Village and Non-violence |
"I
expect to convert the zamindars and other capitalists by the non-violent
method, and therefore there is for me nothing like an inevitability of class
conflict. For it is an essential part of nonviolence to go along the line
of least resistance. The moment the cultivators of the soil realize their
power, the zamindari evil will be sterilized. What can the poor zamindar do
when they say that they will simply not work the land unless they are paid
enough to feed and clothe and educate themselves and their children in a
decent manner? In reality the toiler is the owner of what he produces. If
the toilers intelligently combine, they will become an irresistible power.
That is how I do not see the necessity of class conflict. If I thought it
inevitable I should not hesitate to preach it and teach it."
(Harijan,
5-12-1936; 64:73.)
"Cast
off the cloak of foreign thoughts and ideals, identify yourselves with the
villagers. The Western world is giving us destructive knowledge; we want to
impart constructive education through non-violence."
(Harijan,
30-4-1938; 67:36.)
"If
the worker going to the village has no faith in nonviolence, our work must
fail. If he concerns himself with economics alone and disregards ethics and
morality, all our efforts are of no avail. Non-violence is the basis on
which our work is to be built. It will not do to ignore it. In the initial
stages people might achieve something even without it but ultimately the
edifice of swaraj will not be raised without the foundation of ahimsa.
(Speech at All India Spinners' Association meeting, Sevagram, 1-9-1944;
78:63.)
"There are some big men who hold this view. They think that the teaching of
non-violence has proved disastrous. They believe that the way of the
spinning-wheel would only take us back to the medieval ages. They think the
same of village industries and Nayee Talim. Could it not be that there was
something basically wrong with me which led me to have a misguided view of
things all through? However, my views are the same as they have always
been."
(A
letter, 14-4-1947; 87:278.)
"Whatever effect is produced there will be the fruit of ahimsa. Without
ahimsa village uplift seems impossible to me."
(Letter to Manibhai Desai, 11-12-1947; 90:210.)
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