Justice and Judgment Quotes - Quotes, The Story Of My Experiments With Truth | The Story of My Experiments with Truth - Summary & Themes - Novels PDF Download

But I should certainly like to narrate my experiments in the spiritual field which are known only to myself, and from which I have derived such power as I possess for working in the political field. (Introduction.3)

How did Gandhi manage to pull off some of the greatest political actions in history? He says his spiritual experiments are the source of his political power. All of his dieting and other exercises in self-restraint add up to a politically powerful person.

I must therefore confess that most of my efforts to instruct Kasturbai in our youth were unsuccessful. And when I awoke from the sleep of lust, I had already launched forth into public life, which did not leave me much spare time. (1.4.6)

It's a simple observation to say that icons such as Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr. didn't have a lot of spare time. That means they gave up a lot in life—in this case, Gandhi gave up educating his wife.

"No, I could not thus charge you for public work," said I. [...] "My work would be mainly to make you all work. And how could I charge you for that? And then I should have to appeal to you frequently for funds for the work, and if I were to draw my maintenance from you, I should find myself at a disadvantage in making an appeal for large amounts, and we should ultimately find ourselves at a standstill." (2.17.15)

Should activists be paid for what they do? Here, Gandhi says he won't take money for public work. (The term "public work" sounds a lot more respectable than "activism.")

I had learnt at the outset not to carry on public work with borrowed money. One could rely on people's promises in most matters except in respect of money. I had never found people quick to pay the amounts they had undertaken to subscribe, and the Natal Indians were no exception to the rule. As, therefore, no work was done unless there were funds on hand, the Natal Indian Congress has never been in debt. (2.19.6)

One awesome thing about Gandhi—add it to the list of awesome things, right?— is that he was adept at managing money and staying frugal.

People never cared to have receipts for the amounts they paid, but we always insisted on receipts being given. Every pie was thus clearly accounted for, and I dare say the account books for the year 1894 can be found intact even today in the records of the Natal Indian Congress. Carefully kept accounts are a sine qua non for any organization. Without them it falls into disrepute. Without properly kept accounts it is impossible to maintain truth in its pristine purity. (2.19.12)

Gandhi stresses the importance of proper, honest accounting when doing public work. Scandals surrounding the funding of charities today suggest his advice is as important as ever.

And now after considerable experience with the many public institutions which I have managed, it has become my firm conviction that it is not good to run public institutions on permanent funds. A permanent fund carries in itself the seed of the moral fall of the institution. A public institution means an institution conducted with the approval, and from the funds, of the public. When such an institution ceases to have public support, it forfeits its right to exist. Institutions maintained on permanent funds are often found to ignore public opinion, and are frequently responsible for acts contrary to it. (3.4.9)

Does money corrupt public work? Does funding a cause turn it into a product and place people's motives under suspicion? Gandhi says public institutions should survive on donations that are constantly coming in, rather than building up a giant reserve that ends up being fought over.

But the work set me furiously thinking in the direction of self-control, and according to my wont I discussed my thoughts with my co-workers. It became my conviction that procreation and the consequent care of children were inconsistent with public service. I had to break up my household at Johannesburg to be able to serve during the "Rebellion." Within one month of offering my services, I had to give up the house I had so carefully furnished. I took my wife and children to Phoenix and led the Indian ambulance corps attached to the Natal forces. During the difficult marches that had then to be performed, the idea flashed upon me that if I wanted to devote myself to the service of the community in this manner, I must relinquish the desire for children and wealth and live the life of a vanaprastha—of one retired from household cares. (3.7.5)

Gandhi says procreation and public service don't mix. Raising children takes up a lot of an adult's time that might otherwise be spent on the community. But, what insights might parenting give an activist? Or, might humanity itself be considered the child of someone who gives up procreation in favor of public work?

It was clear that a new word must be coined by the Indians to designate their struggle. [...]

Maganlal Gandhi coined the word "Sadagraha" (Sat = truth, Agraha = firmness) and won the prize. But in order to make it clearer I changed the word to "Satyagraha" which has since become current in Gujarati as a designation for the struggle. (4.26.1-2)

Satyagraha is sometimes translated as "truth force" or "soul force." The latter phrase was used by Martin Luther King, Jr. in his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, alluding to Gandhi.

"I ask one thing of you. I would like you to come and see me whenever you propose to take any steps concerning Government."

I replied:

"I can very easily give the promise, inasmuch as it is my rule, as a Satyagrahi, to understand the viewpoint of the party I propose to deal with, and try to agree with him as far as may be possible. I strictly observed the rule in South Africa and I mean to do the same here." (5.2.2-4)

Gandhi believes it's wise, when pursuing justice, to meet with your opponents and understand their point of view. Is this something activists try to do today?

There were, however, others who were unhappy over the decision. They felt that, if I expected peace everywhere and regarded it as a condition precedent to launching Satyagraha, mass Satyagraha would be an impossibility. I was sorry to disagree with them. If those amongst whom I worked, and whom I expected to be prepared for non-violence and self-suffering, could not be non-violent, Satyagraha was certainly impossible. I was firmly of opinion that those who wanted to lead the people to Satyagraha ought to be able to keep the people within the limited non-violence expected of them. I hold the same opinion even today. (5.32.19)

Under no condition would Gandhi accept a struggle for justice that was violent. When the opportunity arose here for mass action, he shuts it down because some were engaging in violence.