2

How Is Mass Nonviolence Possible?

Is not human nature too weak for this new kind of discipline of nonviolence? Does not this discipline make too heavy a demand on ordinary people? It is said that it will take four years to train a good Askari. New habits take time to become firm and established in a person. This is as true of the control or discipline of anger as it is of the discipline of fear. Napoleon once said that the value of discipline is seventy-five per cent of all the elements that go to make success in battle. Marshall Foch wrote, “Discipline constitutes the main strength of armies." The Duke of Wellington observed that, "Habit is ten times nature ". This is just as true of the nonviolent discipline as the discipline of violence. Gandhi realized this when he called off the struggle for Indian political independence in 1922 after the Chauri-Chaura Riots. He was sure that nonviolent resistance was the only way by which India could gain her political freedom. He tried to teach and train India to use that weapon. But when many did not understand the new method or failed in their self-control so that there were riots in Bombay in 1921 and again in Chauri-Chaura in early 1922, he saw that they were not sufficiently disciplined. He could no more wage his kind of war with followers so undisciplined than Napoleon or Foch could win their kind without discipline. Therefore, he declined battle. That did not mean that the method was a failure, but only that the new discipline was not sufficiently understood, nor the training sufficiently prolonged. His hostile Indian critics in that matter did not understand the new method. Some of his formal opponents understood him better, and understood the power of his weapon more truly. One of these was Sir George Lloyd,

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who reportedly told Drew Pearson in 1920: "You can't go on arresting people forever - not when there are three hundred and nineteen million of them. And if they had taken Gandhi's next step and refused to pay taxes ! God knows where we would have been."

The failure at that time through lack of discipline no more proves that nonviolent resistance is ineffective futile or impossible than the many routs and flights in battle prove that armies and violence are ineffective and absurd. Nor do the deaths and sufferings of nonviolent resisters in the past prove any more in this respect than the deaths and wounds of war. This was the first attempt to organise and discipline a large army of nonviolent resisters. It is surprising that there was enough indiscipline and misunderstanding to make it necessary to call a halt, execute a strategic retreat; and begin to reform the ranks and train them more intensively and fundamentally ?

As a matter of fact there was proportionately more misunderstanding and lack of discipline among the literate " intelligensia " of India than among the illiterate peasantry. This is natural, because absorption of the Western ways of thinking was an influence in favour of Western ways. Mental habit is strong, and so it was not easy for the " Intelligensia " to understand this new concept and discipline. This largely accounts also for the misunderstanding of Gandhi in the West.

The failures and apparent futilities of nonviolent resistance in the past have been due, very largely, to lack of discipline, as well as to lack of understanding of the full implications and requirements of the method. Of course, there are sure to be some casualties and losses under it, even at its best. But provided there is discipline and leadership which fully understands the psychological mechanisms and the moral and spiritual elements involved, I am convinced that the losses will be much less than in violent war.

An army can be effective without every Soldier in it, or even a majority of them, being individual paragons of intelligence and military virtue. Discipline removes most of the effect of their individual weaknesses and adds momentum to their virtues. It is the same with a group or army of disciplined nonviolent resisters. If their leaders have the necessary attitude, understanding and

HOW IS MASS NONVIOLENCE POSSIBLE? 37

intelligence, the rank and file may, at the start, be ordinary human material. The new training and discipline will improve them enormously, as it also asserted for military discipline. Presumably, the smaller the group, the more complete the discipline and understanding must be. Lone individuals using nonviolent resistance require more self-control and ability than is needed for a disciplined group. But even here the inner attitude and emotional understanding and control are much more important than any intellectual ability or experience in the rough-and tumble world. Indeed, in certain situations so-called " intellect " and experience count for almost nothing.

Hence it is not necessary that every single person in a nation seeking freedom by nonviolent resistance must be fully disciplined to nonviolence, any more than every single citizen in a nation at war must be full disciplined for active battle and wholly fearless under attack. Yet it is possible for whole nations to understand the idea and to be self-disciplined as to give " troops " hearty support and do nothing (as by outbreaks of anger and violence, riots, etc) to interfere with their operations, just as it, is possible in the case of whole nations supporting their armies in time of war.

The aim of the nonviolent man is not to injure, or make his enemy appear foolish, or to " break his will as in a violent fight. The aim is to convert the enemy, to change his understanding so that he will join with the other in trying to find a friendly agreement that is good to both sides. The nonviolent man tries to help the violent man to reach an agreement with him in which the new desires and full energies of both can be kept.

