Sarvodaya is the vision of a non-violent social order, based on spiritual principles, in which social liberation is strived for on the basis of individual training and spiritual liberation is sought through social action rooted in that training. The non-violent revolution starts with yourself.

Sarvodaya (सर्वोदय) means the "Uplifting of All", the "Good of All" and describes the vision of a non-violent social order as proposed and strived for by Gandhi, Vinoba, Lanza Del Vasto and other non-violent revolutionaries of the last century. While it originated in India, the philosophy of Sarvodaya has also been heavily influenced by western and russian streams of thought, such as by Ruskin, Thoreau and Tolstoj and is truly a cosmopolitan vision for all. In regard to its social and economical ideas it has much in common with non-violent anarchist ideas as proposed by Kropotkin and Landauer, but the revolution that we strive for "is spiritual at the source".

The core principle is the harmony between means and ends. The means by which Sarvodaya is to be achieved is "Satyagraha", the non-violent fight through service, as it finds expression in the "Constructive Programme". The Constructive Programme is constantly developed and takes new forms in different contexts and times, but its essential aspects of general validity can be summarised in form of the four liberations: Spiritual liberation as the basis of educational liberation, as the basis of economical liberation, as the basis of liberation from the state. And in that order.

The Sarvodaya Network is an attempt to create an international open source network of ressources and communication platforms revolving around Sarvodaya and all its above mentioned aspects and related streams of thought. We try to preserve books about the history of Sarvodaya and its diverse constructive programmes and attempt to foster new ideas and approaches for the demands of our time.

More coming soon.

Vinoba preaching, setting the wheel of the Dharma in motion.
Acharya Vinoba in his typical attire.
Gandhi and his spinning wheel; the symbol of independence and the non-violent revolution.
Vinoba on his Landgift Pilgrimage to solve the problem of the ownership of land by deliberate sharing and donation of land to the landless.
Lanza del Vasto during a Satyagraha in France.
Lanza in front of the headquarter of his order at the time, La Borie Noble.
Drawing of Jesus by Lanza; Jesus at the cross is one of the most powerful symbols of non-violence; ready to sacrifice ones life for truth.
Painting of Buddha by Ananda Coomaraswamy. The Buddha tried to uproot the basis of all suffering. Radical non-violence is a necessary step on his noble path.