Gandhi Dbq Analysis

Mohandas Gandhi was a lawyer who practiced in colonial South Africa and eventually led a nonviolent revolution for Indian independence. Gandhi was taught from birth to value all life as holy and respect all religions. The British controlled India for 200 years and Gandhi resented the British influence on his country, and wanted people to live freely. Although Gandhi could have chosen other methods to achieve Indian independence, his nonviolent civil disobedience, willingness to be incarcerated, and not viewing Britain as an enemy, led to an India independent from British rule.
Gandhi used civil disobedience, the act of defying laws peacefully, as a way for him to spread his idea of an independent India across the globe. The British imposed salt tax law on colonial India, which heavily taxed salt and prohibited Indians from making their own salt. Gandhi recognized the unfairness of the tax, as Indian workers rely heavily on salt to keep them healthy, while the British had less need for the salt. (Doc. A) Because of this unfairness, Gandhi held The Salt March, in an act of civil disobedience he led thousands of his followers to the sea to make their own salt. Gandhi’s vision of nonviolence was strictly followed by the participants.
“If these men had committed an offense, I had committed a greater offense and I therefore asked the Magistrate to impose upon me the heaviest penalty,” (Doc. C) In this quote Gandhi states how his followers should not be punished and he thinks he should take the greatest punishment. Gandhi spent total of 2,338 days in prison, and he was content while passing his time. Gandhi used his imprisonment to inspire others beyond the prison walls. A noble peace loving leader imprisoned for the actions of his followers was sure to resonate with people around the world. Gandhi’s incarceration ended up gaining him universal respect for him as a leader and for his