Salient features of Gandhism or (Gandhian Philosophy): Gandhism or Gandhian philosophy, which is based on nonviolence, truth and Satyagraha has the following salient features :

(i) Religion: He had deep faith in religion and wanted that both religion and politics should be combined together. Religion was food of mind and every politician was religious in guise.

(ii) Ideal Society: In this ideal society truth shall prevail and there will be love for all. He wanted decentralisation of authority and self-dispossession of concentrated wealth. He discarded caste system and wished that every individual should work. According to him,capitalists should think themselves as the trustees of nation.

(iii) Ahimsa: He wanted to follow nonviolence or ahimsa in thought speech and action. It is based on the conception that evil should be resisted by love. It is essential for self as well as universal purification. It is an end or a weapon which only bold can use.

(iv) Economic Ideals: He believed in a different form of socialism. He wanted to decrease authority of state and promote village economy and set-up. He did not wish to have forceful but only non-violent and voluntary systems of dispossession of wealth. He wanted to have decentralisation of authority and placed the cause of Khadi.

(v) Spiritualism: Gandhism,however,believes in spiritualism as against materialism or communism. Gandhism believed in a good means as against communism which believes that and justify the means. Gandhism does not follow use of force where as communism allows the use of force. Gandhism does not hate evil-doers whereas communism hates both evil and evil doers.

(vi) Satyagraha: It means to adhering to the truth in all circumstances and at all costs. It is a very useful instrument for fighting all battles. It is, however, quite different from passive resistance. A Satyagrahi can use following methods-

(a) Non-Co-operation.

(b) Civil Resistance.

(c) Strike.

(d) Fast. and

(e) Hijrat. 

All these methods require great courage and a highly disciplined mind.

(vii) Gandhism and Communism: (i) Both believe in a classless society.

(ii) Both condeemn capitalism.

(iii) Both believe in uplifting the downtrodden.

(iv) Both wish to give least possible function to the state.