West and elsewhere.

Others are more biting. Fellow Gandhi scholar Faisal Devji charges Guha with neutralising the Mahatma’s radicalism. Meanwhile, author Pankaj Mishra , reexamining Gandhi’s writings in a “post-truth age” of “furious revisionism”, uncovers a “relentlessly counter-intuitive thought” left untapped by Guha’s tales of a “bland do-gooder”.

Resurrection

All these accounts, however, seek to resurrect Gandhi as a political mentor for today . Modern politics – and its new formula of Twitter hashtags, populist sloganeering and strongman dictators – may seem an unlikely place for the teachings of Gandhi to offer fresh inspiration. But just such a thing also happened during the Cold War, when politics faced some very similar problems.

Gandhi is sometimes imagined sitting beside a spinning wheel pouring scorn on science and modernity. Indeed, when asked by a reporter what he thought of “Western civilisation”, he famously replied: “I think it would be a good idea.”

But his politics were more complex than this. Gandhi read the works of Western political thinkers including John Ruskin and Leo Tolstoy. India was being sucked into a global economy based on the exploitation and automation of labour. Industrial capitalism – and its partner, imperialism – only cemented uneven power relations and alienated one Indian from the next. He believed what was needed, instead, was a social and economic life based around local production for local needs, something that would also foster greater cultural enjoyment.

But is the current post-truth age still able to make use of this simple, authentic message?

A look into early 1950s Indian history provides some clues. When India achieved independence in August 1947 – with Jawaharlal Nehru as its first prime minister – Gandhi, it is supposed, remained as a spiritual and moral, rather than political, guide. His vision of a “village India” died in 1948 with his assassin Nathuram Godse’s bullet . And as Cold War ideological competition ramped up between communism and capitalism, rapid and centralised economic growth seemed inevitable .

essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

Some intellectuals, however, returned to the Mahatma’s ideas in this new and hostile climate. In 1950, the CIA covertly funded the formation of the Congress for Cultural Freedom (CCF), an organisation which brought together liberal and leftist intellectuals from around the world to discuss the threat posed by Soviet collectivism to free cultural expression.

In sponsoring conferences and magazines in which these intellectuals could articulate their views, the CIA hoped it could channel their anti-authoritarianism to a useful Cold War end. But this did not work out. CCF branches often acted as repositories for radical aspirations which could find no other home.

The Indian Committee for Cultural Freedom (ICCF), formed in 1951, was a striking example . Freedom First, its maiden publication, eschewed cultural criticism for discussions of domestic politics. The CCF’s push for the formation of a new journal, Quest, which reversed this was in vain, with one writer taking the opportunity to rail against a Westernised Indian “ruling class” whose interest in state-led development was bound to create “a situation reminiscent of the looking-glass world” – in other words, to impose Western ideologies onto India .

A stateless society

These writers – often former freedom fighters who had gone to prison for their travails – wanted a new egalitarian politics they sometimes termed “direct democracy”. Views on how this should be approached varied, and as the decade wore on, some took to advocating for a pro-capitalist, if also welfare state-friendly, programme.

Others, though, found in Gandhi a source of optimism. In 1951, Vinoba Bhave and other social reformers committed to Gandhi’s “sarvodaya” – progress of all – concept, founded the “Bhoodan Movement” . This was aimed at encouraging landowners to redistribute land without violence and rapidly reduce inequality in agrarian India.

This fascinated the ICCF. Marathi trade unionist and columnist, Prabhakar Padhye, named Bhoodan one of several reform movements capable of constituting “a new social force in the life of the country”. The ICCF’s annual conference welcomed the movement, with speakers calling for a “Gandhian” politics which made “cooperation, rather than competition, the rule of life” .

essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

Soon, key ICCF writer, Minoo Masani, reported on a tour undertaken around the Indian state of Bihar with fellow member Jayaprakash Narayan. Speaking with crowds of peasants and rural poor, Narayan bracketed together totalitarianism and the welfare state as inherently coercive. What the pair supported was “Gandhism” – or a more spontaneous and participatory politics which “like anarchism or communism, visualises ultimately a stateless society”.

The point is that these intellectuals were drawing on Gandhi in defiance of an oppressive global political climate and its relentless classification of different ideas and visions as good or bad, communist or anti-communist, modernist or traditional.

