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Gandhi's Teachers : Rajchandra Ravjibhai Mehta
oppression of any kind. These should be offered active but
nonviolent resistance. * Sought solutions to the problems should be just, holistic,
and permanent. They should deliver equal justice to all and not mere exchange of places between the advantaged and
disadvantaged. * Individual is fundamental unit of the social order and the
focus of all welfare planning and policy-making. Societal welfare should come through the goals and planning for
individual welfare. * Welfare planning and policy-making should involve all
citizens and the rewards should be egalitarian and equal. The greatest good of greatest number of people, as in
Western utilitarian thought, is not enough. * Welfare planning and policy-making should be holistic,
balanced, and should cover physical, mental, moral, and
spiritual dimensions of living. * Welfare planning and policy-making should have noble
goals. The chosen means are as important as the goals. Welfare planning and policy-making should follow the principles of Truth, Ahimsa, simplicity, and compassion. These principles should be followed sincerely and at the
thought, word, and deed levels. * Welfare of the societies should evolve spontaneously and
naturally through daily conduct of the citizens. Legislative and political encroachments in this regard should be as few as possible. Character-building is an important aspect of societal development and of welfare planning and policy-making. Character-building is attainted through a genuine effort for: 1) choosing personal attitudes, orientations, goals, and modes of conduct according to the societal goal of a happy and satisfying life for all, 2) developing attitudes of cooperation, other-orientation, and self-sacrifice at all levels, 3) following the principle of Truth, Ahimsa, simplicity, compassion, chastity, control of the palate, nonpossession, non-stealing, fearlessness, tolerance of
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