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

Economy of Permanence
evaporates and goes out of the system as moisture in our breathing and also as
perspiration through the action of the skin, which last helps to regulate the
temperature of the body. This drying up of the blood is signalled by the feeling
of thirst, to quench which a copious in-take of pure, clean water is vital to life,
not only as a means of transporting nourishment to the different parts of the
body, but also as a cleaning agent of blood, to wash out the impurities in it
through the passing out of urine and to air-condition the system with the aid of
the skin.
By the wrong use of will, man displaces this natural function by allaying his
thirst with intoxicating liquors which introduce various poisons into the system.
These deaden the nervous mechanism and retard mental powers and finally
become an inpediment to sound health. This habit often brings dishonour to the
individual and spells ruin to the family. Alcoholism is the root cause of many
evils and vices found in modern society.
Smell: Similarly, the sense of which directs the animal to its food, is put to
wrong use by inhaling tobacco or taking snuff which, though for the moment
may seem to soothe and stimulate, have harmful after effects on the heart and
brain.
Sex: Perhaps the strongest of all urges to activity in animal life arises out of
the natural mating instinct to ensure reproduction and continuity of the
species. Most birds and some animals too, not only centre their colourful,
emotional life round this instinct, but also pair off and live in harmony to put
forth a joint effort to rear their young ones. In all cases the male and female
come together in nature, at certain seasons only, for the sole purpose of
reproduction.
By the exercise of his will, man has fallen below brute beasts by putting his
physical sex equipment in the service of sensual pleasure, without any intent or
desire for progeny. Children, instead of being the only purpose of sexual
intercourse, have now become a by- product and in many cases, merely
unwanted' accidents of such relations. Nature wreaks her vengeance for this
departure from her ordinances by visiting the sinners with such dire diseases as
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Syphilis, Gonorrhoea etc. Not content with punishing the actual offenders,
Nature pursues even the innocent progeny of such transgressors from its path.
Imagination: Among all animals, the faculty to project thought into unseen
spheres, through the capacity to imagine and to produce art would appear to
be peculiar to man. Instead of exercising this faculty in the natural way, man
calls in the aid of stimulants and narcotics like opium, morphia, bhang etc, to
cause artificial exhilaration for a time. This drug habit, also like alcoholism,
renders the votary unfit for any work and finally brings ruin to the victim and
his dependents.
The Creative Faculty: Man comes nearest to his God, the creator, when he
utilizes his brain power to marshal mechanical forces to serve his purposes. To
do so in a way that will bring blessing and not destruction, he has to follow
closely nature's way to get the best out of it. We cannot get the co-operation of
nature purely on our own terms. Any attempt to do so will bring violent
destruction in its wake.
The natural heat radiated from the sun evaporates sea water. Leaving behind
the salt, the fresh water vapour rises high up with the energy absorbed from
the sun, forming clouds and condenses into rain in the cold atmosphere above.
The rain water falling on the hills has much potential energy in it because of its
altitude, as the force of gravity of the earth will draw it down and the land
level will direct it back to the sea finally. While it is still on the way to the sea
as a river, man can, by his intelligence directed by his will, devise means of
harnessing its energy to do much work for him. Early on its course, he can build
a dam across the river and store up its potential energy and utilize it as, when
and where he needs it, by using simple watermills to grind flour etc., on the
spot as they do on the hilly tracts in our country, or by using giant mills convert
the energy of the flow of water into electricity which can be taken by cables to
places hundreds of miles away for lighting cities, towns and villages on the way
and for supplying power to work water-pumps, electric motors etc. After all
this, he can still use the outflow water directed through canals, using these as
highways for boats etc., and to irrigate his cultivated fields. In this way he can
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intercept the current and water of the river to bring wealth and happiness to
hundreds, without violence to nature.
This is a commendable use of his freewill so to condition his circumstances as
10 invite nature to cooperate with him to work out her purposes on her own
lines. She then blesses him with fuller and richer life.
