Economics of Mahaveera

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Adarsh Sahitya Sangh

Page 37

THE ECONOMIC CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT
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Ambition of High Standard of Living The concept of standard of living has greatly misled the people. Everybody aspires to attain a bigh level of living. The problem, however, is that resources are not abandoned for achieving the objective. As a result of the aspiration, the possession of certain articles has come to be regarded as the yardstick of one's status and sign of development. If the objective was limited to the satisfaction of the basic needs, there would, perhaps, be no problem, as that would be a part of healthy thinking. Even animals satisfy their basic needs: why then an intelligent species like man should not do that? But this concept of standard of living has made basic needs a secondary issue and the craving for non-basic articles has been aroused in man.
Three Categories of Man Mahavira studied man and the attitudes of man. He said that men exhibit divergent attitudes; they do not measure everybody with the same yardstick. He classified men in three categories:
• One having many desires. (Mahechha) • One having few desires. (Alpechha) • One having no desires. (Ichhajayi)
Men in the first category are those who have too many desires, too many wants. Those in the second category have limited desires and few wants and those in the third have controlled their desires, they have conquered desires.
Mahechha - Man with Numerous Wants
Today's Economics requires us to multiply our wants. If there are more desires then there would be inspiration for initiative, leading to greater efforts. When there are few wants, there would be small effort. Mahavira, while analysing both the characteristics, said that the one who takes great desires would have many wants. He would earn his living by immoral means and would not think of virtues. By saying so, Mahavira said that such a