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Multi-dimensional Application of Anekantavāda
performing their duties more enthusiastically without accepting salaries, taking suffering on them.
Economic Sphere:
In today's world, development in economic sphere is equated with industrial development. From an Anekanta point of view, development should be from all sectors. At the same time there should not be a bad development in any particular sector. Hence, the equation of development with respect to environment sector comes into picture. Normally, an industrially developed area is environmentally the most degraded. It is here that an anekāntī will steeps on 'Sustainable development' or development without polluting the surrounding atmosphere. The surrounding atmosphere consisting of air, water, vegetation, etc. is Nature. The Jaina philosophy of ahimsa or nonviolence is based on the axiom that 'Man has no right to destroy things, which he cannot create'. This axiom is supplementary to the doctrine of anekanta. Since man cannot create nature, he has no right to destroy nature. Applying Anekanta in this field is to protect nature, conserve wildlife and preserve natural things.
In the economic sphere problems also arise due to excessive want or desire of a few. The principle of anekanta if successfully applied will eradicate this problem. It is not possible to live without any want since all men are not divine as Socrates said, "To have no wants is divine". But, people can control or limit their wants. They can minimise their wants. As someone said. “There is enough in this world for every one's need but not enough for one man's greed". When wants become excessive, it is greed. A greedy person does not realise that there are others who also inhabitate on this earth along with him and that they also possess equal right to have things for themselves as he has for himself. A greedy person will eat all that is kept in front of him. Freedom without limitations will result in chaos. Hence, freedom has to be limited in order to curb the excessive greed. If somehow a greedy person is made to understand the concept of anekānta, without doubt, he will limit his freedom by himself and there will be no need of any other authority on him.
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