Mohandas Gandhi is considered one of India’s most prominent political as well as ideological leaders. Throughout his life time, he professed resistance against tyranny and the use of non violence. His achievements both on the social as well as political fronts are well documented and it is against this backdrop that I discuss two most significant changes that occurred as a result of his actions.
A discussion
At the social level, one of the most significant changes that were informed by Gandhi’s actions include the acceptance by landlords to grant poor farmers greater control as well as compensation as far as farming was concerned. The agreement also saw the halting of revenue hikes until the famine period was declared over. However, according to Rivera (2006), this agreement or truce of some sorts between the landlords and farmers did not come easily. Indeed, Gandhi had to organize a number of strikes and at some point, he was arrested and locked up but the unrest that followed informed his release.
This according to Rivera (2006) was what enhanced Gandhi’s fame across the nation where he was variously referred to as ‘father of the nation.’It is also important to note that during his time, Gandhi initiated a culture of non violence; a culture that is still invoked today at both the political as well as social arena. His insistence on deposing the British Raj through peaceful resistance, non-cooperation as well as the use of non violence was later embraced and it can indeed be said to have been a good example to have been set by a person who came to be variously referred to as Mahatma meaning ‘great soul’ and Bapu meaning ‘father.’
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important to note that Gandhi’s contributions towards the equal treatment of the down trodden as well as the use of non violence puts him top amongst other historical figures including but not limited to Martin Luther King as well as Mao Zedong.
References
Rivera, S. (2006). Mohandas Gandhi: A Life of Integrity. Lerner Publications
