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

Economy of Permanence
VI. DEMOCRACY
India was originally a republic of villages, and each village was a self-governing
unit. It has developed certain ideas of state, based on the types of personalities
commonly found in society.
All activities in human society present two points of view, the long range view
and the short range view. Many of us are not capable of taking a long term view
because it means working for years before the fruit of one's labours can be seen
or obtained and men do not like to wait. We are all inclined to take a short
term view, we want to eat, drink and be merry. Ninety-nine out of hundred
people take this short term view. But these are certain matters which have got
to be done for the benefit of the whole society and which call for a long range
view. This is what a democracy arranges for. We require men with long range
view to be at the head of Government if Government is to succeed and the well
being of the majority is to be achieved. People who take a short range view are
a danger to society, if they be at the head of Government. They will promote
wars by their short sighted policy.
Judged from this view point, England and America are anything but
democracies. Those countries are under absolute dictatorships. When these
countries were faced with the grave danger of war, what the form of
Government that prevailed, democracy or dictatorship? Bare faced dictatorship
came into being in those countries. That was not merely a coincidence; it was
bound to happen. These countries have been using centralised methods of
production which means central control and regimentation, which ultimately
leads to dictatorship. We cannot have dictatorship in economics and at the
same time, democracy in politics. Such claims to democracy are merely smoke-
screens. Democracy in economics must be based on decentralized production in
villages on individual basis.
Of course, irrigation, roads and such large projects will have to be undertaken
and for that purpose you must select from society people who have a long
range view. Therefore all ministers and all government officials should be
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