Gandhi’s foremost principle was nonviolence – the commitment to never harm others, even one’s opponents. He believed no lasting good comes from violence, and that love and understanding are far more powerful. In practice, this meant he led protests and movements without any use of force, even when faced with aggression. For example, during India’s independence struggle, Gandhi organized peaceful marches and acts of civil disobedience (like the famous Salt March) instead of violent rebellions​. He taught his followers to resist oppression with patience and moral courage rather than by striking back. This unwavering commitment to nonviolence inspired many other leaders and movements around the world to adopt peaceful methods for social change.

Honesty and truthfulness were at the heart of Gandhi’s beliefs. He often said “Truth is God”, meaning that for him living truthfully was a sacred duty​. Satya (truth) wasn’t just about not telling lies – it meant being genuine and transparent in thought, word, and deed. Gandhi’s own life was an “experiment with truth.” He admitted his mistakes openly and corrected himself, as described in his autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Even when it was difficult or risky, he insisted on telling the truth and keeping promises. By holding truth as his highest value, Gandhi built great trust and moral authority. This commitment to truth guided everything he did, from small personal decisions to big political campaigns, and he believed truthful means would lead to just ends.

Gandhi developed satyagraha, meaning “holding onto truth” or soul-force, as his method of nonviolent resistance. This principle meant fighting injustice not with anger or weapons, but with unwavering civil disobedience and moral pressure. He encouraged people to peacefully resist unjust laws and policies rather than obeying them blindly​. For instance, instead of violently rebelling against unfair British laws, Gandhi and his followers would refuse to comply – they boycotted British goods, marched in protest, and willingly went to jail. A famous example of satyagraha was the 1930 Salt March, where Gandhi walked 240 miles to make salt from the sea in defiance of British salt taxes. Through such actions, he showed that determined, nonviolent action could shame the oppressors and rally public support. Satyagraha proved that one can “shake the world” in a gentle way, and it later inspired civil rights movements (like Martin Luther King Jr.’s in the United States) to adopt nonviolent protest as a powerful tool for change.

A core goal for Gandhi was swaraj, which means self-rule or self-governance. Politically, Swaraj referred to India achieving independence – Indians governing themselves, free from British colonial control​. Gandhi worked tirelessly towards this freedom, stressing that true liberty meant the people of India could determine their own destiny. But Swaraj also had a personal dimension for Gandhi: it involved individuals mastering themselves. He believed true freedom required self-discipline and responsibility at the individual level. Gandhi encouraged everyone to govern their own lives ethically – to be self-reliant, make decisions locally, and take responsibility for their community. This principle guided him to promote local village councils and grassroots democracy. In essence, Swaraj for Gandhi was both national independence and the idea that every person should be free and responsible in how they live. It shaped his actions by linking the fight for political freedom with a push for personal and social self-improvement across India.

Gandhi’s vision of progress was summed up in sarvodaya, a term meaning “upliftment of all.” He believed that true progress should benefit every individual in society, not just a few. This meant working for the welfare of the poorest and most marginalized people​. In his campaigns and ashram community, Gandhi emphasized helping the needy – improving education, health, and economic opportunity for villages, women, and those disadvantaged by caste or poverty. For example, he promoted rural education and cottage industries so that even the poorest villagers could have dignity and livelihood. Sarvodaya shaped policies like land reform and efforts to improve sanitation and nutrition for all. Gandhi held prayer meetings and spoke often about eradicating social evils that hurt the weakest members of society. This principle ensured that the freedom and development he fought for would be inclusive. By striving for everyone’s uplift, Gandhi demonstrated a selfless concern that no group – whether poor farmers, so-called “untouchables,” or minorities – should be left behind in an independent India.

A practical principle Gandhi championed was swadeshi, which means supporting home-grown goods and local self-reliance. He urged Indians to use products made in India and avoid depending on British imports​. This was both an economic strategy and a matter of national pride. The most famous symbol of swadeshi was the spinning wheel (charkha) – Gandhi encouraged everyone to spin cotton yarn and wear khadi, the hand-spun cloth. By making their own cloth and goods, Indians could boycott British textiles, hit the colonial economy, and empower local craftsmen at the same time​. Gandhi himself dressed in simple khadi attire and even sent a portable spinning wheel to the British viceroy to drive the point home. Swadeshi went beyond cloth – it included promoting Indian cottage industries, agriculture, and schools. This principle shaped Gandhi’s actions such as leading bonfires of foreign (British) clothes, setting up khadi weaving centers, and emphasizing self-sufficiency in villages. Ultimately, Swadeshi taught self-reliance, unity, and economic independence as essential components of freedom.

