Presented by:- VIKAS KUMAR IMBA,3rdSem Centre for Business Administration

INTRODUCTION:

According to Gandhi conflicts have potentiality to turn into confirmed problems. To achieve aim of conflict resolution and establishing peace, Gandhi propounded his philosophy of peace. Gandhi's approach had always been holistic as human life is a synthetic whole, which can not be divided in social, religious, political life etc. Gandhi asserts that besides individual endeavour corporate actions are also needed. The most fundamental principle of his philosophy is Ahimsa or non-violence.

Gandhis Technique of Conflict Resolution:

Satyagraha is Gandhis technique of nonviolent activism. For Gandhi it was not only a method of conducting conflict, it was also a way of life. By Satyagraha he meant Life of Truth. A satyagrahi must never forget the distinction between evil and the evil-doer-M.K.Gandhi Gandhi gave some conflict norms which gave rise to integrative conflict norms.

Gandhian Conflict Norms:

Gandhian conflict norms are divided into three parts. 1.)The first norm relates to goals and conflicts, and states that: One should act in a conflict Define the conflict well Have a positive approach towards conflict 2.)The second norm relates to conflict struggle and states that One should act non violently in conflicts To act in a goal-consistent manner Not to cooperate with the evil

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To be willing to sacrifice Not to polarize the situation One should not escalate 3.)The third and final norm relates to conflict resolution and it directs that: Conflict should be solved We should insist on essential rather than nonessential We should see ourselves as fallible We should be generous with opponents & finally we should aim for conversion rather than coercion.

Conflict Resolution Theory in the Gandhian Literature:

Among western scholars Arne Naess was greatly influenced by Gandhi. His book Gandhi and Group Conflict (1974) systematizes the norms and hypotheses that undergird Gandhian approach to the resolution of conflict. Some of his prepositions are:

all human beings have long-term interests in common

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violence is invited from opponents if they are humiliated or provoked Opponents are less likely to resort to violence the better they know your position The essential interests which opponents have in common should be clearly formulated and cooperation established on that basis Personal contact with the opponent should be sought Opponent should not be judged harder than the self

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Opponents should be trusted An unwillingness to compromise on non-essentials decreases the likelihood of true resolution A position of weakness in an opponent should not be exploited

Naess ex-pupil and the founder of modern peace research was Johan Galtung. He gave the us the Gandhi-inspired concept of Structural Violence.

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He wrote a book in 1971 which had a section on Gandhi and conflict resolution. In his book he lists six approaches to conflict resolution where the incompatibility is eliminated. Resolving the incompatibility Compromise Trading Multilateralization(taking the conflict out of the frame where it is often stuck)

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Integration decoupling

The Links between Gandhis SATYAGRAHA and Modern Conflict Resolution Practice:
John Burton was a pioneering analyst of position of needs in conflict situations For Burton, conflicts may be resolved & disputes may be settled without conflicts being resolved According to Burton violation of innate human need leads to conflict and crime The satisfaction of these innate human needs can resolve conflicts

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In the 1960s a new approach focussing on the human needs became fashionable In this approach for organizational conflicts, conflicting parties are brought together to analyse the conflict in non-bargaining so that the conflict can be truly resolved For interpersonal disputes, community or neighbourhood justice centres were used These developments gradually moved towards Gandhian model