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

Economy of Permanence

coming from Western countries and you do not know the conditions that obtain
in India. You always think in terms of money, and prestige it brings. The
villagers respect us in this clothing. If we have two more patches in our clothes,
they respect us all the more. If we do away with the shirt, they follow us, and
if we have a dhoti high up as a loin cloth, they prostrate before us! That is the
standard of values in our country. You missionaries, who come here, do not
understand this position. Therefore, if you want to serve our people, you have
to get rid of this big palace which is associated with exploitation. It creates
suspicion and instels fear in the villagers. If you have built these mud huts for
the villager at a cost of Rs. 250/- each you must build huts for yourself at a cost
of Rs. 125/-, if you want to serve the villagers. If you do that they will come
and listen to you as ] they would realise you have no 'self in you. That is the
secret of it. Ours is not a barbarian country. We have got a culture of values
not based on money. We have got our 'Brahminical standards'. It is not the
sacred thread that is the symbol of Brahminic culture. There may be I. C. S.
officers earning thousands of rupees as¹ salary, with their sacred threads on but
they are all mlechhas. We have got a standard of Brahminical values. That is
the secret of the Mahatma's greatness. If Mahatma Gandhi goes to America,
crowds will go to see him; but they will not go in the same spirit as the crowds
gather in India. Our people have faith in Gandhiji because he is a man without
property without any 'self in him. That is what will bring popular ministries real
power. That is what will restore the confidence of the people. If you put this
plan before them, they will readily take it. You do not require much money for
it.
All that is required is to transform ourselves and get into this way of life. That
alone will bring us swaraj, economic swaraj, In that swaraj everyone will have
enough to eat.
First of all, in a poverty stricken land, everyone must have food and clothing.
That is why we should approach the problem from an agricultural point of view.
It is not a question of harnessing the patriotism of the people. It is a question

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