While all struggles for political independence may involve both violent and non-violent techniques there is no genuine decolonization that has occurred without any form of violence. Decolonization refers to the indigenous people rising up against their colonial power and acquiring political independence. Frantz Fanon and Mahatma Gandhi were each thinkers who have influenced national freedom movements (decolonization) with their views on the ethics of violence and non-violence.
As a psychiatrist, philosopher and ambassador in the Caribbean, Fanon became concerned with the cultural consequences of decolonization. In many ways Fanon’s thoughts followed a Marxist mentality in contrast, however; Fanon argued that struggle does not occur between …show more content…
While Fanon believed that it is violence that leads to metamorphose, Gandhi believed that it was through Satyagraha (civil disobedience or non-violent resistance) and Ahimsa that metamorphoses will occur. Gandhi suggested that in order to be non-violent one would have to self-sacrifice (Srivastava, p.315). In order to be true to oneself and become whole with Satyagraha one must have no fear, including the fear of death or harm. Through the process of self-sacrifice one can metamorphose and become self-actualized. One of the benefits of non-violence is that it can be used equally among all, and when it is accepted it takes over your whole self. Ahimsa represents non-violence, the action of refusing to do harm (Nojem, 2004, p.98). In the 1930’s the Britain Government had a law stating that only the government could harvest salt in India. Gandhi led crowds of people to the Indian Ocean where he picked up a chunk of salt effectively breaking the law (Haire, & Blumberg, 1977, p.28). That act of civil disobedience, was repeated by followers all over India and continued for over a year. Even though the police arrested protestors including Gandhi himself, and violently tried to stop the protestors there was nothing they could do except agree to the public’s demands. It was through the principles of Satyagraha and Ahimsa that the people of India were able to get through to Britain and make