Economics of Mahaveera

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

Page 93

MAHAVIRA, Marx, KEYNES AND GANDHI
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man and are generated by material conditions, area, time and perceptions. Neither of this is God-given nor is a result of fate. Many philosophers had, however, regarded this phenomenon as creation of fate. Many Jains also used to consider these as creations of fate, but according to the Jain doctrine of karma, prosperity and poverty, acquiring wealth or losing wealth, are not the result of fate. They are the product of time, conditions, area or some peculiar circumstances which make man poor or rich. Nor are they a permanent feature that the poor will always remain poor and the rich will always remain rich.
These are the conditions created by man. As a corollary, these can be changed, can be transformed. Having been inspired by compassion, Marx conceived the socialistic economic system and maintained that man can conquer economic conditions. Fate does not ordain that he should remain hungry. In other words, if he does, not get clothes, or bread, it is not due to fate. What he has or does not have can be transformed with the aid of a system.
For Keynes, the inspiration was that of selfish interest. He was motivated by the desire for prosperity, in fact, making everybody prosperous. The driving urge, therefore, was that of selfish interest. His proposition was: selfish interest is the most powerful inspirer. The more this is provoked, the more would be the growth. The entire theory of Keynes is based on the provocation of selfish interest. Let there be more greed and more competition, and there will be more economic growth, which means more prosperity.
The Goal
The third parameter is the goal, the end-objective. What is the goal? Man first determines his objective before starting any activity. He then makes a choice of the means.
To Mahavira, the goal was spiritual development. The goal for Gandhi was also spiritual development and, to achieve this all-sided development of the village system, the development of decentralised economic system. Basically, however, his goal was only spiritual development.