Gandhi’s lifestyle was a model of simplicity and minimalism. He deliberately lived with very few possessions and avoided any extravagance​. He wore the bare minimum of clothing – often just a hand-spun cotton wrap – and walked instead of using motorcars whenever possible. Gandhi ate simple vegetarian meals and even limited how much he ate, believing in “plain living and high thinking.” By keeping his material needs so small, he stayed focused on his moral goals and felt freedom from greed or pride. This simplicity also enabled him to easily connect with India’s millions of poor citizens, because he literally lived not much differently from a peasant. Gandhi often said that if we consume less, we leave more for others – “Live simply so that others may simply live.” His personal example showed that happiness and dignity do not come from wealth or belongings, but from integrity and service. This principle of simplicity guided him in everything from the clothes he wore to the ashram communities he set up, proving that a leader could live humbly and still achieve great things.

Gandhi believed that conquering one’s own desires was essential to living a moral life. He practiced strict self-discipline, famously taking a vow of brahmacharya (celibacy) in 1906 as a part of this principle​. For Gandhi, brahmacharya meant more than just celibacy; it symbolized mastery over all impulses – including control over anger, appetites, and ego. He maintained dietary discipline as well: eating simple foods, periodically fasting, and even avoiding indulgences in taste (a practice called asvada, control of the palate) to train himself. Gandhi felt that by disciplining the body and mind, he could purify his soul and stay focused on service. This personal austerity gave him tremendous willpower. It helped him remain calm under provocation and resist temptations of power or comfort. For instance, his control over his temper and habits meant he could respond to opponents with patience and forgiveness. Gandhi’s self-discipline, from his daily prayer routine to his vow of simplicity and chastity, shaped his credibility as a leader. It showed that he demanded of himself the same or even higher standards as he did of others, lending moral weight to his campaigns.

Gandhi firmly believed in the dignity of all types of work, and he taught that everyone should perform manual labor as a duty. In his ashrams, every member (including Gandhi himself) had to do daily physical work like cleaning, cooking, fetching water, farming or spinning cotton thread. He called this principle “bread labour” – the idea that one should do bodily work to earn one’s bread​. This was radical in a society where menial jobs were usually done by lower castes or servants. Gandhi wanted to break the caste-based notion that some work is “unclean” or beneath certain people. By personally cleaning latrines (toilets) and encouraging others to do the same, he set an example that such work is honorable and necessary. He often said that no job that serves others is lowly. This principle fostered equality and unity – if everyone from lawyers to farmers is willing to sweep the floor or spin yarn, it reduces hierarchy and builds respect for labor. Gandhi’s emphasis on self-sufficiency through labor also meant the community relied less on outside industry. Overall, the dignity of labor was key in his ideal of an equitable society: he wanted people to shed pride and work shoulder-to-shoulder in service of each other.

Gandhi was a devout Hindu, but he deeply respected all religions and worked for interfaith harmony. He believed that all major religions are different paths to the same truth, and that one should be as respectful to others’ faiths as to one’s own​. In practice, Gandhi held multi-faith prayer meetings – it was common for his gatherings to include readings from the Bhagavad Gita (Hindu scripture), the Quran, the Bible, and others. He even led prayers with Muslim and Christian leaders side by side. Gandhi consistently urged Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and others to live together in peace and mutual respect​. When tensions between religious communities flared (as happened between Hindus and Muslims, especially around the time of Partition), Gandhi put himself on the line to promote harmony. In 1947, as violence between communities spread, the 78-year-old Gandhi traveled to riot-torn areas, praying and fasting to compel people to stop the killing. He reminded everyone that God is one, and all humans are one family regardless of how they worship. This deep commitment to religious tolerance shaped Gandhi’s efforts to unify India’s diverse people, and it remains a guiding example of pluralism and respect for plural religious beliefs.

