open Democracy News Analysis - The modern Gandhi, Ramin Jahanbegloo - Comments

Deadfingerswalk on "The modern Gandhi"

Deadfingerswalk — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 21:43:19 +0000

In the context of South American politics and history Gandhi's approach appears limited indeed. Recently Venezuela was saved from a fascist coup by a mixture of popular action and military intervention. Without the threat of a military response by troops loyal to the republic the coup would have been successful, ushering in yet another period of Washington sponsored violence, economic exploitation and misery for the majority.

In addition, the victory of Chavez has helped catalyze the release of the entire region from the 'odious debt' of the IMF. Potentially freeing millions from lives that would otherwise be stunted by disease, hunger, misery and neglect.

And unlike Gandhi, Chavez does not have to invoke 'divine earthquakes' to promote social justice...!

The modern Gandhi, Ramin Jahanbegloo

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:18:19 +0000

Mahatma Gandhi is widely recognised as one of the most original and influential political thinkers and activists of the 20th century, yet he remains an elusive figure. He never wrote a comprehensive and systematic political or philosophical work in the mode of Thomas Hobbes or Hegel, and the pamphlets and books he did write are extremely diverse in topic: they include criticisms of modern civilisation, the place of religion in human life, the meaning of non-violence, social and economic programmes and even health issues. These works are constructed upon a series of concepts (satyagraha [truth force], swaraj [self-rule], sarvodaya [upliftment of all]) which Gandhi elaborates into thematic strands.

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