As a method of coming to agreement, nonviolence is better than violence because it is more efficient. When you hate a man, you cannot get him out of your mind. You become attached to him, you are his slave. The thought of him fills up all your thoughts when you are awake, and you dream about him at night. The hatred wastes your time.

In a violent struggle this hatred goes on even after the fight is over. A victory by violence means humiliation of the conquered. He has to admit the superior power of the winner for the moment, but he says to himself, " One day I will get my revenge ". The man who keeps resentment in his heart has no energy left for

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constructive things. Whatever can overcome anger and fear must be the opposite of them, and stronger than they are. Love is stronger than fear and anger. If love is o conquer, it must be active.

3

The Need For Training

Every soldier must be trained. No army can fight well unless its soldiers are well trained and know how to use their weapons. In the same way every man who uses the weapon of nonviolence must be trained in how to use it properly.

Nonviolent resistance is different from our usual way of thinking and acting. It is different from our primitive reactions. It will therefore need a special kind of training. We are all people who do things according to habit. Habits are necessary in order to save` energy and enable us to use our minds. For example, if when I am walking I need to say to my right leg at every step "You move forward", then to my left leg "You move forward", I should have no thought left to decide which is the best way to go. Walking is done by habit which leaves my mind free to think of more important things..

The people who live on the Kobompo River are great hunters with their bows and arrows. Do you think when a Lovale man is hunting a^- buffalo he has time to consider how to fit an arrow to his bow ? He will only kill the animal if he is well trained and his shooting is a habit.

Discipline

It is sometimes thought that only very good people can practise nonviolence, but that is not so. Any man can learn to practise it. Discipline is like a tool, and anyone can learn to use a tool. With a plough for example, even a young boy can cultivate many acres of land. He can do ten times more than the most skilled woman with her old digging stick. A child who has learned how to use the tool of reading books can get more' knowledge in half an hour out of a geography book than an uneducated man can get by taking a long journey across the sea that would take him two years.

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By training and discipline it is possible to make a brave Askari out of an ignorant village person. By training and discipline ordinary people can learn to use the methods of nonviolence which can win the struggle for freedom in Africa. A simple village Askari could never make a complicated machine gun, but an Askari can learn to shoot. The nonviolent resister does not make his own weapons, he simply learns to use them.

Take for example the power of electricity. Electrical power is made at Kariba and it passes on the cables to the Copperbelt, but until a man puts down the switch in his house he cannot get the power. That person does not make the power himself, he simply connects his small light to the great power of Kariba. So the man who resists injustice nonviolently has no power in himself, but by discipline he makes use of the power of nonviolence in the world.

Some people may say that a man cannot be free if he is controlled by discipline. They are wrong. Without discipline and good habits nobody can have a sound character or achieve anything good. There can be no freedom .without obeying strictly the good powers of heart and mind.

When a man or a woman follows the way of nonviolence in resisting evil, he is doing something which shows that the unity of mankind is stronger and deeper than the things which divide us such as race, custom, culture, ideas, social and financial status, education, or political systems.

It is possible to learn to trust in human unity. It is like learning to swim. When a young boy first goes into deep water he is afraid he will sink and drown. To sink into water until he feels it coming into his ears, his eyes, his nose, his mouth so that he cannot breathe is terrifying. To make his arms and legs move in an unfamiliar way is against his instincts. But he sees other boys enjoying the water, they offer to help him, gradually after trying many times he learns at last to trust himself to the water. Now, even though the' water is very deep, he is confident, he learns to swim. In this way a man can learn to trust the power of human unity.

Without discipline neither a person, nor a family, nor a tribe, nor a nation can win power. Without power you cannot get social or political or economic reforms. Neither

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education, nor organization can get and keep reforms, only discipline, discipline, discipline.

Sooner or later some nonviolent resisters will find themselves condemned to prison. To endure imprisonment successfully, and all the suffering for a man and his family, they will need firm discipline. If a person wants to do anything very good with his life such as becoming a doctor, a teacher, a lawyer, a mechanic, a minister, he " gladly goes for training for many years during which he learns some kind of skill. If he is wise, he will continue his training all his life, for in that way he will succeed. So it is with nonviolence, there must be training, and more training, and still more training. Unless each one of us becomes more disciplined and skilful in the job of understanding different points of view, how can we hope for better understanding between the races and peoples in this world? Do we think that improvements will come magically by other people? Is all the wrong and misunderstanding the fault of- somebody else? We all make mistakes and do wrong things, and the wrongs are never always all on one side. We who believe in nonviolence, must change our own habits before we ask our enemies to change theirs. If we who believe in the power of nonviolence and refuse to change our habits, and our thoughts, it means we think we can win our struggle quickly and easily. If we do this, we shall be defeated. Only by changing ourselves, can we change the hearts of others towards us.

