Gandhi's views on economics may not be palatable to all.What ARMHM says about corruption is very much present in the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi.
He felt that economics and ethics can not be separated and must go together.Economics devoid of moral values is untrue.Such nations which adopt these kinds of theories must perish.
His ideas could be briefly summerised :-
1. No one under should suffer from want of food and clothing. In other words, everybody should be able to get sufficient work to enable him to make the two ends meet.
2. The means of production of the elementary necessaries of life remain in the control of the masses.They should not be made vehicle of traffic for the exploitation of others
3.The introduction of moral values as a factor to be considered in regulating international commerce
4.A non-violent occupation is thus that occupation, which is fundamentally free from violence and which, involves no exploitation or envy of others.The very word non-violence, a negative word, means that it is an effort to abandon the violence that is inevitable in life
5. Village economics were organized on the basis of such non-violent occupations, not on the basis of rights of man but on the duties of man. Those who engaged themselves in such occupations did earn their living, but their labour contributed to the good of the community.Body labour was at the core of these occupations and industries, and there was no large-scale machinery. For when a man is content to own only so much land as he can till with his own labour, he cannot exploit others. Handicrafts exclude exploitation and slavery.
These are the very words of Mahatma Gandhi written in Young India on different occasions.
So the modern enterprise , being exploitative in nature in the sense that it seeks to maximize the profit without regards to the Good of the Community/people, is a violent system and has no place in Gandhian economics.It is a well known fact that modern schools of business management do not teach ethics.
Suppose there is a man who does no actual violence, who labours for his bread, but who is always consumed with envy at other peoples wealth or prosperity. He is not non-violent.
Modern economics teaches desire, covetousness of other's wealth and is detrimental as it results in profiteering, hoarding and shows utter disregard for moral values.
The fact is even in America , one of the wealthiest nation on earth, 5% of its population commands 90% of wealth and income. Inequitable distribution of wealth is main cause of widespread misery being faced by many nations. Poverty is only byproduct of it.
However one should not confuse with Marxist theory in the sense that Gandhian economics lays equal importance to means and not only ends.One must adopt good means to achieve a good end. It must be non violent and in tune with moral and ethical values.
Modern enterprise , beyond the needs of Man is nothing more than a Monkey business.( a story floating around in many fora.)
So if India has to truly become a developed country (not like USA or Western World) 70% of population also has to have say in economics.Their needs must be met, they must get work with dignity.India is an ancient country and it is for nothing that we survived for last five thousand years whereas many older civilizations have perished.Modern Industrial economics is nothing but few hundred years old.So in time it will get tempered with ethical values ( unlike corruption or bribery where one tries to get favour or sped up a thing or two, but the very basic foundation itself is wrong. Here we are talking of changing the basis of economics.)
pk