Mahatma Ghandi Biography
By: Manny Ray
Life and Accomplishments
Mahatma Ghandi was born in India, and was a strong peace activist. He arrived in South Africa in 1893 at the age of 24. He originally came to South Africa as a short term lawyer but his stay was extended. When he was on a train with a first class ticket and refused to move to third class because of his race he was kicked off the train; this began his personal fight against racial oppression. He developed the strategy satyagraha where protesters when on peaceful marches and turned themselves into the police in an attempt to protest unjust laws. This technique was a great success for the fight against apartheid.
Significance
Ghandi's peaceful contributions to the apartheid struggle were immense. He was able to make a large impact and show the feelings of the repressed people. Theses peaceful techniques were used very often in the 20th century to show fight the government. Many of the anti-apartheid protests were based of his ideals. By being peaceful if the government fought back with violence they looked even worse and more people would join the fight against them. Ghandi's ideas of letting the police arrest themselves filled the jails and forced the government to provide for them. Ghandi's ability to speak up for the injustice without sacrificing the casualties of violence was one of the greatest accomplishments of the anti-aparthied movement.
"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won" -Ghandi
Citations
"Follow in the Footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, Who Spent 20 Formative Years Living and Working in South Africa." Gandhi in South Africa. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
"Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi | Indian Leader." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
"SouthAfrica.info." Gandhi's South African Legacy. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
"Mahatma Gandhi, Fully Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Aka Bapu." Mahatma Gandhi, Fully Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Aka Bapu. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.