Volume : 3 | Issue : 5 | June 2013 ISSN - 2250-1991
Research Paper Sociology
Mahatma Gandhi and Professional Social
Work
* Prof. Y. H. Bennur ** Dr. Dilip Khairnar
Department of Applied Sciences, ICL Institute of Engineering and Technology, Sountli, Distt.- Ambala (Haryana) 134 202
* Associate Professor, College of Social Work, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada
University, Aurnagabad
Department of Applied Sciences, ICL Institute of Engineering and Technology, Sountli, Distt.- Ambala (Haryana) 134 202
** Associate Professor and HOD, Dept. of Sociology, Deogiri college, Aurangabad
Introduction on my letter about the opening ceremony to Vinayakrao. He
Social work in its various forms addresses the multiple, com- has certainly done very good social work in Ratnagiri, and it
plex transactions between people and their environments. Its must have been a very serious disappointment to him, as also
mission is to enable all people to develop their full potential, to Sjt. Kir that you were disabled from performing the opening
enrich their lives, and prevent dysfunction. Professional social ceremony(GSS VOL. 40,14).”
work is focused on problem solving and change(Chadha, Y.
1997). As such, social workers are change agents in society Mahatma Gandhi Wrote, “I hope to be able shortly to issue
and in the lives of the individuals, families and communities a statement about the Village Industries Association. I might
they serve. Social work is an interrelated system of values, have issued it earlier, but, in spite of my getting up at half
theory and practice. Mahatma Gandhi Wrote, “I suggested to past two in the morning, I have not yet overtaken the ar-
them that my work of social reform was in no way less than rears. But I shall presently put on speed. Of course, I shall
or subordinate to political work (Gandhi, M. K. 1977). The fact want your assistance and that of all solid workers who would
is, that when I saw that to a certain extent my social work come forward. The resolution aims at moral uplift. Therefore,
would be impossible without the help of political work, I took it includes social work so far as it can be advanced through
to the latter and only to the extent that it helped the former. village industries. If Jagannath offers his services and if he
I must therefore confess that work of social reform or self- is allowed to do so, he will have to be a whole-timer.” (GSS
purification of this nature is a hundred times dearer to me than VOL. 15)
what is called purely political work”( GSS VOL. 29, 11) Ma-
hatma Gandhi Wrote, “Whilst I criticize this part of missionary Social work bases its methodology on a systematic body of
work, I willingly admit that missions have done indirect good evidence-based knowledge derived from research and prac-
to India(GSS VOL. 34,12).” tice evaluation, including local and indigenous knowledge
specific to its context. It recognizes the complexity of inter-
Mahatma Gandhi Wrote, “The women certainly do social actions between human beings and their environment, and
work, but as individuals. I should like them to assume respon- the capacity of people both to be affected by and to alter the
sibility as a body, for some social service. This will create in multiple influences upon them including bio-psychosocial fac-
them capacity for organization. When such capacity has been tors. The social work profession draws on theories of human
created, individuals may come and go but the organization development and behaviour and social systems to analyses
will remain. God has given such capacity only to human be- complex situations and to facilitate individual, organizational,
ings. In our country, women have not cultivated it so far. The social and cultural changes. Mahatma Gandhi Wrote, “I have
blame for this lies with the men. But that is a question with now heard from Dr. Jayaram. He has come to the conclusion
which we need not concern ourselves just now. If we believe that Bhole never had any tuberculosis but whether he had
that women must acquire this capacity for organization, we any or not he is certainly now entirely free and that he should
should try to cultivate it in them. It does not matter if we com- now leave the Sanatorium and take to some social work or
mence only with my writing a letter to their Association and continue his studies so as to take his mind off himself.” (GSS
their replying to me. Slowly (no matter, if very slowly) we may VOL. 16)
take up other activities(Kumar, K.1994). If you have fully un-
derstood what I have suggested and if the suggestion has Professional Approach
appealed to you, if the other women also approve of it and Gandhiji’s contribution to social welfare programmes helped
if they are ready to take interest in carrying it out, you may substantially for empowerment of the people especially in
take up this work. If, however, you see difficulties in carrying the post-independent India. Gandhiji’s approach was simi-
it out or see no meaning in it, you may drop the idea(GSS lar to that of the professional social worker indeed Gandhiji
VOL. 36,13).” prepared the ground for the establishment of the profession
of social work in India. Gandhiji used social work methods
Social work grew out of humanitarian and democratic ideals, like case work and group work. Social welfare programmes
and its values are based on respect for the equality, worth, and the underlying principles and methods guiding them are
and dignity of all people. Since its beginnings over a century evolved and stabilized in a society in response to the socio-
ago, social work practice has focused on meeting human cultural economic needs of the people. Thus a meaningful
needs and developing human potential. Human rights and so- discussion on social welfare programmes in a country should
cial justice serve as the motivation and justification for social be rooted in its historical past.
