Compare And Contrast Gandhi's Theory Of Passive Resistance

In relation to his definition of decolonization, Fanon shows that when the fight for national liberation happens, violence should be expected. This expectation comes from the initial encounter between the settlers and the natives. When the settlers take over the country, they did it through the use of violent force, creating hostility between the settlers and the natives. This causes the relationship between the settlers and the natives to be a violent one from the start. This strain in the relationship is further perpetuated when the settlers rule the country by the language of force. In the colonies, the policeman and soldier are the executioners of the rules set by the settlers. They are the agents of the government and “by their immediate …show more content…
During the 1900s , when media was not as prevalent as it is today, if the settlers have hearts of Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot, passive resistance is unlikely to triumph because they will most likely just eliminate the passive resistors with no sense of remorse or regret. Their heartless action would in turn instill fear to the rest of the population, which would make the whole passive resistance movement a failure. Furthermore, Gandhi’s passive resistance requires people “to observe perfect chastity, adopt poverty, follow truth, and cultivate fearlessness” (Gandhi, 1909, p. 106). The reason for requiring these qualities is for the passive resistor to have the energy, courage, righteousness and clarity to fight for the truth. These qualities are difficult to attain and not everyone would be able to achieve it. If the Satyagraha movement has too little supporters, it would not garner enough attention and the settlers would just remove the few protesters. As a result, passive resistance would fail to influence or affect the …show more content…
Fanon’s theory of violence would only perpetual a cycle of violence that inflicts harm and damages to both parties. It might also produce repercussions that cause long-term conflicts even after the colonized country gained independence. Above all, the interconnectedness of the world and the presence of international organization make Gandhi’s passive resistance approach the better choice because it results in the least amount of damages and loss of lives. This is not to say that passive resistance will not bring about long-term conflicts after national independence, but there are many factors that contribute to the aftermath conflicts. The belief is that if everyone subscribes to a nonviolent approach to resolve issues, lesser damages and human lives will be lost and the world will become a more peaceful place for everyone to live