Understanding Sarvodaya

Mahatma Gandhi started the Sarvodaya movement in 1948 after India had gained independence after successfully ending the long British rule in the country. Mahatma Gandhi had the vision of developing the nation and concentrated on improving the social, economic, and morals of all Indians with the help of peaceful cooperation and non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi wanted to establish the importance of love and peace in every society in India after the long, oppressive, and traumatic years of British rule. Gandhi insisted that the greed and hunger for political power and the greed to rule people are harmful and will not improve the conditions of the common people. Rather, it will be better off if people choose their elected candidates who are empathetic, kind, and helpful as their leaders (called panchayat heads). These Panchayat heads will have the power to make the final say to solve any matter. 

The Vision of Sarvodaya

Mahatma Gandhi had a vision of developing the social, economic, and mindset of every Indian to become more cooperative for a better and more peaceful co-existence. He suggested people support each other and looked to connect the nation after so many years of divides and disagreements among different states and different rulers of the country during and even before the British rule. He also pushed the necessity of choosing spiritual power over any materialistic attachment and greed.

The movement had the most impact on the village communities. The idea of ‘Gram raj’ or village rule came up during this movement. Even today, village governing bodies are the panchayat and they play a pivotal role in the governance of the villages. Their work is directly related to the well-being of the people of a village and their societal and economical development.  

Principles of Sarvodaya

Mahatma Gandhi was always renowned for his strong principles and beliefs. He famously quoted “My life is my message” and always led by example on how he would want others to lead their lives too. The core principles of the Sarvodaya movement are as follows:

1. Peace and peaceful co-existence as the main weapon- the Sarvodaya movement emphasized the development of a society based on cooperation, truth, and non-violence.
2. Liberty and Equality- Mahatma Gandhi advocated for liberty and equality for all and that the rich and poor should never fight against one another.
3. Importance of morality and ethics- All people must have a high moral sense and ethical correctness within them. Lying and cheating is a crime in society and is not expected.
4. Economic Equality- Equal pay for all laborers doing the same job was highlighted. No one should live with poverty and economic hardship.
5. Bhoodan Movement- The rich people of the villages were advised to donate some of their excess lands to the poor and thus, bring in a better balance in their economic condition.
6. Emphasis on Spiritualism- Gandhi advocated to get rid of materialistic attachments and gather higher levels of spiritualism. 
7. Village system- The Sarvodaya movement stated that all villages must be ruled separately by different selected village councils and headed by a panchayat head.
8. No centralized authority- No centralized party should rule all the people of all different areas of the country.
9. No importance is given to political parties and political power- Most political parties are power hungry and are full of greed. In the Sarvodaya system, they are not given any importance. No room for political propaganda. 
10. Little is more philosophy- places should be divided into small and independent areas that are governed by a village council. Large places under rule by one authority face more problems so, the lesser the population and size of the area, the easier it will be to look after them with greater care and solve issues.
11. Emphasis on physical labor- Gandhi strongly advocated the fact that all individuals must do some sort of physical labor to earn their bread and stay active. He did not support the machine takeover and replacing them with laborers. 

Conclusion

The Sarvodaya movement was one the more popular movements of Gandhi and was a great effort to develop the people of India in all fields of life. Gandhi wanted to bring moral independence and equality among the people and remove the class gap between the rich and the poor. Eminent leaders succeeded in carrying the Sarvodaya movement forward and shaped the way present-day villages are governed.