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

Economy of Permanence
VII. STAGES OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (Contd.)-
GROUPS OR NATIONS
Just as an individual can pass from one type of economy into another, so also a
group of individuals, or even the human race as a whole, can advance
collectively from one type of economy to another, emphasizing in its collective
life the peculiar characteristics of the economy to which it belongs. Therefore,
it is possible to determine what stage of human development a certain group or
nation has attained by examining the traits that its collective life and its
relationship to other groups or nations discloses.
For the purposes of our analysis we may divide the devious route civlization has
followed into three stages-the primitive or the animal stage, the modern or the
human stage, and the advanced or spiritual stage, With reference to five types
of economies we previously considered, it may be taken generally that the first
two types of economies, viz. the 'Parasitic' and the 'Predatory' characterize the
primitive or animal stage of civilization, the next two, viz. that of 'Enterprise'
and 'Gregation' indicate the modern or human stage and the last, viz. that of
'Service' the advanced or the spiritual stage. The first is definitely transient,
and violent, the second also is transient with a large element of violence,
although with a growing desire for permanency and nonviolence, while the last
makes for peace, permanence and nonviolence.
The Primitive or the Animal Stage: Those in this group may be parasitic in
their relations to other groups or nations. A parasite does not consider the
rights of others or how it comes by what it needs, pr what results follow from
its actions. Amongst animals, a tiger does not sit down and weigh the emotions
of the lamb it is about to pounce upon. It is only intent on appeasing its own
hunger for the moment. Similarly the hunter or fisher, without any pangs of
conscience, kills his game or catch to satisfy his immediate need. In the same
manner, any national economy, that depends for its existence on the injury or
ruin of another group, is parasitic in its very nature.
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