Critique of Gandhi’s & Marx’s views on Civilization in India’s

present & future

Veerender Kumar

Dharma

Individuals are independent & unique Individuals have their own discovery of Ideas Individuals should strive to integrate with

Cosmic Ecosystem

Hence ideas can’t be copied or imposed Hence multiple ideas can peacefully co-exist Hence humans are integral part of nature

Yogic theory of Civilization

Gandhi derived his ideas of civilization

Society must have:• Dharma as a major component• Co-existence with nature• Swaraj

Monotheism

Ideas are universal

Entire humanity has a single pathway, destiny Nature has no or negligible role Asia & Africa are “uncivilized”, Europe is the

ultimate achievement of human civilization; so they must be “colonized” & “civilized”

Linear theory of Civilization

Marx derived his ideas of civilization

Historical materialism• Primary importance to material needs• Societies evolve through different means &

relationships of production – nomadic, , feudal, capitalist

Introduction: Origin of Gandhi & Marx’s view on Civilization

Gandhi

Individuals are independent and should follow their own conscience; Similarly Nations should also develop their own paths

India must develop its own knowledge systems, production systems, governance structure, healthcare, education etc.

Marx

Individuals are not significant, all of them follow the same path; Similarly Nations also follow the same linear path of development

India will have & must have to follow the European footsteps as any other nation as it is the only path

India under Swaraj must have its own existence

India will copy-paste European knowledge systems, production systems, governance structures, education, healthcare etc.

Whom do we follow? Gandhi or Marx

Applying Gandhian & Marxian Theories of Civilization on India

Lower bureaucracy/Zamindaars

Collector/Higher

bureaucracy

British Government

in India

To Britain Budget of Government of Free India

Corruption at Political level

Go

vernan

ce structu

re design

ed fo

r exp

loitatio

n o

f peo

ple

British

Go

vernan

ce structu

re wh

ich w

as d

esigned

for exp

loitatio

n o

f peo

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con

tinu

ed

Corruption at Higher bureaucracy

Corruption at lower bureaucracy

Forced attempt to make funds flow downwards through schemes

Forced attempt to make funds flow downwards through schemes

Forced attempt to make funds flow downwards through schemes

Indian Citizens Indian Citizens

money

money

money

If Gandhian view of civilization is being followed

Dismantle the British Systems

Re-establish & develop Indian Systems like village republics, decentralized governments, justice through consensus and reconciliation etc.

If Marxian view of civilization is being followed

Copy European Systems or continue British Systems

Follow any Western model of Democracy or Communism; follow their legal systems, centralized government etc.

Contemporary India is nowhere near to GandhianIdeas.

Contemporary India is following the footsteps of Europe as Marx had envisioned.

Whom do we follow? Gandhi or Marx

Governance in India

Discard traditional Indian Knowledge & Production Systems; no emphasis or effort on their organization or up-gradation

Import European/Western Knowledge & Production Systems

Establish islands of Knowledge & Production Systems like IITs, Polytechniques, Heavy Industries, Scientific terminologies etc. Even over-emphasis on IT can be brought in this category

No social or industrial feedback loop; hence no/negligible innovation or creation of Indian Knowledge base

Again import from West/Europe… Keep importing

Knowledge & Production Systems in India

If Gandhian view of civilization

Traditional Knowledge & Production Systems

Organize, Upgrade, Standardize Traditional Knowledge & Production Systems

If Marxian view of Civilization

Traditional Knowledge & Production Systems

Discard Traditional Knowledge & Production Systems and Import European counterparts

Disseminate it through education starting from Secondary (Basic Taleem) to University level

Disseminate to industries to increase their quality & productivity; upgrade them

Upgraded Indian Knowledge & Production Systems

Disseminate imported Knowledge & Production Systems t through education starting from Diploma or Graduation level

Establish completely new industries & educational institutions with little or no connection with Traditional Knowledge & Production Systems

No Social or industrial feedback loop

Knowledge & Production Systems in India

Aspect of Civilization

Gandhian Current Gandhian or Marxian

Agriculture Organic Chemical based Marxian

Healthcare Emphasis on prevention Emphasis on cure Marxian

Sports Kabaddi, Kho-kho, Kushti, Polo, Martial Arts, Chess

Glamorous, government supported: Cricket, Hockey

Marxian

Performing Arts Hindostani, Carnatik, Folk, Classical Dances etc.

Filmi Music; Filmi Dance Mixture of Gandhian & Marxian

Cultural festivities All Indian festivals All Indian festivals + Western festivals like Mother’s Day, Valentine Day

Mixture of Gandhian & Marxian

Further Scope of Comparative Study

We have not done any comparative study on these aspects, we are enlisting the scope of comparative study

Contemporary signals

• Trust deficit b/w people & Govt.; rising social unrest across the country

• Government & people have no real connection• Education is useless for most of the people; for

others it doesn’t make them productive• Technology & knowledge has been made “racial

entities” because one can get them only if he follows particular education in a particular language

• There is a cultural confusion in the country• Indigenous thoughts & cultures are endangered• Service sector is growing at a fast pace but god

knows what will happen with manufacturing & agriculture

• Income disparity is increasing• Human interventions in environment is

becoming unsustainable• …

The Future of Indian CivilizationWhat intellectuals & educated people think?

• India has gone to dogs & nothing works• India should follow Western models more

strongly rather than half-hearted • India is supposed to become a superpower

nation in coming decades

What politicians think?

• Politicians have no consistent point of view; they have only their own interests & the interests of their parties

What people think?

• They have outsourced their job of thinking to intellectuals, educated people & politicians

What if current scenario continues

• India will always remain a sub-ordinate power to Western Powers be it industry, military, culture or science

• India will remain a developing country for the foreseeable future

• India will remain in the state of confusion• India will remain a consumer of knowledge &

culture• India will westernize to a large extent killing its

own cultures, identities & knowledge• Indian traditions & cultural products will be

found only in museums• India will not be in a position to provide a

leadership to other developing countries

What we think about the Future of Indian CivilizationWhat we envision?

Centuries of foreign invasions & colonialism failed to eradicate Indian civilization but a century or two of free India will make it happen.

• There is nothing called “universal” ideas• Difference is not always bad, difference is just

difference; they must exist for diversity• India is different from every other country, so

there is no need of blindly following their solutions for problems in our country

• India must have to develop its own indigenous solutions for everything; there is no short-cut

• Knowledge is non-transferable, every nation has to evolve its own

There is an appeal to a large number of educated Indians & intellectuals to start questioning the “Universality of Linear Theory of Civilization”

Questions are invited

Appendix: Not a part of presentationOnly for Q&A

No formal system exists for learning of

traditional occupations & production

systems; therefore workers in these

sectors have extremely low productivity

Since overwhelming majority of Indian workforce

is engaged in uneconomic, unproductive

traditional occupations; hence they are

economically & technologically handicapped

Mapping & standardization of traditional knowledge is veryessential for making them economic & bringing people out ofpoverty

About Knowledge & Production Systems

Knowledge component is missing in almost all traditional products/services and products & services of large number of MSMEs, hence their profit margins are minimal

Traditional occupations & production systems are working at Subsistence level

Knowledge based value addition is needed for better pricing, market stability, innovation & growth

Inputs

Labor, Rent, Raw Material StandardizationIP Ownership

QualityProductivity

Branding, Optimization

Better bargaining, positioning

Empowers innovation, Defines ownership

Subsistence

Price of Product

Knowledge ComponentSubsistence Component

Pricing of products & services

Why Knowledge & Production Systems are Important?