On the other hand, man often uses his will to interrupt nature's working. He
strays from her paths for his own enjoyment without giving any consideration to
her laws. For instance, he may use machines to polish rice and wheat to make
these products look pearly white to gratify his ill-conceived and misdirected
aesthetic sense. In doing this, he upsets the balance of harmony in nature
which has carefully provided in a grain of cereal, the germ to afford
nourishment and a coating of bran to aid digestion. Both these essentials are
lost in the process of polishing. Nature punishes those who stray from her ways
by eating polished grains, by inflicting them with Beriberi disease which causes
much pain and death.
Similarly, nature blesses us with wholesome fresh fruits like apples, dates,
grapes etc. Instead of eating these as they are, man extracts the juice and
ferments it into crider, today, wine etc., to exhilarate him artificially. Here
again, as we have already noticed, nature deals heavily with those who try to
play pranks with' her in this way.
It is in pursuit of pleasure, and not in the fulfillment of nature, that man uses
his creative faculties in the manufacture of contraceptives to defeat her
provision for the preservation of the species. She comes down on him
relentlessly, for excess in this line ultimately leads not only to the loss of the
reproductive faculty but also to nervous disorders and derangement of mind.
It is needless to multiply instances of such mal-practices and deviations from
nature. Modern life is replete with them. Man, with his undoubted ability and
enterprise, is rushing headlong in pursuit of personal pleasure and momentary
and fleeting happiness, approaching, at an alarming speed, the precipice which
will be his end. In so far as all such misuses of his freewill lead to destruction,
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we enjoy a life that is transient. It is contrary to the enternal purposes of
nature and ultimately brings violence to the permanent order of things.
The noblest faculty man possesses in excelsus is his capacity for love and to
express it in the form of selfless service to his fellows. We see just a glimpse of
it in the mother love of nature. In thus serving his fellow beings, he functions in
the highest aspect of his life and brings the divine spark to earth. He dedicates
his surplus energy and transforms it into the well-being and happiness of those
in need of such help and services.
By the misuse of will even this faculty is diverted from the permanent blessed
way of love into one of selfishness and greed, being transformed into love of
material possessions. His surplus energy is stored up for selfish considerations
as accumulated wealth, This will be destrimental to the owner when he gives
himself IV to enjoyment and luxurious living; and such riches, when be-
queathed, often are the causes of conflict between brothers and not
infrequently are the instruments of sending his descendents to ruin.
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VI. STAGES OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT-INDIVIDUALS
We have considered in an earlier chapter the various types of economies that
are found among sentient creatures, both in the vegetable and animal
kingdoms. In this chapter, we shall apply those tests and consideration with
special reference to man and see how and where he fits in.
As all other creatures are committed to a set form of life by the guidance of
instinct, they cannot rise from one form of economy to another by their own
efforts. Their mode of life, from birth to death, falls within a fixed pattern. A
member of the parasitic group remain a parsite all it life. It cannot help itself.
A leopard can no more change its nature than its spots. It perforce has to prey
on other creature or die. It is not responsible for the mode of life it leads. It is
impossible for it to advance into either the Economy of Enterprise or that of
Gregation.
As we have already noticed, man is distinguished by the gift of freewill, and,
how, by the exercise of it, he can change his environment and circumstances
with the help of the intelligence he is endowed with. Herein lies the difference
between man and the other orders.
A dacoit or robber, who belongs to the parasitic economy, may by changing his
mode of life, become less violent and set himself up as an absentee landlord
who gets his rent without any personal contribution or labour, thus rising into
the next higher Economy of Predation.
Or, he may decide to make an honest living as an agriculturist or as an artisan,
putting forth his own effort and making a livelihood by the sweat of his brow.
He would then have climbed into the third type-the Economy of Enterprise.
He may become a responsible member of a Hindu joint family, working for the
dependent member and sharing the income he enjoys with all the members. He
would have then reached the Economy of Gregation.
