On our release from prison, we
took up the question where we had left it in the Aga Khan Palace
Detention Camp. Kishorlalbhai and Naraharibhai joined in drawing up a
simple, practical trusteeship formula. It was placed before Bapu who
made a few changes in it. The final draft read as follows:
- Trusteeship provides a means of
transforming the present capitalist order of society into an
egalitarian one. It gives no quarter to capitalism, but gives the
present owning class a chance of reforming itself. It is based on
the faith that human nature is never beyond redemption.
- It does not recognize any right of private ownership of property except so far as it may be permitted by society for its own welfare.
- It does not exclude legislative regulation of the ownership and use of wealth.
- Thus under State-regulated trusteeship, an individual will not be free to hold or use his
wealth for selfish satisfaction or in disregard of the interests of society.
- Just as it is proposed to fix a decent minimum living wage, even so a limit should be
fixed for the maxmum income that would be allowed to any person in society. The difference between
such minimum and maximum incomes should be reasonable and equitable and variable from time to time so
much so that the tendency would be towards obliteration of the difference.
- Under the Gandhian economic order the character of production will be determined by social necessity
and not by personal whim or greed.
Harijan, 25-10-1952
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