Gandhi's relationship with the Britishers was a complex one, marked by both cooperation and resistance. He began his political career in South Africa, where he fought for the rights of Indians living there who were subject to discrimination by the British colonial government. He developed his philosophy of nonviolent resistance during his time in South Africa, and this philosophy would become central to his activism both there and in India.
When Gandhi returned to India in 1915, he initially cooperated with the British colonial government, hoping to achieve reforms and greater autonomy for India within the British Empire. However, as time went on, he became increasingly disillusioned with British rule and more radical in his tactics. He organized nonviolent protests and civil disobedience campaigns, such as the Salt March in 1930, to challenge British authority and demand greater Indian independence.
Despite his confrontational approach to British colonial rule, Gandhi maintained a personal respect for many British individuals. He viewed the struggle for Indian independence as a moral one, rather than a personal one against British people. He famously wrote to the Viceroy of India in 1940, saying, "I would like you to lay down the arms you have as being useless for saving you or humanity. You will invite Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to take what they want of the countries you call your possessions...If these gentlemen choose to occupy your homes, you will vacate them. If they do not give you free passage out, you will allow yourself, man, woman, and child, to be slaughtered, but you will refuse to owe allegiance to them."
While Gandhi's relationship with the Britishers was a complicated one, it ultimately resulted in India achieving independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolent resistance and his tireless efforts to unite the Indian people played a significant role in this achievement.