In its vacuous rhetoric and sleazy sloganeering, the early Cold War era was like today. And then, as now, Gandhi’s ideas were of renewed interest. As we now face a global dearth of alternative political ideas, perhaps it’s no wonder we are turning again to the Mahatma for inspiration.

  • Indian politics

essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

Research Fellow – Beyond The Resource Curse

essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

Audience Development Coordinator (fixed-term maternity cover)

essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

Lecturer (Hindi-Urdu)

essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

Director, Defence and Security

essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

Opportunities with the new CIEHF

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

  • We're Hiring!
  • Help Center

paper cover thumbnail

GANDHIAN PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHTS: RELEVANCE AND IMPORTUNITY IN 21 ST CENTURY

Profile image of Ashish K U M A R Gupta

Related Papers

BEST Journals

Mahatma Gandhi has interpreted various concepts of metaphysics, political and social philosophy together with moral and religious philosophy. Although Gandhi has not given any new doctrine his interpretations on various concepts of philosophy like truth, God, non-violence, satyagraha etc. are enough to call him a philosopher and Gandhism as a philosophy. Metaphysical concept of Ganghiji is revealed in his views on truth, God, soul or mind. Truth is not an attribute of God but God is Truth. So Gandhi asserted that “Truth is God”. Mahatma Gandhi is a humanist and he believes that man is the best creations of God. God is within man. Gandhi’s philosophy of religion gives us a new way of thinking about religion. Gandhi shows his religious tolerance and belief in all religions. Gandhi prescribes certain moral principles for the development of man’s ethical personality. For Gandhiji, Satyagraha is the truth- force or soul-force. Gandhi used the word ‘Swaraj’ for political freedom. This paper is a humble attempt to highlight Gandhi’s contributions towards philosophy from purely philosophical and logical point of view.

essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

Dezső Szenkovics

The central question emphasized by the paper is that whether in the 21 st century's globalized world the Gandhian message still has or could have any actuality in managing our century's real challenges such as terrorism or the deepening moral crisis of the humanity. In order to be able to do this, the paper will fi rst of all present, analyse and comment on the most important concepts I consider the Gandhian thought is based on such as satya (Truth), ahimsa (non-violence) and satyagraha (as Gandhi loosely translated: holding on to truth, which in fact is the philosophy and practice of the non-violent resistance). I have to admit that in my paper I will consider Gandhi as a philosopher or a thinker even if he did not agree with me or even if it were hard to consider him a philosopher according to European traditions and European canon regarding philosophy. As we know, he personally declared that writing an academic text was beyond his power and he was not built for such kind of writings. Secondly, the paper will emphasize those aspects and concepts of the Gandhian thought which could give an answer to the core question of the paper, trying to prove that at least two of the presented concepts could be considered relevant and useful in our times, even if at fi rst impression all of these key concepts of the Gandhian thought seem to be a utopia and useless. It seems that Gandhi, through his ideas and thoughts, " is still alive " and is among us after more than 60 years of his death. It seems that we, all human beings, still have to learn from the ideas, from the writings and acts of the Mahatma.

IMMANUEL GANESAN

The 21 st Century is identified as the age of growth and development. In midst of all the developments, it is the acceptable hour to stand still and think 'Is India really developing?' and 'Is humaneness present in human life?' An inquest into these two questions, reminds a lot about our charismatic leader Mahatma Gandhi, his philosophy and his teachings. This article envisages the facts behind the relevance of Gandhiji and his philosophy in today's sociopolitical environment.

veena howard

Sunil Jadon

Bhartiya Shodh

NON-VIOLENT, RESISTANCE, HUMANKINDS, REFORM, SATYAGRAH, NATIONALIST, POLITICAL, MOVEMENT. Looking back at the twentieth century, as it is almost at its end, it has been marked by the bloodiest conflicts ever known to Humankind. From the death and destruction, the annals of history will forever manifest those who contributed to the barbarous events and those who attempted to resist the inhumane acts of aggressors. Belonging to the latter, one personality seems to stand out amongst the lot of humanitarians and peace loving people- Mohandas K. Gandhi. Although Gandhi was a remarkable nationalist leader, he was less concerned with the ends of his actions and more with the means of achieving independence for India. Gandhi believed in the idea of non-violent resistance and civil disobedience. These two elements of Gandhi’s plan for Indian Independence

