Mahatma gandhi

• In Africa
• satyagraha and ahimsa as tools  to secure demands relating to poll tax, registration certificates, movement of migrants etc., from the British government.
• Tolstoy farm illustrated the peace time utility of ashramas in helping the masses through constructive work and prepare them for popular struggle. 
• Champaran satyagraha, Ahmedabad mill strike & Kheda satyagraha - non-violent struggle. 
• Tools like Satyagraha and ahimsa could have been used by every section of the society especially the masses, unlike petitions, constitutional struggle 
• Belief in masses: 
  • Gandhiji used to say, India live in the villages and it is only through masses the freedom can be achieved. This was not the case with earlier nationalist leaders including moderates and extremists who involved masses on a limited scale.
  • He held all India public meetings focused mainly on the participation of masses.
• Identification with masses: 
  • Gandhian followed the philosophy of ‘practice what you preach’. For instance, he popularized charkha by using it personally to weave his clothes. He shunned his elite clothes and wore a dhoti to identify himself with the masses.
  • As Ramachandra Guha noted – he dressed like them, walked among them and a sense of belongingness was developed among the masses. Hence, they followed him. 
• Secular leadership: every strategy and programmes of Gandhiji was secular and he incorporated members of all the religions without any skepticism or discrimination. He took up the issues of all the factions. For instance, he supported Ali brothers in Khilafat movement, supported Akali movement, Temple entry movement etc.,
• Social issues included in political programmes: 
  • The political programmes of Gandhiji included Dalit upliftment, women emancipation and hence found widespread participation of these sections.
  • Further, the philosophy of Sarvodaya, Antyodaya etc., tried to address the prevailing issues including inequality, rural poverty, food insecurity etc., and hence was widely supported. 
• Peace time constructive work: 
  • Ashramas provided a way help those who participated in struggle and build momentum garnering public support.
  • Programmes like promotion of Khadi helped Indian producers and hence found support.
  • Establishing local schools provided alternatives to students who left British schools for participating in freedom struggle.
• Supporting local issues like demand of linguistic provinces, Vaikom satyagraha, Malabar Muslim protest etc., 
• Effective use of Newspaper and journals: Gandhiji popularized his philosophy through Harijan and the use of local dialects helped in spreading of his message to large number of people especially in rural areas.
• Home rule movement: under Tilak and Annie Besant prepared a base for Gandhiji demonstrating self-rule which found its resonance in Gandhian philosophy of Swaraj.

Thus, Gandhian way of struggle was not limited to any section of the freedom fighters. He was able to unite different factions (religious, social etc.,) and more importantly was instrumental in finding wide appeal among masses.