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exploitation, injustice and atrocity, and on the other side are revolt and discontent. This is the story of men as well as nations. These are breeding grounds for various social and national evils.
Neither disparity can be totally eliminated from this world nor man can be free of all the ills at once. Therefore, Jainism preaches selfcontrol and need based limiting of goods and wealth. By limiting possessions, man becomes contented and his desires are reduced. When he limits his possessions and becomes contented he stops accumulating more and consequently avoids exploitation of others. The exploitation of weak people and nations can be avoided only with the help of this voluntarily accepted vow of limiting possessions. Law and punishment have failed to curb the tendency to exploit and will always fail. Observing the vow of limited possession if a person gets more than his accepted limit then he considers him-self to be a trustee and not the owner of those things or wealth. With altruistic feelings he distributes these things or wealth to the needy. His whole attitude towards life changes. From materialism he starts shifting towards spiritualism. He becomes unconcerned and detached towards possessions because he works only for spiritual satisfaction and not for sensual pleasures.
Those who compare vow of limited possessions with socialism forget that socialism is a system enforced by law. It has no consideration for desires and liking of men. It is enforced on people. On the other hand the vow of limiting possessions is voluntarily accepted process of self-discipline. Socialism does not discipline the desires of man. It is concerned only with the material things and their equal distribution. But the vow of limiting possessions is about controlling the unbridled fondness for things. Besides limiting possessions, it is the spiritual path of reducing infatuation with material things and pleasures. Socialism is politically and economically oriented whereas the vow of limiting possessions is spiritually oriented.
If there is a shortage of food-grains in the country and the administration distributes ration for only six days it amounts to an enforced sacrifice and not a voluntary one. This is socialistic orientation. On the other hand willingly fasting for day even when there is no shortage is the vow of limiting possessions. It is to limit consumption even when there is no shortage of goods. One is material
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