Publisher ijmra.us UGC Approved

M. K. Gandhi was a prominent figure in the realm of peace and humanism. He played a noteworthy role in the movement of peace and freedom. He bestowed a lot of ideas relating to socio-political dimension. Gandhi " s ideas are basically philosophical in nature as he was inspired by various great philosophers of the world. Gandhi generated ideas to create a positive change in society. We acquire new ideas by studying his thought. No doubt, he was a social engineer who tried to build a new human society where everyone can live peacefully. In case of social change Gandhi always tried to establish a welfare state by means of non-violence and truth. His ultimate dream was sarvodaya, means welfare to all. According to him, we cannot gain anything by violent means. Because violence brings destruction; but non-violence does not. Non-violence and truth help us to purify our soul. M.K. Gandhi always tried to bring a social change by peaceful means, which contributes a lot in understanding the power of truthfulness, love and affection. Keeping these views in mind this paper is an attempt to understand the socio-political philosophy of M. K. Gandhi and its relevance.

Economic & Political Weekly

Prof. (Dr.) Sanjeev Kumar

IJAR Indexing

This paper examined the nature of Gandhian political ideas. The concept of state, politics, democracy, leadership, decentralization, freedom, rights and duties, what were these meant for Gandhi and his future vision for India. Further, the paper studied Gandhi’s political contributions such as secularism, panchayats, abolition of untouchability, freedom of speech etc. in the Indian constitution and their relevance in the present age. In last, briefly, I had made some understanding of recent emerging challenges in present society and hope to resolve them in the light of Gandhian principles, so that true democracy could be prevail. Therefore, the focus of this paper was mainly on political ideas and political contributions of Gandhiji and their present relevance. His political ideas were stateless and partyless democracy, decentralization, freedom of speech, abolition of untouchability, moral politics, secularism etc. There is great relevance of Gandhian political ideas or values in the present age of increasing violence and intolerance.

Faisal Devji

FD: Gandhi understood that self-interest, whether in its individual or collective form, represents the basic category of liberal politics. He also realised that it is not something given to us by nature but has to be set in place through considerable effort. Since interest conceived as ownership was tied to the regime of private property, however, it could only have a marginal existence in a place like India, where property and so ownership had not yet come to define all social relations. This meant that Indian social relations were often marked by modes of behaviour and practice, both violent and non-violent, that could not be accommodated within the logic of interest. Instead of trying to eliminate these altogether, which he thought an impossible task, Gandhi wanted to purify and expand them as forms of disinterest and altruism that deployed sacrifice in the cause of non-violence. He argued that all societies were in fact founded upon such sacrificial or disinterested relations, i...

RELATED PAPERS

John Correa

Plant Molecular Biology

Terry Thomas

Halaman Olahraga Nusantara (Jurnal Ilmu Keolahragaan)

Italian Journal of Zoology

Luca Castriota

jorge sousa

REVISTA SALUD UIS

Jacqueline Hernández Sánchez

Emma Sjöström

Mateja Sedmak

Materials Today

Wolfgang Tress

András Koltay

Mateja Filipič

Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society

Revista Nacional de Gerenciamento de Cidades

Marta Enokibara

Carlos Fardella

Techniques in Coloproctology

Rendiconti del Circolo Matematico di Palermo

UR Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Agnieszka Sawicz

Synthetic Metals

Soil Systems

Andrea Vacca

Shimon E Shatzmiller

Acta Médica Portuguesa

Luís Januário

Veterinary Microbiology

Fulvio Marsilio

Shock and Vibration

Eleni Chatzi

Anaesthesia and Intensive Care

Anthony McLean

  •   We're Hiring!
  •   Help Center
  • Find new research papers in:
  • Health Sciences
  • Earth Sciences
  • Cognitive Science
  • Mathematics
  • Computer Science
  • Academia ©2024

TriumphIAS

IAS,UTKARSH DWIVEDI | “150 YEARS OF CELEBRATING MAHATMA: Relevance of Gandhian Principles” | Triumph IAS

Table of Contents

IAS, UTKARSH DWIVEDI

Goodwill, Tolerance and Brotherhood are three pillars of a peaceful society.

