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

Economy of Permanence
I. NATURE
There are certain things found in Nature which apparently have no life and do
not grow or increase, and so get exhausted or consumed by being used. The
world possesses a certain stock or reservoir of such materials as coal,
petroleum, ores or minerals like iron, copper, gold etc. These being available in
fixed quantities, may be said to be 'transient' while the current of overflowing
water in a river or the constantly growing timber of a forest may be considered
'permanent' as their stock is inexhaustible in the service of man when only the
flow or increase is taken advantage of.
In animate life, the secret of nature's permanency lies in the cycle of life by
which the various factors function in close cooperation to maintain the
continuity of life. A grain of wheat falls from the parent plant. It gets buried in
the earth, sends out roots into the soil and through them absorbs nutritive
elements with the aid of moisture and the heat of the sun. It sprouts up into a
plant by this process. The plant shoots out leaves which help to gather
nourishment from the air and light, as the roots do from the soil. When some of
these leaves 'die' they fall to the ground and are split up or decomposed into
the various elements which the parent plant had absorbed from the soil, air,
and light. This is again used to nourish the next generation of plants. The bees
etc. while gathering the nectar and pollen from these plants for their own
good, fertilize the flowers and the grains, that are formed in consequence,
again become the source of life of the next generation of plants. When ready,
this seed falls to the ground and comes to life with the help of the soil that has
already been enriched by fallen leaves of the previous generation of plants.
Thus a fresh cycle of life begins once again. In this manner, life in nature goes
on, and as long as there is no break in this cycle, the work in nature continues
endlessly, making nature permanent.
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II. WORK AND WAGES IN NATURE
'Work' in nature consists in the effort put forth by the various factors-insentient
and sentient-which cooperate to complete this cycle of life. If this cycle is
broken, at any stage, at any time, consciously or unconsciously, violence results
as a consequence of such a break. When violence intervenes in this way, growth
or progress is stopped, ending finally in destruction and waste. Nature is
unforgiving and ruthless. Therefore, self-interest and self- preservation demand
complete non-violence, co-operation and submission to the ways of nature if
we are to maintain permanency by non-interference with and by not short-
circuiting the cycle of life.
Even sentient creatures have to fall in line and function properly in their own
sphere if they are to exist. An earthworm by its movements in the earth, loose
is the soil allowing it to absorb air and water. When it feed on the earth
containing vegetable matter, it thoroughly mixes the various constituent parts
in its stomach and throws out a well prepared and fertilized soil- -worm casts-
from which plants can draw their own nutriment easily. ¹Here is a sample of the
form of vital co-operation eristing between soil, plant and animal life similar to
the one where bees and butterflies fertilize the flowers of plants.
In return for such services or 'work' done, the worker unit gets its feed. In this
way nature pays its wages honestly in the form of food and nourishment in
return for every benefit received by her in obtaining cooperation and bringing
about co-ordination of the manifold factors-inanimate and animate-in air, land
and water.
The life in the vegetable kingdom is immobile. The seeds can only fall directly
below, near the parent plant or tree. If all seeds fall and germinate around the
parent plant it will create a suffocating congestion. It is necessary to broadcast
the seed further afield. To do this, nature commandeers the services of birds,
animals etc. Here the mobile creature performs a special function. A bird may
eat the fruit of a plant and pass out the seed, perhaps miles away. It does this
co-ordinating work as a part of its own existence and not as an obligation to
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anybody. It eats to satisfy its own hunger. While performing its own primary
function it fulfills its role in the cycle of life.
In this manner nature enlists and ensures the co-operation of all its units, each
working for itself and in the process helping other units to get along their own
too-the mobile helping the immobile, and the sentient the insentient. Thus all
nature is dovetailed together in a common cause. Nothing exists for itself.
When this works out harmoniously and violence does not break the chain, we
have an economy of permanence.
A bird living on other creatues
Birds feeding on ears of corn which they have done nothing to cultivate
TYPES OF ECONOMIES IN NATURE
A bird using a nest built by its own effort
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III. TYPES OF ECONOMIES IN NATURE
This complete non-violent co-operation between the various units is not always
present in all forms of life. Some units, instead of passing through the different
stages in nature drawing their sustenance from the elements and insentient
creatures, short- circuit the long process by preying on their fellow creatures.
