Leadership and Culture: Mahatma Gandhi and India’s Independence

This article discusses Mahatma Gandhi's leadership and culture in India's independence movement. It covers his principles of non-violence, honesty, and transformational leadership. The Hofstede Model of cultural dimensions is also explained to show the degree of cultural dimensions between the Eastern and Western world.

Running head: LEADERSHIP AND CULTURE
MGMT 615 – Assignment 6: Leadership and Culture
Topic: Mahatma Gandhi and India’s Independence
Student’s name:
Name of the university:
Author’s note:

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Abstract
Mahatma Gandhi is one of the revered and respected freedom fighters and leaders of India.
Before the independence of India, British colonial rules oppressed the Indian people. Mahatma
Gandhi began his protest in South Africa first and he united the people of India for the freedom
movement. He practised non-violence and honesty as his principles and he led many of the
nationwide campaigns so that the people can unite together. Mahatma Gandhi took the principle
of transformational leadership and he encouraged, motivated and inspired the people to create
change in society. Hofstede Model of cultural dimension has been explained to show the degree
of cultural dimensions between the Eastern and Western world. Power Distance in India is high
as the hierarchy system shows the top-down structure. Before the independence, Indian people
had collectivist tendencies. Mahatma Gandhi took the approach of leading the people following
simple life; however, he believed in the practice of equality, non-violence, justice, honesty and
truth.

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Introduction
Mahatma Gandhi is recognised as one of the greatest spiritual and political leaders of the
twentieth century. Mahatma Gandhi pioneered and practised Satyagraha and he is honoured as
the father of the nation. Mahatma Gandhi showed resistance to tyranny against British through
mass nonviolent civil disobedience in India. Mahatma Gandhi led nationwide campaigns in India
to remove poverty, to build ethnic harmony, to expand the women’s rights and to eliminate
injustice of the race and caste system (Dhawan, 2016). Gandhi was well known for the
application of principles of nonviolent through civil disobedience and he played a significant role
in freeing his nation from British bondage and domination. His leadership was accepted as a
model of moral and ethical leadership and he showed an example of the rare blending of non-
violence and culture in the principles and practices. Mahatma Gandhi was a source of inspiration
for struggles to achieve rights for the common people of India. Mahatma Gandhi considered his
life to be integrated whole and he connected the life from immediate and eternal.
Anxiety and crisis that propelled him into a leadership position
As stated by Radhakrishnan, (2015), employing non-violent national movements as his
sharp weapon, Mahatma Gandhi poured his words to Indians to fight for the independence and
snatch their rights without shedding blood. Gandhi led the civil rights movement in India and
before Gandhi entered Indian national freedom, India was a country which had multiple diverse
nationalities. India needed a leader who can unite the country under one umbrella. Gandhi saw
that Indian people were deprived and British Government plundered Indian wealth and oppressed
the people of India. Gandhi felt the urge to unite the people to protest against British colonialism
and demanded equal rights. India was known as a rich nation across the world before British

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people came to India and British made the colony and looted India to rags. The British
government made the policies of ‘divide and rule' to gain control over India. British colonists
took all the Indian treasure to treat Indians with utter disdain (Andrews, 2016). India needed a
leader who can unite the people against British colonist to revolt. Gandhi emerged during this
anxiety and crisis of India and Gandhi helped Indians to unite together to do the unified struggle
for Independence. Mahatma Gandhi first implemented the non-violent approach in South Africa.
Mahatma Gandhi was very hurt and he was angry when he observed exploitation and
discrimination of coloured people under White people. Therefore, Gandhi started the non-violent
movement in India which gained him fame. His point of dissent with British people was taxing
which placed on Indian nationals. Mahatma Gandhi organised the working class to protest
against social discrimination and taxes. Gandhi became the leader of the Indian National
Congress and he started demanding equal rights, eradicating non-discriminatory laws, the
overthrow of the caste policy, peaceful inter-religious relations (Nair, 2014). Mahatma Gandhi
carried three national movements in India to protest against British colonialism.
As stated by Northouse (2018), leadership is a process where the leader influences a
group of people to achieve a common objective. Gandhi showed a willingness to confront the
major anxiety of Indian people as he showed persistent and consistent about what he thought.
Mahatma Gandhi was very determined in following the non-violent and honesty in his
leadership. He wore just white dhoti and shawl to lead an entire nation and Gandhi showed the
basic element of leadership by keeping the promises. Gandhi also followed the religious notion
of ‘ahimsa' (doing no harm) which was common to religions. Crisis and anxiety of the people
before the independence of India made Mahatma Gandhi as a master strategist along with an
exemplary leader who had ideas and strategies to make India free from British bondage.

