Download PRIMARY SOURCES: GANDHI`S SATYAGRAHA

PRIMARY SOURCES: GANDHI’S SATYAGRAHA
Document 1:
“Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state [government] has become lawless and corrupt. And a
citizen who barters with such a state shares in its corruption and lawlessness.”
-Mohandas K. Gandhi
-----------------------------------------------------------------------Questions for analyzing Document 1
1. Explain this statement in your own words.
2. What do you think the phrase “civil disobedience” means?
3. What do you think it means for a citizen to “barter” with a state?
Document 2:
Gandhi’s instruction to those who wanted to become involved in a satyagraha campaign:
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8.
Harbor no anger but suffer the anger of the opponent. Refuse to return the assaults of the opponent.
Do not submit to any order given in anger, even though severe punishment is threatened for disobeying.
Refrain from insults and swearing.
Protect the opponents from insult or attack, even at the risk of life.
Do not resist arrest…
Refuse to surrender any property held in trust at the risk of life.
If taken prisoner, behave in an exemplary manner.
As a member of a satyagraha unit, obey the orders of satyagraha leaders, and resign from the unit in the event of
serious disagreement.
9. Do not expect guarantees for maintenance [care of] of dependents.
Document 3:
The steps Gandhi outlined for a satyagraha campaign included:
1. Make every effort to resolve the conflict or redress the grievance through negotiation and arbitration; when that
fails,
2. Prepare the group for direct action through exercises in self-discipline and, for Indian satyagrahis, purification
fasting;
3. Institute an active propaganda campaign together with demonstrations, mass meetings, parades, and sloganshouting;
4. Issue an ultimatum that offers the widest scope for agreement and face-saving and that offers a constructive
solution to the problem;
5. Organize an economic boycott and forms of strike; non-cooperation such as non-payment of taxes, boycott of
schools and other public institutions; ostracism, or even voluntary exile;
6. Perform civil-disobedience by breaking laws that are either central to the grievance or symbolic; and finally,
7. Usurp the functions of the government and form a parallel government.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------Questions for analyzing Documents 2 and 3
1. What are the major qualities Gandhi is looking for in a person who participates in a satyagraha
movement?
2. Salt has been traditionally used as a food preservative and spice. It was considered an essential product
for survival. The British colonial government established a monopoly on salt production in India. This
outlawed Indians from producing their own salt and prohibited Indians from selling it to their own
people. All salt had to be produced by and bought from British-controlled businesses, thus advancing
British profits.
Imagine that you are an Indian citizen organizing a protest against the unfairness of this salt monopoly.
You are an adherent to Gandhi’s satyagraha’s principles. Describe your strategy for making this a
successful protest against British misrule.