Here too, violence interposes with its accompaniment of destruction.

1. Parasitic Economy: Some plants live on others and become parasites. Often
   the host tree, or plant, dies in consequence of all the nourishment drawn by
   its roots not reaching its various parts, as it is robbed on the way by the
   parasitic growth. This also leads to violence and death. Among the animals,
   the sheep eats grass and drinks water and exists non-violently, while the
   tiger short-circuits the process of nature by feeding on the sheep, drinking
   its blood, introducing violence and basing its whole existence on it. Here
   violence becomes an essential part of the life of the tiger.
2. Predatory Economy: When a unit in nature benefits itself without
   conferring a corresponding advantage to another unit it is said to be
   predatory. A monkey comes into a mango grove, to the existence of which it
   has not contributed anything by either digging, planting or watering, but
   enjoys the fruits on the trees. It acts in self-interest but without a
   contribution. This form of economy may be less violent than the previous
   one, but nevertheless, it is destructive.
3. Economy of Enterprise: Some creatures take what they need while
   performing some distinct service to the unit from which they derive their
   benefit, and while thus contributing to the product, they take something
   that is of their own effort and making. In the case of the honey bees, they
   fertilize the flowers from which they gather the nectar and pollen, and
   convert the nectar into honey, and store these products in combs built by
   themselves with wax produced out of their secretion. These creatures are
   not parasitic as they help the unit from which they draw benefit instead of
   killing it. They are also not predatory as they contribute their own share and
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effort in the obtaining of the product. They benefit by their own enterprise-
instinctive though it may be. They are active constructive units.
4. Economy of Gregation: Incidentally, it may be observed, that the honey
bees do not work for their own respective individual gains but for the
common benefit of the whole colony. Here is an extension from self-interest
to group-interest and from acting on the immediate urge of present needs to
planning for future requirements.
A honey bee collecting food, not for
itself, but for the whole colony
The mother bird feeding its young ones,
without expecting a reward
5. Economy of Service: The highest form of economy in nature is the economy
of service, This is the best seen in the relation between the young one and
the parent. The mother bird will scour the jungle to feed its young one and
risk its life in defending the young from its enemies. It functions neither for
its present need nor for its personal future requirement, but projects its
activities into the next generation, or generations to come, without looking
for any reward. Because of its mother love, it contributes disinterestedly,
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without desire to benefit personally. This comes nearest to what may be
called a non-violent economy of permanence.
These pure forms are set out in this chapter in the increasing order of
permanence and non-violence.
Out of these five simple forms of economies many more complex types can be
obtained by permutations and combinations.
A robber killing a child for its necklace
A pickpocket at work
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SECTION TWO
MAN-THE INDIVIDUAL
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IV. MAN AND FREEWILL
For the purpose of our study we need not go further into the economies of life
governing other orders in nature but confine ourselves to the life of the one
creature in the animal kingdom-Man-who has the ability either to make or mar
the orderly functioning of Nature. Though such interference as it may suffer
from him may be but transient, as Nature is mighty enough to hold its own
against man and ultimately have its own way, yet, from time to time, he does
upset its even working and cause a jar or jolt, like the present global war. By a
closer study, we may be able to find ways and means of co-operating more
satisfactorily with the order of the day in nature and thus be able to avoid
needless violence and contribute to greater happiness by consciously working
towards, if not attaining, an Economy of Permanence.
All other animals conform, more or less rigidly, to the laws of Nature. They do
not have much latitude for the exercise of their own 'Freewill'. They work under
the dictates of their instinct which tells them the way of Nature. Their path
through life is like that of railway train, the rails, like their instinct, guide the
direction and course of the trains. Without any further steering, if nothing
untoward happens, as long as the train is kept in motion, it is sure to reach its
destination travelling by night or day, through open country or forests, over hill
or dale.
As soon as a chicken bursts its way out of the egg-shell it runs about in search
of food and picks up grains that are good for its nourishment. When fed, it rests
under the winds of the mother bird, getting the needed warmth. It is naturally
aware of approaching danger and runs to shelter instantly. It never overeats
because the food may be palatable, nor goes in pursuit of pleasure to gratify its
senses. All such life is controlled by instinct and not conscious volition.
