To establish a new structure of utilization economy.
The foundation of the utilization economy is based on the cultural values of sharing & caring.
To establish the structure of utilization economy, it is very essential to up-root the institutions of currency & banking based on exchange economy.
The confrontation will be non-violent.
It requires a mass education & mass movement.
BACKGROUND
Today, in the world, the humanity has reached at the critical juncture of civilization. As the problems of poverty, unemployment, disparity, violence, terrorism, communalism, fanaticism, cultural degradation, environmental catastrophe, immorality etc have reached up to the optimum level of negativity. There are many individuals and groups are engaged to find out the solutions of all these problems. However, all the constructive models and issue-based movements are going to some extent successfully, afterward either these experiments and movements have seen the way of failure or have co-opted with the mainstream of the structure. Although some of the issue-based movements may get success, but cannot bring change in to the socio-economic structure of the society. Rather, these exploitative structures have become more strengthened day by day. Because, the socio-economic structure is the decisive factor of all the values and the experiments. Therefore, unless and until the backbone of the present economic structure uprooted, it is quite impossible to bring a basic change in the present system to give a right direction to the socio –cultural values of the humanity. What we have drawn the conclusion, from our study and experiments, that the currency, banks and other institutions based on exchange economy is the backbone of the present system. So, it should be challenged at the initiative of the people’s movement to establish a structure of utilization economy. There may be many shortcomings and mistakes in this note. We appeal all the friends, activists, academicians and the people of the world to think over it and share your opinion and views on it to make it complete and convincing. We also appeal all of you to begin a dialogue over this idea to make a circle of friendship of like-minded individuals/groups. We hope such individuals/groups will be vanguards of the upcoming revolution.
We need resources to achieve objective of human life. Our own body, mind & the intellect are the primary resources (Sadhan) to attain that objective. Moreover, the secondary resources (Sadhan) are the adjacent natural elements (i.e. water, fire, air, space, earth). Human being attests the universal law of his/her existence with the help of physical senses, mind & intellect according to continuous harmonious relationship amid the individual, the society & the nature to accomplish the object of human life. This could be considered as the principle of the utilization of resources (Sadhan-Neeti). The day we instigated to consider the elements of nature along with our physical and intellectual capability as ‘wealth’ & performed our daily activities accordingly, since that moment the principle of utilization of resources replaced by so-called theory of ‘exchange econo-my’ . It was also an establishment of the rule of Adharma (non-virtuous life) and the ending of decisive moral values.
WEALTH
The definition of wealth executes the principle of accumulation. Because we had assumed that, we can only be conquering and contented by accumulation of more and more wealth. This contempla-tion itself converts moral and ethical values in market-oriented consumerist values. Consequently, human being does not behave as historico-cultural being but as a degraded slave of senses and consumerist being, who is less than a beast. The relationship of consumption and accumulation with the cultural values is gone astray, thus resources transformed into the consumable wealth. Therefore, it is impossible to restrain innate relationship between society and nature to attain the divine aspiration of life.
OWNERSHIP & EXCHANGE VERSES SHARING & CARING
Human being was hunter-gatherer in the dawn of civilization. His requirements were limited. When in the due course he started animal husbandry and food cultivation, as a result he has to stay at one place. Then some individuals started earning profit by applying their skills/intellect. After-wards, the idea of exploiting the labour/skills of other individuals started. Land was the primary means of production at that time. In addition, some people (heads of clan etc.) became owners of land. This also narrowed the liberty of other individuals of the community. This was the beginning of feudalism along with the accumulation of personal wealth. They considered that their physical & intellectual capabilities and natural resources controlled by them are their personal wealth. Hence, barter came to facilitate exchange between the personal wealth of two individuals. In the due course of time, invention of currency made it possible to do indirect and abstract exchange. Currency made accumulation of wealth very easy and on other hand the barter very complex. Base of exchange economy is valuation. While doing exchange, we try to give as less as possible and to take as more as possible in return, don’t we do this? This process makes divisions in the society and separate individuals from one another. The concept of exchange economy has swal-lowed our virtue of sharing and caring within the community. We can find such valuation and exchange even within family structure in so-called developed nations. However, there are some good values left in so-called underdeveloped nations like India and family is as a unit where wealth and property are common. However, this value is fading out day by day. The whole process of economic transaction is based on falsehood and uncivilized laws – “Might is Right!” & “Survival of the Fittest!” One cannot measure the value of economic resources or intensives in terms of money. How can we put apart and count value of physical labour, intellectual labour, emotion, intuition, imagination and skills applied in the process of visualizing a concept or designing or production or marketing it. Do economists have any formula to count and re-pay contribution of Mother Earth in production of mineral resources or of other natural resources such as wind, water, sunshine that are essential inputs for agricultural production? How can an individual ask for intellectual property right, whose knowledge enriched by contribution of various factors – tradition, family, surrounding, school, friends, society, nature, God . . .? Such contributions cannot be measured or valuate by any means. Therefore, the exchange economy is nothing but falsehood and cheating. The super-structure of economy is erected upon Exchange Economy; therefore, it is insensate, inhumane.
