Significance of Gandhi's Social & Cultural thought

Since ancient times, India has been the centre of a rich and diverse civilization and given world mentors and great leaders from time to time who reached the highest stage of human status and became philosopher guides for the whole world.

Mahatma Gandhi was one of such personality. His ideas and practices became equally adaptable in his own time for millions of his own country on one hand, and on the other Gandhi’s unique method of struggle such as his campaign against racism in South Africa proved to be a guiding force for people of many countries of the world.

Mahatma Gandhi had a great influence through his ideas like Non-Violence(Ahimsa), Satyagraha, Swaraj, Sarvodaya, ends, and means. Gandhi’s foundational principles are Non-violence and Satyagraha on the basis of he led India to Independence. Gandhi has no rigidities of ideology or principles except the uncompromising notion of non-violence. Gandhi was not only a great leader politician but a philosopher and a relevant social reformer who was open to another horizon of thinking.

Thoughts on Social and Cultural Dimension:

Gandhi represented his views on existing social, cultural, economic and political problems of the society along with the possible situation. Gandhi identified the individual as the most important element of society. Society and the world is the summation of individuals. Therefore, his vision emphasizes the change in individuals, instead of the institutions developed by the individual.
Gandhi was a true social- worker fighting against the evils of society. Gandhi always insisted that if you want to do social work, you start with yourself like start with your family. The relation between wife and husband should be that of true friends.
Gandhi drew attention to the social status of women. His attitude to women’s rights was uncompromising under all conditions. He considered removing the inequalities of women through legislation.
Gandhi was totally against child marriage. He gave enthusiastic support to the child marriage Restraint Bill (1929) passed by the assembly.
Gandhi always works for the upliftment of the depressed classes. His stand on the Poona pact and formation of the All India Anti-Untouchability League and started the weekly journal Harijan.
Gandhi encouraged intercultural dialogue so that individuals could see their culture in a comparative and critical reflection of others.
Gandhi considered interculturalism as a way of recognition of shared values, acceptance of differences and simultaneous awareness of commonalities. His main aim is to build an inter-cultural and pluri-dimensional society. He considered the inclusive development of India will be only realized through the idea of Sarvodaya.
Gandhian social ethics represent an act of self-transformation of humanity. He wanted to change the values that govern the social, economic and political activities in human society.
Gandhi was a social practitioner who was always experimenting with cross-border cultural constellations. Gandhi was clear that both the individual and society need a moral vision of the world. Gandhi supports the idea of social transformation through democratic and peaceful means.
Thus, Mahatma Gandhi did not visualize social re-construction and welfare as a field for helping the needy as a charity, but as the emergence of people through individual and social discipline, towards a healthy and prosperous society.