BYT. ft. M.K. Gandhi - 5 Principles to build lasting communities
Threads of Change: Lessons in Community Crafting from experiments by M.K. Gandhi
While volumes have been written about Mahatma Gandhi's role in India's independence movement, his profound impact as a community builder often remains in the shadows of his political achievements. This lesser-known facet of Gandhi's legacy deserves closer examination, for it reveals a visionary who understood that true revolution begins at the grassroots level.
Perhaps Gandhi's most remarkable achievement was the creation of a flexible and accountable community of progressive Indians. This group was unique in its ability to first confront and address internal complexities before tackling larger national issues. Remarkably, Gandhi achieved this through just five fundamental principles, which we will explore in depth.
We often talk about Gandhi the freedom fighter, Gandhi the philosopher, Gandhi the saint. But there's another Gandhi we rarely discuss: Gandhi the community builder. In this blog post, we will delve into the ways Mahatma Gandhi built a successful community force in India—a force whose influence continues to resonate today. We'll explore how his approach remains relevant, offering valuable lessons for modern community builders, leaders, and anyone seeking to create lasting, positive change in their sphere of influence.
1. The Power of Starting Small
Gandhi didn't set out to build a nation-wide movement. He started with a small community in South Africa, fighting for the rights of Indian immigrants.
Why start small? Because small communities are laboratories for ideas. They're manageable, observable, and most importantly, they're real. You can't fool yourself about the effectiveness of your methods when you're working with a group of people you see every day.
In South Africa, Gandhi learned a crucial lesson: community building isn't about grand gestures or lofty ideals. It's about solving real problems for real people. The discrimination faced by Indians wasn't just a political issue - it was a daily reality that affected people's lives in tangible ways.
In the last post, I also discussed about Building Your Tribe (BYT) in workplace and that can be a good place to start small.
BYT ft. Workplace Friendships
We often hear about the importance of "building your tribe" at work. But what does this really mean, and why is it more complex than it appears?
2. The Art of Expanding Scope
Here's where Gandhi's genius really comes into play. He took a specific issue - the rights of Indian immigrants - and expanded it into a universal principle of human dignity and equality. This wasn't just clever rhetoric. It was a profound insight into how communities grow and gain strength.
By framing the struggle against discrimination as a universal human issue, Gandhi did two things:
He created a larger, more inclusive community. Suddenly, it wasn't just about Indians anymore. It was about all non-whites, and eventually, about anyone who believed in human dignity.
He tapped into a deeper, more powerful motivator. Fighting for your own rights is one thing. Fighting for a universal principle of justice is another. The latter has a way of igniting passion and commitment that the former rarely achieves.
This expansion of scope is a key principle in community building. The most powerful communities are those that stand for something larger than themselves.
3. The Power of Lived Principles
When Gandhi returned to India, he didn't just preach ideas - he lived them. His ashrams weren't just spiritual retreats; they were living experiments in community building.
Consider the principle of 'Shramdaan' or community cleaning. On the surface, it's about hygiene and cleanliness. But dig deeper, and you'll see it's a powerful tool for breaking down caste barriers and promoting equality.
Or take the concept of community prayer. It's not just about spirituality - it's about fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose.
These weren't just nice ideas. They were practical, actionable principles that people could incorporate into their daily lives.
And that's the key:
real communities are built on shared actions, not just shared beliefs.
4. The Flywheel of Community Building
Gandhi's approach to community building was like a flywheel. Start with a small group. Solve real problems. Expand the scope to universal principles. Live those principles in practical ways. As the community grows, it attracts more people, which allows you to solve bigger problems, which attracts more people... and the flywheel keeps turning.
By 1946, there were over 200 ashrams in India following Gandhi's principles. The All India Spinners Association had over 350,000 members by 1934. These weren't just numbers. They represented a vast network of people living out the principles of community, equality, and self-reliance in their daily lives.
5. Keeping it - Flexible, Accountable & Extreme Simple
Gandhi's genius in community building is perhaps most evident in the elegantly simple triad of rules he established for his ashrams: community cleaning, weaving, and praying. At first glance, these might seem like arbitrary choices. But dig deeper, and you'll find a blueprint for a community that's resilient, self-reliant, and deeply interconnected.
