Economics of Mahaveera

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

Page 43

ECONOMICS OF NON-VIOLENCE AND PEACE
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exploitation. Exploitation would not be limited to one country but it will extend to exploitation of one nation by another. The nation with increased industrial capacity will use that power to exploit other nations.
With industrialism two other things go synchronously – power and exploitation through power and violence. Where industrialism gets a free hand, the problems of conflict and war are also created. In opposing industrialism, therefore, Mahatma Gandhi called for decentralised industry; in opposing concentration of capital, he advocated dispersal of capital and trusteeship. This really means that Gandhiji propounded nonviolence and peace.
The Concept of Hedonism Let us now proceed towards Mahavira. The main issues before Mahavira were those of self-control, peace and non-violence. He maintained that where self-restraint and peace prevail, nonviolence is also ensured. Economics is moored in the fulfilment of wants. What is aimed at is that the people should be able to satisfy their wants. Satisfaction and enjoyment have remained the main targets of Economics.
Hedonism has been a philosophical concept. In the West, a considerable amount of thinking has been devoted to the hedonistic point of view. That point of view has been prevalent in India too. But along with that, there has also been another point of view and that is happiness. Happiness is attainable, but it is somehow not achieved.
Mahavira's Point of View To Mahavira, the question of satisfaction and comfort was secondary; the question of peace was primary. When the objective of peace becomes primary, the whole approach changes. When peace is primary, the purity of means also gains supremacy. Mahavira did not prescribe abrogation of all possessions for a normal family, since it was not a practical proposition. How could a religious preacher talk impossible things? From the point of view of anekunta, he prescribed a middle course – a societal