Essay Topic:

“150 years of celebrating mahatma: relevance of gandhian principles”, (relevant for essay writing for upsc civil services examination).

Register in Online \ Offline Essay test series and Foundation Class

To master these intricacies and fare well in the Sociology Optional Syllabus , aspiring sociologists might benefit from guidance by the Best Sociology Optional Teacher and participation in the Best Sociology Optional Coaching . These avenues provide comprehensive assistance, ensuring a solid understanding of sociology’s diverse methodologies and techniques

Meta Tags: 

Urbanisation, Blessing, Disguise, Economic Growth, Cultural Diversity, Environmental Challenges, India, Social Inclusion, Sustainable Development, SDG Goals, Urbanization is a blessing in disguise, Laxman Tiwari, Laxman Tiwari upsc, Laxman Tiwari CSE, Laxman Tiwari Essay copy, Laxman Tiwari Essay test copy

Best Sociology Optional Coaching, Sociology Optional Syllabus.

Why Vikash Ranjan’s foundation Classes for Essay?

Proper guidance and assistance are required to learn the skill of writing essay topics in CSE examination. VIKASH RANJAN SIR at TRIUMPH IAS guides students according to the Recent Trends of UPSC, making him the Best Essay Teacher for Essay writing UPSC.

At Triumph IAS, the Best Essay Writing Coaching platform, we not only provide the best study material and applied classes of Essay for IAS but also conduct regular assignments and class tests to assess candidates’ writing skills and understanding of the subject.

Choose T he Best Essay Writing Teacher for IAS Preparation and Know our Approach for Essay?

  • The Programme is Planned & Executed in a Way that You Write a good Essay for obtaining Effective Score of 140 Plus.
  • How to INTRODUCE The Topic in Context of the THEME of the Essay
  • How to Elaborate & Explain the Topic-Theme on Temporal Scale & Sectoral Scale as well as Intellectual Scale in the MAIN BODY of the Essay.
  • How to Sum up the Topic in CONCLUSION in Context of the Essay Topic Theme.
  • ︎We will Teach You How to use the  Knowledge Matrix of  General Studies & Optional to write a Good Essay more Logically and Coherently.
  • After the Classes You have to  “Write to Learn & Learn to Score”  .This means You have to Write the Essay Test Papers & Learn from the Feedback & Discussions.

Why Essay is Important and What We Offer in “Essay Test Series”?

  • Triumph’s Essay Upgradation Test Series (Under Personal Guidance of Vikash Ranjan Sir) doesn’t only focus on improving student’s linguistic skills but also focus on improving student’s ability to comprehend the topic-sentence (subject) recall & relate the facts, concepts, propose thesis-statements, and logically assimilate the ideas & counter ideas with clarity in expression on temporal & Sectoral Scales of knowledge.
  • Further students are provided one-on-one INTERACTION* Session with Vikash Ranjan Sir. Students get personal feedback on their strength and weaknesses, regarding what is ‘good about their essay and what more should be done to make it a better one’ by Vikash Ranjan Sir.

Why to take up this “Essay Test Series and Foundation” Course?

  • Essay is Low hanging Fruit. Marks in Essay is Effectively Contributing in Final Selection in New Pattern of Mains Exam. With a Well Developed ‘Knowledge Matrix and Rigorous Practice’, One can Score upto 160 + in Essay. So IAS Aspirants should never Ignore Essay Preparation
  • Inculcating Writing Competency in Essay for IAS, which is Different from Essay in English, Essay in School and College.

Register in Online Class

Follow us :

🔎 https://www.instagram.com/triumphias

🔎 www.triumphias.com

🔎https://www.youtube.com/c/TriumphIAS

🔎 https://t.me/VikashRanjanSociology

Find More Blogs…

keyword: Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, Relevance of Gandhian Principles, 

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • IAS Preparation
  • UPSC Preparation Strategy

Gandhian Ideology

Gandhian ideology (also known as Gandhism) is the set of religious and social ideas adopted and developed by India’s Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, first during his period in South Africa from 1893 to 1914, and later in India.

Although incorporating certain Western ideologies that Mahatma Gandhi was exposed to, Gandhian ideologies were primarily rooted in Indian culture.

This article will give details about Gandhian Ideology within the context of the IAS Exam . Aspirants can learn from the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and integrate it with ethics preparation of UPSC Mains GS 4.