By developing a deep love for his fellowmen, he may be transformed into a
national worker, spending his best efforts in a noble cause, leading a simple
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and frugal life. He would now attain a position in the highest type-the Economy
of Service.
All this is within the range of possibility provided the needed self-control and
discipline is forthcoming, and the individual submits himself to the law of his
being and steers his will power so as to attain that which is highest.
It will be convenient to summarize here the peculiar characteristics of the
various economies as they may apply to⁴ man.
Parasitic Economy: Leading type-a robber who murders a child for its
ornaments.

1. Selfishness motivated by greed.
2. Intention: benefiting himself regardless of any injury his actions may
   cause to others.
3. Harming, if not destroying, the source of benefit.
4. Emphasis wholly on one's own rights.
5. Absence of recognition of one's duties.
6. Absence of altruistic values.
7. Productive of violence.
   Chief Test: Destruction of source of benefit.
   Predatory Economy: Leading type-a pickpocket who robs his victim without
   making him aware of his loss.
8. Selfishness motivated by desires.
9. Intent on his own benefit and attempts to attain it, if possible without
   much harm to his victim.
10. Emphasis wholly on rights.
11. Little or no recognition of one's duties.
12. Absence of altruistic values.
13. Productive of violence.
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Chief Test: Benefit without contribution.
Economy of Enterprise: Leading type-an agriculturist ploughs the land,
manures and irrigates it, sows selected seeds, watches over the crop and then
reaps and enjoys his harvest.

1. Motivated by enlightened self-interest and ambition.
2. His sense of self-respect demands his contributing his personal labour,
   thought and effort, taking only the benefit so occasioned.
3. Venturesomeness and a willingness to take risks.
4. A desire to benefit co-workers, and others too, if possible.
5. An attempt at a balance of rights of all.
6. An increasing recognition of duties to others.
7. Based on sense of justice and fairplay.
8. May occasion violence.
   Chief Test: Benefit and contribution correlated, with a readiness to take risk.
   Economy of Gregation: Leading type-a member of joint family working for the
   good of the family as a whole. A village punchayat or a Co-operative Society
   working for the group it represents.
9. Motivated not by individual self-interest but by the common interests of
   the group.
10. Submission to the will of group leading perhaps to even self-abnegation
    and sacrifice of personal interests.
11. Emphasis on the duties to the group.
12. One's contribution being regarded more important than one's share of
    benefit.
13. Based on altruistic values.
14. May lead to violence to those outside the group.
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DEVI
BANK
Financiers living in luxury without producing wealth
Working of public utilities like Hydro-Electric generating station
Giving water to a thirsty way-farer without expecting a reward
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Chief Test: Benefit to the group rather than to individual member.
Economy of Service: Leading type-a relief worker.

1. Motivated by the good of others even if the work be seemingly
   detrimental to self-interest.
2. Pressing forward to perform one's duties unconscious of one's rights.
3. Based on love and deep desire to serve without reward.
4. Brings non-violence and peace and makes for permanence.
   Chief Test: Contribution without regard to any benefit received by the worker.
   In every group of human beings community or nation, we come across
   individuals that fall into these various economies. In our own land, the ancient
   Varnashram Dharma was based on a recognition of these types. The Sudras,
   who are happy to serve as long as their animal are met and are assured of an
   even course of life, comprise the first two types. The adventurous Vaishyas are
   of the Economy of Enterprise. The Patriotic Kshatriyas, whose one absorbing
   care is the welfare of the State, constituted the Economy of Gregation. Those,
   who were to render selfless service to the community and hold high the ideals
   of the people with no material benefit to themselves, were the propertyless
   Brahmins forming the highest group.
