Non-Cooperation with Evil

Gandhi Blog Series #5

Non-cooperation with evil is as much a duty as is cooperation with good.

Gandhi

A person with strong morality is constantly vexed with the problem of evil. While facing negativity, remaining calm and standing a firm ground is demanding, even draining. Many succumb to frustration and try to resists evil with violence. 

However, anger and violence are just different avatars of evil. Thus reacting with these negative emotions, they unknowingly bow to the same evil they try to resist. 

If so, what is the best weapon against wickedness? Gandhi thought long and hard about this problem and forged one in the fire of his moral uprightness. Non-Cooperation.

What is it?

To understand the concept of non-cooperation, we should first know what evil is and how it operates.

Anything that brews hatred—oppressive government, violent ideology, biased organization, or people fueled with hatred, greed, and so on—can be categorized as evil. At first, all evil appears simultaneously innocuous and enticing. Many get enchanted by it and join the cause. Fence-sitters and uninterested ones are lured with bribes. Those who resist are browbeaten or tortured. Thus evil gets enforced.

“Non-cooperation is a measure of discipline and sacrifice, and it demands respect for the opposite views.”

Gandhi

Non-cooperation is the unwillingness to surrender in the face of darkness. It does not respond to negativity with violence but with love. In essence, the philosophy of non-violence sees evil as a disease. Hence it neither hates nor collaborates with those who are affected by it.

However, non-cooperation is not easy. Evil will try everything in its power to entice one; if that does not work, it will subdue him. A person should be discrete to spot evil, morally strong to resist temptation, and fearless in the face of torture to practice non-cooperation.

Gandhi’s Inspiration

Jallianwallah Bagh massacre—one of the brutal acts of colonial violence—took place in Amritsar, India, on 13th April 1919. The high-walled garden of Jallianwallah Bagh bore witness to the mass murder of unarmed protestors under the order of Acting Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer. In the unprovoked shoot-out, almost 400 were killed, including 41 children, and over 1000 were injured.

The evil act shocked the world. A great public outcry rumbled throughout India, about to burst into full-fledged violence. Though the atrocious act touched Gandhi deeply, he summoned India to remain calm and refrain from violence.

After quiet reflection, Gandhi came up with the idea of Non-cooperation. The movement urged India to stop cooperating with the British colonizers in all spheres. In December 1920, the Indian National Congress launched the struggle. Heeding the call, Indians resigned from government positions, boycotted government institutions, and gave up foreign goods. The country came to a virtual standstill.

The movement impacted in epic proportions and shook the great British empire. The colonizers witnessed something unique and were defenseless against it. The struggle took India to the brink of independence.

Moral Rectitude

“The first principle of non-violent action is that of non-cooperation with everything humiliating.”

Non-cooperation was not just a political weapon for Gandhi. Like everything with him, the movement was an expression of his spirituality, which was deeply rooted in truth and non-violence.

Nevertheless, Gandhi never denied the courage and mental strength it took to stand against the forces of evil. He tested his own mettle in many crucibles of torture and was ready to die for his ideals. He constantly reminded his followers of the sacrifices demanded by non-cooperation.

Following the Chauri Chaura police station burning incident on 5th February 1922, Gandhi realized that India was not morally equipped to implement his concept. He immediately called to stop the struggle. But the movement had gained momentum nationwide and it was impossible to rein it.

However, Gandhi was undeterred. He went into a fast and vowed not to eat until the last cries of protest were muted.

His decision to call off the movement shocked even his close followers. Romain Rolland wrote:

 “It was dangerous to assemble all the forces of a nation and to hold the nation panting before a prescribed movement, to lift one’s arm to give the final command, then at the last moment, let one’s arm drop and thrice call a halt just as the formidable machinery has been set in motion. One risks ruining the brakes and paralyzing the impetus.”

Non-Cooperation to Evil

Though the movement met an untimely end, Gandhi realized its social, political, and spiritual impact. He never gave up the idea and preached it as the best weapon against evil.

In a historical dialogue between Gandhi and the British General about the non-cooperation movement

The General said – “You don’t think we’re just going to walk out of India!”

Gandhi replied – “Yes. In the end, you will walk out. Because 100,000 Englishmen simply cannot control 350 million Indians, if those Indians refuse to cooperate.”

In the end, that was exactly what happened.

Non-cooperation and freedom

Today’s world, polluted with negative and vile ideas, suffocates a moral person. We find it difficult to align with evil and react violently out of frustration. Only later do we realize that these emotional outbursts did more harm than good. We are at a loss when it comes to resisting evil with good. It is in this context that we find Gandhi’s ideals effective.

If we stand fearlessly without surrender, we can cut firelines and curb evil. But first, we should undo the last thread of hatred within us and vow to never kneel before negativity.

Think about the freedom that comes with non-cooperation. Some simple acts can protect us, as well as society, from evil. Ignoring the hateful posts on FaceBook, isolating violent political ideas, and never letting greed imprison you can go a long way.

Let us resist evil with non-cooperation as Gandhi envisioned.

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