Mahatma Gandhi - Nonviolence, Indian Independence, Satyagraha

<!doctype html> <html lang="en" class="topic-desktop ui-ie7 ui-ie"> <head prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns# fb: https://ogp.me/ns/fb#"> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130"> <link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js" /> <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.png" /> <meta name="description" content="Mahatma Gandhi - Nonviolence, Indian Independence, Satyagraha: For the next three years, Gandhi seemed to hover uncertainly on the periphery of Indian politics, declining to join any political agitation, supporting the British war effort, and even recruiting soldiers for the British Indian Army. At the same time, he did not flinch from criticizing the British officials for any acts of high-handedness or from taking up the grievances of the long-suffering peasantry in Bihar and Gujarat. By February 1919, however, the British had insisted on pushing through—in the teeth of fierce Indian opposition—the Rowlatt Acts, which empowered the authorities to imprison without trial those suspected of sedition. A" /> <meta name="keywords" content="Mahatma Gandhi, encyclopedia, encyclopeadia, britannica, article" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Emergence-as-nationalist-leader" /> <title>Mahatma Gandhi - Nonviolence, Indian Independence, Satyagraha | Britannica</title> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel"> window.$UI = {}; window.Constants = {"LICENSE_URL": "/bps/license","DEFAULT_TEST_VERSION": "A","DEFAULT_STATE": "XX","QUIZ_URL": "/quiz","SPOTLIGHT_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/spotlight","CONTENT_TYPE_TEXT": "text/plain;charset=UTF-8","TOPIC_FACTS_DATA_URL": "/facts","QUIZ_BROWSE_IMAGE_QUIZZES": "images","TOPIC_MEDIA_PATH": "/images-videos","USER_PROFILE_URL": "/user","DEBUG_URL": "/debug","ONE_GOOD_FACT_URL": "/one-good-fact","ERROR_404_URL": "/error404","PROCON_CITED_IN_THE_NEWS_URL": "/procon/ProCon-in-the-News","PROCON_URL": "/procon","TOPIC_PAGE_CONTENT_AJAX_URL": "/topic-content/page","INFINITE_SCROLL_PREFIX_URL": "/scroll","TOPIC_TOP_QUESTION_BROWSE_URL": "/questions","CC_USD": "USD","domain": "britannica.com","SURVEY_URL": "/survey","CATEGORY_BROWSE_URL": "/browse","STORY_BROWSE_URL": "/stories","COUNTRY_US": "US","OPEN_MEDIA_OVERLAY_PARAMETER": "/media","NEWSLETTER_SUBSCRIPTION_URL": "/newsletter-subscription","MAINTENANCE_ERROR_URL": "https://maintenance.eb.com","IMARS_EDITOR_ID": "12365882","PROFILE_EB_EDITOR_URL": "/editor","WEB_INF_RESOURCES_PATH": "WEB-INF/resources","AI_ABOUT_PAGE_URL": "/about-britannica-ai","TOPIC_ADDITIONAL_INFO_PATH": "/additional-info","SUDOKU_GAME_URL": "/games/sudoku","CC_INR": "INR","ARTICLE_PRINT_URL": "/print/article","FIRST_EDITION_URL": "/subscriber/firstedition","WW1_PORTAL_URL": "/discover/World-War-I","MENDEL_COOKIE": "__mendel","DEMYSTIFIED_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/demystified","LIST_BROWSE_URL": "/list/browse","PROFILE_EXPERT_URL": "/contributor","ASSEMBLY_IMAGE_URL": "/image/assembly","DAY_IN_HISTORY_URL": "/on-this-day","DEFAULT_CURRENCY": "USD","CONTENT_TYPE_XML": "text/xml;charset=UTF-8","PORTAL_FINANCE_BROWSE_URL_PREFIX": "/money/browse","MONEY_IMARS_CATEGORY": "13000","AJAX_PREFIX_URL": "/ajax","TOPIC_BROWSE_URL": "/topic-browse","MARKETING_CONTENT": "/marketing-content","ENV_RUNTIME": "runtime","GALLERY_URL": "/gallery","topicUrlClassesList": "topic|animal|art|biography|event|place|plant|science|sports|technology|procon","CONTENT_TYPE_HTML": "text/html;charset=UTF-8","ENV_LOCAL": "override","MEDIA_OVERLAY_URL": "/media-overlay","CHATBOT_PAGE_URL": "/chatbot","NEWSLETTER_PAGE_URL": "/newsletters","ENV_DEV": "development","MEDIA_URL": "/media","TOPIC_TOP_QUESTION_URL": "/question","PORTAL_FINANCE_URL_PREFIX": "/money","PODCASTS_URL": "/podcasts","STAND_ALONE_VIDEO_URL": "/video","MORE_ON_THIS_DAY_URL": "/more-on-this-day","TOPIC_QUOTES_URL": "/quotes","SEARCH_PAGE_URL": "/search","PROCON_CLASS": "PROCON","KUSTOM_MENDEL_APPLICATION_ID": "1","TOPIC_CONTENT_AJAX_URL": "/topic-content/topic","ENV_BRANCH": "branch","ERROR_URL": "/error","MAIN_VERSION": "mainVersion","DEFAULT_S3_REGION": "US_EAST_1","TOPIC_COLLECTION_URL": "/summary","LOGINBOX_URL": "/auth/loginbox","ONE_GOOD_FACT_BROWSE_URL": "/one-good-fact/all-good-facts","QUIZ_BROWSE_URL": "/quiz/browse","BIO_BROWSE_URL": "/browse/biographies","LIST_URL": "/list","TIGHTROPE_QUIZ_URL": "/quiz/tightrope","ALPHA_BROWSE_URL": "/sitemap","CONTENT_TYPE_JSON": "application/json","DICTIONARY_URL": "/dictionary","COBRAND_IMAGE_URL": "/image/cobrand","PROCON_IN_THE_NEWS_URL": "/procon/pro-and-con-issues-in-the-news","PROCON_BROWSE_URL": "/procon","QUIZ_BROWSE_VOCAB_QUIZZES": "vocabulary-quizzes","SUBMISSION_URL": "/submission","EB_LOG_OUT": "/auth2/logout","ENV_PRODUCTION": "production","EXPLORE_PORTAL_URL": "/explore","TOPIC_AJAX_URL": "/ajax/topic","TOPIC_SUMMARY_BROWSE_URL": "/summaries","WTFACT_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/wtfact","VIDEO_CHANNEL_URL": "/videos","GALLERY_BROWSE_URL": "/gallery/browse","CACHE_URL": "/cache","PROCON_ABOUT_URL": "/procon/About-ProCon","COMPANION_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/companion","MEDIA_FOLDER": "/eb-media","SHOW_ALL_CONTRIBUTORS": "/additional-info#contributors","BRITANNICA_EDITORS_ID": "4419","ENV_CACHE_DISABLED": "mendelCache","CALCULATORS_BROWSE_URL": "/calculators","STORY_URL": "/story","DEFAULT_COUNTRY": "US","NAVBAR_URL": "/ajax/navbar","EB_LOGIN_URL": "/auth/eb-login","NEW_ARTICLES_URL": "/new-articles",}; window.CDN = "https://cdn.britannica.com"; window.CAM_LOGIN_URL = "https://cam.britannica.com"; window.CAM_SIGN_UP_URL = "https://cam.britannica.com/registration" window.Mendel = { "config" : { "domain": "britannica.com", "page": "Topic", "videoPlayerId": "UyMCoK2v", "sharedUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Emergence-as-nationalist-leader", "amuselabsUrl": "https://cdn3.amuselabs.com", "resourcesPrefixUrl": "https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/[url]?v=3.130.14", "date": 20241127, "userInfo": { "type": "ANONYMOUS" ,"currency": "AUUS" ,"country": "SG" ,"state": "XX" ,"timezone": "Asia/Singapore" ,"bcomId": "-3227112015712093562" ,"hasAds": true ,"testVersion": "C" ,"adsTestVersion": "C" ,"consumerId": "" ,"instId": "" ,"consumerUserName": "" ,"instUserName": "" ,"cognito": null }, "tvs":{ "r":[25,25,25,25], "a": [25,25,25,25]}, "isLoggedInAsUser": false, "isPhone": false, "isDesktop": true, "logoutUrl": "/auth2/logout", "selfServiceUrl": "https://myaccount.britannica.com", "cdnUrl": "https://cdn.britannica.com", "chatbotApi": "https://www.britannica.com/chat-api", "fetchOffset": 800, "mendelCookieName": "__mendel", "mendelCookie": {"surveyShown":false,"visitedTopicId":225216,"currentDate":20241127}, "autocompleteToSearchPage": false,"topicUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi" ,"freeTopicReason": "PERMANENT_FREE_TOPIC" ,"topicId": 225216 ,"template": "DESKTOP" ,"type": "CORE" ,"hasToc": true ,"chatbotApi": "https://www.britannica.com/chat-api" ,"showPreview": false ,"infiniteScrollList": [{"p":5,"t":225216},{"p":3,"t":721469},{"p":1,"t":525247},{"p":1,"t":119219},{"p":1,"t":2154012},{"p":2,"t":361645},{"p":7,"t":318311},{"p":1,"t":1436281},{"p":1,"t":330400},{"p":1,"t":2251304}] ,"sequence": 4 ,"topics": {} }, "GA": {"leg":"C","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","articleTemplateType":"BIO_PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":4,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} }; </script> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="1887621861548296"/ <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@britannica" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://cdn.britannica.com/91/82291-050-EB7A276A/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-leader-Mahatma-Indian.jpg" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Mahatma Gandhi - Nonviolence, Indian Independence, Satyagraha: For the next three years, Gandhi seemed to hover uncertainly on the periphery of Indian politics, declining to join any political agitation, supporting the British war effort, and even recruiting soldiers for the British Indian Army. At the same time, he did not flinch from criticizing the British officials for any acts of high-handedness or from taking up the grievances of the long-suffering peasantry in Bihar and Gujarat. By February 1919, however, the British had insisted on pushing through—in the teeth of fierce Indian opposition—the Rowlatt Acts, which empowered the authorities to imprison without trial those suspected of sedition. A"/> <meta property="og:type" content="ARTICLE"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Mahatma Gandhi - Nonviolence, Indian Independence, Satyagraha | Britannica"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Mahatma Gandhi - Nonviolence, Indian Independence, Satyagraha: For the next three years, Gandhi seemed to hover uncertainly on the periphery of Indian politics, declining to join any political agitation, supporting the British war effort, and even recruiting soldiers for the British Indian Army. At the same time, he did not flinch from criticizing the British officials for any acts of high-handedness or from taking up the grievances of the long-suffering peasantry in Bihar and Gujarat. By February 1919, however, the British had insisted on pushing through—in the teeth of fierce Indian opposition—the Rowlatt Acts, which empowered the authorities to imprison without trial those suspected of sedition. A"/> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Encyclopedia Britannica" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cdn.britannica.com/91/82291-050-EB7A276A/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-leader-Mahatma-Indian.