Unlike Western economies the Swadeshi economy has its foundation in the cultural ethos of Bharat in which Dharma is a core component. Dharma ensures equitable distribution of labour and its rewards
Mahadevayya Karadalli
Swadeshi economy aims at Samagra vikas of an individual i.e. Right to Happiness. Individual and nation are interlinked. Individual can achieve his “vikas” within Nation’s “vikas”. “ Sarve bhavanto sukhina” has every thing, animal ,person’s welfare. “ Sarve Jana sukhino bhavanto” is the main aim of Swadeshi Economy.
Swadeshi economy has its roots in Dharma. Practice of Dharma converts Food into Prasad. And People take Prasad as per their requirement, avoiding wastage.
Practice of Dharma includes morality,truth, non violence etc., which are the basis of our economy. Economy which in turn guarantees right to happiness to one and all.
Dharma based economic activities ensure income from good deeds and stop nepotism, corruption, black money etc., Swadeshi thoughts on economics have roots in Gandhiji’s thoughts on economy. Gandhiji opined that self employment through SSIs utilising available local human resource is the best answer to unemployment. All round development through ahimsa was the dream of Gandhiji. Decentralisation of power, need- based utilisation of available human resources are the essentials for development of the villages and form the basis of Gandhian economy. Swadeshi Economy is nothing but “samagra vikas” of an Individual, the Society and the nation. Swadeshi economy is an operative and practical economy wherein society leads the state, takes care of common man’s needs and ends with happiness. Swadeshi economy is nothing but people’s economic activities. Swadeshi economy defines the methodology of leading meaningful life for Individual as well as for the society. Since both have to play supportive role. Swadeshi economy takes care of each and every person.
Progress with employment (Kayak), and need based distribution of wealth(dasoha) are the essence of Swadeshi economy. There is no place for unemployment or under employment. Employment means self employment. Majority of people will be self employed to earn income necessary for their livelihood. Self reliance, morality, affection , coordination, cooperation , interdependence, helpful, etc., are the qualities & practices promoted by Swadeshi economy. Dharma shall be in every walk of life, There shall be no politics in Dharma.
Now a days Globe is divided into underdeveloped, developing, developed categories. The measurement of division was not correctly discussed, debated and concluded due to which after 7 decades of Independence, our economic thinkers have not tried to reconstruct economy of the nation on our terms and conditions which could help us to measure “ Samagra vikasa”. In Swadeshi economics growth, progress and development have different meanings. Growth takes its journey along with time and is natural. Progress is a value addition to growth. Development denotes welfare of a community / society. Materialistic ideology gave birth to men with self centric thoughts to have supremacy on all. It is but natural that materialistic society has individual -centric thoughts. Swadeshi economics considers individual and society as two sides of the same coin, two eyes of the same body.
The 17th century afterwards Western nations started dominating / influencing other nations. There is no scope for morality, so hangover continues. This economic thought started to rule the minds of the globe .Use and throw became the life style of the western people. They use every thing and throw it to dustbin. They can not think of reduce, repair, reuse, restructure etc., Further, the use of plastic created havoc in environment. China started to produce low cost items in every field. Disposal of waste created not only the environment problem but also problem of our domestic economy. Media Advertisements influence the people to buy more. Consumerism and shopping have become fashion of the day and is
also becoming the habit.
Fulfilment of man’s desire (some time greediness) is the aim of western economy. Fulfilment of one’s desire gives birth to another desire. It has no end in itself. The Western economic theory has limitations. Supply and demand theory-if supply is more demand is less and vice versa. In spite of good supply rates of commodities will be at high.
Whereas the Swadeshi economy based on family system, commitment to welfare of family members is top priority where concept of giving, sacrificing, donating and saving for future are inherited qualities. Western economy does not have strong family base, they have developed the habit of spending without caring for future. Practice of expenditure i.e. shopping made their countries adopt expenditure oriented economy.
Adam Smith, author of “ The wealth of Nations”( 1776) and father of western economics preaches that aim of progress and development is to produce more and more to earn more profit utilising available resources company has to produce more goods and by advertisement sell them to consumers. ‘Create desires through advertisements and sell your products to earn profits.’ In Western economy valuables and costlier items have priority and are treated as Best. Mobile is costlier and more important than grain. But people can not live without grain. So, also cost of item does not decide its importance. Wealth decides the status of a man in western economy whereas in Swadeshi economy humanism decides the status. Utility and necessity are the parameters to decide which is important. Drinking water, pure air, hospitality, Arts, etc., which are available in nature freely, have no monetary value, but are very important for human life. Thus western economy through consumerism gives importance to price of the product rather than its utility/ necessity. It will be crystal clear that western economy has exploitation in itself. For example, during British period in Bharat there was abundant cotton production. British purchased and exported cotton and imported ready made garments from Manchester. Export cheap kaccha goods to import finished goods at higher price was their policy due to which our skilled workers lost their jobs, daily bread and butter.
Economy starts with economic activities of a person/community. Concept of marriage grahstashram is the most helpful factor in swadeshi economy. Members of family have the habit of giving without any expectation, even at the cost of liability. (fathers liability son vis versa). Family income will pool through family head yejamana. Family balance sheet (written or oral ) will be always within its income & is their pattern is on profit side. Our Governments should have learnt from our family economy to manage the economy of the nation.
Foreign economists’ (Adam Smit, Marx, Lenin, Fried’s) philosophy became time barred and part of history. Western economy does not have family system hence their social budget (salary to unemployed, under employed, widow, unmarried. Children and aged) is 65% of total budget. Whereas it is taken care of by family in our country and social
budget is about 5%. Education in mother tongue is less expensive as compared to English medium education. Nature friendly life style helps to protect natural resources by need based utilisation. So,our economy was self reliance. n
