The seventh chapter of The Power of Nonviolence: Writings by Advocates of Peace contains Thoreau’s essay of the same name that we earlier discussed.
In this short 2-page essay on Gandhi’s Faith in Nonviolence. He starts out from the universal concept of the “law of love” is the solution to the “law of destruction”. He then applies it India by explaining how phenomenally successful nonviolence has been, and how quickly and widely it spread through the country.
We must remember that two of the largest and most successful revolutions in the 20th century have been nonviolent: Indian Independence and American Civil Rights. Right now we are seeing the rising power of love and nonviolence with the quick and wide spread of the #occupy movement.
In the next paragraph of the essay, Gandhi admits to the difficulty in reaching nonviolence, even admits to his own struggle to contain his anger. He sees nonviolence as a path for the “strong”. In the hands of the “weak”, it might lead to “hypocrisy” and harm to others. “fear and love are contradictory terms.” or as the Duchess often says: “that which is not love, is fear.”
The law of love will work, just as the love of gravitation will work,
whether we accept it or not.
In the last paragraph iof the essay Gandhi describes his joy in exploring the “law of love.” He honors the “scientists” who have discovered it, and wonders about the future discoveries about it that will be made.
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