Context of conflict:
The context of this image is that of the Indian Independence movement that began in the 1920s, which was led by Gandhi and the Indian National Congress against the British colonialists in India. The movement was deeply influenced by Gandhi's philosophy of Satyagraha, or Devotion to Truth. Satyagraha involved 4 key points (Chaube 430-437):
1. Reason
2. Self Sacrifice
3. Civil Disobedience
4. Non cooperation
Each step of Satyagraha was integral to Gandhi's actions to protest the colonial rule of India. He attempted to reason with the British and attempted to negotiate with them in order to avoid violence whenever possible. He sacrificed himself by fasting to protest Indian violence and accepted imprisonment for his role in sedition attempts, civil disobedience and non-cooperation. In the end, the independence movement in India was driven by mass mobilization and included aspects of non-violence, although this as not always successful, through civil disobedience and non-cooperation in an attempt to initiate change regime change through reason (Chaube 430-437).
Some of Gandhi's non-cooperation actions included boycotting foreign imports in India and one of the ways he did this was by spinning his own cotton to make Indian made clothing, rather than buying from the colonial firms. Thus, the photograph above captures Gandhi spinning, an action deemed sacred in India and that he undertook every morning for at least an hour. Other famous protests include the Salt March, in which thousands of Indians walks miles to the sea to make salt, a product monopolized by the British and illegal for Indians to make (Misra 540-542).
Arguably one of Gandhi's most important principles is in his respect for the rule of law while disobeying unjust laws. As such although Gandhi disagreed with many unfair and discriminatory policies that the British enforced, he remained committed to order and the concept of justice, thereby engaging in civil disobedience and breaking laws but accepting the consequences of his actions and going to prison for them. This concept of respect for the rule of law was one that Martin Luther King Jr. later invoked in the civil rights movement in the United States (Karunakaran 95-106). The concept is important because it demonstrates respect for both oneself and for the state, despite the injustices the state is perpetuating, making it very difficult for the state to coerce its opponents as they readily accept punishment for their actions and this acceptance becomes a symbolic element of their protest.
Journalistic Context:
Margaret Bourke-White captured this image of Gandhi in 1946. She had been commissioned by Life magazine to travel to Indian and photograph India's future leaders, during the lead up to the partition of India and creation of Pakistan as well as to India's independence from the British. During her visit, Bourke-White took hundreds of photographs and two of Gandhi appeared in the Life magazine article. However, neither of the photographs chosen for publication were the one of Gandhi at his spinning wheel (Cosgrove).
In the typed notes accompanying Bourke-White's images, the symbolic importance of the image is evident:
"[Gandhi] spins every day for 1 hr. beginning usually at 4. All members of his ashram must spin. He and his followers encourage everyone to spin. Even M. B-W was encouraged to lay [aside] her camera to spin . . . When I remarked that both photography and spinning were handicrafts, they told me seriously, “The greater of the 2 is spinning.” Spinning is raised to the heights almost of a religion with Gandhi and his followers. The spinning wheel is sort of an Ikon to them. Spinning is a cure all, and is spoken of in terms of the highest poetry." (Cosgrove)
Later, the iconic photo is recognized for its value when Life magazine runs a tribute to Gandhi after his assassination by a Hindu Nationalist.
Significance:
The significance of this image, or any image of Gandhi, his protests, hunger strikes or civil disobedience, is the fact that any uprising, resistance or protest, be it violent or non-violent, requires publicity in order to achieve their aims. In order to mobilize the masses and change the status quo, information needs to reach fellow citizens at the very least, in order for them to rally to the cause and make a meaningful resistance effort. As well, media coverage can lead to external pressures from the international community which in an increasingly globalized system can be key factors in a regime's response to their people's discontent.
"No matter how noble your cause, no matter how appropriate it may be, unless it is properly publicized, . . . [unless you can] manage a sustained campaign, these days these things don’t live. Even when they have these massive political rallies, they have to be preceded by a very preplanned, very systematic campaign, to create awareness and inquisitiveness enough for people to come in and listen to these guys." (Mazarella 6)
Further, in recent years his image, has been the subject of much controversy in India over whether the use of his likeness and name can or should be used by firms to market products, even if these could possibly benefit the people of India, for example through the spinning of cotton in the Khadi firm, which represented India's boycott of foreign imports during their campaign for independence.
To the extent that Gandhi had dedicated his life to the nation, many felt that Gandhi’s posthumous person was part of the inalienable substance of the national collective. As one corporate executive told me: “He’s like the national flag. You can’t give it to somebody.” (Mazarella 8)
Works Cited
Chaube, S.K. "Gandhi and the Indian Freedom Movement." Indian Journal of Political Science. 46.4 (1985): 430-437. Print.
Cosgrove, Ben. "Gandhi and His Spinning Wheel: The Story Behind an Iconic Photo ." Life Magazine. n.d. n. page. Print.
<http://life.time.com/history/gandhi-and-his-spinning-wheel-story-behind-famous-photo/Karunakaran, KP. "Martin Luther King and Civil Disobedience." India International Centre Quarterly. 3.2 (1976): 95-106. Print.
Mazarella, William. "Branding The Mahatma: The Untimely Provocation of Gandhian Publicity." Cultural Anthropology. 25.1
(2010): 1-39. Print.
Misra, K.K. "Gandhi and Civil Disobedience Movement by S.R. Bakshi." Indian Journal of Political Science. 46.4 (1985): 540-542.
Print.
Image:
Cosgrove, Ben. "Gandhi and His Spinning Wheel: The Story Behind an Iconic Photo ." Life Magazine. n.d. n. page. Print.
