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With Gandhi's advent on the Indian scene in 1915, things began to change all round. Gandhi looked at social welfare in his own unique way. His ways, indeed, were unique, so much so that even as early as 1894 i.e. when he was just 25 years old, he wanted to help his compatriots in South Africa by saving them from blatant and crushing racial discrimination. This shows Gandhi's consideration of his fellow men even at that young age. Gandhi never equated happiness with economic prosperity and physical pleasure alone. His concept of the welfare of society was totally opposed to the utilitarian concept, viz. the greatest good of the greatest number. Gandhi said, "A votary of Ahimsa would strive for the greatest good ofall and die in the attempt to realise this ideal. He would be willing to die so that others might live. He would serve the rest by dying himself. The greatest good of all, inevitably included the good of the greatest number, and, therefore, he and the utilitarian would converge on many points. But ultimately they would have to part company and even work in opposite directions. The utilitarian to be logical will never sacrifice himself. The absolutist will even sacrifice himself'. It is Gandhi's deep-rooted conviction that individual happiness lies in the happiness of society and vice-versa; and this is constantly seen in almost all his pronouncements regarding social welfare. He considered man superior to the system he propounded, and so he was against the system which brought about moral degradation of Indian society. Gandhi never drew a sharp distinction between economics and ethics. For him, economic policies which were harmful to the moral well-being of an individual, community, society, country or a nation were immoral and therefore, sinful. For him happiness meant the happiness of the society as a whole and was indicated primarily, by its moral standard and secondarily, by its physical and economic well-being.
'Sarvodaya' the greatest good of all through truth and non-violence became the ultimate goal of Gandhi in social welfare. His methods of working towards this goal were different from those of many other leaders and social reformers. He took an integrated view of life and disapproved of dividing an individual's life into different compartments. Also the individual was looked upon by him not as a separate entity but as a constituent unit of society.
On his return from South Africa, he perceived after a year of extensive travel all over India, that if his mother-land wanted to get out of the grinding poverty, political freedom was the foremost requirement. This could come only through the awakening of society. His ideas of social reconstruction had already started forming in the last few years of his stay in South Africa. He believed firmly that the individual and the society were contributory to each other's happiness.
Truth & Non-violence
To Gandhi, nothing was more sacred than truth and non- violence. Originally he believed that God is Truth. Later he changed this a little and maintained that Truth is God. "Generally speaking", Gandhi said, "observation of the law of truth is understood merely to mean that we must speak the truth but we ...should understand the word 'satya' or truth in a much wider sense. There should be truth in thought, truth in speech and truth in action".
For seeking as well as for finding truth, Ahimsa - non-violence - love for all beings - was a necessity. Although Ahimsa - non-violence - is a negative word, Gandhi certainly did not consider it as a negative force. His concept of Ahimsa is not confined to human beings but includes the entire creation. He says, "In spite of the negative particle 'non', it is no negative force. Superficially we are surrounded in life by strife and blood- shed, life living upon life. But some seer, who ages ago penetrated the centre of truth, said, 'It is not through strife and violence that man can fulfill his destiny and his duty to his fellow creatures'. It is a force which is more positive than electricity and more powerful than even ether". It is essential to under- stand the implications of non-violence as Gandhi understood them as it was the creed to which he rendered life-long service.
Non-violence is the law of human race and is infinitely greater than and superior to brute force.
In the last resort it is of no avail to those who do not posses a living faith in the God of love.
Non-violence affords the fullest protection to one's self-respect and sense of honour, but not always to possession of land or money, though its habitual practice does prove a better bulwark than the possession of armed men to defend them.
Non-violence is a power which can be wielded equally by all - children, young men and women or grown-up people, provided they have a living faith in the God of love and have therefore equal love for all mankind...
It is a profound error to suppose that whilst the law is good enough for individuals, it is not for the masses of mankind.
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Social work skills refer to the abilities and qualities that professionals possess, such as empathy, communication, and problem-solving. Techniques, on the other hand, are specific tools or strategies used to apply those skills in practice, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or motivational interviewing. Skills are more general and inherent qualities, while techniques are specific methods used to address client needs.
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It is a method of social work which intervenes in the psycho-social aspects of a person's life to improve, restore, maintain or develop their social functioning by improving their role performance.
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Secondary social work methods involve interventions at the group or community level, such as group therapy, community organizing, advocacy, and policy analysis. These methods aim to address systemic issues and promote social change to improve the well-being of individuals and communities. They often involve working with larger systems to create sustainable and long-term impact.
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Social work is closely related to other social sciences such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology. It draws on theories and methods from these disciplines to understand human behavior, social systems, and societal issues. Social work integrates knowledge from various social sciences to address individual and social problems, promote well-being, and advocate for social justice.
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What are the methods of Job Analysis and techniques of writing Job Description Take example of a few job descriptions and explain its components as techniques of writing it Explain the organisation?
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Colleges and universities have specific programs of study for social work, sometimes referred to as social welfare. Thus, your major would be a bachelor's in social work (BSW).Colleges and universities have specific programs of study for social work, sometimes referred to as social welfare. Thus, your major would be a bachelor's in social work (BSW).Colleges and universities have specific programs of study for social work, sometimes referred to as social welfare. Thus, your major would be a bachelor's in social work (BSW).Colleges and universities have specific programs of study for social work, sometimes referred to as social welfare. Thus, your major would be a bachelor's in social work (BSW).Colleges and universities have specific programs of study for social work, sometimes referred to as social welfare. Thus, your major would be a bachelor's in social work (BSW).Colleges and universities have specific programs of study for social work, sometimes referred to as social welfare. Thus, your major would be a bachelor's in social work (BSW).
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What subjects do you need to be a social work?
To become a social worker, you typically need to study subjects such as psychology, sociology, social work theory, human behavior, research methods, and ethics. Additionally, courses in child development, substance abuse, mental health, and diversity are also beneficial. Fieldwork experience and practical training are usually integral parts of social work education.
