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134 / Lord Mahavira
10. Poverty and Unemployment
Increase in population leads to rise in poverty.
Rise in population means increasing pressure on the scarce resources and means of production.
Poverty and unemployment are closely related. Poor people bear more children because of ignorance.
People of India and other Asian countries are fatalistic, this is one of the major causes of poverty of these nations.
This fatalistic attitude is also responsible for increasing unemployment.
Mahavira refused to acknowledge fate to be the reason for poverty for some and affluence for others.
Unless the economic system is linked with the principle of Anekantvad, no-solution to the problem of poverty, unemployment and over-population will be in sight.
If ceilings are imposed on the concentration of wealth, the problem of poverty and unemployment can be solved.
If the problem of poverty is controlled, the problem of population and consequently the problem of unemployment will be drastically reduced.
As long as the feelings of greed and selfishness persist, the problem of poverty will not be resolved.
If economics is given a spiritual basis, the problem of poverty and unemployment can be controlled.