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

Economy of Permanence
X. LIFE IN GREGATION
Up to now we have discussed mainly life of an individual in connection with his
daily economic life. In this chapter we shall deal with man as a member of a
society leading a common life. We have been envisaging human life as part of
nature. Thus each man's life is but a passing phase in the existence of the
universe. In this setting our daily life also has to be reviewed.
The individual life of man may be a short range one if we look at his life as an
end in itself, but when it dovetails in the lives of others there are certain
limitations which arise. Man cannot act as he pleases. His movements have to
be restricted in consideration of the well being of others. Therefore the
personal habits of each individual, health and abode have a bearing on the
conditions prevailing in the environment.
With this end in view we shall have to lay out general lines on which people
should live in groups. In India many of our human abodes ate clusters of houses,
hamlets and huts which form our villages. The village life, therefore, has to be
studied from this aspect of common welfare.
To take one instance eats to replace the wastage in his body, to supply energy
and to provide vitality to protect him against diseases, etc. Out of the food the
body takes what it requires and returns to nature what is not assimilated. The
rejected element has to be so returned to nature as to enable nature to
assimilate it to itself and at the same time in such a manner as not to injure
other fellowmen. Thus there are two aspects to every one of these questions
and these will be touched upon in the following paragraphs.
In this chapter therefore, we shall be rapidly glancing over the various points
that should be attended to in regard to Sanitation, Health and Housing. And
then we shall pass on to consider the inter-relationship of man in villages which
should facilitate the formation of organized unit working smoothly on the socio-
political axis apart from the economic aspect that we have already considered.
These village units will form the basis of the self-governing nation. These will
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