those who followed him, the ability not to strike back. They were able to look within themselves and find peace. An example of how this philosophy played out can be found in an example story told by Gandhi to help others understand how not to fight back with force. The story said that a man was trying to save a scorpion that kept biting him. When asked why did he keep trying to save the scorpion, the man stated that he was a human being and that it was his nature to save, just as it was the nature of the scorpion to bite (Fischer 77). Gandhi was able to declare that he applied true nonviolence to every part of his life. Domestic, institutional, economic, and political problems could all be dealt with by using Satyagraha. Satyagraha can be looked at as a method for resolving conflict. One of the main points is to try and win the trust of the other side. When this is accomplished, the two opposing sides can talk out their differences and try to put an end to them. Satyagraha also uses the readiness to suffer and not fight back. The citizens of India were successful in doing so. Take for example, the time in which Gandhi’s followers were repeatedly beaten and abused by authorities. They were able to search within their own souls and find the strength to resist violence. The four main weapons used by the satyagrahai are sympathy, trust, patience, and the willingness to suffer (Fischer 221). The relationship with the opponent can later become one that is full of trust, respect, and cooperation. When this type of relationship is obtained, conflict and tension will be resolved. Western minds may view this process as an unrealistic way of trying to solve a problem. With a true enemy, it is very hard- - almost impossible to even attempt to become friends with such a powerful, domineering opponent such as the British. The idea of using these four weapons seems very hard to actually accomplish. It appears that Gandhi tak...