STRUCTURE OF ECONOMY
MARKET
While the systems of division of labour, production and distribution were sprouting in the process of evolution of human civilization, since then knowingly or unknowingly, give and take i.e. exchange started by artificial valuation of labour and production. The theory of Exchange Economy is a sly effort to provide philosophical and scientific base to such practice. It is believed in the beginning of this philosophy that individual, society and the nature are separate entity and there is no relation amongst them. Insensitivity occurs through it in the mind of individuals and he/she thinks that his/her physical & intellectual capabilities are his/her personal wealth. Natural resources considered as gift of the nature; despite the fact that every individual develops his/her capabilities with the co-operation of society and the nature. Therefore, it cannot be considered that physical and intellectual capabilities of individual are personal wealth by any means. The natural resources also are not only for human beings and even not for their present generation as well. However, the exchange economy helps individuals to exploit nature and labour for production and further exchange of it for personal profit. Exchange economy believes that individual, society and the nature are separate and there is no integrated relationship among them; so one can earn profit by exploiting others. This way the exchange economy teaches how to give less and earn more. The market system is build up on this exchange economy. It encloses not only buying and purchasing (trade) but all kinds of economic activities. The market has been build up to earn more and more profit by offering as less as possible, so it cannot be justified. Goods and services produced here to earn maximum profit, not to fulfill the needs of the community. That is why it creates artificial demand of redundant consumer goods/services by offensive advertisements and dumps it all in the community. Other side, production and distribution of the basic requirements overlooked. Entire business runs in this manner and discrimination, competition and selfishness at all levels embrace our conscience. It is quite impossible to resolve the existing problems by denouncing the integrated relationship among Individual, Society and the Nature and accepting the values and system of exchange economy. Industrial Revolution altered the means of production in England and a new technique came up for mass production by utilization of the reduced amount of labour force. Whether it is modern capitalist system or current neo-imperialism based on globalization , liberalization & Privatization - ‘accumulation of wealth’ is central column of the structure. This annihilates Sadhan-Neeti and strengthens accumulation and consumerism. This economy incorporates all goods, knowledge, actions and the character and dignity of individual for valuation and trade. This accumulative community has three principles:
How much is given?
How much is taken?
How much is earned?
These three principles are fundamental ethics of current economics. These three principles harm more to the natural resources, since the nature does not ask for (straightforwardly/perceptibly) reimbursement; secondly it exploits labour force and lastly the exploiter class itself would be razed out by the effects of imbalance in nature and society. Exploitation of the nature has multiplied in modern capitalist system in comparison to the feudal system and neo-imperialism has crossed all the limits.
THE CAPITAL & THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION
Modern economist Karl Marx says that capital forms by the exploitation of surplus value of labour. This is relative truth. However, in fact capital is formed by the transformation of natural resources whether by the physical labour or by the machine. Whereas the value of the natural resources based on the theory of surplus value of Marx was ignored. Industrial revolution made mass production possible with the help of organized & centralized labour force. That is why Marx focused on the ownership over the means of production and called “Labours of the world unite!” According to Marx, it is supposed that the proletariat class will acquire the state power and by controlling the means of production, they will build a classless society. This was nothing else but a mere romantic idea. For the reason that, the machines also have a class character and secondly, the labourer working on machine cannot be a proletariat. Instead, they are elfin units of exploiters of the nature and society. These units exploit the natural resources and other smaller units of labour class and this way capital forms. Further Fredric Engels says, “Proletariat class will capture political power and transform means of production into the means of state.” Nevertheless, after such revolution, the so-called proletariat class emerged as neo-dictators of the state and state own means of production.
IMPERIALISM CHALLENGED
THE REVOLUTIONS OF PROLETARIATS
According to Marx, first revolution of proletariat class had to be turn out in England & Germany who are more developed through industrial revolution. This did not happen, because it was not only a romantic thought but also an unscientific idea. The working class of England and Germany was not proletariat, but it was enjoying the fruits of exploitation of worldwide colonies and transformed into middleclass working class. Russian revolution was not the uprising of Russian proletariats but the Russian middleclass and the peasants. The revolutions of China & Cuba were also the revolution of the peasants and the middle-class revolutionaries led it. These countries were not developed as industrial states. Chinese revolt of peasants & working class was actually not against industrial capital but against feudal lords.
WHAT HAPPENED TO CLASS STRUGGLE ?
