Table Of ContentRamin Jahanbegloo
The Gandhian Moment
F o r e w o r d b y t h e D a l a i L a m a
The Gandhian MoMenT
The Gandhian MoMenT
raMin JahanbeGLoo
With a Foreword by the Dalai Lama
Harvard University Press
CaMbridGe, MassaChuseTTs
London, enGLand
2013
To my daughter, Afarin
Copyright © 2013 by the President and
Fellows of harvard College
all rights reserved
Printed in the united states of america
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jahanbegloo, ramin.
The G andhian moment / ramin Jahanbegloo.—First edition.
pages ; cm
Foreword by the dalai Lama.
includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978-0-674-06595-6
1. Gandhi, Mahatma, 1869–1948—Political and social views.
2. Passive resistance. 3. nonviolence. i. Title.
ds481.G3J255 2013
954.03'5092—dc23 2012004820
Contents
Foreword by the dalai Lama vii
Preface xi
1. introduction: Gandhi’s inversion of
Modern Political Perception 1
2. Principles of G andhian Politics 23
3. The Critique of Modern Civilization 53
4. Gandhi’s Public Philosophy:
Linking the Moral with the Political 70
5. Gandhi’s reception in india 94
6. Gandhi and beyond 135
7. Conclusion: Gandhi Today 157
notes 165
bibliography 177
acknowledgments 185
index 189
Foreword
Mahatma Gandhi has been a source of inspiration to me ever
since i was a small boy growing up in Tibet. he was a great
human being with a deep understanding of human nature. he
made every effort to encourage the full development of the
positive aspects of human potential and to reduce or restrain
the negative. Therefore, i find it most encouraging to know
that his life, in his deeds and words, continues to be a source of
inspiration today in our rapidly changing world.
i have been deeply inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s adop-
tion of ahimsa, or nonviolence, in india’s freedom struggle. i
have, therefore, put this into practice in my own efforts to
restore the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the
Tibetan people. i also admire the simplicity of Gandhi- ji’s way
of life. although he was well versed in modern, Western
knowledge, he remained an indian and lived a simple life in
vii
ForeWord
accordance with ancient indian philosophy. What is more,
Gandhi- ji was aware of the problems of the common people.
i think of myself as a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. i con-
sider the cultivation of nonviolence and compassion as part of
my own daily practice, not because it is something holy or
sacred, but because it is of practical benefit to me. Cultivating
nonviolence and compassion gives me satisfaction; it gives me
a peace that provides a ground for maintaining sincere, gen-
uine relationships with other people. one of the most impor-
tant things we all have to realize is that human happiness is
interdependent. our own successful or happy future is very
much related to that of others. Therefore, helping others or
having consideration for their rights and needs is actually not
just a matter of responsibility, but involves our own happiness.
another important aspect of the Mahatma’s legacy is his
insistence on the importance of truth. his practice of nonvio-
lence depended wholly on the power of truth.
in exploring what he calls “the Gandhian moment” in pol-
itics, ramin Jahanbegloo suggests here ways to turn hostility
into friendship in contemporary politics and challenges the
notion of there being no role for nonviolent action in Muslim
public affairs. he examines how to preserve passion in politics,
while deepening and enlarging responsibility for political
affairs.
one of Gandhi- ji’s key ideas is that the true subject of
political affairs is the citizen and not the state. This is why the
question of “duty” was of such importance to Gandhi- ji. on
viii
ForeWord
the basis of these ideas, Gandhi- ji succeeded in making the
ancient indian concept of ahimsa relevant in a contemporary
civic and democratic context. an illustration of his success is
the continuing pursuit of nonviolence in the human quest for
positive change today.
in this book, the author examines how a greater democra-
tization of global decision- making and introducing the con-
cept of nonviolence to modern principles of sovereignty are
intertwined and mutually reinforcing goals. his conclusion is
that Gandhi- ji’s ideas run counter to prevailing thinking
among global policy- makers, who tend to rely on the use of
force by showing how the practice of nonviolence is the sole
reliable basis for achieving a stable peace in our world.
The dalai Lama
2 october 2011
ix
Description:Gandhi is revered as a historic leader, the father of Indian independence, and the inspiration for nonviolent protest around the world. But the importance of these practical achievements has obscured Gandhi’s stature as an extraordinarily innovative political thinker. Ramin Jahanbegloo presents Ga
