Gandhi (1869-1948), the leader of India’s ethnic independence movement, was called Mahatma (Great Soul) by many people and is still greatly respected today. Born in Porbandar in Western India during the time of British control, Gandhi studied abroad in England, passed the bar exam, and returned to India.
Gandhi set off for South Africa, to work as a lawyer in 1893. It was under British rule at that time and there was a lot of discrimination. For example, Indians could not go out at night freely or walk on the sidewalk. There were also hotels that did not accept Indian guests.
In 1906, the British made a law that was even more unfair to Indian people. Indians in South Africa got angry and stood up against the law. Gandhi decided to lead a movement to protect their rights. His message was “Don’t follow the law, but don’t use violence, even if you are arrested.” Soon the jails became full of Indians, and Gandhi himself was sent there.
Finally, in 1914, after many years and much effort, the law was removed. It showed that non-violent movements can be effective.
Gandhi returned to India in 1915. India was also a British colony. In those days, there was a law that the British made for salt. According to the law, only the British could produce or sell salt. They put a heavy tax on it. The Indians were very poor, but they had to buy expensive salt. The money went to the British. Gandhi thought it was unfair.
In 1930, Gandhi decided to walk to the sea and make salt himself. He started with 78 followers. Thousands of people joined him on the way. After walking almost 400 kilometers, he reached the sea. This non-violent march was called the Salt March. News of the march spread around the world. It showed people a new way to fight against discrimination.
Gandhi’s peaceful fight continued after that. In 1947, India won independence. However, due to religious conflicts between Muslim and Hindu groups that followed, Gandhi was assassinated in 1948. Non-violent protest is the legacy that Gandhi left. It has influenced famous leaders, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
Q1 Let’s discuss what we know about Gandhi.
Q2 Let’s discuss what we know about India.
Q3 Let’s discuss what we know about colonialism.
Q4 Introduce someone you respect, explaining the reasons why you respect them.
A tweet from Elon Musk has put the spotlight on Japan’s declining population, saying that “Unless something changes to cause the birth rate to exceed the death rate, Japan will eventually cease to exist.” Japan is facing significant demographic changes, characterized by a rapidly aging population and a declining birthrate. This trend poses various challenges for the country’s economy, social services, and overall societal structure.
One of the biggest challenges caused by population decline is shortage of labor, and the conventional way of working is no longer sustainable and must be reformed. In the past, full-time employees were mostly men and long working hours were common for Japanese companies. Today, many companies are making an effort to create a working environment which is friendly to people who have a low participation in the labor market such as women, elderly people and foreigners. Also, government policies named “働き方改革(Work Style Reform)” are ongoing to improve labor productivity and reduce working hours.
Japan’s population decline seems like an inevitable future. While economic growth might be smaller with a declining population, this could be an opportunity to create a more sustainable and stable society.
- Do you think modern Japanese society makes it difficult to have children? Why or why not?
- What do you think are the most pressing challenges Japan faces due to population decline?
- What role should the government play in addressing these challenges, and what kind of policies do you think could be effective?
Please be prepared to share a summary of your discussion on Q.3.
・Elon Musk warns Japan will cease to exist if birthrate continues decline
・Understanding Japan’s Demographic ‘Crisis’: An Alternative Perspective on Population Decline
・人口減少社会を考える https://www.esri.cao.go.jp/jp/esri/workshop/forum/221102/data/221102_siryo02.pdf
