Mahatma Gandhi's views on Peace and Conflict Management

- By George Dimitrov* & Alice Mathew**

Abstract

This article aims to analyze Mahatma Gandhi's idea of conflict resolution and peacemaking in various conflict situations. Initially, Mahatma Gandhi's position is offered and declared to the world community, with an emphasis on what a conflict is and how it occurs. Secondly, it describes how to acquire peace without avoiding suffering or damage to anyone. Thirdly, it addresses how conflict arises in the name of religion and spirituality, and how conflict resolution may help reduce tensions between different religions. Fourthly, it covers the conflict between several nations over the acquisition of weapons to defend themselves from war. Finally, the Gandhian idea of conflict resolution through Satyagraha mode is examined in order to propose nonviolent approaches for securing global peace and truth. The study adopted a qualitative document analysis research method used to profound Mahatma Gandhi's view on peace and conflict management which is analyzed under the present context. This method has been incorporated to understand the historical perspective of Mahatma Gandhi's peace and conflict management based on his philosophy of Satyagraha, non-violence, ahimsa, spirituality, conflict resolution, and peace, which were documented in various research articles.

Introduction

Conflict is a natural phenomenon, and humans have been involved in conflict resolution since time immemorial. When incompatible actions take place between two or more people without their mutual consent, it leads to conflict. Conflicts have issues ranging from disagreements between individuals, families, and communities, from larger groups to smaller groups, political parties, ideologies, religions, and international relations. It doesn't have a proper cause or any reason while discussing conflict; it always arises when there is a deadlock in the interpersonal relationship where the behavior of someone causes discomfort or tension for others. These might lead to direct or indirect modes of conflict due to the incompatibility of resolving them at an early stage. Likewise, a conflict can be resolved and put into practice in two ways: one through violence and another through non-violence. In the Gandhian context, nonviolent methods are more suitable compared with violent modes to resolve conflict and make peace prevail in society. As he proposed, nonviolent methods of conflict resolution through Satyagraha have been adopted by many world leaders to establish peace and harmony in their societies.

Scope of the Study

The study was conducted to determine the realistic aim of Mahatma Gandhi's peacemaking and conflict resolution in the current situation. The importance of Gandhian principles in conflict resolution is extensively addressed by all nations in order to maintain peace and harmony. This has sparked heated arguments over his ideological goals, such as Satyagraha, nonviolence, civil rights, unity, disarmament, war, peace, and conflict resolution. Mahatma Gandhi's ideas of nonviolence and civil disobedience impacted worldwide leaders and movements, such as Martin Luther King's Civil Rights Movement in America and Nelson Mandela during the battle against apartheid of racism in South Africa. Mahatma Gandhi's approach to conflict resolution has been used in a number of international peacekeeping efforts. His emphasis on dialogue, comprehension, and nonviolence continues to impact modern dispute resolution methods. Mahatma Gandhi's beliefs underpin many educational programs and social groups that promote justice, human rights, and environmental sustainability. Mahatma Gandhi made substantial and enduring contributions to conflict resolution and peacemaking. His strategies, based on nonviolence, truthfulness, and selflessness, are excellent tools for resolving conflicts and fostering long-term peace. Mahatma Gandhi's legacy continues to inspire individuals as well as institutions worldwide that promote justice and harmony.

