“The way of violence is old and established. It is not so difficult to do research in it. The way of nonviolence is new. The science of nonviolence is yet taking shape. We are still not conversant with all its aspects. There is a wide scope for research and experiment in this field. You can apply all your talents to it.”
–M. K. Gandhi
“You asked me why I consider that God is Truth . . . I would also say with those who say that God is Love, ‘God is Love.’ But deep down in me I used to say that though God may be Love, God is Truth above all. I have now come to the conclusion that for myself God is Truth, but two years ago I went a step further and said Truth is God. And I came to that conclusion after a continuous and relentless search after Truth, which began nearly fifty years ago. I then found that the nearest approach to Truth was through Love.”
–M. K. Gandhi.
(satyagrahafoundation.org)
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (October 1, 1869 – January 30, 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India’s independence from British rule. He inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Wikipedia
The Way of Violence is old, and *appears to be* a permanent fixture in the human social landscape.
The Way of Nonviolence is new. When forced to look at violence being perpetrated on nonviolent protesters, a society can be moved to act against the perpetrators. But the perpetrators are using The Way of Violence, and they become more engaged, for that is how The Way of Violence works.
The study of and research into The Way of Nonviolence has, by 2024, taken some shapes, according to the field that takes it up. There are papers in journals and books on shelves.
It is the Way of Personal Nonviolence that offers the most hope. It’s the hardest Way.