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:type" content="image/jpeg" /> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="init opengraph"> Mendel.openGraph = {"type":"ARTICLE","title":"Mahatma Gandhi - Nonviolence, Indian Independence, Satyagraha","description":"Mahatma Gandhi - Nonviolence, Indian Independence, Satyagraha: For the next three years, Gandhi seemed to hover uncertainly on the periphery of Indian politics, declining to join any political agitation, supporting the British war effort, and even recruiting soldiers for the British Indian Army. At the same time, he did not flinch from criticizing the British officials for any acts of high-handedness or from taking up the grievances of the long-suffering peasantry in Bihar and Gujarat. By February 1919, however, the British had insisted on pushing through—in the teeth of fierce Indian opposition—the Rowlatt Acts, which empowered the authorities to imprison without trial those suspected of sedition. A","imageUrl":"https://cdn.britannica.com/91/82291-050-EB7A276A/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-leader-Mahatma-Indian.jpg","imageType":"image/jpeg","pageUrl":"https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi"}</script> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/" > <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/icon?family=Material+Icons"> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/vendor-bundle.css?v=3.130.14" rel="stylesheet" /> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/mendel-css.css?v=3.130.14" rel="stylesheet" /> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.css?v=3.130.14" rel="stylesheet" /> <script type="text/javascript"> if (self !== top) { top.location = self.location; } // if ('scrollRestoration' in history) { history.scrollRestoration = 'manual'; } </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/at.js?v=3.130.14" async ></script> <script> dataLayer = []; </script> <script type="text/javascript">(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= '//www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-5W6NC8'); </script> <meta name="last-modified" content="2024-11-26" /> <script type="application/ld+json"> {"headline":"Mahatma Gandhi | Biography, Education, Religion, Accomplishments, Death, & Facts","image":{"url":"https://cdn.britannica.com/91/82291-050-EB7A276A/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-leader-Mahatma-Indian.jpg","@type":"ImageObject"},"author":[{"name":"B.R. Nanda","url":"https://www.britannica.com/contributor/BR-Nanda/2111","@type":"Person"}],"keywords":"Mahatma Gandhi","wordcount":6157,"url":"https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi","datePublished":"2000-01-12T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2024-11-26T00:00:00Z","description":"Mahatma Gandhi, the revered Indian leader and advocate of nonviolent resistance, inspired a nation to fight for independence from British rule through peaceful means, leaving an enduring legacy in history.","publisher":{"logo":{"url":"https://corporate.britannica.com/wp-content/themes/eb-corporate/_img/logo.png","@type":"ImageObject"},"name":"Encyclopedia Britannica","@type":"Organization"},"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"article"} </script></head> <body data-leg="C" class="new-topic topic-desktop first-page-false user-ANONYMOUS user-ads md-desktop leg-cb-ie">  <script>Mendel.config.adProvider='ay';</script> <script async src="https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/tag/js/gpt.js"></script> <script> window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/15510053/CMP_1x1', [1, 1], 'div-gpt-ad-1709766812090-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.enableServices(); }); </script> <script async defer src="https://launchpad-wrapper.privacymanager.io/0ccc6fe8-1870-4ad8-b47b-6d029ac116fc/launchpad-liveramp.js"></script> <script async src="https://JRyhoywLYXNLYMAhs.ay.delivery/manager/JRyhoywLYXNLYMAhs" type="text/javascript" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" ></script><div class="ie-warning d-flex align-items-center align-self-center justify-content-center site-alert bg-orange"> <div> You are using an <strong>outdated</strong> browser. Please <a class="text-white text-underscore" href="https://browsehappy.com/">upgrade your browser</a> to improve your experience and security. </div> </div> <script id="json-navbar-info" type="application/json"> {"topSectionLinks":[{"title":"Ask the Chatbot","url":"/chatbot","navbarId":"CHATBOT"},{"title":"Games & Quizzes","url":"/quiz/browse","navbarId":"QUIZZES"},{"title":"ProCon","url":"/procon","navbarId":"PROCON"},{"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society","selected":true,"navbarId":"HISTORY"},{"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech","navbarId":"SCIENCE"},{"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies","navbarId":"BIOS"},{"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature","navbarId":"ANIMALS"},{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel","navbarId":"GEOGRAPHY"},{"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture","navbarId":"ART"},{"title":"Money","url":"/money","navbarId":"MONEY"},{"title":"Videos","url":"/videos","navbarId":"VIDEOS"}],"selectedSuperCategory":{"id":5,"title":"History & Society","url":"History-Society","description":"Explore history and society; accidents and disasters; the age of revolutions; the ancient world; historic dynasties; global exploration; the middle ages; the modern world; prehistory; US history; world history; wars and battles; sociology; religion and philosophy; humanities; ethics; anthropology; festivals and holidays; human rights; human migration; international relations; politics, law, and government","keywords":"accidents and disasters; the age of revolutions; the ancient world; historic dynasties; global exploration; the middle ages; the modern world; prehistory; US history; world history; wars and battles; sociology; religion and philosophy; humanities; ethics; anthropology; festivals and holidays; human rights; human migration; international relations; politics, law, and government","classId":"HISTORY","sortOrder":1},"selectedNavbarLink":{"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society","selected":true,"navbarId":"HISTORY"}} </script> <script id="json-hamburger-menu" type="application/json"> {"britannicaMenu1":[{"title":"Home","url":"/"},{"title":"ProCon","url":"/procon"},{"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society"},{"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech"},{"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies"},{"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature"},{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel"},{"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture"},{"title":"Money","url":"/money"}],"britannicaMenu2":[{"title":"Games & Quizzes","url":"/quiz/browse"},{"title":"Videos","url":"/videos"},{"title":"On This Day","url":"/on-this-day"},{"title":"One Good Fact","url":"/one-good-fact"},{"title":"Dictionary","url":"/dictionary"},{"title":"New Articles","url":"/new-articles"}],"browseByCategory":[{"title":{"id":5,"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society"},"links":[{"title":"Lifestyles & Social Issues","url":"/browse/Lifestyles-Social-Issues"},{"title":"Philosophy & Religion","url":"/browse/Philosophy-Religion"},{"title":"Politics, Law & Government","url":"/browse/Politics-Law-Government"},{"title":"World History","url":"/browse/World-History"}]},{"title":{"id":6,"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech"},"links":[{"title":"Health & Medicine","url":"/browse/Health-Medicine"},{"title":"Science","url":"/browse/Science"},{"title":"Technology","url":"/browse/Technology"}]},{"title":{"id":3,"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies"},"links":[{"title":"Browse Biographies","url":"/browse/biographies"}]},{"title":{"id":1,"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature"},"links":[{"title":"Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates","url":"/browse/Birds-Reptiles-Vertebrates"},{"title":"Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates","url":"/browse/Bugs-Mollusks-Invertebrates"},{"title":"Environment","url":"/browse/Environment"},{"title":"Fossils & Geologic Time","url":"/browse/Fossil-Geologic-Time"},{"title":"Mammals","url":"/browse/Mammals"},{"title":"Plants","url":"/browse/Plants"}]},{"title":{"id":4,"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel"},"links":[{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/browse/Geography-Travel"}]},{"title":{"id":2,"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture"},"links":[{"title":"Entertainment & Pop Culture","url":"/browse/Entertainment-Pop-Culture"},{"title":"Literature","url":"/browse/Literature"},{"title":"Sports & Recreation","url":"/browse/Sports-Recreation"},{"title":"Visual Arts","url":"/browse/Visual-Arts"}]}],"browseByFeature":[{"title":"Companions","url":"/stories/companion"},{"title":"Demystified","url":"/stories/demystified"},{"title":"Image Galleries","url":"/gallery/browse"},{"title":"Lists","url":"/list/browse"},{"title":"Podcasts","url":"/podcasts"},{"title":"Spotlight","url":"/stories/spotlight"},{"title":"Summaries","url":"/summary"},{"title":"The Forum","url":"/stories/the-forum"},{"title":"Top Questions","url":"/question"},{"title":"#WTFact","url":"/stories/wtfact"}],"moreFromBritannica":[{"title":"Britannica Kids","url":"https://kids.britannica.com/","newTab":true}],"menuType":"DEFAULT"} </script> <header id="header" class="bg-navy-dark"> <div class="global-nav-top-bar"> <div class="grid gx-0 h-100 justify-content-between align-items-center container-lg mx-auto p-0 position-relative"> <div class="d-flex align-items-center"> <button class="d-flex align-items-center justify-self-start js-toggle js-toggle-hamburger btn btn-link link-white btn-sm rounded-0 p-10"> <div class="hamburger-tooltip"> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block font-24" id="nav-toggle" data-icon="menu"></em> </div> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block font-24 global-nav-search-icon" id="nav-search-icon" data-icon="search" ></em> </button> <a href="/" class="d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center ml-10"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png" alt="Encyclopedia Britannica" class="global-nav-logo global-nav-logo-left" /> </a> <div class="global-nav-top-search-bar global-nav-top-search-container global-nav-search-container" id="global-nav-top-search-bar"> <form method="get" action="/search" id="global-nav-search" class="md-search-form m-0 global-nav-search-bar-small"> <div class="search-box position-relative col-100"> <label class="sr-only" for="global-nav-search-query">Search Britannica</label> <input name="query" id="global-nav-search-query" placeholder="Search Britannica..." class="form-control form-control-lg rounded-lg font-16 search-query pl-20 pr-70 shadow-sm" maxlength="200" autocomplete="off" aria-label="Search Britannica" /> <button class="search-reset-btn btn btn-link px-10 position-absolute top-0 h-100 d-none" type="reset"> <em class="material-icons" data-icon="close"></em> </button> <button class="search-submit btn btn-link text-blue