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Gandhian perspective on conflict resolution
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=152952

Gandhian framework is primarily egalitarian and not utilitarian. It is for the welfare of all and not merely for ‘a few’ or ‘maximum number of people’. He favours movement from microscopic realities to macroscopic excellence..
CJ: Professor Anurag

Indians are having a holistic legacy for posterity anent ‘conflict resolution’. This is a highly mundane philosophical inheritance ensuring permanent peace. Its concepts emerge from its practical dynamics. This Indian position on conflict resolution is deeply engraved in the Gandhian “practical-idealism”.

India is generally known as a spiritual giant too weak on the material front of resolving conflicts through modern prevalent perspective of conflict management, conflict resolution and conflict transformation encompassing such techniques as negotiation, conciliation, mediation, arbitration and nine tracks of diplomacy and others.

Gandhi has distinctively though differently utilised the apparent modern conflict resolution framework for meeting quite a few challenges during his lifetime. Prominent among such trials are Gandhi’s utterances and experiments concerning Satyagraha in South Africa, Cahmparan movement for indigo planters, Pakistani tribal attacks on Kashmir and Quit India Movement etcetera. Gandhi’s distinctiveness lies in his “ends and means” concept. The nature of ends and means must mutually correspond. Modern conflict resolution modus operandi disappoints in not taking such practical Gandhian initiatives.

Impartial and largely unbiased use of media and communication network of Gandhi is also missing in the prevailing forms of conflict resolution. Gandhian framework is primarily egalitarian and not utilitarian. It is for the welfare of all and not merely for ‘a few’ or ‘maximum number of people’.

Gandhi starts with the individual and goes on to realistic application of “panch yama”, inherent nonviolence and self-restraint etcetera. He is in favour of movement from microscopic realities to macroscopic excellence. Individual’s transformation is of highest priority along with other necessary ventures for world peace and conflict resolution.

Gandhi’s conflict resolution is holistic in nature while other prevalent methods prefer to resolve a conflict in a piecemeal fashion. Gandhi aims for the highest and the best while he settles for the second best practicable option. Indeed, such a Gandhian approach is clearly missing in the modern conflict resolution techniques. What conflict resolution needs is Mary E. Clark’s Ariadnae’s Thread: Search for New Modes of Thinking today. Otherwise, as Gandhi suggests in his Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule, modern civilisation is a “nine days wonder” on the verge of self-destruction!