Gandhian Ideology- Download PDF Here

Major Gandhian Ideologies

The following thoughts are part of Gandhian ideologies

  • Truth and Non-violence: They are the twin pillars of Gandhian thoughts.For Mahatma Gandhi, truth translated into words and deeds. For him, the ultimate truth was God and morality. Thus moral laws and code became its basis.  As far as Mahatma Gandhi was concerned, non-violence was active love, the direct opposite of violence.
  • Satyagraha: Satyagraha meant the exercise of the purest soul-force against all forms of injustice, oppression and exploitation. The method secures rights by personal suffering and not inflicting injuries
  • Sarvodaya : Sarvodaya is a term meaning ‘Universal Uplift’ or ‘Progress of All’. The term was first coined by Mahatma Gandhi as the title of his translation of John Ruskin’s tract on political economy, “Unto This Last”.
  • Swaraj: Although the word swaraj means self-rule, Mahatma Gandhi gave it the content of an integral revolution that encompasses all spheres of life.
  • Trusteeship: Trusteeship was a socio-economic philosophy that meant the rich people would be the trusses of trusts and charities set up for the purpose of the common people.
  • Swadeshi: Swadeshi, the adjectival form, means of one’s own country, but can be loosely translated in most contexts as self-sufficiency.

Swadeshi is the focus on acting within and from one’s own community, both politically and economically.

It is the interdependence of community and self-sufficiency.

For more relevant notes, visit the linked article.

NCERT Notes: Indian National Movement – Extremist Period Gandhi Irwin Pact

Relevance of Gandhism in 21st Century

Although it is widely believed that Gandhism is a challenge to pursue in the 21st century; that is not the case. Gandhi’s principles can be applied in the following ways:

  • Concept of Society: The contemporary society is a complex whole which is neither value-oriented nor purely speculative. Tradition and authority which were once revered are now utterly disregarded. The whole of humanity is steered by jealousy, distrust, suspicion and hatred. Violence, poverty and intolerance are on the rise. The outer homogeneity brought by science and civilization doesn’t emanate with the inner unity of our souls. So, there is a dire need to reform our minds. He says that adherence to truthfulness should be our only purpose of existence. The ultimate end of the individual is the realization of truth and justice through consistent endeavours, not only for ourselves but for the entire humanity.
  • Economy: While it is generally recognized that socialism can’t be established without the use of force, Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of socialism involves the use of non-violence. He didn’t believe in extremes and neither appreciated complete liberty, as in a capitalist democracy, nor regimentation as in communist dictatorships. His idea was that power is to be as decentralized as possible. Globalization means integration of world economies through cross-country exchange of goods, ideas, information, and many services. Dominant economies with the aid of Multinational Companies and International Organizations are serving their interests to the extent that often the interest of the poor countries is compromised.
  • Education: Mahatma Gandhi thought that humanization of knowledge can lead us to immunization of ideas against communal distrust. He was critical of traditional education and said that being literate doesn’t mean being educated.
  • Swaraj: Swaraj meant to be free from external influences and foreign control. Now the country is independent and free from any external control. In today’s competitive and fast-paced world, there must be control over our inner conscience. Self-empowerment is the need of the hour. Every person should search for their own identity, and shouldn’t try to fit themselves in the moulds created by society.
  • Technology: The Gandhian principles are still relevant and technology can be used to enhance their effectiveness. The main tenet that he propagated was Satya.

It would include truth with respect to speech, reality as it exists and good as opposed to immoral, evil, and bad. As opposed to this, in contemporary times, people are not truthful and they are not presented with the existing reality of the system.

Here, technology plays its part. Technology can help bring the reality and truth out of the systems. It can curb our main evil, corruption. Information and Communications Technology plays a significant role in this. It facilitates the movement of data among governmental institutions, among citizens and between citizens and government as well. It helps bring transparency, answerability, and public participation.

To learn about some important political ideologies and their meaning , visit the linked article.

Aspirants can find complete information about upcoming Government Exams through the linked article. More exam-related preparation materials will be found through the links given below

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request OTP on Voice Call

Post My Comment

essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

IAS 2024 - Your dream can come true!

Download the ultimate guide to upsc cse preparation.

