The lessons of Gandhi

But are Gandhi’s lessons still relevant today? The British Empire long ago relinquished its role as the earth’s dominant colonialist. But now a new type of empire has emerged, the “American Empire”: an amorphous global capitalist system that has infiltrated every corner of the globe. The colonising tendency of this new empire is just as real. Economic domination may not be as direct or obvious as having a foreign army on their home soil. But in millions of people’s eyes the result is even more severe. Gandhi warned long ago that the excesses of unrestrained capitalism would inevitably lead to hatred, conflict and war.

The “American Empire” has brought some good to the world. But it is also responsible for more suffering than the West likes to admit. The blank cheques for Israel and the ongoing humiliation of the Palestinian people are seen as symbolic of the new empire’s double standards. The political manipulation of third world governments and the invasion of oil rich Iraq based on the lie of WMD have not helped. President Bush’s rhetoric about “justice” is scoffed at. And an epidemic of anger is emerging against the new empire’s hypocrisy.

This is not just a problem for the USA. Have no doubt, we Australians are clearly one of the beneficiaries of this global power structure. And as Bali showed, this also makes us a target.

How can Gandhi’s lessons guide us today? If Gandhi was here today he would be asking us all in the West to open our eyes beyond our self interest and try to see the effects of the global system through the eyes of those that it oppresses. He would want us to reflect on the injustices of the economic system that dominates the globe in the interests of a wealthy minority.

Unfortunately this honest self-assessment is not happening. Certainly not at the top. The denial is symbolised by President Bush’s glib statement that terrorists attack the West simply because they “hate our freedoms”. In this apple-pie statement the “leader of the free world” brushed aside the real and genuine grievances of millions of oppressed peoples.

President Bush claims he speaks with “moral clarity”. This is seen by millions as a sick joke. Bush, and indeed the West, have lost any moral power we may have had as the origin of the Enlightenment ideals of justice, liberty and truth. Our image is now too tarnished to speak any longer with ethical credibility. Our rhetoric and our actions are too disparate. Like the British Empire at its most arrogant, we are blind to our own moral decadence and the injustices we are perpetrating.

Unlike Gandhi, the leaders of the “free world” are not nurturing the best of our human qualities. Devoid of a genuine vision and firmly in the pocket of the corporate giants, our “leaders” actively encourage our greed and downplay our role in global injustice. Their rhetoric is often more suited to selling margarine than any philosophical vision for a better world.

Without any authentic moral inspiration from our leaders, the ethical standards of the West are increasingly being moulded by the global economic machine. The global economy is driving our destiny. Consumerism has become the pivotal dynamic of our societies and economic rationalism has accentuated our most selfish instincts. We are nurtured to hold conspicuous consumption as our most prized value.

We have become what Gandhi feared we would. Gandhi, more than any 20th century leader, stridently warned the world against taking the consumerist path. He saw it as a road to nowhere.

Gandhi could have lived a life of luxury, yet he chose a life of material simplicity. His total possessions could barely fill a shoe box. His point was simple. The craving for material things leads to psychological, spiritual and ethical poverty. A path to meaninglessness, environmental destruction and gross inequality.

In a world riddled with suffering and injustice, Gandhi’s message challenges all of us to examine our personal lifestyle and acknowledge our own individual responsibility for global tensions. Gandhi said, “be the change you want to see”.

His message is now more relevant than ever. We need draw upon the best of our human qualities to curtail the negative excesses of global capitalism. And with the planet edging towards environmental catastrophe, surely it is time to reassess the utter madness of our consumer culture.

This does not mean being anti-capitalist or anti-globalist. It simply means finding ways to civilise global-capitalism. The better qualities of our human spirit must regain control of the capitalist system to promote global justice, compassion and environmental sustainability. If nothing changes, then we are all going to pay a huge price for this. The madness and horror of September 11 may just a preview of what is to come.

The world needs to remember Gandhi’s lessons for two reasons: to cut away any legitimacy for terrorism as a strategy for the oppressed, but also to raise the moral consciousness of the rich nations. Indeed, the West could well do with another moral giant of Gandhi’s stature to confront us, jolt us out of our complacency and force us to face our demons. The West needs another Gandhi, not only to save us from the terrorists, but also to save us from ourselves.