Gandhi's nonviolent principles show way toward peaceful world

From The Harvard Gazette:

The nonviolent principles of Mohandas Gandhi may be the only way to bring peace to the world, Gandhi's granddaughter said. Human rights activist and former South African member of parliament Ela Gandhi told about 160 people gathered in Harvard Law School's Pound Hall that violent victory sows the seeds of its own destruction. It is only through nonviolent resistance and dispute resolution, the focus of Mohandas Gandhi's Satyagraha philosophy, that the world can become a peaceful place, she said.

Susan Hackley, the Program on Negotiation's managing director, said Mohandas Gandhi's principles provided the foundation for later movements by celebrated leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Lech Walesa. "The history of the last 100 years includes some breathtaking success stories ... [by leaders who] brought about profound change without violence," Hackley said. "All of these leaders would no doubt declare they owe a great debt to one person who 100 years ago developed a method and a philosophy for dealing with oppression that showed them how to stand up to overwhelming force."

More here.