   Modern caste system has fallen far away from these original ideals to such an
   extent that it is difficult indeed to identify the original qualities of the groups
   designated now by the same old name or title. A so-called Brahmin of today
   may be a Judge of the High Court or a member of the I.C.S. cadre working for
   the princely salary he is gaid. However conscientions or efficient he may be,
   such a person, in so far as he receives material benefit with a permanency of
   tenure of office with no risks, is by function definitely a Sudra of the old
   category. If he is an industrial magnate he is a Vaishya. A selfless political
   leader, possessed by the ideal of freedom for his people, like Lokmanya Tilak,
   regardless of cost, is a Kshatriya par excellence. One, who pursues an ideal
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ardently regardless of consequences or results, emphasizing the purity of the
mean used, rather than merely the attainment of the end, like Gandhiji, may
be termed a real Brahmin.
Possibly, to meet the conditions then prevailing, the framers of the Varnashram
Dharma made it hereditary, thus rendering it rigid. The exercise of the freewill
of the individual in the choice of a profession or calling was strictly limited and
curbed by the accident of his birth. Hence it is that it has become a total misfit
in the modern world with its fluidity of employment and occupations, mobility
of labour force, rapidity of communications, facilities for acquiring skill and
technique of work and universality of education. Whatever conditions may
exist, the functional grouping will always hold. Every encouragement needs to
be given to those of a lower order who endeavour to rise to a higher stage.
The types we have considered are not always as distinct as would appear from
our treatment of them. Even the self-same individual may, at various times,
function differently according to the nature of the motive that impels him to
act of the moment. The general classification will depend upon the balance of
his actions and the goal of life which determines his philosophy and outlook.
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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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In ancient days, the Greek and Roman Empires, which owed their grandeur to
the tributes of other peoples and were based on a system of slavery were
parasitic.
At the present time, all national organizations that depend upon colonial
production or on exploited labour are Parasitic. The British Opium Trade with
China, the British Slave Traffic with Southern States of America, King Leopold's
exploitation of the West African Estates, and the dependence of British manu-
factures on Indian markets are parasitic in that they spell ruin to their victims.
There are others who are like the monkey, which enjoys the fruits to produce
which it has done nothing. But still, it does not injure the tree that yields the
fruit but leaves it unharmed so that it may produce some more. The monkey is
predatory.
In ancient history, there were men like Nadir Shah, who plundered temples and
carried away surplus idle wealth but did not affect the wealth producing
capacity of the citizens. Their raids were predatory.
Modern financiers of New York, who hold the South American republics in
tribute, are of this type. Shareholders of present day joint stock companies,
who draw their dividends without contributing any personal effort in
production, are also predatory. They share in the benefit but do not help in the
working. Similarly, the great cartels, trusts and combines, which through
monopolistic control, get a greater share of benefit in proportion to their
contribution, are largely predatory.
The Modern or Human Stage: The former stage was based on a purely self-
centred outlook and on rights. This human stage shows sign of recognition of
one's duties and often there is an attempt to balance rights with duties. Nations
in this stage strive to be content with the fruits of their own labour without
injuring their neighbour. Agricultural civilizations of India and China, supported
largely by artisans pursuing their vocations peacefully for profit, are typical of
this group of enterprise.
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The Islamic culture, with its ethnical solidarity and unity, where there is no
distinction of colour, White, Black, Red, Brown or Yellow, nor of estate-prince
or peasant, is definitely of the Gregarious type. The recent acquisitions to this
group are the Nazis and Fascists. These are highly group-conscious, though of a
violent type, especially to those outside their circle. Nevertheless, they are
gregarious in character and have developed a high sense of duty to their own
people. Every member of the group merges his individuality in the general
interests of the whole body or organization.
The Advanced or the Spiritual State: Here the sense of duty, not only to those
of the group, but to all creatures, pervades the whole atmosphere. Most
religions are levers to attain this stage. They all advocate love of our
neighbours and service of the needy. They also point out how man, when he
deviates from God's ways, sins and comes under judgement. They warn people
of the allurements of desire and of the danger of exercising our will to subserve
wordly pleasures of the passing moment. As yet we have not evolved any large
social group which can be cited as an example of this order. Though the ancient
conception of the Brahmins was an approach to this stage, yet, the modern
sect, so called, is far away from the ideal.