  • Share Share

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Register with byju's & watch live videos.

IMAGES

  1. Relevance of Gandhian Principles in Today's World Essay for Students

    essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

  2. Relevance of Gandhian Principles in Today's World Essay for Students

    essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

  3. Relevance of Gandhian Principles in Today's World Essay for Students

    essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

  4. Relevance of Gandhian Ideology

    essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

  5. Research Paper: Essay on mahatma gandhi

    essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

  6. Essay on Moral Values and Principles of Mahatma Gandhi for Students

    essay on relevance of gandhian principles in today's world

VIDEO

  1. गांधी जी का नीतिशास्त्र Part 1

  2. RELEVANCE OF GANDHIAN PHILOSOPHY IN THE 21st CENTURY

  3. Gandhian Principles in Governance

  4. Gandhian principles article

  5. Gandhian principles #dpsp #indianconstitution #shortnotes #generalstudies

  6. Relevance of Gandhian Principles in the 21st Century By Prof. Ramprakash Dwivedi, 01/10/2022

COMMENTS

  1. Relevance of Gandhian Principles in the 21st Century

    In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, the relevance of timeless wisdom often gets lost in the shuffle. However, the principles advocated by Mahatma Gandhi, also known as the Father of the Indian Nation, continue to shine as beacons of hope and wisdom in the 21st century. With simplicity, non-violence, truthfulness, self-reliance, and compassion at their core, Gandhian principles offer ...

  2. Relevance of Gandhian Principles in Today's World Essay for Students

    The first essay is a long essay on the Relevance of Gandhian Principles in Today's World of 400-500 words. This long essay is suitable for students of class 7, 8, 9 and 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants. The second essay is a short essay on the Relevance of Gandhian Principles in Today's World of 150-200 words.

  3. Gandhian Values in Today's World: Relevance and Challenges

    Conclusion. The values espoused by Mahatma Gandhi continue to hold relevance and offer guidance in today's complex world. Nonviolence, truth, simplicity, social justice, and equality are timeless principles that can inspire individual and collective action toward a more peaceful, just, and sustainable society. While challenges exist in ...

  4. Relevance of Gandhian Principles in the 21st Century

    Adding more to the list includes Gandhian principles of punctuality, honesty, duty boundness, which are the essence of good administration and governance. His functional perspective of religious integration and coherence while vehemently criticizing religious conflicts, intolerance and exploitation are quite relevant.

  5. Gandhi in the Twenty-First Century: Ideas and Relevance

    The next essay, titled 'Gandhi and Public health in India', provides detailed accounts of Gandhi's experience and ideas on the health-related issues. The essay reflects on Gandhi's realization on the importance of health and its association with poverty, socio-economic conditions, poor living conditions, and food habits of common Indians.

  6. Relevance of Gandhi's Principles in Today's World

    Relevance of Gandhi's Principles in Today's World. "The world has enough for everybody's needs, but not every man's greed. "Industrial revolution changed the way people lived - automation and growth in science and technology has led to a better living standard for people, in general.

  7. Importance and Relevance of Gandhian Principles in 21st Century

    Gandhi, an influential leader from 20th century, had brought about a revolutionary non-violent way of conflict resolution. This paper will analyse Gandhian principles with a view on its relevance in 21st century globalised world and whether his teachings could have an actuality considering the growing tensions in today's modern world.

  8. 1 Gandhian Perspective: Essence and Applications

    Abstract. This chapter analyzes the essence and applications of Gandhian thought in the modern globalizing world. It discusses Mahatma Gandhi's advocacy of non-violence and his principle of trusteeship and examines their relevance to issues related to politics, economics, sustainable development, and environment.

  9. PDF 'RELEVANCE OF GANDHIAN PHILOSOPHY IN THE 21ST CENTURY'

    The essence of Mahatma Gandhi's political philosophy was the empowerment of every individual, irrespective of class, caste, colour, creed or community. To him, extreme poverty was itself a form of violence. Democracy has become the preferred form of government in the 21st century, yet sadly his "notion of democracy" is far from being ...

  10. Relevance of Gandhian Principles in Today's World

    Where is Gandhi today? He was asked: we see him nowhere. Dr. Martin Luther King 's reply was that Gandhi was inevitable. If humanity is to growth, Gandhi is inescapable. He lived, thought and acted, inspired by the vision of a humankind evolving towards a world of peace and harmony. We may ignore him only at our own risk.