Army officers when they are training their soldiers use a book called " Army Field Service Manual ". Church leaders when they are training their members use books, the Bible and the Catechism. This book now in your hand is a training manual for leaders who want to train their people in the methods of nonviolent resistance.

Nonviolent resisters must be constructive in their attitudes. Those who can read should read books on the subject, especially the full edition of "The Power of Nonviolence " of which this small book is just a part. Those who cannot read should listen to their leaders and discuss their method until they understand it thoroughly.

Leaders must understand this method fully, and ordinary people must trust the leaders and learn from them what to do, and what not to do. After many leaders have understood and mastered those methods properly

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most of the training can be done by word of mouth and by example, as is the case in the training of Askaries. Gentle resisters meet with much argument and criticism from people who do not believe in this method, so they need to learn all the arguments in support of their ideas. Frequent discussions should be held amongst the leaders so that they fully understand nonviolence. A clear, thorough understanding of what you believe gives you self-confidence and courage.

Group Organisation

There are two methods of teaching a new idea, (1) The large meeting when leaders address the crowds by means of loud-speaker vans. (2) The small group meetings for more careful teaching.

The Watchtower movement has proved without question that by the use of these two methods thousands of people can be taught new ideas. When the method of the small group is adopted, these groups should each contain, if possible, not less than five nor more than twelve members. When there are more than twelve, it is very difficult to have free, active and steady discussion.

Teaching the New Idea

The nonviolent resisters like every soldier will need courage, self-respect, patience, endurance and the ability to sacrifice himself for a cause. He will need to persevere even in the face of repeated failure. He must be prepared to undergo training and find a sense of unity with his fellow resisters. He must learn to respect other people, to tell the truth, be humble and loyal.

In both large and small meetings it will be necessary to practise how to behave when faced with violence. Martin Luther King, the leader of the Montgomery boycott, tells us in his book " Stride Toward Freedom " that he spent much time training the people on the buses how to behave when they were ill used by other passengers.

Nonviolent resisters must learn how to behave when they are cursed, when they are given rude orders, when they are threatened with sticks or stones, or when they receive letters saying that their houses will be burned or their children ill-treated. Every kind of possibility

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should be considered beforehand, and the group should think out how to behave in every such circumstance.

The practice of nonviolence in small ways should be followed, such as always speaking in a low, calm, and gentle voice. The nonviolent resister should practise self-control and courtesy in all departments of his daily life. The ant by many Small actions can build a great anthill, so a man by behaving in a good and peaceful way can build a strong character. The three things that the nonviolent resister must never give way to are fear, anger, and pride.

Self-respect

Self-respect is essential. We cannot act firmly without self-confidence. Self-respect is the foundation of self-confidence. Self-respect begins with personal cleanliness and neatness of clothes. Gandhi always insisted on personal cleanliness, neatness and orderly surroundings. The Askari must always be clean and neat himself, he must polish his boots and keep his tunic starched and ironed. He must keep all his equipment in good order. We know that he will get dirty when he begins to fight, but while he is training he must be clean and neat because this gives him self-respect and creates respect in those who meet him.

We must follow the soldiers in this matter, otherwise we shall find ourselves severely criticised by our opponents. In times of difficulty they will accuse us of being disorderly, dirty, ignorant, incompetent, etc. Dirtiness and disorder create distrust amongst our opponents and make it easier for them to use violence against us. All nonviolent resisters, whether they be clerks, or villagers; must so behave that everyone who sees them will respect them. We must always try to keep ourselves, our clothes, our houses clean and tidy.

Belief in Unity of Spirit

When people talk about this method of nonviolence they often admit that it has great power when used by a man like Gandhi, but they say he was a good man, it was possible for him, but not for ordinary people. But remember the words of Disraeli, " Anything you truly believe in

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is practical ". Gandhi himself often said that successful resistance needs a firm belief in God. It was from his belief in God that Gandhi came to believe in the power of nonviolence

Sing Together

Ruskin said, "The four necessities of life are food, shelter, clothes and music ". Everyone knows that by singing together people feel a great sense of being together and having one spirit.

