Gandhi: Seven Blunders of the World that Leads to Violence and Wars

Mahatma Gandhi during his last days used to allocate at least one hour for his grandson, Arun Gandhi. Probably he wanted his grandson to keep continuing his good works or keep doing the right things in the future after he is gone.

Mahatma Gandhi gave a written note, “Seven Blunders of the World” list, to his grandson Arun, just before he was assassinated on the final day. The list shows the primary factors that contribute to violence and wars in this world.

The Seven Blunders are:

· Wealth without work

· Pleasure without conscience

· Knowledge without character

· Commerce without morality

· Science without humanity

· Worship without sacrifice

· Politics without principle

This list grew from Gandhi's search for the roots of violence over the years. He calls these acts as passive violence. He wanted his grandson and others to avoid these seven blunders if they wanted to prevent violence in this world.

Arun Gandhi later added the eighth blunder, “Rights without responsibilities.

Stephen Covey also referred these Seven Blunders in his book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” and said all the blunders have to do with social and political conditions, and the antidote of each of these "deadly sins" is an explicit external standard, or something based on natural principles and laws, not on social values. He claims that "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" help one avoid these seven blunders.

We can see all the violence that is happening around us, a majority of them can be attributed to these blunders.