Review of Literature

Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy provides important insights into negotiation and dispute resolution, stressing nonviolence, Satyagraha, and self-suffering as transformational weapons for societal change. Satyagraha, or the search for truth and moral power, destabilizes harsh administrations while encouraging nonviolent alternatives. Mahatma Gandhi's ideas imply that conflict may be resolved constructively, without violence or aggressiveness. Self-suffering, a transforming idea, fosters empathy and compassion in adversaries, allowing for communication and reconciliation (Mahin Shah, 2023).Mahatma Gandhi's conflict resolution strategy is based on the ideals of 'Satyagraha' and 'Nonviolence,' which constitute both human-centered approaches to attaining social or political change. This form of social struggle, also known as common people's politics, has been adopted by large populations all over the world in pursuit of social justice, liberty, and equality (Jyoti M. Pathania, 2022).Gandhian conflict resolution and peace building have three major ideologies: conflict is a real and continuous part of life that cannot be avoided; if the conflict cannot be avoided, it has to be experienced, which has to be in a non-violent form. The reality of conflict has to be negotiated and mediated through peaceful means (Mahapatra, 2020).Mahatma Gandhi used a number of tactics to resolve conflicts, but they were always nonviolent and focused on spreading peace. Gandhi worked hard to negotiate a compromise that benefited all parties involved. We can learn a lot from Mahatma Gandhi's approach to conflict resolution. Some specific themes to investigate include the concept of mutual respect, the goal of truth and peace for all parties involved, experimenting with different approaches to conflict resolution based on the situation at hand, and resolving conflict in such a way that no new conflict arises or continues (Kumar, A., 2019).Gandhian conflict resolution solutions employ specific processes to restrict the common tendencies of conflict escalation. Conflicts typically escalate by broadening and introducing new themes, transitioning from disagreement to personal enmity, secrecy and its related disinformation, vicious cycles of response, and the replacement of moderate with radical leaders. Mahatma Gandhi organized each activity around a single, well-defined topic. However, each difficulty had a direct influence on the larger, more basic issues. The Gandhian approach emphasized preserving personal relationships with opponents and distancing individuals from problems (Bhattacharyya, S. 2019). This principle was exemplified in his interactions with the British colonial authorities, where he consistently advocated for peaceful resistance and civil disobedience as a means of challenging unjust laws and policies (Narula, 2012).One of the core tenets of Mahatma Gandhi's conflict resolution approach was the belief in the inherent dignity and humanity of all individuals, even for those who were perceived as enemies. He firmly believed that through compassion, empathy, and a commitment to nonviolence, conflicts could be resolved without resorting to violence or coercion, (Damm, 2011).

Research Design / Methodology

The study adopted a qualitative document analysis research method used to interpret and understand documents by focusing on the context, content, and meanings embedded within them. This method is commonly used in the social sciences and humanities to analyze a wide range of documents, including official records, personal letters, media articles, speeches, and more. This method has been incorporated to understand the historical perspective of Mahatma Gandhi's peace and conflict management based on his philosophy of Satyagraha, non-violence, ahimsa, spirituality, conflict resolution, and peace, which were documented in various research articles. This qualitative method involved in the systematic reading of various research articles has been incorporated under the sub-themes of peace and conflict management / resolution, according to the perspective of Mahatma Gandhi.

Conflict

Mahatma Gandhi was entirely different from the socialistic ideology of class struggle and believed conflict had both good and bad deeds. It also exposes you to good and difficult situations in life and promotes unity to a greater extent among mankind. Conflict is a social cause that exists in the social system but is not present in human minds. While addressing conflict, it targets the entire social structure systematically and safeguards individuals. He said that conflict is an everlasting state that should be approached and managed by constructing social structures free from violence. Needs play an important role among humans, denying them would cause conflicts in society. Strengthening the social structure will combat the issue in three categories. Firstly, it should abolish the denying structures, secondly, to create demanding structures, and lastly, to respect the opposing views of conflict while in action (Burrowes, 1996). Conflicts arise based on situation; when the goals are not properly understood by the individual and not given importance to opposite views, they will not transform society. This would entail stating one's objectives in unambiguous terms and making an effort to comprehend the opposition. Likewise, one should add positive elements to one's actions so they achieve their goals; act openly rather than covertly; and stop grief or suffering. Moreover, one should never stand by individuals who promote evil or work with evil, or polarize the conversation by intensifying a fight (Naess & Arne Naess, 1974). Mahatma Gandhi believed that humans are not fully based on violence, but conflict is associated with the social system. He proposed various ways to solve disputes among humans under a humanistic view and not to return to the past as brute animals for survival. He wanted to exclude everyone from violence and make human beings more capable of understanding what truth and wisdom are. The bottlenecks for human development can be on the grounds of violence; it will make people ignorant enough to realize themselves, which instead leads to self-preservation and exploitation (Schumacher, 1975).