Even today, when the world is transforming into a global village, the rationality of Marx’s ideas are becoming irrelevant. At the extreme point of exploitation, there is no class struggle in present scenario. Proletariat class is not united and the world is divided into multi-level sections. Therefore, the proletariats are also divided in many stages of hierarchy. We can see that some American multinational corporations (MNCs) are exploiting underdeveloped countries like India, Pakistan, Brazil and other countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Moreover, in country like India we can find out that some developed states are exploiting relatively underdeveloped states like Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar & Uttar Pradeah. In other level, one class is busy in exploiting other class. Here, question arises, who is proletariat? So, how can the proletariat of the world be united? The Juang tribe found in Keonjhar district of Oriisa (India) is going to disappear. Then there are many tribes of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra & Gujarat will give up the ghost. Turn of agricultural labourers, peasant & rural artisans will come in a row….One by one! If the class having revolutionary consciousness will wait to ripe the situation, neither that time will come when the proletariat of the world will be united nor the revolution will happen. However, it is sure that this boundless flow of imperialist capital must gulp local communities and nations one by one.
MEANS OF CHANGE
Whenever the revolutionary change occurred in the world, culturally cognizant group of people led it. Capitalists’ conspiracies crooked some of these people. However, one cannot challenge their honesty of intention. Such cognizant leaders led French, Russian, Chinese revolution and Indian struggle for independence. Chinese revolution led by Mao Zedong was actually a real cultural revolution of common mass. Indian independence struggle & Satyagraha movement led by Mohandas Karmchand Gandhi was a cultural revolutionary move which incorporated wide range of population of India.
CULTURAL REVOLUTION
Today, we need such Cultural Revolution to wipe out capitalist system & economy and establish values of Saadhan-Neeti by the leaders carrying that cultural values and conscience. Culturally cognizant group of individuals who will educate mass and ascertain values of Saadhan-Neeti by their value based life will lead such revolution. This will not be a revolt of present labour class, but a revolution of voluntary proletariats who adopt value-system of Cultural Revolution willingly. A revolutionary can come from any class and family background. The economic super-structure will not determine political and cultural values; instead, cultural values will determine and control economic and political structure, this is a challenge of the present time.
POINT OF REFERENCE
Mahatma Gandhi had responded slightly to the face of artificial wealth based on capitalist imperial-ism forced over India by British rulers. He has shown the glimpses of cultural value-system in his legendary book Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule). Unfortunately, this idea did not come into prac-tice in India. There may be the two causes, either this is such an ideal that cannot be transformed into the reality or Gandhi could not implement this idea due to the pressure of the situation. We believe that the later cause is more relevant. Gandhi tried to follow that ideal in his life, but could not implement it as a value-structure of politi-co-economic system of the nation. Consequently, history rebooked him as an unsuccessful leader. After demise of Mahatma Gandhi, various efforts by Vinoba Bhave and Jayprakash Narayan could not stop the flow of imperial force. At present, there are millions of Socialists , Communists and Sarvodayees (people following ideals of Gandhi) working hard since long time, but failed to turn around the flow of imperialism. Instead, imperialist forces and its inhuman value-system are spreading out day by day, reached up to almost every nook & cranny of world. Here, we can mull over point of view of Socialists & Communists who has accepted heavy industrialisation as a road to development. Nevertheless, how does Sarvodayees failed as well in spite of accepting Gandhian value-system? What was gone wrong with them? Was there any inadequacy in concepts, ideals and programs for Swadeshi? This has to analyze.
ANALYZING STRUCTURE OF IMPERIALISM
Consumerism is intensifying in the name of neo-colonialism stepping over artificial wealth oriented economy. It has four wings and further Market has four branches:
Parliamentary Democracy or Socialist / Communist Dictatorship
Mahatma Gandhi had put forward Charkha (Spinning Wheal) as a symbolic alternative to industrialisation and proposed concept of Swadeshi to challenge imperialism. However, he did not challenged Finance Capital of centralized market and the war economy as well; therefore, program for Swadeshi, like Khadi, (hand spun & hand weaved cotton cloth) ) is wedged in the vicious circle of finance capital and now it is strengthening imperialism. Because, instead of being a means to develop a self-reliant economy, Khadi is a product in the market. Khadi is supposed to be a symbolic means to protect the dignity of the labour whereas in the market economy it destroys the value of labour. Even if Vinoba’s Bhoodaan & Gramdaan (village-gift) was an alternate model to imperialism based on Swaraj, it was not out of the circle of Finance Capital. Consequently, the finance capital & war economy botched the program of Bhoodaan & Gramdaan. According to the macro economic structure basic resources of the village, i.e. land and labour are overlooked. Therefore, it is very easy to bargain these basic resources through finance capital. We assume that if Gandhi could have stayed a few more years, his intuitive experience might point out the web of Finance Capital & war economy underneath the Market System. Conversely, it was not in the destiny of our beloved Nation. We can say that only Gandhi had realized the indigenous spirit and condition of the Nation amongst the various learned leaders of Indian Struggle for Independence. Today, at one hand when the industrialization along with the Finance Capital and war economy prepared for economic, social and environmental catastrophe, Sarvodayees on other hand are strengthening the imperialist forces by their market-oriented programs of Swadeshi. Because im-perialism wants that Market System must prevail, whereas some products/services might go out of the centralized production system. Thus, macro-structure must not be disturbed. Decentralized market can also capitalize finance capital and strengthen imperialism. Therefore, whether somebody try to work for community development by establishing co-operative banks, Self Help Groups (SHG) or through NGOs or somebody serves market by producing Swadeshi products; they all are serving the purpose of imperialism in the name of social change.
PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY
Second pillar of imperialism, the parliamentary democracy, which is based on majority-minority votes or centralized communist dictatorship, is working indirectly in support of imperialism. Because, both are the helping hands of industrialization and Finance Capital. Executive, judiciary, legislature & communication media are four pillars of parliamentary democracy are complementary to the capitalist system. Thus, the honest individuals going to parliament are also serving the interest of the imperialism.
EDUCATION SYSTEM
The outputs - educated human resources – of the present education system are inputs for capitalist structure. So, the efforts has been taken to create the alternative model of present sys-tem is going ahead with success up to some extent and after that the model is going to be failure or it is co-opted into the present education system. The experiments done by Gandhi, Shri Aurovindo, Tagore, and J. Krishnamurthy have gone the same way.
NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS
NGO is the institution has been created by the same capitalist structure to continue the macro eco-nomic structure & to resolve the micro level conflicts through the relief and reform process. As a result, the capitalist structure handles and controls the grass-root people. Thus, the voluntary spirits coming forward for social change co-opted with the macro economic structure. Consequently, a volunteer is transformed into a mere employee. British rulers enforced “Societies Registration Act 1860 ” and it is operating until now over Indian people. This act is ruining spontaneity of cooperation and help in individuals and millions of NGOs are working in the name of welfare. Education system and NGOs are the instruments to crush down the anger and revolt against imperialism. We can see that NGOs came together worldwide in the name of “World Social Forum ” to create a new & better world against the globalization raising a new political slogan. Such so-called movements confuse common people, who believe these organisations are dedicated to the goal and will truly build a new better world for them.
OUR ALTERNATIVE: SWARAJ
Therefore, if we wish to fight against imperialist system and establish a system based on cultural values, we have to root out all these four pillars at once. Jayprakash Narayan has described it as ‘Total Revolution” and Trotsky as ‘Continuous Revolution’. We can make this dream true on the foundation of ‘Sarvodaya’ developed by Gandhi & Vinoba. To root out Imperialism, it is essential to make clear our views. In our perception, the alternative will be based upon the values of equality empathy and sharing. To achieve the objective of alternative social order – that is the social order - we are putting forward principles of it. It has to be clear that there will be no role of artificial wealth (including currency notes, stock market, bank etc) as well as market economy based on exchange. Consequently, greed to capture more and more power will find no space. The structure will not be like a standing pyramid or upside down pyramid. Instead, it can be described as oceanic circles; where the power will spread out from its centre – village – towards the bigger circles – such as cluster of villages (Panchayat), districts, provinces and the nation. These outer circles will become less and less powerful in the context of ruling over the people and exploiting them. That means the peripheral circles will enjoy almost no power. Most of the power will remain in the hand of village community.
POLITICAL DEMOCRACY
Let us explore, what will be the political system of Swaraj? If this democracy continues based on majority-minority, then the truth will disappear from the life of individual & community. Because, the minority will not get the justice. The politics of majority-minority divides the society into sepa-rate sections. Therefore, political alternative will be competition free direct unanimity among people’s representatives. This will be a true democracy.
ELECTION
Direct relationship will be the foundation of the community life of this interdependent society. There will total absence of dividing factor such as currency, market, party based elections etc. Therefore, the community will communicate straightforwardly within itself. There will be no elected people’s representatives; instead, there will be selected representatives by the communi-ty unanimously. A new process may emerge out of this, which would base upon direct relationship, and the minority will be honored in it.
LAW MAKING
To establish peace and order in community and to provide justice to the populace, least amount of rules and regulations are required. Local (social & geographic unit) ethical practice and traditions will be the base for such rules. It is well known fact that laws of the state are always insufficient and incapable as well. A mass awareness campaign would continue within the community in this regard.
ADMINISTRATION
Administration will be minimal. Local community will select persons to manage community services at local level. Representatives of village level community will appoint willing persons for outer level services. Entire administrative staff will be responsible to the community.
DEFENSE
Maintenance of internal security will be the responsibility of local community and the community will solve local disputes as well. People of the nation will be equipped with the virtues of tolerance, bigheartedness, non-violence and spirit of Satyagraha. They will defend themselves by these virtues as well as transform hearts of offender in the time of crisis.
ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY
This political democracy cannot come into practice until the establishment of economic democracy. Economic democracy means, the economic system based on ‘Sasdhan-Neeti’, decentralized industrial system, which will be free from finance capital, heavy industrialisation & profit based exchange system. Information technology will be used to cater public requirements instead of controlling them and making profit. Unless and until the obstacle of Finance Capital is removed from the path of decentralization, it is impossible to establish democracy of decentralized Swaraj. In addition, the fight against industrialisation will become futile. A mass awareness program is needed to establish Sadhan-Neeti based on cultural values.
