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Ahimsa
A principle of non-violence rooted in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions. Gandhi made it central to the Indian independence movement, arguing that non-violence was not passive but required active courage. It meant refusing to cause harm to any living being, even in the face of provocation.
Civil disobedience
The deliberate, non-violent refusal to obey unjust laws or government demands, as a form of political protest. Gandhi's civil disobedience campaigns (1930-1934) involved mass law-breaking, including the Salt March, refusal to pay taxes, and boycotts of British goods and institutions.
Non-cooperation movement
A campaign launched by Gandhi and the INC in 1920 calling on Indians to withdraw from British institutions: returning titles, boycotting courts, schools and elections, and refusing to buy British goods. It was suspended in 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident, where protesters killed 22 police officers.