satyagraha

satyagraha, concept introduced in the early 20th century by Mahatma Gandhi to designate a determined but nonviolent resistance to evil. Gandhi’s satyagraha became a major tool in the Indian struggle against the British raj and has since been adopted by protest groups in other countries. The term satyagraha is an amalgam of the two Sanskrit words satya, meaning “truth,” and agraha, meaning “persistence.” According to this philosophy, satyagrahis—practitioners of satyagraha—achieve correct insight into the real...