During the late nineteenth century there was a raging debate within Southeast Asia as to handle their relationship with Great Britain. Most of them were experiencing direct European political control for the first time. There was a broad upsurge of anti-European sentiment, influenced greatly by Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948). This extraordinary figure drew the Indian masses into the nationalist movement. His belief in embracing satyagraha, or "soul force," helped seek social justice through passive resistance. He also embraced a moral philosophy of tolerance and nonviolence (ahimsa) (B & Z, pg. 1027). In response to an Indian group that favored to remove the British by violent means, he published, "Hind Swaraj," or "Home Rule" to explain his theory of nonresistance.
Gandhi makes a very strong argument for the utilization of passive resistance by Indians. In South Africa, he was infuriated at the presence of laws that exploited and discriminated against Indians. These forces were sent there to suppress anti-colonial movements and colonize the land. But Gandhi sees many deficiencies with modern civilization. Gandhi says that civilization is "self-destructible" by default, and that it inevitably equates "irreligion" (A & O, pg. 441). Civilization is violent and unforgiving; He sees passive resistance as being a much more intelligent path to take. Gandhi has faith that both Muslims and Hindus will live in peace in India because of the exercise of soul-force. No civilization of a nation can teach that. Usage of soul-force isn't prevalent in history. But according to Gandhi, it is the only way to handle differences and unjust treatment. He says, "Passive resistance is a method of securing rights by personal suffering; it is the reverse of resistance by arms (A&O, pg. 442). By encouraging his fellow Indians to take on this "body force" and sacrificing the self when being subjected to an unfair law, they will effectively striking the moral chord of Britain.