Dancing

Another way of developing a strong sense of unity is traditional tribal dancing. The experience of vigorous movement in rhythmic unison with others produces in the individual an improved condition of mind and body. Dancing produces a heightening of the emotion, a fusion of sense and spirit, and a feeling of liberation, spontaneity and joy. It gives to all who share in it a personal, vivid strong and lasting sense of unity. It is similar to military marching in these respects, but is superior and more effective. Traditional dancing is an important part of any healthy culture. Since believers in gentleness are trying to create a new and better civilisation, they will be wise to use a method that has been well tested and proved in the past.

Getting Morale by Hearing Old Stories of Heroism and Achievement

The British Brigadier-General F. P. Crozier, speaking out of his long experience in training men for the army in the First World War, said that the most important element in raising and maintaining morale and effectiveness of troops is to tell them the traditions of the regiment, its great exploits and deeds of heroism in days gone by. In preparing nonviolent resisters for action, it will be important to tell them the stories of the great heroes of nonviolent action. In this book there is set forth the story of nonviolent action in India and in other parts of the world. Also the story of nonviolent action in Southern Rhodesia.

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Action

The soldier in addition to training by the use of manuals and theoretical instruction must have practice in using his weapons. He must develop skill in the actions which he will have to perform when he is in battle.

So it must be with the nonviolent resister. His purpose, persuasion, is not accomplished with sticks, stones, and burning. It is accomplished with deeds that will prove to all people, especially his opponents, that he is truthful, trustworthy, self-controlled, kind, courageous, respectful of all personality, nonviolent, just persistent; in short, that he is the kind of citizen who wins the respect, trust, admiration and affection of all men. Actions speak louder than words. If nonviolent resisters act to prove themselves enduringly possessed of such character, then they will be mightily persuasive against. any and all opponents, even against prejudiced, hard and cruel people. The persistent, voluntary, repeated nonviolent sufferings of such resisters will rouse the support of world-wide public opinion, will upset the morale of any opponent and convert the hardest foe.

Training by Deeds.

The training of nonviolent resisters must be completed with a programme of deeds that will prove the resisters' good citizenship, discipline and unselfish devotion to the welfare of the community to which they belong. They must be active in healing all sorts of defects in our society, and in creating justice, in such a way as to win the strong support of public opinion.

One of the most important deeds that can be done by the nonviolent resister when he is training is simple manual work. Immediate action should be taken by groups of nonviolent resisters in service of the community in which they live. Such things as the preparing of gardens for old people, the building of schools and roads, are vitally important for the future. For all the hundreds of thousands of years that man has lived on this earth he has engaged in manual work. As a result, there has developed an intimate, close, and unbreakable interaction

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between manual work and man's moral character. The past two and a half centuries of machinery have not broken this connection. Man needs handwork to maintain his happiness and sanity.

It is true that millions of people have done nothing but manual work all their lives and yet have not shown the qualities of self-confidence, self-respect, self-reliance, hope, courage and the independent strength that comes from them. But the reason for that failure is that extreme, prolonged poverty, unemployment, disease, exploitation, social degradation, lack of unity, and especially inability to see any way out of this nightmare have taken the heart out of the victims and sapped those fine qualities of character as fast as they have been built up. But organized, disciplined nonviolent resistance supplies the inspiration, hope and method that permits and develops the steady growth of unified strength.

Work with the hands gives immediate and tangible results. Gandhi always promoted hand spinning and other items of his constructive economic and social programme. He knew that handwork is deeply restful, healing and curative, and a subtle and indirect way of asserting our common human nature. Regular manual work will act as a corrective to any members who might tend to become sentimental about the training or about the tasks ahead. Not everyone can make speeches, manual work is not passive but active and creative.

The Psychology of Nonviolence.

Modern psychology enables us to understand how nonviolence works in the minds and hearts of people. Nonviolence can be used by a single person, it can be used by a crowd.

If a man attacks another man with a stick or a stone, that man will hit back with his own stick or with another stone. This makes the attacker feel he is right, that all human beings are just the same, they must always use weapons to defend themselves. But if this same man now attacks with his stick another different kind of person who does not defend himself with his own stick, but has courage and self-control, what happens? This one accepts the blows with good temper and says, "Let us sit down

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to talk over this matter, let us not decide it by blows." He accepts blow after blow showing no signs of fear. He keeps a look of kindness in his eye. To violence he `opposes nonviolent resistance. The first man may think the enemy is afraid of him, that he is a coward, but soon he will say, "What kind of person is this?" "He is more willing to suffer than to make others suffer." If a man is angry for a long time, he becomes exhausted. Anger uses up a man's power very quickly. An angry man soon defeats himself. The man who is quiet and keeps speaking to his enemy with a reasonable voice makes the angry one become divided against himself.