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Perspectives on Gandhi
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Nonviolent Economics
From India to the L.A. Eco-village Printable Version: Download
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For adherents of principled nonviolence,
the law of ahimsa, or non-harming, is more than just a
tactic to attain short-term goals: it is a systematic
way of life, aimed at building a lasting peace from the
individual to the global level and contributing to the
welfare of all. In a society of individuals who truly
want to refrain from harming one another, the distribution
of resources would be managed in such a way as to reduce
excessive concentration of wealth, and provide everyone
with basic needs. Market capitalism, the dominant model
of economics today, is diametrically opposed to this picture:
capitalists maximize profits through the continual expansion
of production and consumption, which results in a high
concentration of wealth. In fact, 20 percent of the world's
population uses 86 percent of its resources, while many
people are left to survive on only a dollar or two per
day. Mahatma Gandhi, who dedicated his life to the betterment
of humankind, realized the problems inherent in this system
and its ties to dehumanization and violence. The legacy
of his ideas and work offers a guide to transforming market
capitalism into a more humane system of economics. In his treatise Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule),
Gandhi comes to an ominous conclusion about the "Western"
way of life, stating, "This civilization is such that
one only has to be patient and it will be self-destroyed."1
He believed that a lifestyle based upon continual material
profit was unsustainable because it relied on environmental
exploitation and emphasized the needs of the market over
humans' livelihoods. In place of this flawed system, the
Mahatma promoted an economic and social order based upon
decentralization, needs-based production, a system of "trusteeship"
drawing on the principle of non-possessiveness and the concept
of "bread labor." The goal of such a society would
not be industrial growth or the enhancement of unnecessary
privileges for a few, but the spiritual and material "uplift
of all." Svadeshi, meaning "own region,"
is a key element of Gandhian economic theory.2 To prevent dependency on foreign countries and economic
exploitation, Gandhi insisted that small communities must
become self-sufficient in meeting their own basic material
needs. Thus, he appealed to Indians to boycott British
products and instead take up the practice of spinning
khadi - the Urdu word for cotton - and supporting cottage
industries. From the Gandhian point of view, local autonomy
is not "backwards" but actually leads to healthier
international relationships: with the freedom of self-sufficiency
comes the acceptance of responsibility for one's actions.
In a system based on svadeshi, the consequences of negative
actions are contained within smaller communities. Local
production is also inherently democratic, because it decentralizes
power and allows small groups of people to make the economic,
political and social decisions that best fit the specific
needs of their community. In addition, followers of Gandhian
economics balance the regional focus of svadeshi with
a recognition of and respect for interconnectedness and
equality at the global level. Gandhi is known for making the statement, "There
is enough in the world for everyone's need, but not for
everyone's greed." In this spirit, overconsumption
in one region of the world means that many people elsewhere
will be forced to live in poverty, which is a form of
violence in itself. Therefore, self-control is essential
to a nonviolent system of economics.2 Any production
in such a system would be geared towards meeting basic
needs, replacing the capitalist tendency towards excessive
consumption. E.F. Schumacher refers to this type of production
as an "economy of permanence," based on careful
wisdom rather than blind "progress."3 A
simple lifestyle allows one to respect others' needs and
live in harmony with the human community, the animal community
and the environment. The Gandhian institution of trusteeship is related to
the idea of a simple and compassionate lifestyle. The
Mahatma considered this a realistic solution to the problem
of world poverty, and a painless way of allowing the upper
and middle classes to "reform themselves" through
selfless aid to the less fortunate. In the system of trusteeship,
individuals would be expected to act as "trustees"
and use their wealth for the benefit of others. In formulating
his economic theory, Gandhi denied the existence of personal
property rights, but did not alienate property owners
by coercing them to give up their possessions. Instead,
he believed that nonviolent persuasion could affect a
"change of heart" in these capitalists. A central assumption in the heart unity paradigm is the
ability of human beings to self-improve; all nonviolent
activity is geared toward awakening this universal impulse.
In this sense, trusteeship allows each individual to unleash
their full potential to render selfless service, and enhance
their ability to contribute to the well-being of humankind.
On the other hand, Gandhi reasoned that if the economically
privileged consciously continue to maintain a sense of
personal ownership and use their resources for selfish
ends, they will ultimately be hurting themselves by isolating
themselves from other human beings for the sake of an
attachment to impermanent material possessions. Another component of Gandhian economics is
the universal requirement of "bread labor." Gandhi
felt that it was necessary to recognize the "dignity
of labor" and to carry this recognition into action
by performing a minimum amount of physical labor, despite
one's main occupation or position in life.4
Whereas capitalist economists see labor as a necessary evil
and a means to the end of consumption, Gandhi viewed it
as useful and fulfilling in itself. Additionally, he believed
that mutual constructive labor was the best way to bring
people together in a spirit of harmony. Gandhi promoted
this principle on his ashrams, where community members worked
to cultivate the land and shared equally in performing daily
chores. "Bread labor" is very egalitarian because
everyone contributes her part without sacrificing her dignity
in performing physical tasks that are considered inferior
by the rest of society. In addition, bread labor resonates
with the ideal of a simple lifestyle based on meeting the
basic needs of the community. Living in an advanced industrial society, it
may be less realistic for Americans to grow their own food
or make clothing than it was for inhabitants in the villages
of Gandhi's rural India. However, more and more people in
the developed world are finding creative ways to incorporate
equitable and sustainable economics into their daily lives.
Eco-villages are one of the best examples of current attempts
at shifting to a nonviolent method of living. In these "human
scale neighborhoods," residents and friends work together
to "create a healthy community socially, physically
and economically."5
The 500 residents of an urban ecovillage in Los Angeles,
founded in 1993, have initiated environmental education
programs in K-12 schools, planted small gardens and over
100 fruit trees, established a tradition of potluck meals,
and carried out several other projects to transform their
urban community into a "soil-regenerating, food-producing,
soul-healing environment."6
Lastly, they conduct regular tours to expose other Americans
to this sustainable lifestyle. The L.A. Eco-Village Demonstration
is only one part of an international network of sustainable
neighborhood groups that seek to model healthier ways of
living based on environmental sustainability and socioeconomic
justice.7 On a smaller sale, seemingly insignificant
changes in consumption patterns and daily life can make
a big difference. Buying organic produce from the local
farmer's market is svadeshi in action. The residents of
the University Students' Cooperative Association contribute
five hours of "workshift" per week, performing
a variety of tasks such as cooking, cleaning, garden work,
or house maintenance to keep their system of student-owned
housing and cooperative living running smoothly.8
Also, community service organizations such as Habitat for
Humanity exemplify the Gandhian ideal of manual labor performed
in the service of others. Martin Luther King once stated, "The good
and just society is neither the thesis of capitalism nor
the antithesis of communism, but a socially conscious democracy
which reconciles the truths of individualism and collectivism."
9 The foundations of this "socially
conscious democracy" can be found in the principles
of Gandhian economics outlined above. While government reforms
are certainly necessary, these are ultimately top-down measures
that are not sufficient to provoke a "true revolution
in values" and cause human beings to change their own
economic behavior. Gandhian economics, on the other hand,
place an emphasis on human agency or "person power,"
appealing to the grassroots nature of sustainable economic
and social change. This approach is, in the end, both more
revolutionary and easier to realize in practical terms.
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Members of the Los Angeles Ecovillage
hold a weaving workshop in their courtyard. Gandhi
believed everyone should practice one hour per day
of 'bread labour' - the basic work to meet survival
needs.