px-10 position-absolute top-0 right-0 h-100" type="submit" disabled> <span class="sr-only">Click here to search</span> <em class="material-icons search-icon" data-icon="search"></em> </button> </div> </form> </div> </div> <a href="/" class="d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png" alt="Encyclopedia Britannica" class="global-nav-center global-nav-logo non-homepage-logo" /> </a> <form method="get" action="/search" id="global-nav-search" class="md-search-form m-0 global-nav-search-bar-small global-nav-center search global-nav-center-search-container"> <div class="search-box position-relative col-100"> <label class="sr-only" for="global-nav-search-query">Search Britannica</label> <input name="query" id="global-nav-search-query" placeholder="Search Britannica..." class="form-control form-control-lg rounded-lg font-16 search-query pl-20 pr-70 shadow-sm" maxlength="200" autocomplete="off" aria-label="Search Britannica" /> <button class="search-reset-btn btn btn-link px-10 position-absolute top-0 h-100 d-none" type="reset"> <em class="material-icons" data-icon="close"></em> </button> <button class="search-submit btn btn-link text-blue px-10 position-absolute top-0 right-0 h-100" type="submit" disabled> <span class="sr-only">Click here to search</span> <em class="material-icons search-icon" data-icon="search"></em> </button> </div> </form> <div class="col-35 col-sm-auto text-right order-3 mr-lg-15 align-items-center d-flex justify-content-end"> <div class="d-none d-md-inline-block"> <SPAN class="marketing-HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_DESKTOP2 marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_DESKTOP2"><a href="https://subscription.britannica.com/subscribe?partnerCode=BP_Black_Friday_AUUS" class="subscribe-link btn btn-sm btn-outline-white-orange py-5 mr-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Subscribe </a></SPAN></div> <div class="d-inline-block d-md-none mr-5 mr-sm-10"> <SPAN class="marketing-HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_MOBILE marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_MOBILE"><a href="https://subscription.britannica.com/subscribe?partnerCode=BP_Black_Friday_AUUS" class="subscribe-link btn btn-xs btn-orange-dark p-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Subscribe </a></SPAN></div> <button class="js-toggle-user-dropdown js-toggle btn btn-sm btn-link link-white rounded-0 px-md-15 pl-5 pr-5"> <span class="d-none d-md-inline-block mr-5">Login</span> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block d-md-none font-16 font-sm-20" data-icon="account_circle"></em> <div class="d-none dropdown-menu-subscription-link">https://subscription.britannica.com/subscribe?partnerCode=BP_Black_Friday_AUUS</div> <em class="material-icons inactive-icon d-inline-block font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_down"></em> <em class="material-icons active-icon d-inline-block font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_up"></em> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none hamburger-menu-subscription-link"><DIV class="marketing-HAMBURGER_MENU_CTA marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HAMBURGER_MENU_CTA"><a href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=hamburger-menu&utm_campaign=black-friday-2024" class="subscribe-link btn btn-sm btn-orange py-5" target="_blank"> Subscribe <span class="d-none d-md-inline"> Now</span> </a></DIV></div> <div id="global-nav-react"> <div class="d-none"> <ul> <li><a href="/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/procon">ProCon</a></li> <li><a href="/History-Society">History & Society</a></li> <li><a href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a></li> <li><a href="/Biographies">Biographies</a></li> <li><a href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a></li> <li><a href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a></li> <li><a href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/money">Money</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/quiz/browse">Games & Quizzes</a></li> <li><a href="/videos">Videos</a></li> <li><a href="/on-this-day">On This Day</a></li> <li><a href="/one-good-fact">One Good Fact</a></li> <li><a href="/dictionary">Dictionary</a></li> <li><a href="/new-articles">New Articles</a></li> </ul> <a href="/History-Society">History & Society</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Lifestyles-Social-Issues">Lifestyles & Social Issues</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Philosophy-Religion">Philosophy & Religion</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Politics-Law-Government">Politics, Law & Government</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/World-History">World History</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Health-Medicine">Health & Medicine</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Science">Science</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Technology">Technology</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Biographies">Biographies</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/biographies">Browse Biographies</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Birds-Reptiles-Vertebrates">Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Bugs-Mollusks-Invertebrates">Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Environment">Environment</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Fossil-Geologic-Time">Fossils & Geologic Time</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Mammals">Mammals</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Plants">Plants</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Entertainment-Pop-Culture">Entertainment & Pop Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Literature">Literature</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Sports-Recreation">Sports & Recreation</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Visual-Arts">Visual Arts</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/stories/companion">Companions</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/demystified">Demystified</a></li> <li><a href="/gallery/browse">Image Galleries</a></li> <li><a href="/list/browse">Lists</a></li> <li><a href="/podcasts">Podcasts</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/spotlight">Spotlight</a></li> <li><a href="/summary">Summaries</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/the-forum">The Forum</a></li> <li><a href="/question">Top Questions</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/wtfact">#WTFact</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="https://kids.britannica.com/">Britannica Kids</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </header> <div class="bg-navy-dark"> <div class="container-lg p-0 d-flex justify-content-center global-nav-categories-bar overflow-hidden"> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 global-nav-slider category-snap-slider"> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex font-14 overflow-hidden text-nowrap mx-5"> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-CHATBOT " href="/chatbot">Ask the Chatbot</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-QUIZZES " href="/quiz/browse">Games & Quizzes</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-PROCON " href="/procon">ProCon</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-HISTORY selected selected" href="/History-Society">History & Society</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-SCIENCE " href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-BIOS " href="/Biographies">Biographies</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-ANIMALS " href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-GEOGRAPHY " href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-ART " href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-MONEY " href="/money">Money</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-VIDEOS " href="/videos">Videos</a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <main> <div class="md-page-wrapper"> <div id="content" class="md-content"> <div class="md-article-container template-desktop infinite-pagination"> <div class="infinite-scroll-container article last"> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content md-expanded" data-topic-id="225216"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi">Mahatma Gandhi</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi">Introduction & Top Questions</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref22631"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi#ref22631">Youth</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref22632"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Sojourn-in-England-and-return-to-India">Sojourn in England and return to India</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref22633"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Sojourn-in-England-and-return-to-India#ref22633">Years in South Africa</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref326032"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Sojourn-in-England-and-return-to-India#ref326032">Emergence as a political and social activist</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref22634"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Resistance-and-results">Resistance and results</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref22635"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Resistance-and-results#ref22635">The religious quest</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref326033"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Resistance-and-results#ref326033">Return to India</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref22636"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Emergence-as-nationalist-leader">Emergence as nationalist leader</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref326034"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Emergence-as-nationalist-leader#ref326034">Return to party leadership</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref22637"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Emergence-as-nationalist-leader#ref22637">The last phase</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref22638"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Place-in-history">Place in history</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/quotes/Mahatma-Gandhi">Quotes</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Mahatma-Gandhi">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/images-videos">Images & Videos</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/91/82291-050-EB7A276A/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-leader-Mahatma-Indian.