Mahatma Gandhi, his life, writings and speeches/History of Passive Resistence
HISTORY OF PASSIVE RESISTANCE IN SOUTH AFRICA
Mr. Gandhi in the course of his letter to the Secretary, South African Committee, gives the following brief account of the struggle of passive resisters in South Africa, to the maintenance of which India contributed so generously.
"Whilst the actual courting of imprisonment has ceased, the struggle itself has by no means ended. In its last stages nearly 25,000 Indians actively participated in it, that is one sixth of the total Indian population in South Africa. The rest of the community practically with but few exceptions, supported the struggle either by contribution in cash or in kind or by holding meetings, etc. It began in Transvaal with the passing of the now famous Asiatic Registration Bill. In the year the struggle rolled on with temporary settlements. It included many other things besides the Asiatic Registration Act, and covered the whole of South Africa at the time of the settlement. The points in the passive resistance were as follows: (1) Repeal of the Asiatic Act. (2) Removal of racial or colour disqualification as to immigration from Union legislation. (3) Removal of legal disabilities of Indian wives (4) Removal of annual Poll Tax of £3 which was payable by ex-indentured Indians, their wives and grown-up children, (5) Just administration of the existing laws with due regard to vested rights.
All these points are covered by the settlement of the last year, which I consider to be a complete vindication of the passive resistance, and I venture to state that if more has not been gained more was not and could not be asked for as an item in the passive resistance, for a passive resister has to frame his minimum as well as his maximum, and he dare not ask for more nor can he be satisfied with less.