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

Economy of Permanence

then with the consumer. The co-operative societies should be the link binding
all parties together-like a silver wire that holds the pearls together.
A co-operative bank can protect the unsophisticated villagers from being duped
by the government minions. Such institutions can collect the produce, store it,
pay on behalf of their constituents, dues, taxes, revenue, etc., sell the goods
at proper market rates, right through the year, without dumping the whole
stock at a time on the market and thus causing extreme fluctuations in the
price of commodities. They can function like the watertight compartments of
the ocean liner and be the shock absorber in the economic organization:
The test of the proper functioning of co-operative institutions can be seen not
in their financial balance sheets but in the bazars around. If these shops are
stocked with mill produced goods or foreign imported articles it signifies that
there has been no cooperative effort to bring the various factors of production
to supply all our needs. If the co-operative institutions function properly it will
promote self-sufficiency in all our primary needs such as food, clothing, and
shelter. When this happens there will be nothing to attract the cupidity of the
foreign manufacturer. Hence there will be no international jealousies leading
to global wars. Thus the development of co-operative institutions on right lines
can lead to national independence and through that to international peace.
Manure: Much of the waste of the village, including sweepings, bones, human
excreta, etc., that endanger the sanitation of the village at present, could be
utilized by making compost manure. This is very easily done and it is as good a
manure as cow dung. Bones and oil cakes, which are usually exported out of the
country, should not be allowed to leave the villages. The bones should be
crushed locally with the help of the chunam chakkis, after being charred a
little in the chunam bhattis and the manure distributed amongst the farmers.
Manure making in villages may be given out on subsidised contracts. This will
ensure the cleanliness of the village while raising the status of the sweepers
engaged in making compost and manure to the level of traders.
Oil mills, which take away oil seeds from the villagers and give only oil in
return, sending the cake abroad, are depriving the land of the valuable form of

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