A close-up of the book cover. Photo: Courtesy of Irene Publishing.
‘Gandhi the Organiser. How he shaped a nationwide rebellion: India 1915-1922’ by Bob Overy
Review by Andrew Rigby
Advices & queries enjoins us to live ‘in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars’. But however well-intentioned we might be, our everyday lives are enmeshed within institutions and structures that sow the seeds of war. Furthermore, while we might be able to identify the threats to our collective wellbeing, do we have a clear vision of an alternative institutional framework? We know we cannot save the world from climate disaster just by obstructive acts of civil disobedience; we need to be guided by a vision of a framework within which a sustainable future for us all might be achieved.
In seeking to address such issues there is much we can learn from this book. The dominant trend among western analysts of nonviolent resistance has been to look to the techniques that Mohandas Gandhi developed to obstruct and undermine British rule in India, viewing his method as an alternative to violence. Bob Overy, however, makes it clear that such a narrow focus fails to comprehend the broader significance of Gandhi’s method as a means of transforming socio-economic, cultural and political conditions, in accordance with his deep conviction of the essential unity between all things. Any process of social transformation should be driven by such a vision.
Using detailed case studies, the book shows that Gandhi’s primary project was constructive action to bring about transformation at the grassroots. As he advised his co-workers in 1944: ‘You can make the villages feel self-reliant, self-sufficient and free so that they can stand up for their own rights. If you make a real success of the constructive programme, you will win Swaraj [self-government or independence] for India without civil disobedience.’ From Gandhi’s perspective the aim of civil resistance campaigning was to remove the obstacles that block the progress of constructive work. Consequently, any campaign should embrace not only the challenge to existing injustice but also a constructive attempt to create alternatives. In this way he led the movement against the Salt Tax by means of civil disobedience and withdrawing cooperation while, as part of the same campaign, encouraging people to make their own salt.
The strength of Overy’s book lies in the analysis of Gandhi’s early campaigns in his home state of Gujarat, where he developed his core insights into the relationship between constructive and obstructive modes of resistance. These were to inform his leadership of the freedom struggle. Overy also highlights the genius of Gandhi as an organiser, whose choice of issues and practical forms of action allowed his ideals and his vision to shine through – the means embodied his ends.
It is to the author’s credit that a study focusing on campaigns from a century ago contains so much that is of relevance to those of us still seeking to create a less violent and more sustainable world. Jai Jagat!