ARTIFICIAL WEALTH
At present, Indian currency ‘Rupee’ is a symbol of Finance Capital, but it is very mush linked to American Dollar. This rupee is working as a slave under American dollar economy. Consequently, Indian currency and banks and of any other country as well, are not only a symbol of imperialism, but also are the drivers of it. Unless and until a powerful mass movement does not occur to root out such institutions, the inhuman Finance Capital will devastate all the programs and movements of Swadeshi. As Vinoba Bahve had once said that money is ‘vagabond’ (Lafanga) and when villagers will become self-reliant, they will tatter and throw away currency notes. Nevertheless, this could not happen because Finance Capital always breaks each effort of people to become self-reliant in true sense. That is why, firstly, this artificial wealth – currency-note of rupee – and all its concern institutions (Banks etc) have to be root out. Only this can be an initiative towards a great revolution to establish continuous harmonious relationship between society and nature, which will liberate exploited people. This will open up doors to establish Swaraj by Swadeshi programs.
UTILITARIAN ECONOMY
Utilization Economy will be the philosophical and scientific foundation of the economy. Everybody will offer and practice the best of his/her skills & capacity for the production or the service to the community and will try to utilize smallest amount of products and services offered by the community. Simplicity will be an elemental ideal of life. There will be no valuation of intellect, labour, resources, product and/or services by any means.
PRODUCTION FOR THE MASSES
Local community will own and control all real wealth (land, natural resources, machine, equipment etc). This wealth will be utilized for the common good of the community. Instead of mass production, there will be the production for the masses based on their justified requirements. Each unit of the community starting from the family, will hand over surplus production to the outer units i.e. village, panchayat etc. Inner unites will fulfill their requirements from outer units.
FREEDOM FROM MARKET
There will be no valuation, so no market at all. Instead of that, there will be collection & distribution of the production at local level by community stores. Local community will be owner of real wealth and there will be no existence of artificial wealth. As a result, society will be free from the market.
ENERGY
Human labour cannot produce/reproduce fossil fuels, and to extract it we have to dig out Mother Earth’s belly. We have to burn up additional fuels/energy and apply more labour to make it refined. Thus, its use will be as minimal as possible. Higher priority will be given to sustainable and renewable energy resources as wind, solar, water flow, human and animal energy etc.
JUDICIARY
At present, here is no direct relationship between the seeker of justice and the provider of it. In this circumstance, one cannot judge the situation and the reality. Justice cannot be done without it. At present, the courts of law provide decision, which may or may not be in favor of justice. That decision too is delivered by the logic only. The conscience will be above the logic in the alternative system. Instead of punishment, that system will try to provide opportunity to everybody to nurture and manifest inner intrinsic worth.
EDUCATION SYSTEM
Objective of education is to aid humans to flourish as self-reliant humanitarian being. On the other hand, the education system today is designed as a factory of making human-machines. Education system of the future will be provided on local level by available local resources to fulfill re-quirements of the local community. Teacher is a mare paid servant today. In the future education system, there will be direct, continuous and mutually rewarding relationship between the teachers and the pupils.
CONCEPT OF SCIENCE
True science should be the knowledge that enrich and strengthen the comfortable, continuous and harmonious relationship between the man, society and Mother Nature. Science will be correlated with ideal social values, and it will grow on the fundamentals of social values. Scientific and technological innovations will be coupled with interdependent community life. That means, it is obligatory to the scientists to make innovations keeping equilibrium between man, society and Mother Nature and put their efforts to make life more comfortable, more beautiful and more enriched.
FOUNDATION OF DEVELOPMENT
Development will also go hand in hand with science and technology to enrich and strengthen continuous and harmonious relationship between the man, society and Mother Nature. Its foundation would be based on the value of equality of interdependent life.
DIRECTION & OUTLINE OF PROGRAMS
There are four processes of social change we can come across in present day society:
Relief
Reform
Rebellion
Revolutionary
Whatever the governments and the millions of NGOs are doing in the name of betterment of the people could be considered as relief. Their objective is to provide little aid to the people suffering from the capitalist imperialist system. Sometimes they show disagreement with the outcomes of capitalist imperialist system and try to find out remedy of the symptoms as reformers. They do not even wish to root out this crooked system; instead, they are facilitators to it. Rebellions go out of law and revolt against the inauspicious outcomes of the imperialist system. Moreover, revolutionaries fight against the foundations of imperialist system. On the other hand, they try to build up an alternative model. Those revolutionaries propose direction of new system before the society but they have been unable to motivate masses towards that direction. Because the alternative model is the reflection of a fraction of life, not to the whole of it. So, it has become essential to propose a holistic alternative, which challenge imperialist system by raising questions concerned to everybody as well as a holistic response to it. Organized people’s movement is necessary to achieve it. This will be a prolonged struggle for present revolutionaries to establish new values and beliefs. This will be a non-violent movement. Unless and until this struggle begins, all efforts to establish an alternate model to imperialism and all the issue-based movements will turn into a companion of imperialism. Ultimately, imperialism will vanish such issue based movements and efforts to build up an alternative model.