Peace

Peace is more complex and is discussed by various scholars globally by all the nations. Gandhi, as a pioneer in peace and conflict resolution, has been globally accepted when there is a negotiation to solve disputes. Peace is not only an ideology against violence or war; instead, it carries out the values of justice, freedom, and equality. It should make individuals and mankind free from fear from all the conflicts. Human minds are always self-preserved and self-centered to gain power where there are no ends, which are influenced by strong vs. weak, rich vs. poor, where peace cannot prevail. It can only be understood through inner peace, and the growth of spirituality at the inner level can lead to ways of attaining peace globally. The fight for peace is more contrary and ambiguous in nature and is often denoted by force, violence, power, and coercion, which involve negotiation. Mahatma Gandhi was optimistic and opted to fight for peace because he was not in favour of violence. He said being a coward and being inactive will not solve any conflict and bring peace. The final destination of fighting for peace is to attain and reveal truth. Fighting has various benefits: one is for survival, and another is to bring out the truth. Truth can be brought only through fighting with various good and bad deeds that differ from various principles and ideologies. Fighting for peace and truth is a great skill that is therapeutic in nature and can bring out the various hidden causes of conflict.

Religion, Spirituality, and Conflict

Mahatma Gandhi's perspective on religion is connected with conflict resolution which has enlightened with the question towards peace individually and globally. The trending ways of communalizing people with hatred on religious grounds with violence has isolated mankind in various ways. The necessary thought and practice of religion proposed by Mahatma Gandhi has been giving hope for the voice and voiceless which promotes unity and brotherhood. He has been admired as the believer of peace compared with all the religions and followed by many world leaders. Gandhi was firm with the ideologies of Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Christianity which lead him to start inter-religious and community prayers to bring tolerance among various religions (Nakamura & Nihon Yunesuko Kokunai Iinkai, 1988). His way of viewing religion has made a moral way of combating violence in the name of religion and ensures peace building. Religion is a universal phenomenon which has bondage with society which enlightens the inner spirit, temperance and inalienable peace. It promotes peace among each other when everybody follows the values and morals of any religion. The thoughts of religions have a mileage of social control with all the people starting from birth till death with the process of controlling the entire social process. Religion is connected with morality and has the roots of human emotions which are ethical in nature of promoting peace and love. The human diversity among each and every religion has made human beings isolated globally, claiming them who are more powerful in numbers and not on ideologies.

The Gandhian way of understanding religion would make the ways of stopping hatred and prejudice in the name of religion. Though, he was a religious person, his way of religion was fully based on truth, non-violence without any forms of enmity with others. He believed all the religions had various ideologies, but the final destination was the same for all the religions. With lots of learning and experience through various religious books made him conclude that it was fully based on love, truth and bonding. It accompanies the principle of integrating the human souls with the duties assigned to have healthy relationships with each other. In the name of religion there are various conflicts based on hate speeches, who are superior and inferior grounds make religious turmoil. To stop these kinds of turmoil and conflict Mahatma Gandhi proposed a religion should always be meaningful and spiritual. The various doctrines in religious beliefs should always promote peace and harmony to mankind instead of creating conflict. A true religion would always promote peace, love and brotherhood among everyone and doesn't promote hatred and conflict.

Nation and Conflict

Mahatma Gandhi's perspective on religion is connected with conflict resolution, which has enlightened the question of peace both individually and globally. The trending ways of communalizing people with hatred on religious grounds with violence have isolated mankind in various ways. The teaching practice of religion proposed by Mahatma Gandhi has been giving hope to the voiceless, which promotes unity and brotherhood. He is admired as a believer of peace by all religious leaders and followed by many world leaders. Mahatma Gandhi was firm on the ideologies of Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Christianity, which led him to start inter-religious and community prayers to bring tolerance among various religions (Nakamura & Nihon Yunesuko Kokunai Iinkai, 1988). His way of viewing religion has created a moral way of combating violence in the name of religion and ensuring peace. Religion is a universal phenomenon that has a bond with society that enlightens the inner spirit, temperance, and inalienable peace. It promotes peace among each other when everybody follows the values and morals of any religion. The thoughts of religions have a lot of social control over all the people, starting from birth until death, with the process of controlling the entire social process.

Religion is connected with morality and has the roots of human emotions, which are ethical in nature and promote peace and love. The human diversity among each and every religion has made human beings isolated globally, claiming who is more powerful in numbers and not in ideologies. The Gandhian way of understanding religion would be to stop hatred and prejudice in the name of religion. Though he was a religious person, his way of religion was fully based on truth and non-violence, without any forms of enmity with others. He believed all the religions had various ideologies, but the final destination was the same for all the religions. With lots of learning and experience through various religious books, he concluded that it was fully based on love, truth, and bonding. It accompanies the principle of integrating the human soul with the duties assigned to have healthy relationships with each other. In the name of religion, there are various conflicts based on hate speeches. Who is superior and who is inferior causes religious turmoil.