It is this stage as a goal that Gandhiji is pressing forward to with all his might
and main. The institutions he has sponsored such as the All India Spinners'
Association, The AM India Village Industries Association etc., are examples of
his practical attempts to translate his ideals into action. If he succeeds, a non-
violent Economy of Permanence would have been established ushering in a
civilization of lasting peace or Ram Raj or Kingdom of God on earth.
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NATURE
Transient-Destructive Permanent-Creative
Based on rights, with the Based on duties and altruistic
absence of Altruistic Values values
All creatures including man Caltured man
Parasitic Economy of Economy of Economy of Economy of Economy of
Economy Predition Enterprise Gregation Gregation Service
No contribu- No contribu- No contribu- Contribution in excess of Contribution
tion tion, or tion and share without any
share in share thought of
Harm to excess of benefit
source of contribution
benefaction
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VIII. SCALES OF VALUES
We appraise various things by comparing them with certain known or well
recognized standards. There are also different methods of measuring various
kinds of goods; we reckon some by number, others by weight, quantity or
length and so on., Solids like wheat, gur, iron are measured by weight-tons,
maunds, etc.; wood or timber as so many cubic feet; bamboos by their number,
cloth by the yard, paper by the ream; bidis or cigarettes by katas or packets,
while liquids like oil are measured by the seer and kerosene oil, ink etc. by the
number of containers, as so many bottles. Each standard has its unit accurately
defined and the articles to which they are applied are also well known and
accepted. Nobody will go into a shop and order a thousand grains of wheat!
Nature of Approach: In so far we judge things in relation to ourselves we say it
is self-centred and when measured against an external or abstract ideal and in
relation to others it is said to be altruistic. Most animals also judge for
themselves but their considerations are always self-centred i.e., in regard to
the immediate use of a thing for themselves. They do not have altruistic
valuations. Similarly, primitive man also has not much use for altruistic values.
It is the cultured or more advanced man that can take a detached view of
things. In fact, we may well say that a man is known by the standard of value
he uses.
INDIVIDUAL OR SELF-CENTRED VALUES
Types of Values: In all walks of life we are constantly called upon to judge men
and things. We state that the water from a well is fresh and pure; we may
declare a flower to be beautiful and we may pronounce a pertain person's
conduct as noble and good. These decisions all indicate certain standards
behind them. When a man is known to judge correctly always, we hold him to
be a man of discernment— that is, he uses appropriate and accurate standards
of value. We may group these standards as physical or material, mental or
cultural and spiritual standards.
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A merchant will value articles by the profit they will fetch in his trade. A
worker, living on the margin of subsistence, will look at things from the use to
which he can put them to satisfy his crying needs— food, clothing and shelter.
An artist will have an eye for beauty.
Valuation based on Time, Fame, Acquisitiveness etc.: The guide at the Cairo
Museum values everything from the point of view of time. He will tell the
tourist that this Mummy of Tutakhamen is so many thousands of years old, and
that of Ramseys belongs to a period so many millenia before Christ. He will
fondly expect his visitors to be highly impressed by the age of things.
At Rome or Florence, the guide will point out frescoes, mural paintings etc. by
the masters like Michael Angelo or Ruebons and the visitor will have to accept
that as a stamp of excellence.
The Parisians pride themselves as being fine connoisseurs of the beautiful
gardens, buildings, art and literature.
The visitor to the British Museum will be introduced to varieties of exhibits
brought from China, India, Persia or Peru and will have to be greatly impressed
by the world wide acquisitiveness of the British.
As one cranes up one's neck from the bottom of the streets of New York to see
the upper end of buildings touching the sky, the megaphone will declare the
cost of each building in terms of millions of dollars. The impecunious foreigner
will be struck dumb, not at the hoary past, nor at the renowned architect nor
at the beauty or rarity of the exhibit but at the display of colossal wealth.
