Droevendalia 78: June 2009 - Droevendaal

Self-rule?
Gandhi inspires me since a very young age. What makes him so special to me, is that he showed with his own
life, how real idealism can become. His example can maybe give us new ideas and inspiration for our own way
of life. Therefore I will shortly summarize a small part of his philosophy, which may be interesting to you, to
get to know Gandhi a bit more.
His idea of power, fits many of us I guess: “Power resides in the people. Parliaments have no power or
even existence independently of the people.” (So does Idealis.) “Civil disobedience is the storehouse of power.
People unwilling to conform to the laws of the legislature, and prepared to suffer the consequences of noncompliance,
they will bring the whole legislative and executive machinery to a standstill.” (As Gandhi showed
the world in 1930/31 with his salt march, where millions broke the salt laws, filling prisons and paralyzing the
government).
Freedom was one of Gandhi's main objectives, “swaraj (self-rule) meant a mutual liberation from the
domination-submission symbiosis.” He explained, that the outward freedom, that we shall attain will only be
in exact proportion to the inward freedom to which we may have grown at a given moment. This inward
freedom requires a personal journey, a search for self-knowledge that liberates one from the sort of fear and
insecurity that fuels both the desire to dominate or to be dominated. Gandhi's struggle for swaraj, is infinitely
greater than and includes independence, because it means not merely “a change of government” but “a real
change of heart at the part of the people”.
Gandhi's famous methods for attaining this freedom: Truth and nonviolence are the means for
establishing social reforms (constructive programmes). Gandhi's constructive programmes focused on
swadeshi (self-reliance) and sarvodaya (welfare for all, economic equality), this leads to true freedom. In
Gandhi's words: “No one can be free until all are free, liberty must imply equality and the only method of
achieving this is through nonviolence.”
The mahatma wrote no fewer than a hundred volumes, but if you really want to get to understand his
philosophy, better take his own words into account: “My actions alone are the greatest exposition of truth
and nonviolence. Those who believe in these can propagate them only by following them in practice. They
call for no books.”
Gandi's Satyagraha ashram (an 'ashram' is a kind of community) had the following objective: “that its
members should qualify themselves for, and make a constant endeavor towards, the service of the country,
not inconsistent with the universal welfare.” I selected some of the ashram observances, which are seen as
essential for the fulfillment of the above ashram objective:
- Truth: worshippers of Truth may not resort to untruth
- Non-violence or love; The active part of non-violence is Love. The law of love requires equal consideration
for all life, from the tiniest insect to the highest man. He must thus love the wrongdoer, but he must never
submit to is wrong or his injustice. Satyagraha is a weapon of the strong; it admits of no violence under any
circumstance whatever; in thought, word and deed.
- Control of the palate: eating is necessary only for sustaining the body and keeping it a fit instrument for
service and must never be practiced for self-indulgence.
-Stealing: It is also theft if one receives anything which one does not really need.
-Physical labour: man can be saved from injuring society, as well as himself, only if he sustains his physical
existence by physical labour.
- Swadeshi (self-reliance): ”He therefore serves the world best by first serving his neighbour.” “Observances
for swadesi makes for order in the world; the breach of it leads to chaos.”
- Fearlessness: “A satyagrahi enjoys a degree of freedom not possible for others, for he becomes a truly
fearless person.”
-Tolerance
Although Gandhi might seem somewhat extreme, with his vow of celibacy, his days of silence and his
enduring fasts, most of his views, for instance on power, freedom and community life are timeless for me.
Maybe once, we are also ready for real self-rule. Until then I am happy to enjoy now our 'vrijstaat'
Droevendaal. Mirre (87)
Samenvatting: Zelfbestuur?
Gandhi liet door zijn eigen leven zien hoe idealen realiteit kunnen worden. Zijn ideeën betroffen onder andere
eerlijkheid, geweldloosheid, tevreden zijn met wat je nodig hebt, jezelf blijven door fysiek werk te verrichten,
jezelf verwerkelijken door anderen te dienen, geen angst hebben (vanuit je vrijheid) en tolerantie.
Dit zijn verreikende en tijdloze idealen; in onze 'vrijstaat' Droevendaal kunnen we daar alvast een snufje van
proberen te proeven.
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