To stop these kinds of turmoil and conflict, Mahatma Gandhi proposed that religion should be meaningful and spiritual. The various doctrines in religious beliefs should promote peace among mankind instead of creating conflict. A true religion would promote peace, love, and brotherhood among everyone and wouldn't promote hatred and conflict.

Mahatma Gandhi when he addresses on conflict among world nations he puts forward a question on how many weapons and arms do you have? With these arms and weapons can you stop the conflict with all the nations and secure the country from growing tensions. A nation which is developed and developing, why do they need chemical and nuclear weapons to protect themselves, is it essential to solve the issues with other nations or to threaten the global forum. There is a question about how far a nation can provide justice and tolerance whenever they are ready to wage war. He absorbs that developed nations always have the greed of exploitation over the weak for their political interest. We cannot stop disarmament without stopping these kinds of exploitation and reduction of using weapons against each other by using non-violence. The agenda of bringing peace and harmony would pay a huge price to stop the conflict of war between various regions. Though, nations know that conflict of war brings out a huge impact on economy, polity and other social aspects. These nations are not optimistic to stop the conflict of war with other neighbouring nations. Conflicts between two or more nations can be solved by ahimsa and through non-violent modes to reduce tensions in their region to bring peace and harmony.

Mahatma Gandhi's Views on Upholding Conflict Resolution

It is a skill according to Gandhi where he focused on an approach to solving disputes in a non-violent way, which is called 'Satyagraha'. To solve any kind of dispute, the commitment of the individual is more important than putting more effort into resolving it in a peaceful manner. The conflicts may rise due to higher competition among individuals, nations, and groups, which would lead to tensions in all relationships. The only motive is to emphasize the truth rather than winning or losing; it should give satisfaction to both parties in the dispute. It can be possible with mutual relationships with each other if the truth cannot come out and nobody will satisfy the outcome of the resolution. The basic principles of Satyagraha are: Avoid insulting or provoking people against their will. A satyagrahi should always be clear about the elements of his struggle, which will reduce conflict and violence. Communicating the information honestly will make even the opponents resort to violence. A satyagrahi should not be judgmental and should not pass harsh comments on opponents. A satyagrahi must have faith in opponents and always stand for a just cause. A satyagrahi must always be capable of making concessions on critical issues. A satyagrahi should not exploit the weaker opponents.

Satyagraha to Resolve Conflicts

Mahatma Gandhi had the vision to solve the issues of conflict through Satyagraha means. He proposed to share the ideology with every individual to promote peace and harmony between each other. He was of the opinion that the ideology of Satyagraha should be implemented in all domestic aspects. If a person who doesn't use Satyagraha under domestic means and applies it for social, political, and economic spheres will not get success in anyway, it is necessary for those who want to follow Satyagraha that it start from their homes to solve problems from their family and to a hierarchy in solving larger problems (Monday Kogbara, 2010). This ideology of Satyagraha can be used for arising conflicts and trying to resolve them at an early stage under various categories.

• (i) Interpersonal Conflict

Conflicts based on interpersonal relationships can cope with the ideology of non-violence, which believes in truth and trust in each other. It is the individual who plays a vital role in internalizing the values that make one pure from violence and involved in self-cleansing. If we have the ability to control our behavior, we need to internalize nonviolence to check each and every action of life. Taking evil means to tackle evil would lead to multiplying the conflict. The various approaches to solving interpersonal conflict are as follows: Firstly, 'I-message and You-message' is a tool used to criticize a behavior that is widely practiced over a negative behavior expressed by a speaker. The unacceptable behavior gives the speaker's perception and consequences to help clarify the issues in a constructive and cooperative way (Gordon, 2000). I-Messages', 'You-Messages', are frequently received with resistance and disobedience. Secondly, based on 'active listening and mirroring', to find the truth, active listening would make individuals or third parties stop the possibility of rising conflicts at an early stage.

• (ii) Legal Conflicts

The modern form of a non-violent system of addressing conflicts is through legal forms. Gandhi, as a lawyer in his profession, views civil cases as creating conflicts that arise from the failure of interpersonal relations with both parties. Once a civil case is filed in court, it creates a huge loss, which will impact who will win and who will lose; both of them need to pay a huge cost (Felstiner, 1974). Likewise, individuals and states also have conflicts, which either start with a minor issue between friends, neighbors, family, or relatives and go to the next level of police intervention. A lawyer represents both parties and individuals in court. The Gandhian way of approaching conflict is through a lawyer, who should be the mediator and catalyst to solve the problem at an early stage. They should be involved in the process of reducing the cost of fees from both parties and not taking the case for many years to earn their pockets, but rather to provide faith in justice and truth.