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Mahatma Gandhi inspires the people of India to follow his principles and he showed creativity
and innovation to lead the mass to win the fight.
Mahatma Gandhi and his leadership approach
Mahatma Gandhi was very visionary and empowering leader who made the oppressed
people unites to learn and understand non-violence and civil disobedience. Gandhi provided
Indians with a new spirit, feeling of pride and a sense of self-respect as Gandhi was a man of
vision and a great statesman (Nahavandi & Krishnan, 2017). Mahatma Gandhi's inspiring
leadership empowered the general public and he made the policy on what he preached to the
common public. He believed in simple living as he used spinning yarn to make his clothes.
Gandhi had made his recognition by doing the protest in South Africa and the people of India
had hoped due to the success of the protest in South Africa. His leadership and principle were
based on non-violence and honesty and these were respected within Indian society. According to
Dhawan (2016), the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi had the solid foundation of self-development
and his leadership was achieved through understanding, self-sacrifice and education. Gandhi
believed in discipline as it is more than great intellect which can help the people to reach the
objective. Mahatma Gandhi had the disciple to be patient enough to strive and work to accept the
temporary defeat. Mahatma Gandhi led the people with discipline rather than just the emotion
and Gandhi believed in the long-term result. Gandhi was sentenced to prison in four terms and
Gandhi has great ability to walk his talk at each and every level.
Gandhi possessed transformational leadership as Gandhi was inspirational, charismatic
and trustworthy who liked to lead the common people through example. Transformational
leaders inspire the members who greatly motivate the people and it increases the chance to

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succeed. Gandhi had a strong vision which helped to guide the common people in the process of
making a change. Transformational leaders identify the desired change and they create a vision
to follow the change through inspiration (McCleskey, 2014). Transformational leaders can
execute the change in tandem with committed members of the group. Gandhi performed his
leadership when the common people of India were under the oppression and anxiety. Being a
transformational leader, Gandhi could make the people powerful and confident. Gandhi
empowered the people of India to start believing in them to cause the change in the country. He
started Non-cooperation movement, Civil Disobedience Movement and Quit India Movement to
unite the people of India and he was always open to new ideas which were implemented in the
campaigns. Mahatma Gandhi has intellectual stimulation which means he had the capability to
challenge the basic norms along with status quo which enables the common people to think
creatively. Gandhi used individualised concern that means Gandhi showed personal care and
concern for the well-being of the Indian citizens.
A prevailing culture that allowed Mahatma Gandhi to take a decision
The contribution of power distance to culture variations between the eastern and western
world can impact on the leader in generating the altruistic behaviour amongst the followers
would be affected by these cultural values (Mead, 2014). Before the era of independence, the
British Government made reform in the social and religious system to make India poor. British
government's political domination increased with time and trading interest was also enhanced.
White people did authoritarian treatment to the Indians an there was a distinct difference between
White and Black people. There was a binary opposition between Indian people and British
people. India had the history and culture which is dynamic in nature, the British Government
tried to manipulate the culture of Indian.

6LEADERSHIP AND CULTURE
In Hofstede Model, Power Distance (PD) deals with individuals in a society which is not
equal as it generally expresses the culture and attitude towards the inequalities amongst the
people (Hofstede-insights.com, 2018). India scores 77 in Power Distance which shows India has
hierarchy along with top-down structure in society. Control was familiar in India from the British
Government and the communication was top-down in nature showing the directive style.
Individualism is the degree of interdependence in a society which is maintained among its
members. In an individualist society, members of the society are looked after themselves and
India scored 48 in individualism index. Therefore, since the time of bondage of British rule,
India showed the collectivist nature. Gandhi used the collectivist nature of the people with the
high preference of belonging was shown to the larger social network. Masculinity dimension
shows the society is driven by the achievement, competition and success. The success of the
members is shown by the value system (Hofstede, 2014). India scores 56 as it has been a more
masculine society in terms of visual display of success along with power. India has always been
a spiritual country and caste system was prevalent in nature in India. Uncertainty avoidance
shows that society deals with the fact that the future can never be known as the people want to
control the future. The Indian culture was threatened by British culture which had created
institutions and beliefs which tried to be avoided by Indians. India scores 40 in uncertainty
avoidance as this score is low showing acceptance of imperfection which cannot be made
perfect. India is a traditionally patient country where British colonialism made a tumult.
Mahatma Gandhi took the measure of an action-initiative footstep to establish an establishment
of own government. Long-term orientation shows that each of the society has to maintain links
with its own past (McKenzie, 2017). India scores 51 and it shows dominant preference in Indian
culture and most of the western society scores low in this dimension. Gandhi tried to make India

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tolerance through non-violence and Gandhi wanted to make an amalgamation of ideas, esoteric
beliefs and practices. Indulgence is about how far people can try to control their desires along
with impulses. India scores only 26 n indulgence as it shows that Indian culture is restraint.
Gandhi broke the social stigma and made the Indians unified to participate in the independence
movement.
Conclusion
Mahatma Gandhi started practising passive resistance as he used mainly peace, integrity
and love to bring change. Gandhi was ‘the man of action’ with following the principles of
envisions, enable, energize and empower. Transformational leaders assist the followers to
transcend their own self-interest for the sake of the objective set by the leaders. Transformational
leaders motivate followers to indulge in extra-role behaviour. Gandhi was a transformational
leader and he tried to unite the people who were sharply divided. Gandhi always spoke from his
point of view and he got support from entire the nation. His leadership and determination helped
India to come out from the darkness.

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