The power of the golden principle

Waves of globalisation and liberalisation that slammed the Indian shore in 1991, have since then taken only 27 per cent of the billion population in its grip, leaving behind the 73 per cent grist to the mill. While researchers have always delved for ways to minimise the urban-rural gap, integrating the development of the rural areas is and has always been the biggest challenge before the Indian Government. It is also heart-rending to learn that India is the ninth largest debited country in the world even after being gifted with numerous natural and mineral resources and around a billion people. The major factor that accounts for the annual increase in the country’s fiscal deficit, besides the economic and political factors, is the lack of principles and moral standards .
Indian psychology Firstly, the hunger for foreign goods unveils the Indian psychology. For instance, a foreign brand television set satisfies the Indian minds more than an Indian brand television ser. Similarly, a foreign-made computer steals the show, thrashing the Indian counterparts. Is it logical to borrow milk from our neighbour when the cow at home can give the same? Secondly, the increasing living standards of the creamy layer are throwing the dreams and hopes of the have-nots deep down into the gorge.According to a recent survey, the size of the Indian luxury market today, about Rs. 160 crore, is estimated to rise drastically to about Rs. 1,200 crore by 2015. Gandhiji, the dictator of the golden rule says, “The ability to refuse will not descend upon us all of a sudden.
The first thing is to cultivate the mental attitude that will not have possessions or facilities denied to millions, and the next immediate thing is to rearrange our lives as fast as possible in accordance with that mentality.”
The golden rule has a surprising phenomenal power to sustain equitable growth. The vision of transforming a traditional stratified society into an egalitarian society would no longer be a distant dream once this rule is adopted. Resurgence of swadesi
Mahatma Gandhi believed that India is to be found not in its few cities but in its villages. It is in this regard the swadesi principle asks for resurgence. The principle that prefers to serve the near than those who are remote, would act as a saviour for the 220 million Indians struggling for the basic needs of a living. Opting for swadesi economics would not only eradicate the 26.1 per cent of the population living below the poverty line and 7.3 per cent of unemployment but boosting domestic consumption, domestic saving and domestic capital formation would forever nurture the Indian economy.
In contrast, over-dependence on foreign goods and the commodity market puts the development of the domestic market at stake, thereby thrashing the hopes and aspirations of rural India. Saying ‘no’ to foreign goods and luxuries in this era of globalisation is like cracking the nut! The ability to refuse would not jump into our mind out of the blue but an untiring effort to save the million Indians from the grip of death is the need of the hour and the responsibility of every citizen. It is difficult though and may sound ridiculous to revolutionise the prevalent materialistic society; yet revivifying the age-old Gandhian philosophy would enunciate all-round development. While the whole world is taking the route of simplicity as followed by the father of our nation,
India is finding it hard to follow our immortal leader.
The present scenario calls for the two billion hands to come together and fight for the long awaited equitable growth. Economic development and equitable growth being our goal, we must be resolute and try to be ‘economic’ and ‘cultivate the mental attitude that would not have possessions denied to millions’. There is no harm in improving our living standards, but the greed and unquenchable thirst for foreign goods and luxuries is making India a philanthropist for her trading partners while at the same time pushing herself into the debt trap!
It is time we rethought our principles and policies.