World of Philosophy

SR No.: 007005
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan
Publication Year: 2011
Total Pages: 1002
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 30 MB

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ally work?" All along from the day we have defined the mainstream economics, we have assumed that for economic analyses preferences are given and wants are unlimited. Further and more importantly, we believe that consumption is an end in itself. We forget that it is not an end in itself. The end depends upon ethics, culture and philosophy that govern a society. Gandhi discussed this fundamental issue. He said that that there was enough for everybody's need, but there wasn't enough for even one person's greed.
Gandhi would not have treated the issue of environmental governance in the way in which today's leaders are doing. They are trying to work towards systems that would restrain individuals and producers from licentious behaviour. There would be incentives and disincentives. There would be carrot and stick policies. This approach is the product of the thinking of modern civilisation. Gandhi suggested that individual should be at the centre. The behaviour has to be regulated first by the self. It is here that he argued that the modern civilisation motivated individuals towards exercising brute force that would only unleash violence. So the materialistic society will not only support unbridled consumption, it will also promote violence. The humanity will ultimately lose.
Thus, in Hind Swaraj Gandhi established compassion and love as the core human values. Compassion and love helped in cultivating self-denial, which promoted non-violence. These values together created the soul-force. The Swaraj, which meant regulating one self, could be achieved only by developing soul force. Gandhi knew that it was not easy to cultivate these human values. One had to practice all through the life. But a commitment was necessary before one embarked on this path. Gandhi was acutely aware about this when he was writing Hind Swaraj. He wrote in the end "In my opinion, we have used the term "Swaraj" without understanding its real significance. I have endeavoured to explain it as I understand it, and my conscience testifies that my life henceforth is dedicated to its attainment."
The point that is worth noting is that Gandhi successfully used this individually cherished and practiced human value of love to resist and protest against the brute force of the British rulers. Gandhi's conviction in the sustainability and superiority of soul force over brute force was total. In this context of his belief in soul force and love force he appears to have drawn again from the Indian heritage. The Ishavasya Upanishada from we read the first verse comes another verse which is as follows.
"Yastu sarvani bhutani atmanyeva anupashyati, sarvabhuteshu cha atmanam tato na vijugupsate'.
The wise man who perceives all beings as not distinct from his own Self at all, and his own Self as the Self of every being - he does not, by virtue of that perception, hate any one (Swami Sarvananda, 1987).
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