ABSTRACT
This chapter considers how Gandhi's Law of Ahimsa (or non-violence) can be reconciled with the necessity of violence; some of the strategies that Gandhi adopts in response to this problem are critically examined. Gandhi was willing to use (outward) violence as an expedience (in the sense of necessity) but he was opposed to using non-violence as an expedience. There are two versions of Gandhi's doctrine. Gandhi makes a distinction between outward violence and inner violence. Both the versions of his doctrine grant that outward violence is often necessary and must be administered with compassion. On the standard Gandhian view, violence is always wrong and unjustifiable and we have a duty to always avoid it but sometimes when it is necessary we can be excused or pardoned. Gandhi uses violence in a pejorative sense 'the good use of violence is inconceivable'.
