Mahatma Gandhi

 Gandhi was an influential figure in our society. He taught many people about equal rights, honouring

thy neighbour, and peace and tranquillity. Although at times his actions were deemed improbable and

insane nevertheless, they were effective. Life of Mohatama Gandhi;his goals he accomplish for freedom

for South Africa; and how Mohatama finally obtained freedom for India.

Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born in the present state of Gujarat on October 2,

1869. He was educated in law at University College, London. In 1891, after Gandhi was admitted to the

British bar, he returned to India and attempted to create a law practice in Bombay, which failed. Two

years after his failure, and India firm with interests in South Africa hired him as a legal adviser to work in

their office in Durban. Once Gandhi arrived in Durban he found himself being treated as a member of an

inferior race. He was shocked at the denial of civil liberties and political rights to Indian immigrants to

South Africa. He then "threw" himself into the struggle for basic rights for Indians.

Gandhi stayed in South Africa for 20 years, being imprisoned many times. In 1896, after being

attacked and beaten by white South Africans, Gandhi began to teach a method of "passive resistance,"

to, the South African authorities. _Part of the inspiration for this method came from the Russian writer

Leo Tolstoy. Christ and Henry David Thoreau, a 19th century American writer, also inspired Gandhi. In

1914 the government of the Union of South Africa made important concessions to Gandhi''s demands.

They included recognition of Indian marriages and abolition of the poll tax for them. When his work is

South Africa was complete he returned to India. Following World War I, Gandhi launched his movement

of passive resistance to Great Britain. In 1919, the British Parliament passed the Rowlatt Acts, giving

authorities the rights to use emergency powers to deal with revolutionary activities, Gandhi''s method of

passive resistance spread throughout India gaining millions of followers. A demonstration of the Rowlatt

Act occurred when passive resistance was subjected to British forces who then massacred Indians at

Amritsar. In 1920 when the British government didn''t make amends, Gandhi created an organized group

of noncooperation. Indians in public office resigned, government agencies were boycotted, and Indian

children were withdrawn from government schools. Indian streets were covered with Indians who would

not get up even if beaten by police. Gandhi was then arrested but the British were forced to release him

soon after. The economic aspects of the movement were significant. It resulted in extreme poverty in the

country and almost utter destruction of Indian home industries. In order to quell the poverty Gandhi,

allowed the revival of cottage industries. Gandhi then began using a spinning wheel as a sign of

returning to the simple village life he had preached about. Gandhi became the international symbol of a

free India. By the method of passive resistance, Britain too would consider violence useless and leave

India. In 1921 the Indian National Congress gave Gandhi complete executive authority. Then, many

revolts occurred against Great Britain. Gandhi then confessed the failure of his civil-disobedience

method and ended it. The British government once again arrested and imprisoned him in 1922. When

Gandhi was released in 1924 he concentrated on communal unity. In 1930, Gandhi announced a new

method of civil disobedience, refusing to pay taxes, especially taxes on salt. This method created the

"Salt March."