Throughout his long career as a political thinker and activist, Mahatma Gandhi encountered the dilemma of either remaining faithful to his nonviolent principles and risking the failure of the Indian nationalist movement, or focusing on the seizure of political power at the expense of his moral message. Putting forward his vision of a "nonviolent nationalism," Gandhi argued that Indian self-rule could be achieved without sacrificing the universalist imperatives of his nonviolent philosophy. Conceived as a study in the history of political thought, this book examines the origins, meaning, and unfolding of Gandhi s dilemma as it played itself out in both theory and political practice. This discussion is inextricably linked to significant and timely issues that are critical for the study of nationalism, for Gandhi s vision raises the important question of whether it is indeed possible to construct a benign type of nationalism that is rooted in neither physical nor conceptual forms of violence.

Throughout his long career as a political thinker and activist, Mahatma Gandhi encountered the dilemma of either remaining faithful to his nonviolent principles and risking the failure of the Indian nationalist movement, or focusing on the seizure of political power at the expense of his moral message. Putting forward his vision of a "nonviolent nationalism," Gandhi argued that Indian self-rule could be achieved without sacrificing the universalist imperatives of his nonviolent philosophy. Conceived as a study in the history of political thought, this book examines the origins, meaning, and unfolding of Gandhi s dilemma as it played itself out in both theory and political practice. This discussion is inextricably linked to significant and timely issues that are critical for the study of nationalism, for Gandhi s vision raises the important question of whether it is indeed possible to construct a benign type of nationalism that is rooted in neither physical nor conceptual forms of violence.

Critically investigating Mahatma Gandhi's claim that his anti-colonial nationalism can remain untainted by violence, this study addresses important and timely questions that are central to the study of nationalism, and more broadly, to other forms of collective identity formation as well. Does the possibility exist for a nationalism that is not rooted in violence, either physical or conceptual/epistemic? Can adherents to a philosophy of nonviolence indeed forge national identities without conjuring up troubling dichotomies that pit superior insiders against inferior outsiders? The examination of these critical questions through the lens of Mahatma Gandhi's construction of an Indian nonviolent nationalism allows a test of an extreme case, since Gandhi is generally seen as the prime example of a nonviolent political thinker and activist.

Among prominent leaders of the twentieth century, perhaps no one is more highly regarded than Mahatma Gandhi. He is revered by the vast majority of Hindus as the hero of Indian independence, and many people throughout the world consider him to be a modern saint.In this explosive, intriguing, and provocative investigation, Colonel G. B. Singh charges that the popular image of Gandhi is highly misleading. Despite his famous philosophy of nonviolent resistance (satyagraha), Colonel Singh''s analysis of the evidence leads him to conclude that Gandhi''s ideology was in fact rooted in racial animosity, first against blacks in South Africa and later against whites in India. The author also finds evidence of multiple cover-ups designed to hide Gandhi''s real history, including even collusion to cover up the murder of an American.This provocative thesis is sure to be controversial.

The father of Indian independence, Gandhi was also a political theorist who challenged mainstream ideas. Sovereignty, he said, depends on the consent of citizens willing to challenge the state nonviolently when it acts immorally. The culmination of the inner struggle to recognize one’s duty to act is the ultimate “Gandhian moment.”

This book seeks to give a coherent account of Gandhi's basic ideas, demonstrating the importance of Hindu thought and the centrality of his concept of Truth.