One of Gandhi’s strongest social campaigns was against “untouchability,” the practice of ostracizing people of certain castes. He believed in the equality of all humans and was pained by the injustices of the caste system that treated some Indians as impure or less worthy. Gandhi gave the oppressed untouchable community the name Harijan, meaning “children of God,” to emphasize their inherent dignity​. He lived with Harijan families, shared meals with them, and welcomed them in his ashram at a time when many upper-caste people would not. Gandhi also fought to open temples, schools, and public wells to people of every caste. In 1932, he went on a fast unto death to protest separate elections that he felt would further segregate “untouchables” – this led to an agreement (Poona Pact) to improve their political representation without isolating them. He later established the Harijan Sevak Sangh (Servants of the Untouchables Society) in 1933 to work for the community’s upliftment​. Through articles in his weekly paper Harijan, and through numerous village tours, Gandhi constantly educated people that untouchability was a great sin and had to be eradicated. This principle of social equality guided Gandhi’s efforts to abolish social discrimination so that independent India would grant equal rights and respect to every person, regardless of birth.

Serving others selflessly, or seva, was at the heart of Gandhi’s character. He believed that to serve others is to serve God​, and that the true measure of one’s life is how much one helps those in need. Gandhi often put the welfare of others before himself. During his time in South Africa, he volunteered in hospitals and organized ambulance corps for wounded soldiers (despite opposing war, he helped as a medic in the Boer War and Zulu rebellion to relieve suffering). In India, he lived among villagers to understand their problems and taught basic hygiene, education, and farming techniques. He would personally nurse the sick, including lepers, and clean their wounds – tasks many would avoid. When plague or flu struck, Gandhi took care of patients and helped dispose of the deceased. All these actions were driven by his creed of service. Politically, he said leaders must be “public servants,” not masters. Even in negotiating with the British or Indian officials, he spoke as a representative of the masses, not for personal power. His commitment to seva was also spiritual: he saw God in the faces of the poor. This principle of selfless service made Gandhi a beloved figure – people felt he genuinely cared for them. It also inspired countless followers to volunteer, sacrifice and work for social causes such as village sanitation, literacy, and healthcare as part of the independence movement.

Gandhi taught people not to be afraid in the pursuit of truth and justice. He did not mean aggressive bravado, but rather the moral courage to do what is right without fear of consequences. Interestingly, Gandhi admitted that as a child and young man he was very shy and often fearful – for example, he was afraid of the dark and afraid to speak in public​. Over time, he deliberately trained himself to overcome these fears by facing challenges head-on. In South Africa, despite threats and actual assaults by racist mobs, he stood firm in advocating for the rights of Indians there. In India, he often walked unarmed into volatile situations, trusting his presence and calm to soothe anger. He was arrested many times but faced prison without fear, using the time to pray, spin cotton, or write. Gandhi emphasized that one should fear wrongdoing more than death. When violence between communities raged, he ventured into the midst of riots to reason with people, showing a rare fearless compassion. Ultimately, even though he knew his life was at risk (he survived at least one assassination attempt before the successful one), he refused to have bodyguards or hide, saying he must live openly and bravely. This principle of fearlessness empowered his followers too – many lost their fear of British jails or lathi (police batons) blows under his guidance. Gandhi’s courage was contagious: it gave ordinary men and women the bravery to protest, march, and speak up, armed only with their conscience.

A defining trait of Gandhi’s leadership was perseverance – an unwavering persistence in the face of challenges. He understood that great goals (like India’s freedom or social reform) do not happen overnight, and he taught people to be patient but never lose sight of the goal​. Gandhi faced numerous setbacks during the long freedom struggle: movements he started would sometimes fizzle out or be brutally suppressed, allies would get discouraged, and critics (even within the Indian movement) would attack his methods. Perhaps the biggest heartbreak was seeing communal violence erupt and the partition of India, which was against his vision of unity. Yet, Gandhi did not give up or resort to despair. If a campaign failed, he regrouped and started another, learning from mistakes. He was willing to “try again and again until we succeed.” For instance, after the Non-Cooperation movement was halted in 1922, he later launched the Civil Disobedience movement in 1930, and then the Quit India movement in 1942 – each time renewing the push for independence in a different way. His perseverance was grounded in faith that truth and justice would eventually prevail (“Truth alone triumphs” was a motto he loved). Gandhi also practiced personal patience – whether spinning thread for hours or mediating quarrels among colleagues, he gave things time. This steadiness kept the freedom struggle going through difficult years. By his example, he taught that hard work and patience, even through frustration, are key to achieving anything worthwhile.