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/92087" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/91/82291-004-B396E162/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-leader-Mahatma-Indian.jpg" alt="Mahatma Gandhi" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/75588-050-12B8CE3E/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-Salt-March-Sarojini-Naidu-March-1930.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/138308" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/75588-004-85068793/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-Salt-March-Sarojini-Naidu-March-1930.jpg" alt="Photo of Gandhi and Sarojini Naidu on the Salt March" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/76643-050-F1A2EB59/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-Round-Table-Conference-delegates-1931.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/109403" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/76643-004-2244C387/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-Round-Table-Conference-delegates-1931.jpg" alt="Round Table Conference" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/200572-050-448D5045/Mahatma-Gandhi-1930.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/251392" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/200572-004-9D88087B/Mahatma-Gandhi-1930.jpg" alt="Mohandas K. Gandhi" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/200573-050-194DB760/Mahatma-Gandhi-1931.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/251393" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/200573-004-F9236C6B/Mahatma-Gandhi-1931.jpg" alt="Mahatma Gandhi" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/69/146869-050-676DD6B7/Aga-Khan-Palace-Pune-India.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/154944" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/69/146869-004-2E4F0894/Aga-Khan-Palace-Pune-India.jpg" alt="How the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand sparked World War I" height="50" /> </a> <a href="/video/Funeral-procession-Jawaharlal-Nehru-quote-Mohandas-Gandhi-February-2-1948/13198" data-href="/media/1/225216/13198" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/91/23191-138-AE12413F/Funeral-procession-Jawaharlal-Nehru-quote-Mohandas-Gandhi-February-2-1948.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Witness the funeral procession for Mahatma Gandhi, February 2, 1948" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/68/146868-050-5BA70CD6/Gandhi-Memorial-Stone-National-Pune-India-Maharasthra.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/196647" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/68/146868-004-C9388229/Gandhi-Memorial-Stone-National-Pune-India-Maharasthra.jpg" alt="Pune, Maharasthra, India: Gandhi Memorial Stone" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/21/171921-050-CFD0520E/Image-Mohandas-Gandhi-Cyprus-postage-stamp.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/196648" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/21/171921-004-7C7A7029/Image-Mohandas-Gandhi-Cyprus-postage-stamp.jpg" alt="Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi: postage stamp" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/70/146870-050-DFFF153B/Raj-Ghat-Mohandas-Gandhi-India-Delhi.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/206610" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/70/146870-004-1695D5D4/Raj-Ghat-Mohandas-Gandhi-India-Delhi.jpg" alt="Delhi, India: Raj Ghat" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-student-links"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> For Students </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/summary/Mahatma-Gandhi"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/images/shared/default3.png?v=3.130.14" class="default " height="200" width="200"/> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/summary/Mahatma-Gandhi" >Mahatma Gandhi summary</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/summary/Mahatma-Gandhi-Timeline"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/66/194466-050-CD294675/Mahatma-Gandhi-1931.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Mahatma Gandhi" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/summary/Mahatma-Gandhi-Timeline" >Mahatma Gandhi Timeline</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/summary/Mahatma-Gandhis-Achievements"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/200573-050-194DB760/Mahatma-Gandhi-1931.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Mahatma Gandhi" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/summary/Mahatma-Gandhis-Achievements" >Mahatma Gandhi’s Achievements</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-quizzes"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Quizzes </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/who-said-it-famous-quotes-quiz"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/32/232632-131-A2DB4925/King-Speech-at-Sproul-Plaza-in-Berkeley.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Civil rights leader Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers a speech to a crowd of approximately 7,000 people on May 17, 1967 at UC Berkeley's Sproul Plaza in Berkeley, California." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/who-said-it-famous-quotes-quiz" >Who Said It? Famous Quotes Quiz</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/gandhi-and-indian-history"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/168688-131-912CB7BE/Gandhi-The-Salt-March-Mahatma-followers-portrait.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="7:012-13 Gandhi, Mahatma: The Salt March, Gandhi in jail writing; portrait of Gandhi; Gandhi's followers" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/gandhi-and-indian-history" >Gandhi and Indian History</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/explore-india"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/46/171646-131-D436A0E1/Chandigarh-Statuettes-folk-artist-sculpture-park-Rock.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Chandigarh. Statuettes at the Rock Garden of Chandigarh a sculpture park in Chandigarh, India, also known as Nek Chand's Rock Garden. Created by Nek Chand Saini an Indian self taught artist. visionary artist, folk artist, environmental art" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/explore-india" >Explore India Quiz</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-questions"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 pb-0 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-15"> Related Questions </div> <ul> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-did-Gandhi-try-to-accomplish-with-his-activism">What did Gandhi try to accomplish with his activism?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-were-Gandhis-religious-beliefs">What were Gandhi’s religious beliefs?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-other-social-movements-did-Gandhis-activism-inspire">What other social movements did Gandhi’s activism inspire?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-was-Gandhis-personal-life-like">What was Gandhi’s personal life like?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-were-contemporary-opinions-of-Gandhi">What were contemporary opinions of Gandhi?</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-read-next"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Read Next </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/9-infamous-assassins-and-the-world-leaders-they-dispatched"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/38/114738-131-1EC2D535/assassination-Pres-John-Wilkes-Booth-Abraham-Lincoln-April-14-1865.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C., April 14th, 1865; from a lithograph by Currier and Ives." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/9-infamous-assassins-and-the-world-leaders-they-dispatched" >9 Infamous Assassins and the World Leaders They Dispatched</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/8-of-historys-most-famous-vegetarians"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/17/196817-131-D8307FFA/vegetables.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Fresh vegetables, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, peppers, tomato, squash" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/8-of-historys-most-famous-vegetarians" >8 of History’s Most Famous Vegetarians</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-discover"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Discover </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/13-iconic-buildings-to-visit-in-new-york-city"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/82/156482-131-AEEBFEFC/New-York-York.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="New York city skyline aerial with the Empire State Building, New York City, New York." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/13-iconic-buildings-to-visit-in-new-york-city" >13 Iconic Buildings to Visit in New York City</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/how-do-black-holes-really-work"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/84/193284-131-66EAF092/merging-black-holes-binary-system-each-other-December-26-2015.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="The merger of two black holes and the gravitational waves that ripple outward as the black holes spiral toward each other. The black holes-which represent those detected by LIGO on Dec. 26, 2015-were 14 and 8 times the mass of the sun, until they merged," width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/how-do-black-holes-really-work" >How Do Black Holes Really Work?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/why-do-we-eat-turkey-on-thanksgiving"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/201772-131-C576ED87/Turkey-sides.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Thanksgiving Turkey with all the sides" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/why-do-we-eat-turkey-on-thanksgiving" >Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/10-famous-artworks-by-leonardo-da-vinci"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/06/200006-131-ABB681CF/Leonardo-da-Vinci-Italian-Renaissance-Florence-Engraving-1500.