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ECONOMICS OF MAHAVIRA
newer and newer inventions are made. As a result, the economic development of society is also achieved.
Theory of Economic Progress Man is a social being, and it has come to be believed that the principal index of social life is wealth. From this point of view, economic progress is essential. Economic progress is not promoted by limiting wants. That is why; from the point of view of economic development, multi-application and intensification of wants is called for. Keeping this practical truth in mind, one ancient economist had said that “a dissatisfied ascetic gets destroyed and a satisfied king gets destroyed”. According to this view, it is a virtue for an ascetic to minimise needs, not only wants. To multiply them is undesirable. For a societal person leading a family life, to reduce wants is unnatural and to multiply them is a virtue.
Human and Spiritual Angles
In the context of man being a social entity, the approach of Economics to promote wants is not irrational. The question, however is: Is man only a social being? Is he not an individual? Does he not have the feelings of happiness and unhappiness? Do not the pressures of limitless wants generate physical and mental tensions? Does the demon of desires stimulating the multiplication of wants not disturb the natural flow of glands, creating in the process, mental distortions? By not being adequately conscious of these problems, we would provide onetrack support to the multiplication of wants. On the contrary, when we look at man from a human perspective, we cannot support the stimulation of unlimited desires and wants. From a spiritual and humanistic point of view, it is imperative to control desires and wants.
Intermediate Principle Both the economic and religious points of view are, perhaps, valid from their own respective angles. Theology, nonetheless, says that we must contain wants. We should remember also that this
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