Animals that live close to nature seldom get ill and, even if they do suffer from
digestive disturbances occasionally, they eat certain .herbs by instinct which
set them right either by vomiting or purging.
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The main trouble with man arises out of the fact that he is endowed with a
'Freewill' and possesses a wide field for its play. By exercising this gift in the
proper way he can consciously bring about a much greater co-operation and co-
ordination of nature's units than any other living being. Conversly, by using it
wrongly he can create quite a disturbance in the economy of nature and in the
end destroy himself.
Instinct was compared to a railroad which unerringly guides the coaches on the
track, and does not allow them to stray from the path or course laid out for
them. On the other hand, the gift of 'Freewill' allows for freedom of movement.
But all movements are not with impunity. It is like being on a bicycle.
Theoretically the rider is free to go where he pleases. The steering gear-the
handle bar-is fully under his control. Nevertheless, his movements are
restricted by the limitations of the machine and the dictates of prudenec. He
cannot fly into the air, nor float over water. Even on land, he cannot go
everywhere. He has to restrict himself to the beaten path or road. If he tries to
go across ploughed fields he may be tossed over the bars by the front wheel
sticking in the rut or mud. If he tries to go over thorny weeds etc, the tyres will
be punctured. Hence, this theoretical freedom has its limitations and a wise
rider will keep within bounds. This conscious control of his movement requires
discipline and knowledge, without which the machine, which was intended to
help him, would be the means of bringing distress. A rider, who uses the known
road and travels by light of day, can attain a speed several times that of which
he is capable on foot.
In the same way, man can accomplish much more than the instinct-driven
animals if he disciplines himself to the use of his 'Freewill' to the proper sphere
and does not let his fancy run away with his desires and senses. He can be a
conscious agent of his own fate, moving either to success or to destruction by
following the light of day within him-his native intelligence combined with the
spark of the divine. If he does not do so, like the rider of the bicycle who
rushes in the dark or ventures over rough country, he will come to grief and will
have to pay the penalty for sinning against his conscience and against nature.
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Nature is faithful and submissive to those who respect her; but to those, who of
their own 'Freewill' choose to ignore her requirements, she is sterner than
justice and visits such transgressors with unrelenting punishments of violence
and death as areward for their sins. Instances of these we shall notice in the
next chapter.
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V. USE AND MISUSE OF FREEWILL
The life of man today is so complex that it is not possible, within the range of
this book, to take notice of all the activities resulting from the exercise of his
freewill. All that we can attempt is a limited consideration of a few outstanding
types, directly arising out of such primary needs as hunger, thirst etc., leaving
it to the reader to explore other instances coming within his ken, and to judge
for himself what is the proper use of freewill called for, and to what result its
improper use leads on each of those occasions.
Hunger: Let us take the highly urgent call-the most elemental instinct of
hunger. The physical body of an animal is like a machine. It requires fuel to
supply the necessary energy to run it, needs repairs and renewals to replace
wear and tear and to maintain it in working condition, and oil to lubricate its
various moving parts to lessen friction. These needs are indicated by the feeling
of hunger. The sense of smell and taste direct the animal to the things that will
satisfy the need and keep the body in sound working order.
Generally, all animals that lead a natural life follow their instincts. They eat to
live and are healthy. Man too can do likewise. But, unfortunately for him, in
many cases man uses* his freewill, not to appease his hunger but to pander to
his palate with overcooked and highly spiced savoury dishes. The enjoyment of
taste frequently makes him eat more than is necessary. He lives to eat. This
misuse of freewill to gratify his tongue is often the cause of most of the
ailments modern man is heir to. Over-eating not only taxes the digestive system
and causes irregularities, but, even nutritive food in excess of normal needs,
becomes injurious and even poisonous to the system and gives rise to all kinds
of disease resulting in much pain and probably in premature death.
Thirst: When food is digested, it is absorbed in liquid form. The nutritive
elements are carried by the blood stream to the regions where they are needed
and the waste from the body tissues etc., is also transported by it to the lungs,
where the waste matter is eliminated by being burnt up with the oxygen of the
air we breathe in. In the process, a good deal of the water of the blood
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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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