Published October 4, 2026
What is Satyagraha
Meaning of Satyagraha: truth-force, how Gandhi defined it, and how it differs from passive resistance.
Satyagraha means insistence on truth (satya = truth, agraha = firm holding). Gandhi developed the idea in South Africa and used it throughout the Indian independence struggle.
He rejected the label “passive resistance” because it suggested weakness or mere endurance. Satyagraha is active: you refuse cooperation with injustice, stay truthful in both goal and method, refuse to hate or injure the opponent, and accept suffering rather than impose it.
Core pillars
- Truth – ends and means must both be true
- Ahimsa (non-violence) – no physical harm and no hatred
- Self-suffering – you bear the cost instead of forcing it on others
- Openness – public methods, no secret violence or deception
The opponent is treated as a person who can still be reached by truth, not as an enemy to destroy. That ethic separates Satyagraha from ordinary protest tactics that rely on fear or humiliation.
Ahimsa in detail: Satyagraha and ahimsa · Rules: Guidelines for satyagrahis · History: Historical campaigns · Homepage: main guide.