Economics of Mahaveera

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

Page 51

ECONOMICS OF NON-VIOLENCE AND PEACE
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senses is necessary, the restraint of the senses is equally necessary. This is a rational principal for setting the necessary limits: satisfy your senses, but within limils. After the necessary enjoyment, exercise restraint: If this is achieved, then it would become the economics of restraint; and what becomes the economics of restraint would become the economics of nonviolence and the economics of peace.
Modern thinking believes that we need not think about morality now, not about restraint, not about non-violence and not about peace. We will think about them when the appropriate time arrives. This means that until that point of time is reached, the society should go on bearing the unwholesome consequences of a regime of non-restraint. The results of such thinking are already before us. On the other hand, from the wisdom and code of conduct, which Mahavira gave us on the subject of production, very valuable principles of Economics emerge. If these are followed and deployed, the present day society can save itself from many perversions.
The Theory of Distribution Another dimension is the doctrine of distribution. Since the time. of Mahavira, the population has been increasing and resources have been diminishing. At the same time, state control on the resources has been intensifying. This has led to the problem of distribution. In olden times, the call for equitable distribution was not a problem at all because population itself was small, the resources required for the fulfilment of the primary needs were also not so difficult to secure and the expectations were small. At that time, means of transport and communications were also limited. It used to take a lot of time for a message to reach a distance of even twenty miles. On the other hand, today's fast means of communication and velocity of advertisements have generated artificial wants. At that time, each village used to produce the things needed for consumption, and there was no problem of distribution. The divergence in all these dimensions then and now is so great that the two sets cannot be compared at all.