I. Community Cleaning - The Social Equalizer
Community cleaning, or Shramdaan, wasn't just about hygiene. It was a radical act of social equalization.
In a society deeply divided by caste, where certain groups were considered "untouchable" and relegated to cleaning tasks, Gandhi's insistence on everyone participating in cleaning was revolutionary. It wasn't just talk; it was action that challenged deeply ingrained social hierarchies.
Imagine a high-caste Brahmin and a Dalit (formerly known as "untouchable") working side by side to clean their shared living space. This wasn't just cleaning; it was dismantling centuries of social prejudice through simple, daily action.
II. Community Weaving - The Economic Empowerer
Weaving wasn't chosen randomly. The promotion of khadi (hand-spun, hand-woven cloth) and village industries was a masterclass in economic empowerment and resistance.
The spinning wheel became more than a tool; it was a symbol of economic independence and national unity. By 1934, the All India Spinners Association had over 350,000 members. That's not just an organization; that's an economic revolution.
III. Community Praying - The Spiritual Unifier
Community prayers might seem out of place in a political movement, but for Gandhi, they were essential. As he said, "Prayer is not an old woman's idle amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action."
These weren't just religious rituals. They were:
a. A time for the community to come together, transcending individual differences
b. A space for reflection on their shared values and goals
c. A practice in empathy and unity
In a diverse country like India, with its multitude of religions and languages, these community prayers became a powerful unifying force.
The Synergy of the Triad
The brilliance of Gandhi's approach lies in how these three elements work together. Cleaning breaks down social barriers. Weaving provides economic independence. Prayer unifies the spirit. Together, they address the social, economic, and spiritual aspects of an individual's life in society.
This wasn't a complicated manifesto or a 10-point plan. It was three simple, daily practices that anyone could understand and implement. Yet, these three practices laid the foundation for a community that could stay relevant and united in any situation.
Accountability Through Humility
Gandhi's approach to community building wasn't just about rules and practices. It was also about setting a tone of accountability and shared ownership. This is evident in how he shared his ideas.
In his writings, particularly visible from the first page of "Sarvodaya" (The Welfare of All), Gandhi never claimed exclusive ownership of the ideas he penned. Instead, he positioned himself as a conduit for collective wisdom, acknowledging the contributions of others and inviting further refinement of the ideas.
This approach did two powerful things:
It created a sense of shared ownership of the movement's ideas and practices
It established a culture of accountability where no one, not even Gandhi, was above scrutiny or improvement
In essence, Gandhi wasn't building a personality cult. He was cultivating a community of equals, united in purpose but diverse in contribution.
The lesson here for modern community builders is profound. It's not about creating a perfect, unchangeable system. It's about establishing simple, powerful practices that address fundamental human needs - social equality, economic empowerment, and spiritual unity. And it's about fostering a culture where these practices and the ideas behind them can be constantly examined, discussed, and improved by the community itself.
In an age where we often overcomplicate community building with elaborate structures and processes, Gandhi's approach reminds us of the power of simplicity, action, and shared ownership. It's a lesson we would do well to remember.
TL;DR for Modern Community Builders
In an age of online communities and global movements, Gandhi's approach might seem quaint. But the principles are as relevant as ever:
Start small and solve real problems.
Expand your scope to universal principles.
Live by these principles in practical, actionable ways
Let your community grow organically through lived experience.
Keep it - Flexible, Accountable & Extreme Simple.
Keep experimenting and expressing it openly.
Whether you're building a tech startup, a non-profit, or a social movement, these principles hold true. The most powerful communities aren't built on slogans or manifestos. They're built on shared experiences, solved problems, and lived principles.
Gandhi understood this at a deep level. He wasn't just a freedom fighter or a philosopher. He was a master community builder. And in that role, he has as much to teach us today as he ever did.
As we look to build and nurture communities in the modern world, the principles laid down by these visionaries offer timeless guidance. Their emphasis on simplicity, flexibility, and action-oriented approaches provides a robust framework for creating communities that are not just sustainable but truly transformative.
Seek out these authentic connections, navigate the challenges with grace, and watch as your work life transforms in ways you never imagined.
Building your Tribe? Hit me on Linkedin with a note.
Until next time, keep seeking, keep growing, and never underestimate the power of finding your tribe.
With love and purpose,
Karsh