To Hate or Love an Opponent: Gandhi and the Irish models of anti-colonial resistance (1907-1932).

The story of Ireland's centuries-long freedom struggle, with its two seemingly opposing traditions of moderate constitutionalism and militant physical force separatism, was always regarded as a model as much to avoid as to emulate by Indian nationalists, including Gandhi. This article focuses on Gandhi's rhetoric and his dilemma regarding the adoption of the Irish Models of anti-colonial resistance, such as Arthur Griffith's Sinn Feinism, Charles Stewart Parnell's No-rent campaign, and Obstructionist tactics and Terence MacSwiney's hunger strike as a political weapon in the Indian milieu. This article also tries to determine whether Gandhi's philosophy of loving the opponent, practicing non-violence, and refraining from political coercion, as befitting a true satyagrahi, determined his attitude towards the Irish models. In the larger context, it tries to establish the extent of Irish influence on Gandhi and his anti-colonial strategies. Doses of Irish history have been entwined for better comprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]