Gandhi and Mandela

Assignment III, pt. IIby Josh Skinner

Gandhi experienced racial

discrimination whilst practicing law in South Africa around the beginning of the 20th century.

Because of these experiences, he became politically involved in trying to end racial discrimination of Indians.

He developed techniques of non-violence, which he called Satyagraha, in order to make his stand against British imperialism and racism.

Gandhi joined the Indian National Congress in 1921, becoming a national symbol in India, lobbying for equal rights, and being given the honorary title "Mahatma" ("great one").

Gandhi:Rise to Political

Awareness

Gandhi initiated a Satyagraha against the colonial government's taxation of salt in

1930. This non-violent protest would consist of a 24-day march by Gandhi and thousands

of his followers, traveling over 240 miles on foot to the southern coastal town of Dandi, where they would make salt on their own, illegally.

After arriving in Dandi and beginning to make salt, Gandhi and his followers were savagely beaten, arrested, and imprisoned.

Because of European news coverage of the event, there was pressure on the colonial British government to ease tensions with Indians.

Gandhi:The Salt March

In 1961, Nelson Mandela became

the leader of the Umkhonto we Sizwe, or "Spear of the Nation" (MK), the African National Congress's armed branch.

In his earlier years, Mandela avoided armed conflict at all cost, but after the massacre at Sharpeville, he felt he had no other option.

The MK sabotaged many government buildings, but did so in a way that casualties were minimal or nonexistent.

Mandela was arrested in 1962 and imprisoned.

Mandela:Umkhonto we Sizwe

Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island, and he would remain imprisoned (in various locations) for the next 27 years.

While in prison, he became internationally known as the most significant black leader in South Africa.

He studied while in prison, and eventually earned a law degree from the University of London.

In 1985, he was offered to be let out on the condition that he "unconditionally reject violence as a political weapon," an offer he rejected.

On February 2nd, 1990, he was finally freed, to international joy.

4 years later, in South Africa's first multi-racial elections, Mandela was elected South Africa's first black president.

Mandela:Imprisonment

Gandhi: A Very Short Introduction, by Bhikhu Parekh

Nelson Mandela: A Very Short Introduction, by Elleke Boehme

Wikipedia: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi

Wikipedia: Nelson Mandela http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela

Images from Google Images

Sources