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Italian Renaissance painter from Florence. Engraving by Cosomo Colombini (d. 1812) after a Leonardo self portrait. Ca. 1500." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/10-famous-artworks-by-leonardo-da-vinci" >10 Famous Artworks by Leonardo da Vinci</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/why-is-thanksgiving-in-the-us-celebrated-on-a-thursday"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/06/212906-131-C791368A/Thanksgiving-celebration-food-table-spread.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Thanksgiving Celebration Traditional Dinner Setting Food Concept" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/why-is-thanksgiving-in-the-us-celebrated-on-a-thursday" >Why Is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Celebrated on a Thursday?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/the-fastest-animals-on-earth"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/00/152300-131-FEE1926E/Cheetah-Maasai-Mara-National-Reserve-Kenya.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) standing on rock, side view, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/the-fastest-animals-on-earth" >The Fastest Animals on Earth</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/plato-and-aristotle-how-do-they-differ"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/75/177675-131-B7B445EB/detail-Aristotle-School-of-Athens-Plato-Raphael.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Plato (left) and Aristotle, detail from School of Athens, fresco by Raphael, 1508-11; in the Stanza della Segnatura, the Vatican. Plato points to the heavens and the realm of Forms, Aristotle to the earth and the realm of things." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/plato-and-aristotle-how-do-they-differ" >Plato and Aristotle: How Do They Differ?</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <button class="drawerToggle btn position-sticky border btn-xs btn-white btn-circle rounded-sm d-none d-lg-flex " type="button" aria-label="Toggle Drawer"> <em class="material-icons font-18 text-blue" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="h-100 ml-0 pr-lg-0 "> <div class="h-100 grid gx-0 gx-lg-20"> <div class="h-100 col-sm"> <div class="h-100 infinite-pagination-container d-flex flex-column position-relative"> <div class="position-absolute top-0 h-100 w-100"> <div class="toc-sticky-header d-none d-lg-none bg-gray-50 px-10 px-sm-30 position-sticky w-100 "> <div class="toc-sticky-header-inner-container align-items-center d-flex mx-auto h-100 w-100"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-sm btn-white text-blue border-2 border-gray-100 gtm-mobile-toc-header-button js-sections-button d-lg-none p-10"> <em class="material-icons my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Contents </button> <div class="header-ai-ask-button-placeholder"></div> <div class="header-ai-summarize-button-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="grey-box w-100 grey-box-top"> <div class="grey-box-content mx-auto w-100"> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "position" : 1, "item" : { "@id" : "https://www.britannica.com/browse/Philosophy-Religion", "name": "Philosophy & Religion" } } , { "@type" : "ListItem", "position" : 2, "item" : { "@id" : "https://www.britannica.com/browse/Religious-Personages-Scholars", "name": "Religious Personages & Scholars" } } ] } </script> <nav class="breadcrumb mt-20"> <span class="breadcrumb-item "> <a class="link-gray-600" href="/browse/Philosophy-Religion">Philosophy & Religion</a> </span> <span class="breadcrumb-item "> <a class="link-gray-600" href="/browse/Religious-Personages-Scholars">Religious Personages & Scholars</a> </span> </nav> <div class="page2ref-true topic-content topic-type-BIOGRAPHY" data-student-article="true"> <script class="page-description-json" type="application/json"> { "url": "/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Emergence-as-nationalist-leader", "shareUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi", "browserTitle": "Mahatma Gandhi - Nonviolence, Indian Independence, Satyagraha", "firstTopicPage": false, "topicId":225216 } </script> <div class="reading-channel"> <div class="topic-header"> <div class="d-flex align-items-top justify-content-between"> <div class="d-flex flex-column"> <div> <div> <h2 class="h2">Emergence as <span id="ref386208"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/nationalism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">nationalist</a> leader</h2></div> <div class="in-container"> <em class="material-icons in-arrow" data-icon="subdirectory_arrow_right"></em> <span class="in-bc">in</span><a class="in-link" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi">Mahatma Gandhi</a> <span class="in-bc">in</span><a class="in-link" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/Resistance-and-results#ref326033">Return to India</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-flex flex-row"> <div class="mr-10 mb-15"> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-block md-topic-tools qa-action-buttons mb-15" data-topic-id="225216"> <button class="js-tooltip btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border pr-10 border-2" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="more_vert"></em> More Actions </button> <div class="md-more-popover popover popover-sm p-0 font-14 z-1"> <div> <button class="js-print-modal-button js-modal gtm-topic-tool btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=225216] .md-print-modal" > <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="print"></em> Print </button> <div class="md-print-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10">print</em> Print </div> <div class="mt-20 mb-10"> Please select which sections you would like to print: </div> <form action="/print/article/225216" method="post" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <div class="print-box-items"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><label><input class="mr-10" type="checkbox" name="sequence[]" value="0">Table Of Contents</label></li> </ul> </div> <input type="submit" class="btn btn-blue md-disabled" value="Print" /> </form> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-modal qa-cite-modal-button btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=225216] .md-cite-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="verified"></em> Cite </button> <div class="md-cite-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom mb-15"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10">verified</em>Cite </div> <div class="font-serif"> While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. </div> <div class="label mt-20 mb-10">Select Citation Style</div> <select class="js-citation-format-select form-select"> <option selected value="mla">MLA</option> <option value="apa">APA</option> <option value="chicago">Chicago Manual of Style</option> </select> <div class="citation font-serif border rounded p-15 mt-20" data-authors="B.R. Nanda" data-title="Mahatma Gandhi" data-published-date="26 Nov. 2024" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi" > <div class="citation-text"></div> </div> <button class="js-copy-citation-button mt-20 btn btn-xs btn-outline-blue border shadow-sm pr-10" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="file_copy"></em> <span class="js-citation-status-text">Copy Citation</span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-share-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=225216] .md-share-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="share"></em> Share </button> <div class="md-share-modal size-lg d-none qa-share-modal"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10" data-icon="share"></em> Share </div> <div class="label my-20">Share to social media</div> <div class="md-social-toolbar-circle d-flex align-items-start inverted" data-value="share" title="Mahatma Gandhi" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi" > <a class="social-icon facebook justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>Facebook</span></a> <a class="social-icon x justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="x" href="https://x.com/britannica" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>X</span></a> </div> <div class="label pt-20 mt-20 mb-5 border-top">URL</div> <a class="font-serif text-truncate d-inline-block" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi">https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi</a> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-feedback-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal=".md-feedback-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="message"></em> Feedback </button> </div> <div> <button class="qa-external-website-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=225216] .md-websites-modal"> <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 mr-5" data-icon="link"></em> External Websites </button> </div> </div> <div class="md-feedback-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom"> Feedback </div> <form method="post" action="/submission/feedback/225216"> <div class="my-20"> Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-history/modern-history/mahatma-gandhi.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Cultural India - History of India - Biography of Mahatma Gandhi</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.indianetzone.com/6/mahatma_gandhi.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">IndiaNetzone - Biography of Mahatma Gandhi</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.mkgandhi.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Bombay Sarvodaya Centre - Gandhi Book Centre - Mahatma Gandhi</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/gandhi-mohandas-k" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Stanford University - The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute - Mohandas K. Gandhi</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.mapsofindia.com/personalities/gandhi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">MapsofIndia.com - Mahatma Gandhi Biography</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://southasia.ucla.edu/history-politics/gandhi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">UCLA Social Sciences - Mahatma Gandhi</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.sahistory.org.za/people/mohandas-karamchand-gandhi" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">South African History Online - Biography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/themes/mahatma-gandhi-the-missing-laureate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">The Nobel Prize - Mahatma Gandhi, the missing laureate</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/gandhiji.