ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY OF DEVELOPMENT: LOHIA AND GANDHI

Abstract

Lohia was a disciple of Gandhi and drew inspiration from him. Though in a different way, Lohia stood for the realization for the same values, namely Truth, Justice, Freedom, Dignity, Equality, Brotherhood, One World and People, And Struggle based on Non-Violence. He firmly believed in Gandhian tenets but at the same time, he was a born rebel and iconoclast always ready to demolish what did not stand the test of the ideals, democratic norm and humans values. He was nurtured and trained by Schumacher, who was an ardent protagonist of intermediate technology and champion of indigenous technology suited to local resource endowment and available talent. Thus the rationale of Lohia‟s critique regarding strategy and technique of Indian planning and economic development can be analysed and evaluated in the backdrop of broader Gandhian economic framework. Lohia can be safely categorized as a political thinker as well as activist who confronted all the problems of socio-economic and political system of the country, but was definitely not a professional economist. He delved deep into the problems and tried his best to offer solutions suited to Indian condition and conducive to the masses of people who were the focus of his attentions. Lohia was a firm supporter of the symbiotic relationship between man, society and nature which has been disturbed by modern technology, large-scale production and indiscriminate industrialization based on capital intensity and imported technology without considering the absorptive capacity of the economy and adaptability of the people. It is prudent to remember that Gandhi's scheme of rural reconstruction was also based on the idea of building on the resources available within the community rather than through importation of ideas and logistics from outside. Mahatma Gandhi stood for dignity of labour and his concept of „Bread-Labour‟ is especially relevant to the Indian condition. These ideas of both Lohia and Gandhi match with Gunnar Myrdal‟s view on the appropriateness of technology for the poor countries where he says that capital intrusive technology may fulfil the criterion of labour efficiency without meeting the basic problem of fuller utilization of surplus labour force in the economy. This paper will look at Lohia‟s alternative strategy of development from a Gandhian perspective, being more appropriate both in terms of capital resources and human values and ethical as well as political norms, which are essential for fullest development of human being.