MGPE-007

Introduction The Gramdan Movement was a significant socio-economic initiative in post-independence India, launched as a continuation of the Bhoodan (land gift) Movement by Acharya Vinoba Bhave. The aim was not just to redistribute land but to create self-sufficient, cooperative rural communities. “Gramdan” translates to “village gift,” and under this concept, entire villages voluntarily gave up

Introduction Farmers’ movements in India and across the world have emerged in response to agricultural distress, economic injustice, and political neglect. These movements are not just about higher prices or subsidies; they are rooted in a deeper ideology that seeks dignity, rights, and sustainability for those who feed the nation. The ideology of farmers’ movements

Introduction The apartheid system in South Africa was one of the most brutal and institutionalized forms of racial segregation in the 20th century. The word “apartheid” is Afrikaans for “apartness,” and it accurately describes the policy of separating people based on race. Implemented by the white-dominated government of South Africa from 1948 until the early

Introduction Mahatma Gandhi held strong moral views on many social issues, and liquor consumption was one of them. He believed that alcohol was a social evil that led to personal ruin, domestic violence, poverty, and moral degradation. His opposition to alcohol was so strong that he advocated for complete prohibition in India. Gandhi’s views on

Introduction The concept of “Total Revolution” was popularized by Jayaprakash Narayan (JP), a renowned Indian freedom fighter and social reformer. Emerging in the 1970s, especially during the political unrest in India, Total Revolution aimed to overhaul every aspect of society—political, economic, social, cultural, and educational—through non-violent means. The movement was deeply influenced by Gandhian philosophy,

Introduction Mahatma Gandhi is best known as the leader of India’s freedom struggle and a global symbol of non-violence. However, he was also a pioneering environmental thinker whose ideas continue to influence modern ecological movements. Though he never led a specific environmental campaign, his philosophy of simple living, sustainability, and respect for nature forms the

Introduction The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), meaning “Save the Narmada Movement,” is one of India’s most prominent non-violent environmental and social justice movements. It began in the 1980s to protest against the construction of large dams on the Narmada River, primarily the Sardar Sarovar Dam. The movement raised important concerns about displacement, environmental damage, and

Introduction The Chipko Movement is one of India’s most renowned non-violent environmental movements. Originating in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand (then part of Uttar Pradesh) during the early 1970s, the movement aimed to protect forests from commercial logging. The term “Chipko” means “to hug” in Hindi, symbolizing how villagers, especially women, hugged trees to prevent

Introduction The Solidarity Movement in Poland was a historic non-violent social and political movement that played a critical role in ending communist rule in Eastern Europe. It began in the 1980s as a labor protest but soon grew into a national and international symbol of resistance against authoritarianism. The movement’s success demonstrated how peaceful civil