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">GlobalSecurity.org - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Mahatma-Gandhi/353163" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mahatma Gandhi - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Mahatma-Gandhi/274487" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mahatma Gandhi - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/BR-Nanda/2111" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">B.R. Nanda</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Former Director, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi. Author of <i>Mahatma Gandhi: A Biography </i>and others.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> B.R. Nanda</span></div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-26T00:00:00CST" >Nov 26, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Byname of: </dt> <dd>Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Born: </dt> <dd>October 2, 1869, <a href="/place/Porbandar">Porbandar</a>, <a href="/place/India">India</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Died: </dt> <dd>January 30, 1948, <a href="/place/Delhi">Delhi</a> (aged 78)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Also Known As: </dt> <dd>Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Political Affiliation: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/Indian-National-Congress">Indian National Congress</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Notable Family Members: </dt> <dd>spouse <a href="/biography/Kasturba-Gandhi">Kasturba Gandhi</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Role In: </dt> <dd><a href="/event/British-raj">British raj</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Jallianwala-Bagh-Massacre">Jallianwala Bagh Massacre</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Poona-Pact">Poona Pact</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Round-Table-Conference">Round Table Conference</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Salt-March">Salt March</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/noncooperation-movement">noncooperation movement</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Mahatma-Gandhi"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> <button class="facts-list-show-more-btn mt-15 p-0 mx-auto btn font-14 d-block font-weight-normal"> <span class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></span> <span class="show-more-label">Show More</span> </button> </div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/places-in-belagavi-visited-by-mahatma-gandhi-to-be-protected-beautified/article68910500.ece" rel="nofollow">Places in Belagavi visited by Mahatma Gandhi to be protected, beautified</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 25, 2024, 5:47 PM ET (The Hindu) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.newsweek.com/minnesota-teen-buddhist-lama-himalayan-monastery-1987464" rel="nofollow">Minnesota Buddhist Lama Celebrates 18th Birthday Before Himalayan Journey</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 19, 2024, 2:02 AM ET (Newsweek) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/i-did-not-come-alone-brought-with-me-fragrance-of-indian-soil-pm-modi-in-nigeria-9675000/" rel="nofollow">I did not come alone… brought with me fragrance of Indian soil: PM Modi in Nigeria</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 18, 2024, 2:19 AM ET (The Indian Express) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/kharge-attacks-pm-bjp-leaders-for-targeting-gandhi-family-9670785/lite/" rel="nofollow">Kharge attacks PM, BJP leaders for targeting Gandhi family</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 14, 2024, 4:35 PM ET (The Indian Express) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/cyberabad-four-arrested-for-vandalising-gandhi-statue/article68841244.ece" rel="nofollow">Cyberabad | Four arrested for vandalising Gandhi statue</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 8, 2024, 6:51 AM ET (The Hindu) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1"><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="2" id="ref22636">  <span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">For the next three years, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gandhi" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Gandhi</a> seemed to hover uncertainly on the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="periphery" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/periphery" data-type="MW">periphery</a> of Indian politics, declining to join any political agitation, supporting the British <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/war" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">war</a> effort, and even recruiting soldiers for the British Indian Army. At the same time, he did not flinch from criticizing the British officials for any acts of high-handedness or from taking up the grievances of the long-suffering peasantry in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bihar" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bihar</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Gujarat" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Gujarat</a>. By February 1919, however, the British had insisted on pushing through—in the teeth of fierce Indian opposition—the <span id="ref386209"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Rowlatt-Acts" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Rowlatt Acts</a>, which empowered the authorities to imprison without trial those suspected of <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="sedition" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedition" data-type="MW">sedition</a>. A provoked Gandhi finally revealed a sense of estrangement from the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/British-raj" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">British raj</a> and announced a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/satyagraha-philosophy" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">satyagraha</a> struggle. The result was a virtual political earthquake that shook the subcontinent in the spring of 1919. The violent outbreaks that followed—notably the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Jallianwala-Bagh-Massacre" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Massacre of Amritsar</a>, which was the killing by British-led soldiers of nearly 400 Indians who were gathered in an open space in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Amritsar" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Amritsar</a> in the Punjab region (now in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Punjab-state-India" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Punjab</a> state), and the enactment of martial law—prompted him to stay his hand. However, within a year he was again in a militant mood, having in the meantime been irrevocably <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="alienated" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/alienated" data-type="EB">alienated</a> by British insensitiveness to Indian feeling on the Punjab tragedy and Muslim resentment on the peace terms offered to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Turkey" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Turkey</a> following <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-I" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">World War I</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">By the autumn of 1920, Gandhi was the dominant figure on the political stage, commanding an influence never before attained by any political leader in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/India" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">India</a> or perhaps in any other <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/nation-state" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">country</a>. He refashioned the 35-year-old <span id="ref386210"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Indian-National-Congress" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Indian National Congress</a> (Congress Party) into an effective political instrument of Indian nationalism: from a three-day Christmas-week picnic of the upper middle class in one of the principal cities of India, it became a mass organization with its roots in small towns and villages. Gandhi’s message was simple: it was not British guns but imperfections of Indians themselves that kept their country in bondage. His program, the nonviolent <span id="ref386211"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/noncooperation-movement" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">noncooperation movement</a> against the British government, included <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="boycotts" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boycotts" data-type="MW">boycotts</a> not only of British manufactures but of institutions operated or aided by the British in India: legislatures, courts, offices, schools. The campaign electrified the country, broke the spell of fear of foreign rule, and led to the arrests of thousands of <em>satyagrahi</em>s, who defied laws and cheerfully lined up for prison. In February 1922 the movement seemed to be on the crest of a rising wave, but, alarmed by a violent outbreak in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Chauri-Chaura" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Chauri Chaura</a>, a remote village in eastern India, Gandhi decided to call off mass <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/civil-disobedience" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">civil disobedience</a>. That was a blow to many of his followers, who feared that his self-imposed restraints and scruples would reduce the nationalist struggle to pious futility. Gandhi himself was arrested on March 10, 1922, tried for sedition, and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. He was released in February 1924, after undergoing surgery for <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/appendicitis" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">appendicitis</a>. The