Civil Disobedience in Indian Tradition, with Some Early Nineteenth Century Documents c5.s3.17

c5.s3.17

Thus, compared to the 1920’s, the present opposition is substantially different. While persons in authority and position of responsibility do not still much cherish the prospect of non-cooperation and civil disobedience, there has begun to be a general acceptance of these methods in India; that instead of being destructive, they are in fact complementary to democracy. Few would today contest Santhanam’s view that ‘it is essential for democratic rulers to realise that true *satyagraha* is complementary to true democracy.’ Yet such a view has still to sink into the consciousness of those who manage the ruling apparatus or other centres of authority. It is largely because of this dichotomy, strange though it may appear, that present day non-cooperation and civil disobedience has got more and more involved with the trivial.