The principle of nonviolence existed for centuries in spiritual traditions. Gandhi’s brilliance was to reframe it as a practical strategy of political resistance. In doing so, he showed how old wisdom could be repurposed for new struggles. By embodying nonviolence not as passivity but as active resistance, Gandhi mobilized millions, reshaped colonial history, and redefined the relationship between ethics and power. His story shows how reinterpretation can be as revolutionary as invention.
