E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

156 Contextualising Gandhian ThoughtI venture to think that the subject that I have chosendoes, in some measure, reflect of the direction of the journey ofhis mind.In raising the question, "Is there an alternative to a nonviolentrevolution," I must first explain the context in which thequestion has arisen in my mind. It is obvious that the questionrelates to the prevailing political, economic and social systems,the success that they have achieved in solving the basicproblems of our people, and the promise that they hold for thefuture. We have, therefore, to begin by asking ourselves:(1) Have we failed in achieving our nationalobjectives?(2) If we have failed, is it a failure of individuals, oris it a failure of the system?(3) If it is a failure of the system, can we still hopethat it can be corrected from within?(4) If it cannot be corrected from within, or solelyby action from within the system, and needsaction from without, from outside the system,can 'violent' action or action that depends on theuse of violence or physical force achieve oursocial objectives? In other words, can a violentrevolution achieve our social objectives?(5) If a violent revolution cannot be relied upon tobring about the social transformation we desire,is there an alternative to a non-violentrevolution?At the very outset, one should state what one means bysocial transformation. To put it very briefly, for the purpose ofthis discussion, one is using the term to denote thetransformation of the present society into one in which there