Ch 23- The roles of influential people

Chapter 23

         As I opened up and began reading chapter 23 I realized how inspirational this chapter is. It talks about how countries fought for and attained their independence and who were the motivational and inspiring people who helped in the process. Right when I opened the textbook the first page of chapter 23 is a large picture of Nelson Mandela. Even before reading the first paragraph I felt inspired, just from the picture. As I began reading the chapter I learned about the enormous effect that he as one individual had in South Africa. Nelson Mandela went through many hardships in order for his voice to be heard. Imagine spending 27 years in prison for no reason at all, imagine that you did nothing wrong except speak out against your government. He was imprisoned for treason, sabatage, and conspiracy. This just shows what kind of government south Africa and many other countries as this time had. Nelson spent his nights sleeping on the floor because that is all he had for a bed, a cold stone hard floor, and if he wanted to use the bathroom… he had a bucket! That’s not even the  worst part of it, the more I read the worst it got. While in prison, Nelson Mandela was allowed one visitor a year for 30 minutes, and was allowed to write and receive one letter every six months! Scientist have proven that people need the company of others. That the body and especially the mind can go crazy with out other people around, that is why so solitary confinement is such a horrid place, and why prisoners dislike it so much. 

      When he was finally released in 1990 from growing domestic and international pressure he gave his first speech and battling through many more hardships he eventually came South Africas first black president. The fight that Mandela endured was incredibly inspiring to many other countries around the world. Take a moment to look at the date that he was released from prison, 1990, that was only 21 years ago, a man who spent 9,828 days being brutally treated spent his years as a free man fighting for the lives and freedom of the people in his country. 

      Other people were just as inspiring as he was, which lead to the freedom of other countries. For example, Mahatma Gandhi, he did so much for the freedom of india from british rule. Before the 1900’s many who lived in india did not see themselves as “Indians”, the cultural identity of India was mainly that of the locals and diversity was enormous. The British rule promoted a growing sense of Indian identity, unlike foreign rulers, the British didn’t assimilate, and rather, Indians shared more similarities to each other than to the rulers. I think this was beneficial for the people of India because they got to keep pieces of their cultures. The influence and role that Gandhi had, most believe, encouraged the freedom of india. He was originally suppose to be  a lawyer but that profession did not lead him far, and in 1893 Gandhi traveled to south Africa where he joined the fight against racial segregation. Later, he developed a  political philosophy of satyagraga meaning, truth force, a nonviolent approach to political action. When he went back to india he became the leader of the INC. he made movements to get rid of colonial rule and also the mistreatment of indias untouchables and the evils of modernization.

              Many supported ghandi and his struggle for independence india, however many had issues with what he was doing. There was a growing muslim/hindu divide and in 1906 an all india muslim league was created. Also, some Hindu politicians defined the nationalist struggle in religious terms. Finally in 1947, india finally gained its independence, however, india was divided and Pakistan was created. Pakistan was mainly the home of many muslims where india remained the home of many hindus. This new separation sparked much violence, around 1 million died, and roughly 12 million refugees relocated. Sadly, in 1948, a year after ghandi finally achieved the independence he spent his life trying to achieve he was assassinated by a hindu extremist. To think that any ordinary man or women can achieve and influence so much in one lifetime is amazing. Although I did not talk about all the influential people who dedicated there lives to gaining independence for those of there country and for future generations, there were many!