ESTABLISHMENT OF SWARAJ
Political & economic alternatives to establish Swaraj are the two sides of a same coin. We had said in advance that unless and until economic democracy is established, political democracy is impossible. Therefore, the economic structure of centralized imperialist system should be challenged. Currency-note (in Indian context – Rupee), is the main pillar and the symbol of economic imperialism based on the philosophy of exchange economy has to be condemned and put on fire. This action will raise a holistic question against the system in the society. Philosophy and the instrument of imperialist system would be challenged this way. The ethical foundation of imperialist forces will be wiped out, because whole of their structure rely on false assumptions of exchange economy. Lot of people think about alternative of market system and do not agree to blaze out currency notes. However, to break lethargies of common person such a quaking program is essential. This will motivate them to focus on the alternative system. Some critic says that denouncing currency will push back society in the past. Imperialism is propagating that there is no alternative to the market system. If we abolish it, the society will go backwards. The world will derail from the path of development. Imperialism is flourishing by the help of such arguments. Nevertheless, we have the conviction that society will move at least one-step ahead by abolishing currency and market (exchange economy). Utility-based participatory economy is the answer to imperialism. This will root out imperialism and establish Swaraj as equitable society.
Myth of Model
Some imperialist intellectuals argue to build a model as an alternative on your ideal. Unfortunately, many communists, socialists and sarvodayees are in the trap of it. It is reasonably impossible to build a model of a village (or a cluster of villages) as an alternative in the jurisdiction of a nation-state. Therefore, at least a Nation State could be an alternative. Otherwise, many efforts have been done in the name of Commune or Gram Swaraj; all were grown up to the some extent and spoiled after a limit.
Confrontation to Resolve the Conflict
The currency notes should be set on fire to break the myth of alternative model and to challenge the philosophy as well as the instrument of exchange economy unswervingly. This action will raise several questions regarding imperialism, market and exchange economy in the minds of common people as well as in intellectuals, and those provocative questions will become instruments to root out imperialism forever. Those questions must appeal the individual as well as the society to estab-lish Swaraj.
THE WAY OF CONFRONTATION: NON-VIOLENCE
The confrontation should be organized non-violently and there should not be any physical harm towards any individual of the society. The role of violence will close the possibility of creating a structure of caring and sharing. The volunteers prepared for self-suffering will achieve such a revolutionary objective.
WE RESOLVE….
He/she is more like a dead person who does not have a dream, no ideal, and no enthusiasm to make the dream true. Such individuals cannot grow up. Same in the case of society, if it has no ideal or idea, it is inert and dead society. The individuals who have always visualized higher ideals and taken responsibility to move society towards it; always worked hard and became vanguards of the social change. Therefore, friends, come forward to accept the challenge to bring about a new economic structure, which will be guided by the principles of sharing and caring. This will be a cultured society in a true sense !
OUR JOURNEY AS ACTIVISTS
Akshaya (Date of birth: July 14, 1967; Place of birth: Sasilo, Dist. Cuttack, Orrisa, India) and Amit (Date of Birth: 12 May 1970; Place of birth: Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India) are close associates since 16 years.
Akshaya studied in Ganidhan thoughts from the Institute of Gandhian Studies, Wardha in year 1989-90.
Both of us gained the experience of commune life in Nivedita Nilayam, Wardha (1992-93).
Bharat Yatra for socio-cultural study of India (1993-96). We (Amit, Raja & Akshaya) reached up to al-most every district of India to meet social activists & intellectuals. Unfortunately, our beloved friend Raja expired in an accident during the Yatra (April 5, 1996).
During staying in Nivedita Nilayam and Bharat Yatra, some likeminded youths came together with a bond of love and dedication towards the cause of social change. Consequently, Yuva Parivar formed as a non-formal group.
Spent 2 years in Assam for peace process and to explore the causes of insurgency in this region. We also took a deeper study of socio-cultural history of North-Eastern region of India, especially Assam. (1997-1998)
Joined in the efforts of organizing a new type of youth organization - Yuva Bharat. Both of us worked as its national conveners.
Worked for relief and rehabilitation in supper-cyclone in costal region of Orissa in 1999. In the process of people’s movement, Navnirman Samiti was formed to ask for proper rehabilitation and Right to Information about the income & expenditure of NGOs working there.
At present, Akshaya is involved in anti-POSCO (Pohang Steel Company; MSC based in South Korea) movement in the same area of Orissa (Erasama Block, Dist. Jagatsinghpur).
Amit is presently working with Eklavya (an institute for innovation in education), Bhopal.
