THE PSYCHOLOGY AND STRATEGY OF GANDHI'S NON-VIOLENT RESISTANCE
Rare first edition of this early work on Gandhi's anti-colonial resistance — by an American follower who would himself become an important influence on Bayard Rustin and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Good plus.
Price: $3,000.00
THE PSYCHOLOGY AND STRATEGY OF GANDHI'S NON-VIOLENT RESISTANCE
"No failures could daunt Gandhi; let them not daunt you." — Gregg, letter to MLK, 1956
Like Gandhi, Richard Gregg's early professional training was in law. Disillusioned from his work in labor management, Gregg wrote to Gandhi in prison, and was soon invited to stay at the Sabarmati Ashram, where he lived with Gandhi and his followers for nearly four years. Gregg published this book in Madras "as a present to Gandhiji on his sixtyfirst birthday, with my love." His preface describes PSYCHOLOGY AND STRATEGY as "part of a larger book I am writing on the subject of non-violent resistance or Satyagraha"; that larger book, THE POWER OF NON-VIOLENCE, would appear in 1934.
Two decades later, during the Montgomery bus boycott, Gregg began corresponding with Martin Luther King, Jr., writing that Gandhi "would mightily rejoice to know you have chosen this way." King himself spoke with great admiration of Gregg's "realistic" presentation of strategic non-violence, listed POWER as one of his top five books, and contributed a foreword to the 1959 third edition.
This copy's previous owner was an engaged reader of the 1930s, making marginal notes on US police brutality and use of agents provocateur against Communists and labor agitators, and underlining the final page's suggestion that "women, too" find non-violent resistance a powerful and attractive strategy.
A major work of American social philosophy that shows the transnational influence of Gandhi's anti-colonialist campaign, one that directly impacted the methods used by leaders in the American Civil Rights movement.
Read more: Shelby & Terry, To Shape a New World: Essays on the Political Philosophy of Martin Luther King, Jr.; Wooding, The Power of Non-Violence - The Enduring Legacy of Richard Gregg.
The Object
First printing. Madras: S. Ganesan, 1929. 7.25'' x 4.75''. Original printed wrappers. 169, [1] pages. Contemporary newspaper clipping reviewing Gregg's POWER OF NON-VIOLENCE (1934) mounted to inside front cover and front free endpaper. Edgewear and light spotting to wrappers. Chipping to spine ends, front joint repaired. Previous owner's penciled notes laid in. Selective pencil underlining throughout, with occasional marginal notes.
The Fine Print
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Ground Advantage. International orders over $1000 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