No one standard is applied exclusively in any one case but the main emphasis is
shown by the special importance attached to the particular standard employed.
The pilgrim to the Taj Mahal does not wax eloquent over the quality of marble
used. Are there not better marbles at Carrara? The name of the architect may
not even be known to him. The age of the noble edifice is not awe- inspiring;
but it is the general effect, the sight of the building in its setting, which
creates on one an impression that is noteworthy, and calls forth spontaneous
admiration without anyone having to recite laboriously its various high points.
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Here we have given illustrations of many standards of values based on different
considerations other than the material instrinsic value, like that of a gold-ring
set with diamonds, exhibited for sale in the show case of a merchant. A picture
by notable artist does not owe its value to the cost of materials- canvass and
paint—which have gone into the making of it. Even an old, worn out shoe that
belonged to a father or mother may be treasured by a fond son or daughter.
This may not represent any marketable value but still it has a value all its own
to the particular person.
In individual or self-centred values there may be no uniformity of intensity with
which a thing may be desired. The value of a thing may differ between persons.
Even a universal article, standardized like money, will not necessarily represent
equality in satisfaction. A rupee in the hands of a farmer may represent one
day's food for his family. The same rupee, with a clerk in a city, may be the
satisfaction of seeing a cinema show. While in the hands of a richman it may
only mean a tip to a waiter or to a taxi driver. From this it may be inferred that
the mere transfer of a rupee from a rich man to a farmer or poorer person will
of itself enhance the satisfaction it is capable of affording. And conversely, a
rupee taken from a poor man and passed on to a richer man reduces the
satisfaction it can give.
Even in the hands of the same individual a thing does not always represent the
same value. A boy may have seven jilabis. Each jilabi may be equal in weight
and contents, yet the satisfaction one jilabi will bring will not be the same as
another. He will eat the first jilabi with much relish. The next one or two he
will still enjoy. Then with each additional jilabi eaten, the desire for more will
diminish until it reaches a point where it will be nauseating to think of having
any more. So the value of a jilabi to the boy goes on decreasing as the number
consumed increases. This is the same phenomenon we noticed with the rich
man's rupee. The more he has the less value a unit will represent.
Now, when a boy has eaten say 6 jilabi and his desire for more has decreased
while his thirst for water has increased, he would gladly swop the seventh jilabi
for a glass of water with another boy who may have a profit of it. That glass of
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water will represent greater satisfaction to him than the seventh jilabi, while
to the second boy that jilabi, which is first to him and seventh to the other,
will bring much relish. The exchange of goods — the seventh jilabi for a glass of
water— brings more satisfaction, profit or gain to both the boys, and if we can
measure the happiness the two boys had before and after the transaction, we
shall find that though the sum total of goods with both the boys remains the
same, yet the aggregate happiness after the exchange is much greater than
before it. This is the basis of all trade. Both the buyer and seller gain mutually.
Nobody's loss should be another's gain.
ALTRUISTIC AND OBJECTIVE STANDARDS
Human Values: Because of the confusion money exchange causes we find
ourselves in many anomalous situations. Our economic system gets a lopsided
development. Our lands are being shifted from food cultivation to the
production of raw materials for mills. People are starving due to the shortage
of rice, while rice lands are made to produce oil for soap-making. In several
Malabar villages paddy lands acreage has been reduced by 20 per cent and
coconut groves have been planted in those fields. These coconuts are sent to
the mills for soap-making. Virtually therefore, rice lands have been turned into
'Soap-producing lands' while the poor people are facing starvation and
malnutrition. The existence of such a state of affairs proves that money values
are not dependable scales of human need.
