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

Economy of Permanence
economy, serving only the selfish interest of a few who controlled its
machinery. Therefore, it also failed to secure permanence and non-violence for
humanity at large.
Proper planning of life is imperative. To be successful the objective of the plan
recommended must be universal and be in complete alignment with the eternal
order of things. It should not be a convenient attempt (such as the one we
noticed in the last House) to foist standardized methods of life on others, with
the purpose of disposing of the products of centralized factories,, nor should it
be such as to kill individual expressions of personality.
In our land, the field of work for those in this House is immense. The villages
are in dire need of those who will organize their activities so as to make life
possible. Today, they fare worse than the jungle animals, which at least obtain
sufficient nourishment for healthy and active life. The social and economic
environment is such as to kill all initiative. It will be the function of those of
this House to plan out the lives of the helpless masses so as to afford them the
chance of leading a human life rich in it. Possibilities for self-expression.
Planning to this end implies the formulation of a norm towards which we should
work. If the norm is well-conceived it will afford free play to all creative
faculties of every member of society. Whether the norm is a proper one or not
can be judged by the effect any change in it causes. The natural norm can nei-
ther be raise nor lowered within the short span of life. Any such deviation will
cause pathological conditions. Nature has designed the wonderful human
system through millions of years. No scientist can equip a laboratory so simple
and yet so efficient as the digestive system we possess. No engineer has yet
devised a self- acting and self-regulating pump as the heart. Whether wireless
or otherwise, no Morconi has designed a system of communications as perfect
as our nervous system. The normal working of this body and mind cannot be
altered or designed afresh by ignorant man. Hence, it will be futile for any
mortal individual to attempt to change the course of life as he wishes it. All
that can be done is to co-operate with nature and arrange to maintain the
environment in such a form as will guarantee its working at its best. This stage
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