"All compromise is based on give and take, but there can be no give and take on fundamentals. Any compromise on mere fundamentals is a surrender. For it is all give and no take"

Compromise is an essential part of human interaction and negotiation, allowing different sides to reach mutually acceptable solutions through concessions and shared understanding. However, Mahatma Gandhi makes a critical distinction between compromise on negotiable issues and core principles. While give and take is the essence of practical compromise, Gandhi warns that when it comes to core values or fundamental beliefs, negotiation should not enter the equation.

When the foundation of one’s beliefs or the very essence of an idea is in question, any compromise is, in Gandhi’s perspective, not a true compromise, but an act of surrender. In everyday matters, compromise can lead to progress, consensus, and peace. It enables diverse groups to coexist and collaborate. Yet, fundamentals, those bedrock convictions or absolute truths upon which individual or collective identities stand, demand unwavering adherence. To try to “give” on these essential points, while receiving nothing in return, is a denial of their intrinsic worth.

Gandhi’s assertion underscores the moral limits of flexibility. If one were to part with these basics for the sake of agreement, what is lost is not merely a point in the discussion, but the very core that defines an individual or a movement. The act of “all give and no take” strips away the uniqueness and integrity of the standpoint, essentially nullifying the purpose behind holding it. The context, for Gandhi, is critical: there is a distinction between stubbornness on trivialities and steadfastness on matters of principle.

By warning against compromise on fundamentals, Gandhi encourages clarity about one's core values and the courage to preserve them. Remaining firm on fundamentals is not an act of obstinacy, but of integrity and self-respect, qualities that are vital in seeking justice and truth in a complex world.