[1]Exchange of goods or services:the practice or system of exchanging goods and services
[1] Around 650 AD, the emperor of China began to issue paper "value tokens" for general use. As MarcoPolo reported enthusiastically in 1275, "I tell you that people are glad to take these tokens, because wherever they go in the empire of the great Khan, they can use them to buy and sell as if they were pure gold". Europeans had to wait until the 17th century when Sweden took the lead in issuing paper currency. Other countries gradually followed the Swedish example. (Source: RenéSedillot: Muscheln, Münzen und Papier)
[1]Capitalism, economic system in which private individuals and business firms carry on the production and exchange of goods and services through a complex network of prices and markets. Although rooted in antiquity, capitalism is primarily European in its origins; it evolved through a number of stages, reaching its zenith in the 19th century. From Europe, and especially from England, capitalism spread throughout the world, largely unchallenged as the dominant economic and social system until World War I (1914-1918) ushered in modern communism (or Marxism) as a vigorous and hostile competing system.Karl Marx, the founder of communism, first introduced the term capitalism in the mid-19th century. Free enterprise and market system are terms also frequently employed to describe modern non-Communist economies. Sometimes the term mixed economy is used to designate the kind of economic system most often found in Western nations. Click here for more details. (Source: MSN Encarta)
[1]Many economists believed that lifting trade barriers and increasing the free movement of capital across borders would narrow the sharp income differences between rich and poor countries. This has generally not happened. Poverty rates have decreased in the two most heavily populated countries in the world, India and China. However, excluding these two countries, poverty and inequality have increased in less-developed and so-called transitional (formerly Communist) countries. For low- and middle-income countries the rate of growth in the decades of globalization from 1980 to 2000 amounted to less than half what it was during the previous two decades from 1960 to 1980. Although this association of slow economic development and the global implementation of neoliberal economic policies is not necessarily strict evidence of cause and effect, it contributes to the dissatisfaction of those who had hoped globalization would deliver more growth. A slowdown in progress on indicators of social well-being, such as life expectancy, infant and child mortality, and literacy, also has lowered expectations about the benefits of globalization.Click here for more details. (Source: MSN Encarta)
[1]KarlMarx (1818-1883), German political philosopher and revolutionary, the most important of all socialist thinkers and the creator of a system of thought called Marxism. Click here for more details. (Source: MSN Encarta)
[1]Friedrich Engels (1820-1895), German revolutionary political economist and cofounder, with Karl Marx, of scientific socialism, now known as communism. Click here for more details. (Source: MSN Encarta)
[1]Russian Revolutions of 1917, two revolutions that occurred in Russia in 1917. The first revolution, in February, overthrew the Russian monarchy. The second revolution, in October, created the world’s first Communist state. Click here from more details. (Source: MSN Encarta)
[1]Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), political campaign in China, launched in 1966 by Chinese Communist Party chairperson Mao Zedong to eliminate his political rivals and revolutionize Chinese society. In the social chaos and political persecution that followed, thousands died and millions were imprisoned or exiled. Click here from more details. (Source: MSN Encarta)
[1]Cuban Revolution, widespread uprising in Cuba that overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista (1952-1959) and brought the government of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro to power. The revolution established the only communist state in the western hemisphere and produced profound changes in the economic and social structure of Cuban society. It also ended more than a half century of United States influence in Cuban internal affairs. Click here for more details. (Source: MSN Encarta)
[1]Struggle for power between classes:the Marxist principle of a continuous struggle for political and economic power between the ruling and working classes.
[1]Many tribes like Juanga, Bhuiyan, Saora, Dharua and Bonda practice shifting cultivation or PoduChasa, also known as slash and burn. They select a plot of land on a mountain slope, slash down all the trees and bushes and burn them to ashes. Spreading the ashes evenly over the land, they wait for the rains before planting their crops. Due to cultivation for two or three seasons on one plot of land, the soil is depleted and the tribes move on. It is a way of life for them. (source: http://www.orissatourism.org/orissa-tribes.html
[1]Mao Zedong (1893-1976), foremost Chinese Communist leader of the 20th century and the principal founder of the People’s Republic of China. Click here for his biography. (Source: MSN Encarta)
[1]Satyagraha (Sanskrit: satyāgraha) is a philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance developed by MohandasKaramchandGandhi (also known as "Mahatma" Gandhi). Gandhi deployed satyagraha in campaigns for Indian independence and during his earlier struggles in South Africa. Satyagraha theory also influenced MartinLutherKing, Jr. during the campaigns he led during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Satya is the Sanskrit word for “truth”; agraha means "firmness". The two words combined may be rendered as "the firmness of truth.” The term was popularized during the Indian Independence Movement, and is used in many Indian languages including Hindi. It can also mean "truth force."
Gandhi described it as follows:
“Its root meaning is holding onto truth, hence truth-force. I have also called it love-force or soul-force. In the application of satyagraha, I discovered in the earliest stages that pursuit of truth did not admit of violence being inflicted on one’s opponent but that he must be weaned from error by patience and sympathy. For what appears to be, truth to the one may appear to be error to the other. In addition, patience means self-suffering. Therefore, the doctrine came to mean vindication of truth, not by infliction of suffering on the opponent, but on oneself. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satyagraha)
[1]MohandasGandhi (1869-1948), Indian nationalist leader, who established his country's freedom through a nonviolent revolution. Click here for his biography. (Source: MSN Encarta)
[1] Book written by M.K. Gandhi during 1908-09. Click here to see this book online.