<http://life.time.com/history/gandhi-and-his-spinning-wheel-story-behind-famous-photo/
The context of this image is that of the Indian Independence movement that began in the 1920s, which was led by Gandhi and the Indian National Congress against the British colonialists in India. The movement was deeply influenced by Gandhi's philosophy of Satyagraha, or Devotion to Truth. Satyagraha involved 4 key points (Chaube 430-437):
1. Reason
2. Self Sacrifice
3. Civil Disobedience
4. Non cooperation
Each step of Satyagraha was integral to Gandhi's actions to protest the colonial rule of India. He attempted to reason with the British and attempted to negotiate with them in order to avoid violence whenever possible. He sacrificed himself by fasting to protest Indian violence and accepted imprisonment for his role in sedition attempts, civil disobedience and non-cooperation. In the end, the independence movement in India was driven by mass mobilization and included aspects of non-violence, although this as not always successful, through civil disobedience and non-cooperation in an attempt to initiate change regime change through reason (Chaube 430-437).
Some of Gandhi's non-cooperation actions included boycotting foreign imports in India and one of the ways he did this was by spinning his own cotton to make Indian made clothing, rather than buying from the colonial firms. Thus, the photograph above captures Gandhi spinning, an action deemed sacred in India and that he undertook every morning for at least an hour. Other famous protests include the Salt March, in which thousands of Indians walks miles to the sea to make salt, a product monopolized by the British and illegal for Indians to make (Misra 540-542).
Arguably one of Gandhi's most important principles is in his respect for the rule of law while disobeying unjust laws. As such although Gandhi disagreed with many unfair and discriminatory policies that the British enforced, he remained committed to order and the concept of justice, thereby engaging in civil disobedience and breaking laws but accepting the consequences of his actions and going to prison for them. This concept of respect for the rule of law was one that Martin Luther King Jr. later invoked in the civil rights movement in the United States (Karunakaran 95-106). The concept is important because it demonstrates respect for both oneself and for the state, despite the injustices the state is perpetuating, making it very difficult for the state to coerce its opponents as they readily accept punishment for their actions and this acceptance becomes a symbolic element of their protest.
Journalistic Context:
Margaret Bourke-White captured this image of Gandhi in 1946. She had been commissioned by Life magazine to travel to Indian and photograph India's future leaders, during the lead up to the partition of India and creation of Pakistan as well as to India's independence from the British. During her visit, Bourke-White took hundreds of photographs and two of Gandhi appeared in the Life magazine article. However, neither of the photographs chosen for publication were the one of Gandhi at his spinning wheel (Cosgrove).
In the typed notes accompanying Bourke-White's images, the symbolic importance of the image is evident:
"[Gandhi] spins every day for 1 hr. beginning usually at 4. All members of his ashram must spin. He and his followers encourage everyone to spin. Even M. B-W was encouraged to lay [aside] her camera to spin . . . When I remarked that both photography and spinning were handicrafts, they told me seriously, “The greater of the 2 is spinning.” Spinning is raised to the heights almost of a religion with Gandhi and his followers. The spinning wheel is sort of an Ikon to them. Spinning is a cure all, and is spoken of in terms of the highest poetry." (Cosgrove)
Later, the iconic photo is recognized for its value when Life magazine runs a tribute to Gandhi after his assassination by a Hindu Nationalist.
Significance:
The significance of this image, or any image of Gandhi, his protests, hunger strikes or civil disobedience, is the fact that any uprising, resistance or protest, be it violent or non-violent, requires publicity in order to achieve their aims. In order to mobilize the masses and change the status quo, information needs to reach fellow citizens at the very least, in order for them to rally to the cause and make a meaningful resistance effort. As well, media coverage can lead to external pressures from the international community which in an increasingly globalized system can be key factors in a regime's response to their people's discontent.
"No matter how noble your cause, no matter how appropriate it may be, unless it is properly publicized, . . . [unless you can] manage a sustained campaign, these days these things don’t live. Even when they have these massive political rallies, they have to be preceded by a very preplanned, very systematic campaign, to create awareness and inquisitiveness enough for people to come in and listen to these guys." (Mazarella 6)
Further, in recent years his image, has been the subject of much controversy in India over whether the use of his likeness and name can or should be used by firms to market products, even if these could possibly benefit the people of India, for example through the spinning of cotton in the Khadi firm, which represented India's boycott of foreign imports during their campaign for independence.
To the extent that Gandhi had dedicated his life to the nation, many felt that Gandhi’s posthumous person was part of the inalienable substance of the national collective. As one corporate executive told me: “He’s like the national flag. You can’t give it to somebody.” (Mazarella 8)
Works Cited
Chaube, S.K. "Gandhi and the Indian Freedom Movement." Indian Journal of Political Science. 46.4 (1985): 430-437. Print.
Cosgrove, Ben. "Gandhi and His Spinning Wheel: The Story Behind an Iconic Photo ." Life Magazine. n.d. n. page. Print.
<http://life.time.com/history/gandhi-and-his-spinning-wheel-story-behind-famous-photo/Karunakaran, KP. "Martin Luther King and Civil Disobedience." India International Centre Quarterly. 3.2 (1976): 95-106. Print.
Mazarella, William. "Branding The Mahatma: The Untimely Provocation of Gandhian Publicity." Cultural Anthropology. 25.1
(2010): 1-39. Print.
Misra, K.K. "Gandhi and Civil Disobedience Movement by S.R. Bakshi." Indian Journal of Political Science. 46.4 (1985): 540-542.
Print.
Image:
Cosgrove, Ben. "Gandhi and His Spinning Wheel: The Story Behind an Iconic Photo ." Life Magazine. n.d. n. page. Print.
<http://life.time.com/history/gandhi-and-his-spinning-wheel-story-behind-famous-photo/