Gandhi on Industrialization

"Industrialization is, I am afraid, going to be a curse for mankind. Exploitation of one nation by another cannot go on for all time. Industrialism depends entirely on your capacity to exploit, on foreign markets being open to you, and on the absence of competitors . . . India, when it begins to exploit other nations—as it must if it becomes industrialized—will be a curse for other nations, a menace to the world."

This quote didn't make Gandhi look very good. He was an educated man, probably exposed to economics. So what happened? He just didn't get it, it appears. So lets look at his other quotes:

"I know that man cannot live without industry. Therefore, I cannot be opposed to industrialization. But I have a great concern about introducing machine industry. The machine produces much too fast, and brings with it a sort of economic system which I cannot grasp. I do not want to accept something when I see its evil effects which outweigh whatever good it brings with it."

Having concern is Hnot so bad.

But still, you have to just give him a D on economics.

Looking Into Gandhi

Lately I've had an interest in Gandhi, so I've started in the first place I could read up on him, wikipedia. I have no doubt his pacifism was too extreme and there are also some strange rumors...well, about him and young girls. But I'm not really looking for a savior.

I liked this part of the article:

"The pivotal and defining element of Gandhism is satya, a Sanskrit word usually translated into English as truth, whose literal meaning is 'what actually is' (deriving from the root verb as meaning 'to be'). The principle of Satya as espoused by Gandhi needed that Truth must pervade all considerations of politics, ego, society and convention. Gandhi did not consider himself to be a pacifist, socialist or on any definable spectrum of politics. He professed to adhere to the pure, existing facts of life to make his decisions.

Gandhi’s commitments to non-violence, human freedom, equality and justice arose from his personal examination."

I'm still learning, so its a bit early to say too much about Gandhi. What I admire him for, more than so many others, is his skepticism towards violence. Too often in life we become passionate with a cause and move to demonize whatever group is opposing our cause. And then the dehumanization and violence comes in.

This quote only raises my opinion of Gandhi. "Personal examination" or at least examination of our own beliefs, is the method by which we avoid offensive dogmatism.