work action (Gandhi, M. K. 1997)). In solidarity with those who
are disadvantaged, the profession strives to alleviate poverty Mahatma Gandhi’s views on education
and to liberate vulnerable and oppressed people in order to Krishna Kumar, Professor of Education at Delhi University,
promote social inclusion. Social work values are embodied wrote that ‘no one rejected colonial education as sharply and
in the professions national and international codes of ethics. as completely as Gandhi did, nor did anyone else put forward
Mahatma Gandhi Wrote, “I wonder if you were able to pass an alternative as radical as the one he proposed’. Gandhi’s
258 X PARIPEX - INDIAN JOURNAL OF RESEARCH
Volume : 3 | Issue : 5 | June 2013 ISSN - 2250-1991
critique of Western, particularly English, education was part full powers. It follows, therefore, that every village has to be
of his critique of Western civilization as a whole. There is a self-sustained and capable of managing its affairs- which is
story that, on arriving in Britain after he had become famous, the main objective of the social work. He continues: Thus
someone asked him the question: ‘Mr. Gandhi, what do you every villages first concern will be to grow its own food crops
think of civilization in England?’ to which he replied ‘I think that and cotton for its cloth. It should have a reserve for its cat-
it would be something worth trying’ tle, recreation and playground for adults and children- these
are the areas where Gandhji emphasized child welfare,
His experiences in South Africa changed his life. While he was income generation and management of the surplus as-
there, he came face to face with blatant racism and discrimina- sets. Then, if there is more land available, it will grow useful
tion of a kind that he had never witnessed in India. The humili- money crops, thus excluding ganja, tobacco, opium and the
ation he felt at the hands of officials turned him from a meek like- these are the areas of prohibition where the profes-
and unassertive individual into a determined political activist. sional social work is putting special efforts..
He had originally gone to South Africa on a one year contract
to work for an Indian law firm in Natal Province. There he took The village will maintain a village theatre, school and public
up various grievances on behalf of the Indian community and hall- these are the recreational facilities needed for integrated
gradually found himself first as their advocate on civil rights is- development. It will have its own waterworks, ensuring clean
sues and finally as their leader in a political movement against water supply. This can be done through controlled wells or
racial discrimination and for South African Indian rights. His tanks- a crucial aspect of the health and community hy-
methods were unusual. He launched a struggle against the giene where Govt is spending huge amount through vari-
authorities which in keeping with his strict Hindu beliefs was ous five year plans.
based on a strict adherence to non-violence. This meant that
it consisted of passive resistance – the peaceful violation of Education will be compulsory up to the final basic course.
certain laws, the courting of collective arrests (he urged his As far as possible every activity will be conducted on the
followers to fill the jails), non-cooperation with the authorities, co-operative basis. There will be no castes such as we have
boycotts and spectacular marches. These methods were later today with their graded untouchability- for Gandhiji educa-
to be perfected back in India in the fight for independence tion is a tool for social transformation. Non-violence with
from the British Empire- all of his actions are closely linked its technique of… non-cooperation will be the sanction of the
with community action and community advocacy which village community. There will be a compulsory service of vil-
is considered as a one of the important method of pro- lage guards who will be selected by rotation from the register
fessional social work. Indeed he has developed the most maintained by the village- is concern with self defense.
appropriate method of social work consistent with Indian
culture and conditions. Gandhi was quite certain that any village could become such
a republic straight away without much interference even from
Swaraj and Swadeshi the colonial government because he believed that their sole
What Gandhi was looking for Swaraj and Swadeshi. These effective connection with the villages was the collection of vil-
two terms taken together represent the type of society that lage taxes. All that was needed was the will to do it.
Gandhi was looking for. Swaraj, very badly translates as in-
dependence/autonomy/home rule/self rule. Swadeshi can be To summarise the paper it is to state Gandhi was of the opin-
translated as self-sufficiency or self-reliance- These are the ion unless people came together social problems will not be
ultimate goals of the social work profession. Swaraj im- solved. Collective efforts are needed for common solution
plied value system and life style totally replaced by simpler which will be inclusive, comprehensive and sustainable in the
and spiritual values. He stated that: Independence must begin society.
at the bottom. Thus every village will be a republic … having
REFERENCES
Chadha, Y. (1997) Rediscovering Gandhi, London: Century. | Gandhi, M. K. (1977) The Collected Works, Ahmedabad: Navajivan. | Gandhi, M. K. (1997) Hind Swaraj
and other writings, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. | Kumar, K. (1994) ‘Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’ in Z. Morsy (ed.) Thinkers on Education Volume 2,
Paris: UNESCO. | Gandhi Samagra Sahitya VOL. 12 : 16 AUGUST, 1924 - 26 DECEMBER, 1924, Page- 501 | Gandhi Samagra Sahitya VOL. 13 : 11 FEBRUARY, 1926
- 1 APRIL, 1926, Page- 446 | Gandhi Samagra Sahitya VOL. 14: 8 JULY, 1926 - 10 NOVEMBER, 1926, Page- 66 | Gandhi Samagra Sahitya VOL. 15 : 2 SEPTEMBER,
1927 - 1 DECEMBER, 1927, Page- 398 | Young India, 30-8-1928 | Gandhi Samagra Sahitya VOL.16 : 4 FEBRUARY, 1929 - 11 MAY, 1929, Page- 175 | LETTER TO
PREMABEHN KANTAK; April 8, 1932 | LETTER TO M. R. JAYAKAR; February 25, 1933 | LETTER TO DR. GOPICHAND BHARGAVA; November 6, 1934 | LETTER
TO RAMACHANDRAN; March 10, 1935 | LETTER TO BHUJANGILAL CHHAYA;March 28, 1935 |
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