• (iii) In Industrial Conflict

Mahatma Gandhi had a mutual problem-solving method that covered the truth with a compromise. Industry conflicts are a result of social and/or economic factors, such as changes in the socioeconomic conflicts of interest between workers and management.

The change in structure or management practices leads to frustrations caused by a lack of contact with management, a sense of helplessness, and an inability to effectively participate in the industry. Industrial disputes can occur less frequently if employees are more involved in the workplace. To avert conflict between labor and capital, Gandhi said workers should have the same respect and dignity as capital (Weber, 1991). But once an industrial struggle has erupted, there should be a possibility of discussions through Satyagraha methods of negotiation with the organization. Gandhi agreed that workers have the right to strike, which is an inalienable right of workers, but it must be considered a crime as soon as capitalists accept the principle of arbitration.

• (iv) Social Conflict

Satyagraha applying to a social group might be difficult to implement to tackle all the social conflicts. If the individual has a conscience of being truthful and nonviolent toward the group, it will solve the social conflicts at the early stage itself. Mahatma Gandhi recommends Mass Satyagraha is suitable to manage social conflicts. It has general principles of truth, nonviolence, and cohesion that can be applied as a tool and should be applied before a conflict arises. Gandhi consistently linked civil disobedience and constructive work together to solve significant social crises, which went hand in hand based on each crisis (Shukla, 1956). He asserted that civil disobedience might be used as a principle to highlight local problems or to awaken the consciousness of the community. Gandhi had the philosophy of trusteeship, which was the final component in addressing social conflicts. He thought that the wealthy had the option of voluntarily becoming trustees of their wealth for the poor or engaging in class struggle. Gandhi argued that we should work to remove capitalism and not the capitalist in order to hate sin and not the sinner.

• (v) International Conflict

Mahatma Gandhi believed that moral values that guide people's daily lives should also guide international affairs. According to him, the rules, governing methods, goals, truth, and nonviolence are applied to all nations equally. Gandhi believed the use of civic defense instead of force would resolve all the international disputes. Civic defense seeks to protect the entire society, not simply borders or a few important structures. When a nation is invaded by another, the aggrieved population should choose civic defense over military defense and launch the strategies of noncooperation and civil disobedience (Roberts, 1978). A sathyagrahi has a responsibility to protect the property to which he has a legitimate claim because he never submits to force. This is accomplished by engaging in a war without employing weapons and fighting with unconventional methods. Mahatma Gandhi's ideal society will work to stop all the wars by assisting its neighbors in resolving their conflicts and to maintain good relations by providing advanced technological knowledge and encouraging them to make use of local resources.

Conclusion

Mahatma Gandhi had a firm vision that humans are natural goods and focused on humanity on nonviolent grounds. His method of conflict resolution cannot be achieved immediately; rather, it is a sustainable process to achieve peace and harmony. He emphasized non-violence, which would not harm anyone by means of violence. If you do not cause any physical harm (even to an ant), but your mind has cruel thoughts and hurts another person, this is also called violence. Conflicts in the present world have a serious impact on the use of deadly weapons in the name of war or imperializing a nation on various grounds. Whenever we speak about conflict resolution, the role of the Gandhian approach is always discussed. Though it cannot give an immediate remedy, for the long run, for peace and harmony, his ideologies are more essential. Conflict, according to Gandhian philosophy, begins in the individual mind and appears physically as it outbursts. The Gandhian approach to conflict resolution starts initially at the individual level. Further, conflict resolution believes in truth, which is the only weapon to bring out what is right and wrong, which is followed by our words, ideas, and deeds to reveal it. If a person always stands by the name of truth, he will always be respected in society as an honest person. These principles can be achieved by following Satyagraha in our day-to-day lives, and being nonviolent is a powerful weapon for promoting peace, justice, truth, and harmony among the global community. Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy will continue to exist as long as violence exists in the world.

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Courtesy: B E, G. D., & Mathew, A. (2024). Mahatma Gandhi’s Views on Peace and Conflict Management. SJCC Management Research Review, 14(1), 45–58.