Mohandas K. Gandhi's Dharasana Salt Works Raid

Mohandas K. Gandhi was an influential leader who helped India gain its independence in 1947. Until its liberationi, India was ruled by Great Britain. Many Indians, including Gandhi, did not support their methods of ruling. Gandhi used a variety of non-violent methods to protest their rule, including publicity, boycotting the British clothing industry, and even marching for miles against hefty salt taxes. With such a variety of actions taken by Gandhi, one must wonder which nonviolent act led to the most success. In fact, the Salt March, and by extension the Dharasana Salt Works Raid, was the most successful tactic used to achieve India’s independence due to its large scale, the determination of participants, and its emotional effect on non-participants.

For one, the route of the march was long. According to the map from source two, it stretched 241 miles from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi (Source 2). This route would allow marchers to interact with many people on their journey. For example, participants could explain the cause as they passed through numerous cities. This led to a higher visibility of the issue as word spread about the march. Furthermore, it included a large amount of people. The map from source two indicates that nearly 60,000 people were arrested as a direct result of the march (Source 2). By introducing this many people into the prison system, the British government simply could not ignore the determination the protesters presented. Of course, some might argue that the amount of people arrested was counterproductive, as 60,000 people could no longer continue to protest. While technically true, this notion fails to acknowledge that mass arresting raises awareness in and of itself. With so many people arrested, it is impossible to ignore that there is an issue. Those who were not aware of Gandhi’s cause were introduced to the movement when thousands of friends, family, and neighbors suddenly disappeared. All in all, the size of Gandhi’s Salt March was crucial in leading to its success as a nonviolent