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

Economy of Permanence
nature works in cycles, the life of one unit forming the complement of another-
and how, if this cycle is broken, violence is generated accompanied by
destruction. The accepted standard of living, besides providing the opportunity
for the development of one's faculties and laying out the method of expressing
one's personality, should also form a link between the various members of
society whereby the better equipped help the less fortunately placed ones.
The British gardener's beds may be equipped with spring mattresses. These are
manufactured in factories with the labour of those who formerly, were helpers
in the gardener's household cleaning carpets and washing dishes-but were
displaced by labour-saving devices and drawn away by the factory owner by the
lure of a complex standard of life. Such mattresses are made of steel springs
which are themselves factory products. If any part of the mattress requires
attention the factory's 'service squad' will have to be called. There is no organic
unity between the life of the people and the production of such a mattress.
Our Dewan, leading a high but simple life, may sleep on a mat, not necessarily
a coarse one. It may well be a 'Patumadai' creation with silk warp and made of
reeds split into thirytows or even finer. Those mats are cooler than quilts or
mattresses and they are local products. The making of these provides scope for
the matweavers to develop their sense of art and skill in workmanship and
affords an outlet for their creative faculty; thus it helps in building and
expressing their personality. These mats have various artistic designs worked
into them and are so supple that they can be folded like silk. They are clean
being washable. Of course, the high quality ones are expensive. Mats may range
from 8 annas a pair to Rs. 200 each according to the material used and
workmanship involved. What the Dewan may spend on these will go directly to
support and maintain the artisans and their families and so forms a complete
cycle with the locally available reeds which constitute the raw materials. Such
an economy does not require the Army, the Navy and the Air Force to secure
their raw materials, find or make the markets and to keep the long ocean lanes
open and safe. Hence, they have no need of violence, as would be the case if
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