The Four Essential Principles of Gandhi's Philosophy

The four essential principles of Gandhi's philosophy  are: Truth, Ahimsa, Trusteeship and  Constructive Action
 
While at the personal level the four principles are: Respect, Understanding, Acceptance and Appreciation.
The success in attaining enlightenment or finding the Truth depends on how honest we are and whether we can liberate ourselves from the attachments that tie us down.  Gandhi said being liberated politically or socially is not enough. He did not mean that we become careless or adopt a "don't care" attitude towards life and relationships. Freeing yourself of attachments means one must be willing to stand up for truth and justice and not be afraid of the consequences like losing your possessions, your job or even your life. It is only when we reach that level of spiritual power that nonviolence will become relevant.
When white racists humiliated Grandfather in South Africa because they did not want a "black" man traveling in a first class compartment of a train he tried to enlist the support of the non-whites in South Africa to stand up for their rights. Instead, he found that fear dominated their response. "What will happen to my family? My job? My home and possessions?"  The middle-class was content to submit to the white man's injustices rather than stand up to them and risk losing everything. That was when grandfather discovered the corrupting influence of materialism. 
This attitude persists everywhere. We still accept injustice because we are afraid of suffering and losing our possessions or our security?  True liberation comes when we can liberate ourselves of the FEAR that controls our lives.  In the final analysis that is the key. In reality, this is not something impossible that nonviolence demands.  When we are forced by law to sacrifice our lives to protect our country in war we don't ask who is going to take care of the family or what will happen to my possessions.  We just go with the knowledge that we may not come back again. This is...