[1]He was associated with Mahatma Gandhi in the Indian independence movement. In 1932, he was sent to jail by the British colonial government because of his fight against British rule. There he gave a series of talks on the Gita, in his native language Marathi, to his fellow prisoners. These highly inspiring talks were later published as the book "Talks on the Gita", and it has been translated to many languages in both India and elsewhere. Vinoba felt that the source of these talks was something above and he believed that its influence would endure even if his other works were forgotten. In 1940, he was chosen by Gandhi to be the first Individual Satyagrahi (an Individual standing up for Truth instead of a collective action) against the British rule. Bhave also participated in the Quit India Movement. Click here for biography.
[1]JayaprakashNarayan (1902-1979), Indian political leader, who led the opposition that toppled the government of Prime Minister IndiraGandhi in 1977. He was born in the Sarah district of Bihār. After eight years of study in the U.S., he returned to India in 1929, became a disciple of the nationalist leader Mohandas Gandhi, and joined the Indian National Congress, within which he later formed a socialist group. Frequently imprisoned for his anti-British activities and a close collaborator of the nationalist Prime Minister JawaharlalNehru, he was generally regarded as Nehru's heir apparent, when he gave up politics in 1954 to join the movement for voluntary land distribution led by VinobaBhave. Click here for biography. (Source: MSN Encarta)
[1]Socialism, economic and social system under which essential industries and social services are publicly and cooperatively owned and democratically controlled with a view to equal opportunity and equal benefit for all. The term socialism also refers to the doctrine behind this system and the political movement inspired by it. Socialism was originally based in the working class and has generally been opposed to capitalism, which is based on private ownership and a free-market economy. Socialists have advocated nationalization (government ownership and control) of natural resources, basic industries, banking and credit institutions, and public utilities. Although the ultimate aim of early socialists was a communist or classless society (see Communism), later socialists have increasingly concentrated on social reforms within capitalism. Click here for more details. (source: MSN Encarta)
[1]Communism, a theory and system of social and political organization that was a major force in world politics for much of the 20th century. As a political movement, communism sought to overthrow capitalism through a workers’ revolution and establish a system in which property is owned by the community as a whole rather than by individuals. In theory, communism would create a classless society of abundance and freedom, in which all people enjoy equal social and economic status. In practice, communist regimes have taken the form of coercive, authoritarian governments that cared little for the plight of the working class and sought above all else to preserve their own hold on power. Click here for more details (Source: MSN Encarta)
[1]Sarvodaya is a term meaning 'universal uplift' or 'progress of all'. The term was first coined by MohandasGandhi as the title of his 1908 translation of JohnRuskin's tract on political economy, Unto This Last, andGandhi came to use the term for the ideal of his own political philosophy. Later Gandhians, like the Indian nonviolent activist VinobaBhave, embraced the term as a name for the social movement in post-independence India, which strove to ensure that self-determination, and equality reached all strata of India society.
[1] Indian spinning wheel: a spinning wheel, especially for cotton, used in South Asia.
[1]Favoring of Indian products:the practice of favoring domestic products and refusing to buy imported goods as part of the struggle for independence in IndiaClick here for details article on SwadeshiMovement.(source: MSN Encarta)
[1] The Bhoodan or Land Gift, Movement was a voluntary land reform movement in India started by Acharya Vinoba Bhave in 1951. As an experiment in voluntary social justice, Bhoodan has attracted admiration throughout the world. There is little questioning that it created a social atmosphere in India that presaged land reform legislation activity throughout the country. It also had a tangible effect on the lives of many people - over 5 million acres (20,000 km²) were donated. However, it failed to meet the more ambitious goal of 50 million acres (200,000 km²) that had been set for it. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhoodan_movement)
[1] Gramdaan is a concept developed by Vinoba Bhave at the time of Bhoodaan movement. When the all the village land is considered as the land of the village community and no individual can sell or purchase the land without the consent of the Gramsabha (village community).
[1]Under this act, Societies may be formed by a "memorandum of association" by any seven people associated for any literary, scientific, or charitable purpose, filing the same with Registrar of Joint-stock Companies from themselves into a society under this Act. Click here for more details. (Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
[1] The World Social Forum (WSF) is an annual meeting held by members of the anti-globalization or alter-globalization movement to coordinate world campaigns, share and refine organizing strategies, and informs each other about movements from around the world and their issues. Click here for more details.
[1]LeonTrotsky (1879-1940), Russian Marxist, who organized the revolution that brought the Bolsheviks (later Communists) to power in Russia in October 1917. An outstanding administrator and an eloquent theorist, Trotsky held a number of important posts in the government of Soviet Russia and then that of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) until he was ousted for his opposition to Communist Party leader JosephStalin in 1925. Click here for biography. (source: MSN Encarta)
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