Thought For The Day ( AHIMSA )

Thought For The Day ( TRUTH )

Gandhi Journal Article - II

Reflections on Gandhi's Economic Ideas

By Naresh Kumar Sharma

Understanding the essence of the phrase - good life is basic to understanding the economic phenomena, economic theory and economic systems. Mahatma Gandhi's economic ideas may be better understood and appreciated in the context of a particular view of what constitutes a good life as well as a particular way of organising economic life (institutions, activities, constitutional provisions etc.,) as it pervades and dominates almost the whole of the world today.

Even though Gandhi has been discussed much more in relation to politics, philosophy, morality, culture, civilisation, etc, economic issues loom large in the totality of the work of Mahatma Gandhi. His most important work, ‘Hind Swaraj' itself is an important testimony to the same. In particular, the chapter on ‘Why was India lost?' presents, basically, an economic argument for enslavement of India and not any conventional political argument. This work also points to his vision for a good economic system.

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Thought For The Day ( FRIENDS )

Thought For The Day ( MAN )

Gandhi Journal Article - I

King of Kindness

Vinoba Bhave and His Nonviolent Revolution

By Mark Shephard

"Jai jagat! - Victory to the world!."  - Vinoba

Once India gained its independence, that nation's leaders did not take long to abandon Mahatma Gandhi's principles. Nonviolence gave way to the use of India's armed forces. Perhaps even worse, the new leaders discarded Gandhi's vision of a decentralized society - a society based on autonomous, self-reliant villages. These leaders spurred a rush toward a strong central government and an industrial economy as found in the West.

Yet Gandhi's vision was not abandoned by all. Many of Gandhi's "constructive workers" - development experts and community organizers working in a host of agencies set up by Gandhi himself - resolved to continue his mission of transforming Indian society.

Leading them was a disciple of Gandhi previously little known to the Indian public, yet eventually regarded as Gandhi's "spiritual successor": a saintly, reserved, austere individual called Vinoba.

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