Economics of Mahaveera

SR No.: 006926
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Adarsh Sahitya Sangh
Publication Year: 2008
Total Pages: 176
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 14 MB

Page 137

INTROSPECTION AND CLARIFICATIONS
121
Question: Mohammad Saheb, who did not prohibit meateating, regards earnings through interest as forbidden, and the Jains, believing in non-violence, do the business of interest earning. Why is it so?
Answer: In Jain litereature, the two aspects of the phenomenon of interest are considered. It mentions about the Jain shravakas who used to preserve the business of money-lending and also those who regarded earning interest as violence, which should be completely given up by the shravakas (devotees). Interest is a complicated question. There are two aspects of it: one is of giving help and the other of exploitation. Let us take an example. Incapable people do not get money and suffer. One may give money to such people and, in consideration, something may be received. Inspired by such an idea, people used to give money to others and the people with small means used to manage their affairs. This would have been the initial inspiration for charging interest. This is an aspect of help. It cannot be rejected. But when such a tendency develops beyond limits, then its initial inspiration changes and a newer and different motivation emerges. The inspiration to help ends and the selfish motive takes the upper hand. It is a fact that so much interest began to be charged that it led to exploitation by taking advantage of thos with small capacites. The latter's helplessness was grossly misused. From this point of view, interest became a highly condemnable element..
Mohammad Saheb prohibited interest. In the given context, he did the right thing. During that period, in the middle ages, business had overlooked the objective of cooperation. The entire business of interest took the form of exploitation. He witnessed those conditions and he prohibited it. Today, the banking business goes on. The enitre business has become the business of earning interest. That is collective business and, therefore, there is no exploitation. It is a refined forn of exchange. Not all, therefore, are worried about it. Even those who prohibited interest also make use of it.
When I consider this problem from both points of view, it appears to me that it cannot be said that it is to be totally obtained