political landscape had changed in his absence. The Congress Party had split into two factions, one under <span id="ref386212"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chitta-Ranjan-Das" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Chitta Ranjan Das</a> and <span id="ref386213"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Motilal-Nehru" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Motilal Nehru</a> (the father of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jawaharlal-Nehru" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Jawaharlal Nehru</a>, India’s first prime minister) favoring the entry of the party into legislatures and the other under <span id="ref386214"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chakravarti-Rajagopalachari" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Chakravarti Rajagopalachari</a> and <span id="ref386215"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vallabhbhai-Patel" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel</a> opposing it. Worst of all, the unity between Hindus and Muslims of the heyday of the noncooperation movement of 1920–22 had dissolved. Gandhi tried to draw the warring <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="communities" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communities" data-type="MW">communities</a> out of their suspicion and fanaticism by reasoning and persuasion. Finally, after a serious outbreak of communal unrest, he undertook a three-week fast in the autumn of 1924 to arouse the people into following the path of nonviolence. In December 1924 he was named president of the Congress Party, and he served for a year.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> </section> <section data-level="2" id="ref326034"> <h2 class="h2">Return to party leadership</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="138308" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/75588-050-12B8CE3E/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-Salt-March-Sarojini-Naidu-March-1930.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/225216/138308"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/75588-050-12B8CE3E/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-Salt-March-Sarojini-Naidu-March-1930.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/75588-050-12B8CE3E/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-Salt-March-Sarojini-Naidu-March-1930.jpg?w=300" alt="Photo of Gandhi and Sarojini Naidu on the Salt March" data-width="1139" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">1 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/75588-050-12B8CE3E/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-Salt-March-Sarojini-Naidu-March-1930.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/138308">Mahatma Gandhi and Sarojini Naidu on the Salt March, 1930</a><span>The Salt March was one of the most important developments of the Indian Independence Movement and ended with the arrest of more than 60,000 Indians.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="109403" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/76643-050-F1A2EB59/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-Round-Table-Conference-delegates-1931.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/225216/109403"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/76643-050-F1A2EB59/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-Round-Table-Conference-delegates-1931.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/76643-050-F1A2EB59/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-Round-Table-Conference-delegates-1931.jpg?w=300" alt="Round Table Conference" data-width="1246" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">2 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/76643-050-F1A2EB59/Mohandas-K-Gandhi-Round-Table-Conference-delegates-1931.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/109403">Round Table Conference</a><span>Mohandas K. Gandhi (front row, left) and other delegates attending the Round Table Conference in London, 1931.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph">During the mid-1920s Gandhi took little interest in active politics and was considered a spent force. In 1927, however, the British government appointed a <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="constitutional" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constitutional" data-type="MW">constitutional</a> reform commission under <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Simon" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sir John Simon</a>, a prominent English lawyer and politician, that did not contain a single Indian. When the Congress and other parties <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="boycotted" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boycotted" data-type="MW">boycotted</a> the commission, the political tempo rose. At the Congress session (meeting) at Calcutta in December 1928, Gandhi put forth the crucial resolution demanding <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/dominion-British-Commonwealth" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">dominion</a> status from the British government within a year under threat of a nationwide nonviolent campaign for complete independence. Henceforth, Gandhi was back as the leading voice of the Congress Party. In March 1930 he launched the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Salt-March" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Salt March</a>, a satyagraha against the British-imposed tax on salt, which affected the poorest section of the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="community" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/community" data-type="MW">community</a>. One of the most spectacular and successful campaigns in Gandhi’s nonviolent war against the British raj, it resulted in the imprisonment of more than 60,000 people. A year later, after talks with the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/viceroy-government-official" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">viceroy</a>, <span id="ref386217"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edward-Frederick-Lindley-Wood-1st-earl-of-Halifax" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lord Irwin</a> (later Lord <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edward-Frederick-Lindley-Wood-1st-earl-of-Halifax" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Halifax</a>), Gandhi accepted a truce (the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Gandhi-Irwin-Pact" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Gandhi-Irwin Pact</a>), called off civil disobedience, and agreed to attend the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Round-Table-Conference" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Round Table Conference</a> in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/London" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">London</a> as the sole representative of the Indian National Congress.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The conference, which concentrated on the problem of the Indian minorities rather than on the transfer of power from the British, was a great disappointment to the Indian nationalists. Moreover, when Gandhi returned to India in December 1931, he found his party facing an all-out offensive from Lord Irwin’s successor as viceroy, Lord Willingdon, who unleashed the sternest repression in the history of the nationalist movement. Gandhi was once more imprisoned, and the government tried to insulate him from the outside world and to destroy his influence. That was not an easy task. Gandhi soon regained the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="initiative" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/initiative" data-type="MW">initiative</a>. In September 1932, while still a prisoner, he embarked on a fast to protest against the British government’s decision to segregate the so-called “<span id="ref386218"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dalit" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">untouchables</a>” (the lowest level of the Indian <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/caste-social-differentiation" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">caste</a> system; now called Scheduled Castes [official] or <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dalit" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Dalits</a>) by allotting them separate electorates in the new constitution. The fast produced an emotional upheaval in the country, and an <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="alternative" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alternative" data-type="MW">alternative</a> electoral arrangement was jointly and speedily devised by the leaders of the Hindu community and the Dalits and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="endorsed" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endorsed" data-type="MW">endorsed</a> by the British government. The fast became the starting point of a vigorous campaign for the removal of the disenfranchisement of the Dalits, whom Gandhi referred to as Harijans, or “children of God.”</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="251392" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/200572-050-448D5045/Mahatma-Gandhi-1930.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/225216/251392"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/200572-050-448D5045/Mahatma-Gandhi-1930.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/200572-050-448D5045/Mahatma-Gandhi-1930.jpg?w=300" alt="Mohandas K. Gandhi" data-width="1600" data-height="1155" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/200572-050-448D5045/Mahatma-Gandhi-1930.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/251392">Mohandas K. Gandhi</a><span>Mohandas K. Gandhi spinning by hand, about April 23, 1930.