Training in Nonviolence

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Anuvrat Global Organization

Page 46

Training in Nonviolence
and Rajya Sabha economic development is much talked about, but no or almost no discussions take place about the purity of means. Because it is felt that money is all there, it is everything. If the proposition that wealth is everything is accepted, it is bound to result in the neglect of human life, human values and what is going on in the name of human development. While discussing economic development we should also discuss the problems related to it. Today we face the problems of hunger and poverty. According to me the basic problem begetting those problems is rarely discussed and it is related to money or wealth.
The first problem connected with wealth is immorality and the second one is corruption. Today wherever one goes, be it a village, town, an institution or a conference, one encounters corruption. There is no place in the world where corruption is not talked about. Both small men and rich men engage in corruption. Both those who perpetrate and those who are free from it talk about it. Sometimes one wonders whether God is as pervasive as corruption is. Two years ago we went to Delhi . The then President, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was sitting next to me. At the very beginning of our talk he asked me to suggest a way out of all pervasive corruption. I said that the problem cannot be solved until the economic system is reformed. The members of the family of a person who is free from corruption ask the latter, “You have been an officer for such a long time and yet what have you done for us? You did not avail yourself of the fruitful situation existing at present. Even when wealth came running to your home you did not accept it. What will you then do for us?" The problem gets complex because no succumbing to corruption is looked down upon both by the family and the neighbour.
The problem of corruption can't be solved unless we change our economic viewpoint. And sometimes I think in the reverse manner. If an officer, peon and minister remain merely social beings, how would they pay dowry, even though a big man how would he behave as a big man, how would he throw big feasts, how would he be able to invite one hundred thousand people to the feast? It is impossible. Thanks to corruption, he can do all these things. So why should he give up corruption? If put in today's phraseology or in language used in public discourse, not engaging in corruption is foolishness whereas engaging in it is sensible. This is the established language of today.
We deliberated upon the problem and gave a lot of attention to economics. One might ask, “How can an Acharya of a religion pay attention to economics when his main field is nonviolence?" But I felt that without studying economics the problems of today couldn't be solved. That is why I gave attention to economics and coined a new concept: "Relativistic Economics”. This should be our subject. Economic development should not be confined to wealthy people and to increase the number of billionaires in India, but it should reach millions of people who are dying of poverty and hunger. Economic development should not be meant only for setting up huge industries with big machines. It should address the small people and the villages too.
We held a conference in Delhi. The second took place recently in Udaipur and the advisor of the Prime Minister; Mr. Ashish Bose also attended it. He felt happy
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