Can we thank Gandhi for giving the world nonviolence resistance?
Nonviolent resistance is not unique to Gandhi. In fact, the writings of Josephus document one of the earliest incidents of nonviolent resistance, when Jews in Roman-occupied Jerusalem protested the erection of images of Caesar. Nonviolent resistance was also practiced by many in the British-occupied American colonies, by blacks in 1830’s Trinidad, and even by the black South Africans during Gandhi’s time. In fact, Gandhi’s anti-minority beliefs were far stronger than his belief in nonviolent resistance. This led to situations, for instance, where Gandhi’s anti-black activism (which involved accusations of laziness and calls for higher taxes on the black population) occurred at the same time the black South Africans were nonviolently resisting British occupation through work slow-downs and refusal to pay taxes. Similarly, while Bhagat Singh, an Indian freedom icon, was hunger striking in jail, Gandhi insisted the British “had the right to hang” him. Singh was a Sikh who was jailed in 19
