Saturday, 14 September 2013

Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King:

THERE CANNOT BE A BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH THAN BY COMPARING TWO OF WORLD'S GREATEST ADVOCATES OF PEACE & NON-VIOLENCE. 

A comparison of goals and programs advocated by Gandhi and King:* 

Gandhi 

- Self-purification as a condition for achieving political independence 
(e.g. fasts) 
- Development of village industries and sanitation 
- Adult education and health programs 
- Elimination of liquor 
- Use of spinning wheel in every home 
- Organization of Labor satyagrahas (e.g. Ahmedabad in 1918) 


King 

- Federal grants for housing, employment, and education 
- 1963 Bill of rights for the disadvantaged 
- Government-guaranteed income 
- Development of black co-ops 
- Breadbasket programs 
- Organization of unions 


* From 
‘The Influence of Gandhi on Martin Luther King Jr.’ by Thomas Kilgore Jr., page 241 


First published by Deepankar Choudhury on Feb 27, 2011

1 comment:

  1. Both men were true leaders and led their nation to get high place in society . Both are the believers of non violent method. King had struggled a lot compares to Gandhi, as latter was struggling against a ruling party in his own country while d nation was behind him support him on all issues , where King was struggling against Black ans White phenomenon w/c was present all around the world at that time .
    I read a piece '' On civil Disobedience '' by Mohands K Gandhi written in July 27, 1916. Very powerful and strong , it will help a better understanding of the causes that he fought for. Also against the war. And I try to read '' Civil Disobedience '' by David Thoreau .

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