Gandhi regarded forgiveness as a powerful, active force for good. In his view, forgiving someone who has wronged you is a sign of strength, not weakness​. He observed that holding onto anger or seeking revenge only continues the cycle of hatred, whereas forgiveness can break it. Throughout his life, Gandhi practiced forgiveness both in personal and political situations. For example, when someone stole from his ashram or even abused him, he would try to understand and forgive rather than punish. He famously forgave the young man who assaulted him in South Africa, and years later even forgave those who persecuted him during colonial rule. After independence, when sectarian riots killed many, Gandhi urged the victims’ families to forgive and not retaliate, stressing that an eye-for-an-eye would make the whole world blind. His emphasis on forgiveness helped to calm tensions; people saw that if Gandhi could let go of bitterness after decades in prison and after losing so much, they too could let go of smaller grudges. Forgiveness for Gandhi did not mean passive acceptance of injustice – he would resist wrongs vigorously, but without hatred toward wrongdoers. He believed in hating the sin, not the sinner. This principle of forgiveness fostered reconciliation between estranged communities and set a moral example that transforming society requires mercy and compassion, not vengeance.

Despite his global fame and mass following, Gandhi remained extremely humble and modest in character. He often referred to himself as a simple man or a servant of the people, never as a great leader. Gandhi rejected fancy titles and honors – for instance, he was uncomfortable with being called Mahatma (great soul) and preferred just being called Bapu (father) or Gandhiji. His humility was evident in his lifestyle: he dressed like the poor, sat on the floor, and personally answered letters from ordinary people. When praised for successes, he would attribute them to truth, God, or the millions of participants in the movement rather than take credit himself. Gandhi was also quick to acknowledge his own imperfections. He wrote openly about his personal failings and continuously tried to learn from others, even from his critics. A famous instance of his humility shaping his actions was after the violence at Chauri Chaura in 1922, where protesters he inspired attacked police. Gandhi felt he had erred in not emphasizing nonviolence enough, and he apologized and suspended his campaign at its peak, accepting blame. Such actions showed that he put principles above his ego or image. By leading through humility, Gandhi remained approachable to people of all levels – villagers felt he was one of them. His modest attitude also diffused any cult of personality; he wanted the focus to be on the message, not the messenger. This genuine humility enhanced his moral authority, as people knew he sought glory not for himself but for the cause and for others.

Gandhi was insistent that moral ends cannot be achieved by immoral means. In other words, the methods one uses are just as important as the goal one wants to reach – they must align ethically. This principle of integrity meant Gandhi would not tolerate cheating, lying, or violence in the struggle for independence, even if those tactics might have hurt the British or achieved results faster. He famously said that using corrupt means to obtain freedom or justice would taint the freedom itself. To ensure the purity of the movement, he kept a close watch on his own followers’ conduct. If protests turned violent or people resorted to looting, he would call off the campaign and regroup rather than “win” through wrongdoing. As noted, after the Chauri Chaura incident where a mob killed policemen, Gandhi immediately halted the Non-Cooperation Movement despite enormous momentum, because the means had strayed from nonviolence. He believed that had they continued in that violent way, Indians would no longer deserve true self-rule. This unity of means and ends also applied in daily matters – Gandhi strove to be truthful and kind in small things, reflecting the just society he wanted to create. His integrity built trust even among opponents; the British officials, while disagreeing with him, often acknowledged that Gandhi would never break his word or secretly plan violence. By practicing what he preached, he showed the world that great change can be achieved without compromising on ethics. This principle set a high moral standard for political movements, emphasizing that how we do something is inseparable from what we seek.

