Economics of Mahaveera

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

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ECONOMICS OF NON-VIOLENCE AND PEACE
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promoting violence where training is imparted in terrorism, its minor and major techniques. Training is given how through terror the entire society and the nation could be subjugated. In this context, the regulations prescribed by Mahavira for the devout society are very valuable from the point of view of economics of non-violence and peace.
Dedication to Work or Karmadan With reference to industries as well Mahavira laid down some principles. Gandhiji opposed big industries. Similarly, Mahavira presented the principle of limited needs and modest means and a social structure based on decentralization. Mahavira believed that centralisation encourages violence. Accordingly, the industries that existed then were categorised. In the code of conduct of the devout society, they were called karmadan. Fifteen karmadans were enunciated. For the members of the devout society and its followers, prohibitions and limits were prescribed in respect of the fifteen karmadans.
At that time, one industry that existed was ingalkamme — coal industry, another was vanakamme — the fuel industry. Still another was burning forests. One industry was drying up tanks for increasing the quantum of land for agriculture. These were some of the industries in operation at that time.
Mahavira said: limit them, do not expand industries in an uncontrolled manner, and do not centralise them too much in your hands. One of the followers of Mahavira was Uddalaputra. He was a potter by caste. He had five hundred shops. He had hundreds of kilns in operation. He was a very big industrialist in pottery business. Uddalaputra took the pledge of limiting his industrial activities.
The Implication of Restraint Aseem (limitless) and saseem (with limits) are two very important concepts. Aseem implies a march towards violence. Saseem or restraint leads to peace. An able person, who has business acumen or possesses knowledge, eams so much that he becomes a deep ditch for hundreds of thousands. For him there is no limit.