An economy that is based purely on monetary or material standards of value,
does not take in a realisitc perspective in Time and Space. This shortcoming
leads to a blind alley of violence and destruction from which there is no
escape. The more advanced in culture a person becomes, the less will he be
guided by such short-sighted perishable standards of value. To lead to any de-
gree of permanence, the standard of value itself must be based on something
apart from the person valuing, who is after all perishable. Such a basis,
detached and independent of personal feelings, controlled by ideals which have
their roots in the permanent order of things, are objective and so are true and
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reliable guides. An economy, based on such values, will be a prerequisite to the
achievement of permanence.
Moral Values: An individual, who follows a moral code, applies standards which
have no material basis. A robber murders a child, takes away its necklace and
offers it for sale. Who will care to buy that necklace knowing the history behind
it that ornament represents, not merely so many tolas of gold, but the blood of
the innocent child. No one who abhors the murder of a child would wish to
possess that article, however cheaply it may be offered.
Similarly, moral values are always attached to every article exposed for sale in
the market. We cannot ignore such values and say 'business is business'. Goods
produced under conditions of slavery or exploited labour, are stained with the
guilt of oppression. Those of us who purchase such goods become parties to the
existence of the evil conditions under which those goods were made. Hence,
there is a grave responsibility resting on every one who enters into commercial
transactions, even though it may be only to the extent of a pice, to see to it
that he does not become party to circumstances that he would not consciously
advocate nor would care to stand by.
Ignoring moral considerations and giving free play to greed, selfishness and
jealousy have been fruitful sources of global upheavals. After the first world
war the 'Conquerors' unburdened Germany of her colonies and claimed
separations to compensate for the war damages.
Once again Germany has been vanquished along with Japan. Their patents,
dismantled industrial equipments etc., are being pooled by the allied countries.
Our country also has been dragged into this sharing of the booty. Thus are our
hands stained with the blood of this war and we are guilty sharers of the injus-
tice and cruelty attendant on the doings of imperialist nations. Can such
transactions ever form the basis of an 'Economy of Permanence'?
Social Standards: Society itself can value the benefit it receives. It
acknowledges such values in the form of the status it confers on different
services rendered to it by individuals or classes.
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Economy of Permanence
For instance, the respect attached of old to the four castes is based on
considerations of services to society. A Sudra, who thinks of no one but himself
and works to satisfy his own personal needs, is given hardly any public
recognition. The Vaishya also, who ventures out to accumulate material wealth
for himself, but in the course of doing so does render some service incidentally,
fares little better, though he is allotted a slightly higher position. The
Kshatriya, who is much concerned with the protection of the people committed
to his charge and values his life less than the honour of duty done, is assigned a
noble status. While at the feet of the Brahmin, who pursues an ideal for itself,
regardless of the cost to his physical existence, all including even royal princes
prostrate themselves. This is a cultural standard of values attained in our land
thousands of years ago; unfortunately, at present, these standards have been
eclipsed by the glare of material wealth which is blinding but transient. We
have to strain every nerve to get back to the noble ideals bequeathed to us and
the following of which alone will lead to permanence.
Spiritual Appraisal: There is an incident recorded of how once King David, one
of the greatest rulers of the Jews, was arrayed against his formidable enemies,
the Philistines— whose armies had encamped between him and city,
Bethlehem. From his camp the King could see the well outside Bethlehem
beyond the enemy camp. The King in a sentimental mood exclaimed "Oh, for a
drink of cold water from that well." Some of the valiant soldiers, who heard
this wish of the King, set out to fulfill the royal desire literally. They risked
their lives through the enemy camp, reached the well, and brought back to the
King a pot of water from that well and placed it before him. The king was much
touched by the devotion and loyalty of the soldiers who placed such little value
on their own lives and ventured forth to satisfy the passing wish of their King.
The spiritual eye of the King saw in that pot* not pure cold water, but the life
blood of the men who had gone to procure it. He picked up the pot and being
much moved said, "How can I drink this? It contains not water but the blood of
my beloved soldiers? If I drink it, it will be a curse to me. I pour it out to God as
their sacrifice and noble offering."
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