Mahatma Gandhi and Thomas Aquinas were two of the most influential philosophers of their respective times. Aquinas's theological ideas on politics, ethics and natural law have had a great influence on Western civilization and he is also held in high regard within the tradition of the Catholic faith, being honored as a saint. Gandhi was an influential leader in the movement for India's freedom from British rule. He preached a philosophy of nonviolent civil disobedience and is considered an inspiration to civil rights leaders and nonviolent activists around the world. Both philosophers sought to instruct others on how to live a virtuous life and help contribute to the common good of all people. However, Aquinas and Gandhi have different views on how to achieve their common goal. Comparing the two philosophies, one finds that Aquinas' natural law philosophy is superior to Gandhi's Satyagraha philosophy as it allows individuals and countries a way to justifiably defend themselves from those who wish to harm them. Aquinas believed that violence was necessary when it was justified and intended to secure the common good. Aquinas's philosophy can be broken down into one easy-to-remember phrase: "Good is to be done and pursued, and evil is to be avoided." All the other precepts of natural law are based on this” (Aquinas I-II.94.2). Aquinas based his entire philosophy on the simple idea that evil should be avoided from the lives of individuals and that they should instead focus on the good. Yet Thomas Aquinas foresaw that in certain cases violence and war were necessary to guarantee the common good: "If therefore a man were dangerous and contagious to the community, due to some sin,... middle of paper .. .the Taliban would stop using violence if American military operations ceased because they operate under the belief that what they are doing is morally right. In this case, the threat of physical harm is the only motivation strong enough to induce these individuals to lay down their weapons. Aquinas' natural law philosophy allows for better action for the common good than Gandhi's Satyagraha philosophy because it allows individuals and countries a way to legitimately defend themselves from those who wish to harm them. Violence for its own sake is never justified, however we must have the courage and strength to stand up to those who do evil and do what is necessary to stop them. It may come at a great personal cost, however, regardless of the physical pain or injuries one may endure, one should compromise one's morality and turn a blind eye to evil..