The Economy of Permanence: A Quest for a Social Order Based on Non-violence (स्थायी अर्थतन्त्र)

Economy of Permanence
licensing farmers to grow only certain crops on their lands. The table on the
next page shows land distribution for balanced cultivation for a population of
one lakh. This table provides far a balanced vegetarian diet yielding 2,860
calories per day for the average person and allows for the growing of cotton for
25 yards of cloth per annum per head. For non-vagetarian diet 6 ozs. of milk
may be substituted by 4 ozs. of meat or fish and one egg.
Rough calculations based on all-India statistics, which of course will differ from
place to place, have been given. If we allow 16 ozs. of cereals per individual, it
means that 65.2 per cent of our land will have to be under cereals. Similarly, if
we provide 2 ozs. of pulses per head, it means 8 per cent of our land will have
to be under that cultivation.
This table is worked out on a basis of a lakh of people. If a village or contiguous
area can grow these things in this proportion, then the people will have their
primary wants satisfied. Hence, we must aim at growing these things. The land
is a social asset, and it has got to be utilized exactly as it is needed for the
community. If a man says, "I have got so many acres of land, I am going to grow
tobacco," he has no right to grow tobacco simply because it may bring him
more money. In a society there are many j things which we cannot do as we
individually would wish. You • cannot, for instance, drive on the right side of
the road. The ownership in land is yours no doubt, but you have got to have the
use of your land marshalled in such a way that it benefits everybody.
Therefore, it is suggested that a man must take out licenses for cultivating
certain products. The man who has been licensed to cultivate linseed cannot
grow tobacco even if it paid him ten times as mush.
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