Gandhian Perspective on “Convergence of Values : Spiritual, Political and Economic” |
- By M. P. Lele
Mahatma Gandhi has been described as a very unique
personality who combined saintliness with politics. His advocacy of
spiritualization of politics was not intended to mix politics with religion .It
was rather a passionate appeal for moralizing the culture and practice of
politics.
Although Gandhi’ popular image was that of a
statesman, who Successfully used non-violence as a tool in the struggle for his
political objective i.e., independence fir India, elementally Gandhi was a
humanist, who ventured through out his life to seek Truth as God.
Philosophically speaking, Gandhiji believed in
affirmation of the essential unity of all existence, the indivisibility of truth
and interrelation of truth and non violence. While the former was the end, the
letter was the means to achieve that, in whatever field i.e., social, economics
or political, he worked in the course of his life’s mission.
Gandhiji’s concept of religion transcends the
rigid framework of a sectarian approach. About religion he said that it binds
one in dissolutely to the Truth within and purifies actions. It is the personal
element in human nature, which leaves the soul restless until it has found
itself.
Gandhiji was a revolutionary in ever field that he
treaded. To the protagonists of pure religion, he advises, “Carry God to the
poor in a bowl of rice rather than a bundle of rice rather than a bundle of high
dogmas and logic”.
Religion provides the ethical framework for all
social and political actions if Gandhi. Whether It was Satyagraha (use of moral
force) for pressing political demands or his multi-faceted constructive
programmes like Hindu-Muslim unity, upliftment of the oppressed classes or his
emphasis on Swadeshi and Khadis, there was an underlying spiritual urge. Many of
his critics and even some of his closest colleagues felt that Gandhiji’s views
were utopian and antithetical to modernity. But as the dust settles down on his
historical agenda of political work, it is evident that as a practical person he
always tried to strike a balance between the political realities on the ground
and his moral ideological pursuits.
About his vision of India as an independent
nation, Mahatma Gandhi said:
"My notion of Poorna Swaraj is not isolated
independence but a healthy and disciplined inter- dependence between nations. My
nationalism is not exclusive, nor designed to harm any other nation. It is
rather to promote international cooperation. About party politics as a social
instrument, Gandhiji was very skeptic.
He wrote," Today politics pushes the individual
into immoral and anti-social conduct. Mutual distrust and enmity result in to
Conflicts and wars, which unleash the basest of human passions even under the
moral guise such as – patriotism, bravery, self sacrifice and altruism. For
Saryagarha (use of moral force). Gandhiji put four essential requirements:
1. Faith and regard for truth
2. Strict adherence to non-violence
3. Purity of means, as the end and means are
inter- convertible terms
4. Fearlessness (Abhaya) where pain is
voluntarily borne by Satyagrahi.
Although Gandhiji's basic ideas on Economics were
rooted in the oriental spiritual traditions of 'Aparigraha' (spirit of non-
possession) and 'Sanyamare' (restraint in consumption), his ideas on economics
got crystallized as he went on analyzing the cause of the plight and poverty of
poor nations like India, who had suffered due to the exploitative policies of
capitalist and colonial powers.Gandhiji's view on economics reflect the common
man's perception about his well-being.
Modern Economics has taken its shape after the
industrial revolution in the later part of the 18thCentury. The resultant craze
for material progress put forth the Growth Oriented Development model. Today,
economic growth has standard measure of power, strength and virtue at all levels
i.e.; individual n national and international. The IMF and World Bank and their
multi-faceted arms working in forums like WTO etc. are trying to impress upon
nations that they should accelerate their growth rate in order to integrate
themselves into the process of globalization, despite the fact that it has
brought about ecological imbalances, environmental problems and increasing
disparity of economic well-being among nations.
Today in retrospect, Gandhiji appears to be
prophetic in out rightly rejecting the growth model of economic development. In
Hind Swaraj, his first exposition on the contemporary issues in the early 20th
century, Mahatma Gandhi severely criticized the western model of development
and its resultant civilization. He labeled it as "Satanic", calling it a product
of Dark Age, "Kailyuga" of Indian mythology. Gandhiji said that this
civilization is enslaving men by offering temptation of money and the luxuries
as its fruit. Alternatively, Gandhiji propounded the model of "SARVODAYA"- the
good for all. He said that economics has to be infused with spiritual values. It
should create social prosperity in terms of cordial relationship, among
different layers of society rather than accumulation of sheer material wealth in
certain pockets only.
Today, it is a growing realization than even the
so-called affluent societies created by the growth based economic model are
experiencing isolation, emptiness and are loosing their own perspectives. At the
personal level, it is causing acute stress, depression and insecurity. Gandhiji
said that an economy based purely on material considerations and totally devoid
of any value base would not bring happiness to the mankind. Only that economic
system which is regulated by ideals rooted in permanent order of things would
achieve the vision of a sustainable world.
Crucial features of Gandhiji’s economic model
could be summarized as follows:
In Gandhiji’s words,” True economics never
militates against the highest ethical standards, just as all true ethics to be
worth its name, must also be good economics”.
Mahatma Gandhi thus offers us an integrated
approach and solution to the calls and cries of the present times. He believed
that human life follows as integral unity in all its aspects and hence it could
not be addressed in parts or dealt with in compartments like social, religious,
political, economic and so on. In Gandhian perspective of things, all life
sustaining values converge into an integrated pattern. Gandhiji firmly believed
that for a sustainable world, the development model themselves through the
normal activities of life in all fields i.e., economic, social and political. Source: Anasakti Darshan-July-December-2006, Vol. No.2 |