1869 – 1948
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869–1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethicist whose philosophy of nonviolent resistance (satyagraha) became one of the most influential moral frameworks of the twentieth century. Drawing on Hindu, Jain, and Christian sources, he developed a coherent theory of civil disobedience grounded in truth-force and the moral transformation of opponents rather than their coercion. His thought shaped liberation movements worldwide, from the American civil rights movement to anti-apartheid activism.
Developed satyagraha (truth-force) as a systematic philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance
Led India's independence movement, culminating in the end of British colonial rule in 1947
Articulated a theory of civil disobedience grounded in personal moral transformation and voluntary suffering
Synthesized Hindu ahimsa, Jain ethics, and Tolstoyan Christianity into a coherent political philosophy
Inspired subsequent global movements for civil rights and decolonization, most notably influencing Martin Luther King Jr.