Gram Swarajya (Hindi Edition)

It is wrong to think that Gandhiji held very old-fashioned views about modern industrialization. In fact, he was not opposed to the mechanization of industries. He welcomed any improvement in small machinery that could provide employment to millions of rural artisans. Instead of producing goods in large quantities in large factories, Gandhiji advocated that the vast masses of the country produce goods in their homes and huts. He was deeply concerned about providing adequate employment to every able-bodied person in India and believed that this goal would be achieved only through the efficient organization and operation of village industries and cottage industries in the villages. Mahatma Gandhi strongly supported the decentralization of economic and political power through the organization of village panchayats. Unfortunately, the moral and spiritual aspects of economic life have always been neglected, resulting in great harm to true human welfare. Modern economists are now emphasizing the crucial need that if we are to achieve rapid economic development on a large scale, we must not only enhance the quality of goods but also the quality of humanity. Therefore, in the current situation, there is a great need to study Gandhijis concept of village self-rule.