Mahatma Gandhi “Great Soul”

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MAHATMA GANDHI “GREAT SOUL” Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is considered to be the Twentieth Century’s modern day Messiah. He was born of a modest middle class family from India and educated in law from the aristocratic society of London, England. Mahatma Gandhi was the paramount leader for Indian nationalism in British-ruled India who exercised non-violent civil disobedience and led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Mahatma Gandhi has inspired people during his lifetime and many after his death. He has inspired men such as Martin Luther King Jr., former South African President, Nelson Mandela, Albert Einstein, and current US President and then-Senator Barack Obama. Martin Luther King Jr. drew from Gandhi’s theories of civil disobedience and non-violence and fashioned his movement with many similarities. Nelson Mandela also followed Gandhi’s teachings after ending apartheid and began helping everyone that faced injustice. Albert Einstein penned Gandhi and informed him that he admired his courage and use of non-violence even though his adversaries choose not to and would like to meet him. Heather Whipps, journalist for Live Science adds, “Martin Luther King Jr. is said to have been heavily influenced by Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence, believing it to be the only logical approach to the problem of race relations in America.” (Famous personalities influenced by Gandhi) Jesus being the exception, no great leader has ever not been influenced and shaped into who they have become, if it were not for other great teachers before them. Gandhi is no exception. His influences have been through the readings of many great books such as Leo Tolstoy’s 1894 novel; The Kingdom of ... ... middle of paper ... ...an extent and understand why he had to choose not to aid in the native African struggle. If he would have chosen to assist in their situation then he would have alienated his people from the British and South African whites and jeopardize his whole agenda for civil rights for his Indian people. Works Cited "Famous personalities influenced by Gandhi." 09 September 2009. Hindustan Times. Article. Gandhi, Ela. "MAHATMA GANDHI’S SOUTH AFRICAN EXPERIENCE – A UNIQUE MODEL OF TRANSFORMATION." 07 February 2014. www.transcend.org. Article. Lelyved, Joseph. Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle With India. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc., 2011. Book. Whipps, Heather. "How Gandhi Changed the World." 08 September 2008. www.livescience.com. Article. "Who and What Influenced Gandhi's Ideas & Actions." n.d. www.historyhaus.weebly.com. web page.

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