  11. Relevance of Gandhism Today

    Relevance of Gandhism Today. This article is based on "Thinking of Gandhi Today" which was published in the Economic and Political weekly on 19/09/2020. It talks about the relevance of Gandhism in present times. 2 nd October every year is a great day for India as well as for the world. On this day India celebrates the birth anniversary of ...

  12. Gandhi is still relevant

    Resurrection. All these accounts, however, seek to resurrect Gandhi as a political mentor for today. Modern politics - and its new formula of Twitter hashtags, populist sloganeering and ...

  13. (PDF) Relevance of Gandhian Thoughts in the 21st Century ...

    technical and valedictory sessions and 2) papers presented by 87 researchers in 15 sub themes in an. interdisciplinary national seminar on relevance of Gandhian thoughts in the 21. st. century ...

  14. (Pdf) Gandhian Philosophical Thoughts: Relevance and Importunity in 21

    The aim of this paper is to analyse the importance of Gandhian philosophy during 21st century, determine whether his teaching has the actual consideration in today's modern world. And also analyse his principles and its relevance in the globalised world of 21st century. M. K. Gandhi was an ordinary person throughout his student life.

  15. 150 YEARS OF CELEBRATING MAHATMA : Relevance of Gandhian Principles

    It's been almost 125 years to that incident and the world has changed a great deal in modern times and so we ask today, in this essay, 150 years after the birth of the Mahatma, are his principles still relevant? Gandhian principles - Blessing or Burden in 21 st century? It is said, "Do not be a man of success, but be a man of principles."

  16. Relevance of Gandhian Principles in the 21st Century

    In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, the relevance of timeless wisdom often gets lost in the shuffle. However, the principles advocated by Mahatma Gandhi, also known as the Father of ...

  17. "150 YEARS OF CELEBRATING MAHATMA: Relevance of Gandhian Principles

    Non-violence as an idea is more than relevant in today's world because we are witnessing civil wars in the Middle East, instances of terrorism in Europe, India, New Zealand, Afghanistan, murders in the USA [due to liberal arms laws], and riots in India between Hindus and Muslims, with one as recent as in Delhi, 2020.

  18. Gandhism: Ideology and Relevance in 21st Century

    Relevance of Gandhism in 21st Century. Although it is widely believed that Gandhism is a challenge to pursue in the 21st century; that is not the case. Gandhi's principles can be applied in the following ways: Concept of Society: The contemporary society is a complex whole which is neither value-oriented nor purely speculative.

  19. Mahatma Gandhi's Relevance in Today's World

    The Relevance of the Gandhian Model of Sustainable Development. Gandhi's teachings are relevant for protecting the environment and preserving the carrying capacity of the Earth. He believed in ...

  20. Relevance Of Gandhi'S Principles In Today'S World

    The ways of the Mahatma are tough but these are the fruits of self-experimentation of a man well versed with the texts and the scriptures. If they could unseat a foreign rule of yore, which wielded brute force, they still retain the power of an emollient to soothe the bruises of today's world. They only demand a certain degree of soul searching.

  21. PDF Relevance of Gandhian Thoughts in The Present Politics

    Though he was considered a frail naked man, his principles and ideologies are revered worldwide. Despite the fact that, on the superficial level, his principles are based in Indian contexts, his philosophy is considered universal and eternal by the world. 2.1 Non-Violence (Ahimsa) Gandhi was an apostle of non-violence.

  22. PDF A Study of The Relevance and Impact of Gandhian Ideology in The ...

    His principles and technique of satyagraha are highly efficacious instruments of peaceful, economic, social and political change whenever and wherever it is required. Gandhi said that the world must be organized to keep a just peace. The greater head of the world desires today not at all independent state. Gandhi considered in the association

  23. Are Mahatma Gandhi's Ideologies Relevant For Today's Youth?

    Mahatma Gandhi's principle of Ahimsa was based on the idea of non-violence and compassion. In the face of colonial violence, he proposed responding with non-violence. To his mind, a calm, nonviolent response lowers the anger and frustration of the aggressor. Non-violence, as a principle, remains relevant especially today with so much going on ...