ANAPAC: Anarcho-Pacifism

[Guest]

actually gandhi was never a head of state. he was a mover and shaker in the congress party, but never held an official political position. <br> <br>he was also very clear that his type of anarchism had virtually nothing in common with the usual euro-american understanding of anarchism. he had a very pointed critique of what he understood as that form of anarchism, which he equated with nihilism and violence--both of which he repudiated. in short, anyone can call themselves anything they want. the proof is in the pudding, as it were. he did recruit indian soldiers for the british colonial armies in both world wars. he's the last person i would hold up as a model anarchist...

[Din]

[color=green]Yeah, but just saying that doesn't mean he was an anarchist. In what way was he an anarchist?</font color=green> <br> <br>Perhaps, in the ideas he advocated? <br> <br>[color=green]He was a head of state!</font color=green> <br> <br>Actually, he was never a head of State. <br> <br>The State represents violence in a concentrated and organized form. The individual has a soul, but as the State is a soul-less machine, it can never be weaned from violence to which it owes its very existence. - Gandhi <br> <br>If I seem to take part in politics, it is only because politics encircle us today like the coil of a snake from which one cannot get out, no matter how much one tries. I wish therefore to wrestle with the snake. - Ditto

[libertine]

Are there any essays that he might have written in which he explores such matters of the state? I've heard he claimed himself as an anarchist before, but I just never actually read an essay in which he has said as much.

[Din]

[color=green]Are there any essays that he might have written in which he explores such matters of the state? I've heard he claimed himself as an anarchist before, but I just never actually read an essay in which he has said as much.</font color=green> <br> <br>His self-declaration of being an anarchist was given as a speech. <br> <br>There are a lot of websites with collections of Gandhi's writings and words. Try this one for starters. I personally find that his writings can be rather inconsistent, which he himself acknowledged.

[s_martkino]

uummmm.... your link doesn't work. <br> <br>Does this mean that all those people who jumped down your throat and screamed at you to READ THE FAQ!! didn't even try to see your site? <br>