Gandhi, Smuts and Race in the British Empire: Of Passive and Violent Resistance

Towards the end of 1906, a meeting took place between two emerging giants of the age, Mohandas K. Gandhi and General Jan Christian Smuts.

United under the same empire but separated by distance and culture:

• Smuts was born in the Cape Colony.
• Gandhi hailed from Porbandar, a duchy of the Indian province of Gujarat.

Both men shared a common path of studying law in Britain. While they developed a great admiration for the institutions of empire, each faced his own crisis of faith.

From their widely dispersed origins, Gandhi and Smuts collided over the issue of race and equality in a turbulent province of the empire. Each attempted to hold the British to their stated ideals.

Key Themes Explored in This Book:

• Attitudes to Race and Belonging:
  The book delves into how race and belonging were perceived during an era when English-speaking peoples dominated the globe.
• The British Empire's Ideals:
  It examines how the empire sought to impose ideals of parity, equal opportunity, and free movement on its subject races.
• Gandhi and Smuts' Perspectives:
  Their confrontation highlights the challenges of upholding these ideals in the face of cultural and racial divides.

This insightful book sheds light on a pivotal moment in history, exploring how two influential figures grappled with the empire's promises and contradictions, all under the radiance of Britannia.