Leo Tolstoy

“ Tolstoy's life has been devoted to replacing the method of violence for removing tyranny or securing reform by the method of non­resistance to evil. He would meet hatred expressed in violence by love expressed in self-­suffering. He admits of no exception to whittle down this great and divine law of love. He applies it to all the problems that trouble mankind. ”

“ If we do not want the English in India we must pay the price. Tolstoy indicates it. "Do not resist evil, but also do not yourselves participate in evil - in the violent deeds of the administration of the law courts, the collection of taxes and, what is more important, of the soldiers, and no one in the world will enslave you", passionately declares the sage of Yasnaya Polyana. Who can question the truth of what he says in the following: "A commercial company enslaved a nation comprising two hundred millions. ”

“ Tell this to a man free from superstition and he will fail to grasp what these words mean. What does it mean that thirty thousand people, not athletes, but rather weak and ordinary people, have enslaved two hundred millions of vigorous, clever, capable, freedom-loving people? ”

“ It is a mere statement of fact to say that every Indian, whether he owns up to it or not, has national aspirations. But there are as many opinions as there are Indian nationalists as to the exact meaning of that aspiration, and more especially as to the methods to be used to attain the end. ”