Alongside resistance to wrong, Gandhi emphasized constructive work – actively building the positive social conditions he envisioned for India. He believed that it was not enough to protest unjust laws; one must also create solutions and improve society at the grassroots. During the freedom struggle, Gandhi introduced a nationwide Constructive Programme. This included campaigns for literacy (basic education for all), improving village sanitation, promoting unity across religions and castes, and boosting local cottage industries like weaving and soap-making. He urged his followers to spend time each day on tasks that strengthened their community – for example, spinning yarn was not only economic self-help but also a meditation and a symbol of interdependence. In villages, Gandhi’s volunteers taught hygiene, set up schools, and worked to eliminate social evils like dowry or alcoholism. Gandhi himself would inspect village cleanliness and encourage use of latrines to improve health. This principle meant freedom had to go hand-in-hand with responsibility: while seeking political rights, Indians should also remove internal weaknesses such as illiteracy, poverty, and disunity. Constructive work gave the movement a positive focus even during lulls in political action (such as times when mass protests were paused). It prepared the nation for self-rule by empowering people with skills and knowledge. Moreover, it showed that Gandhi’s philosophy was not just about opposing the British; it was fundamentally about uplifting the people and morally regenerating society. The emphasis on building something better, and not merely tearing down the old, was a key principle that shaped many of Gandhi’s initiatives from the 1920s onward.

Gandhi was ahead of many of his contemporaries in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment in society. He strongly felt that India could not be truly free or moral if its women were oppressed or held back. Gandhi encouraged women to take active roles in the independence movement – thousands of Indian women, inspired by him, marched in protests, picketed liquor shops, spun cloth as part of the swadeshi movement, and even went to jail for the cause. He often praised women’s contributions, calling them symbols of sacrifice, strength, and nonviolent courage. Beyond the political sphere, Gandhi spoke out against social injustices faced by women. He condemned practices like child marriage, dowry (the groom’s family demanding money/gifts from the bride’s family), and purdah (veiling and secluding women) as harmful traditions​. He wrote articles arguing that such customs violated women’s God-given rights. Gandhi advocated education for girls and economic independence for women so that they could be equal partners in society. Notably, he insisted that men treat their wives as equals: he said a wife is not the husband’s slave but his companion and friend​, which was a progressive view for his time. In his own life, Gandhi relied on and respected women colleagues like Kasturba Gandhi (his wife), who taught him about grassroots issues, and Sarojini Naidu, a female leader who became President of the Indian National Congress. However, it’s true Gandhi’s views on gender had nuances – he saw a nurturing role for women in building a nonviolent society, sometimes speaking of their purity and self-sacrifice in idealistic terms. Despite these nuances, the core principle he upheld was that women should have equal dignity and the freedom to shape their lives. This commitment to women’s empowerment helped many women find their voice in the public sphere and laid early groundwork for India’s later advances in women’s rights.

Gandhi extended his principle of nonviolence to how we treat animals and the natural world, emphasizing a great respect for all living beings. Born and raised in a Hindu Jain culture, he was taught from childhood that harming animals is wrong. Gandhi remained a lifelong vegetarian, not just due to tradition but out of ethical choice – he believed eating meat or exploiting animals needlessly was against the law of ahimsa (non-harm)​. He even experimented with veganism (avoiding milk) for a time to reduce harm to cows, though later health needs caused him to resume taking goat’s milk. Besides diet, Gandhi spoke against cruelty in any form; he opposed animal sacrifice in religious rituals and deplored hunting for sport. While in London as a young man, he joined and wrote for the Vegetarian Society, connecting with others who saw compassion to animals as a moral duty​. For Gandhi, how we treat the weakest – including animals – was a test of our humanity. This respect for life influenced his actions in small ways: his ashram had a policy of not killing snakes or pests unless absolutely necessary, and he would carefully remove insects from his path rather than step on them. Gandhi’s kindness also extended to nature – he believed in living simply partly so that we do not excessively exploit the Earth’s resources (he famously said, “Earth provides enough for everyone’s need, not for everyone’s greed.”). By exemplifying gentle behavior towards all creatures, Gandhi taught the principle that compassion should be universal. This idea of reverence for life added a spiritual dimension to his politics, reminding his followers that freedom and progress meant nothing if we became cruel or greedy. It encouraged people to adopt more humane lifestyles, such as vegetarianism or environmental care, as part of personal integrity and social responsibility.