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">In 1934 Gandhi resigned not only as the leader but also as a member of the Congress Party. He had come to believe that its leading members had adopted nonviolence as a political expedient and not as the fundamental creed it was for him. In place of political activity he then concentrated on his “constructive programme” of building the nation “from the bottom up”—educating rural India, which accounted for 85 percent of the population; continuing his fight against untouchability; promoting hand spinning, <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="weaving" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/weaving" data-type="EB">weaving</a>, and other cottage industries to supplement the earnings of the underemployed peasantry; and evolving a system of education best suited to the needs of the people. Gandhi himself went to live at <span id="ref386219"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sevagram" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sevagram</a>, a village in central India, which became the center of his program of social and economic uplift.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-read-more-module" href="/place/India/Anti-British-activity#ref1189592" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/97/1597-050-008F30FA/Flag-India.jpg" alt="Flag of India" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-navy-dark">More From Britannica</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">India: The postwar years</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> </section> <section data-level="2" id="ref22637"> <h2 class="h2">The last phase</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="251393" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/200573-050-194DB760/Mahatma-Gandhi-1931.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/225216/251393"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/200573-050-194DB760/Mahatma-Gandhi-1931.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/200573-050-194DB760/Mahatma-Gandhi-1931.jpg?w=300" alt="Mahatma Gandhi" data-width="1600" data-height="1173" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/200573-050-194DB760/Mahatma-Gandhi-1931.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/251393">Mahatma Gandhi</a><span>Mahatma Gandhi, 1931.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">With the outbreak of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-II" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">World War II</a>, the nationalist struggle in India entered its last crucial phase. Gandhi hated <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/fascism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">fascism</a> and all it stood for, but he also hated war. The Indian National Congress, on the other hand, was not committed to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/pacifism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">pacifism</a> and was prepared to support the British war effort if Indian self-government was assured. Once more Gandhi became politically active. The failure of the mission of <span id="ref386220"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stafford-Cripps" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sir Stafford Cripps</a>, a British cabinet minister who went to India in March 1942 with an offer that Gandhi found unacceptable, the British equivocation on the transfer of power to Indian hands, and the encouragement given by high British officials to <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="conservative" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conservative" data-type="MW">conservative</a> and communal forces promoting <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="discord" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discord" data-type="MW">discord</a> between Muslims and Hindus impelled Gandhi to demand in the summer of 1942 an immediate British withdrawal from India—what became known as the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Quit-India-Movement" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Quit India Movement.</a></p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="154944" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/69/146869-050-676DD6B7/Aga-Khan-Palace-Pune-India.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/225216/154944"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/69/146869-050-676DD6B7/Aga-Khan-Palace-Pune-India.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/69/146869-050-676DD6B7/Aga-Khan-Palace-Pune-India.jpg?w=300" alt="Aga Khan Palace (Gandhi National Memorial)" data-width="1600" data-height="1041" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/69/146869-050-676DD6B7/Aga-Khan-Palace-Pune-India.jpg" data-href="/media/1/225216/154944">Aga Khan Palace (Gandhi National Memorial)</a><span>Aga Khan Palace (Gandhi National Memorial), Pune, India.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">In mid-1942 the war against the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Axis-Powers" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Axis powers</a>, particularly <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Japan</a>, was in a critical phase, and the British reacted sharply to the campaign. They imprisoned the entire Congress leadership and set out to crush the party once and for all. There were violent outbreaks that were sternly suppressed, and the gulf between Britain and India became wider than ever before. Gandhi, his wife, and several other top party leaders (including Nehru) were <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="confined" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/confined" data-type="EB">confined</a> in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Aga-Khan" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Aga Khan</a> Palace (now the Gandhi National Memorial) in Poona (now <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Pune" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Pune</a>). Kasturba died there in early 1944, shortly before Gandhi and the others were released.</p><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">A new chapter in Indo-British relations opened with the victory of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Labour-Party-political-party-Ireland" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Labour Party</a> in Britain 1945. During the next two years, there were prolonged triangular negotiations between leaders of the Congress, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Muslim-League" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Muslim League</a> under <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mohammed-Ali-Jinnah" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mohammed Ali Jinnah</a>, and the British government, culminating in the <span id="ref386221"></span>Mountbatten Plan of June 3, 1947, and the formation of the two new dominions of India and Pakistan in mid-August 1947.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="13198" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="video" video-id="23191"><a data-id="23191" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/Funeral-procession-Jawaharlal-Nehru-quote-Mohandas-Gandhi-February-2-1948/-13198"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/91/23191-138-AE12413F/Funeral-procession-Jawaharlal-Nehru-quote-Mohandas-Gandhi-February-2-1948.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="Witness the funeral procession for Mahatma Gandhi, February 2, 1948" loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/Z7H32hkE.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/91/23191-138-AE12413F/Funeral-procession-Jawaharlal-Nehru-quote-Mohandas-Gandhi-February-2-1948.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/ev8gbFPp", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/641I34D6.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="23191">Witness the funeral procession for Mahatma Gandhi, February 2, 1948</span><span>Funeral procession for Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi, February 2, 1948, with a quote from the eulogy by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">It was one of the greatest disappointments of Gandhi’s life that Indian freedom was realized without Indian unity. Muslim separatism had received a great boost while Gandhi and his colleagues were in jail, and in 1946–47, as the final constitutional arrangements were being negotiated, the outbreak of communal riots between Hindus and Muslims unhappily created a climate in which Gandhi’s appeals to reason and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/justice-social-concept" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">justice</a>, tolerance and trust had little chance. When partition of the subcontinent was accepted—against his advice—he threw himself heart and soul into the task of healing the scars of the communal conflict, toured the riot-torn areas in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bengal-region-Asia" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Bengal</a> and Bihar, <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="admonished" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/admonished" data-type="MW">admonished</a> the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="bigots" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bigots" data-type="MW">bigots</a>, consoled the victims, and tried to rehabilitate the refugees. In the atmosphere of that period, surcharged with suspicion and hatred, that was a difficult and heartbreaking task. Gandhi was blamed by partisans of both the communities. When persuasion failed, he went on a fast. He won at least two spectacular triumphs: in September 1947 his <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/fasting" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">fasting</a> stopped the rioting in Calcutta, and in January 1948 he shamed the city of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Delhi" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Delhi</a> into a communal truce. A few days later, on January 30, while he was on his way to his evening prayer meeting in Delhi, he was shot down by Nathuram Godse, a young Hindu <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="fanatic" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/fanatic" data-type="EB">fanatic</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span> </section> </section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":4,"pagesTotal":5,"pageId":225216,"pageLength":1733,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"C","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"BIO_PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":4,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Mahatma Gandhi - Nonviolence, Indian Independence, Satyagraha | Britannica