GANDHI ON VILLAGE ORGANIZATION Extracts from VILLAGE SWARAJ by M. K. Gandhi
THE VILLAGE AND THE WORLD In the future set-up we shall have only two things, the village and the world. We may nave the names of countries on the map for the sake of convenience, but in reality, there will be no intermediary between the world and the village. All the authority concerning the material side of life will rest with the village. The village will have power to order its own life. The power of moral advancement of the whole world will rest in the world centre. The districts or the States will only be the agents of the village community. Thus we shall have the village at the base and the world Authority at the Centre. Human society will be organized on the basis of small village communities of day, 2 to 3 thousand souls each. There would be real fraternity and co-operation in the village community. There would be no private ownership. The village will be a model of corporate life. The world centre will be the ultimate co-ordination link between these primary communities. and from Preface....
The experience of mankind testifies to the fact the collective life is more genial, varied and fruitful when it is concentrated in small units and simpler organizations. It is only small units which have had the most intense life. Collective life diffusing itself in vast areas would be wanting in cohesiveness and productiveness.
Ancient Greet City States and Village Republics of India provided specimen of all-round development of rich and puissant life. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wrote: “ This system of village self-government was the foundation of the Aryan polity. It was this that gave it strength. So jealous were the village assemblies of their liberties that it was laid down that no soldier was to enter a village except with a royal permit. ….
As late as 1830 a British Governor in India, Sir Charles Metcalfe, described the village communities as follows: “ The village communities are little republics having nearly everything they want within themselves and almost independent of foreign relations. They seem to last where nothing else lasts. This union of the village communities, each one forming a separate little State in itself… is in a high degree conducive to their happiness, and to the enjoyment of a great portion of freedom and independence.” Villages Independence must begin at the bottom. Thus, every village will be a republic or Pancayat having full powers. It follows, therefore, that every village has to be self-sustained and capable of managing its affairs even to the extent of defending itself against the whole world. P. 69
I want to resuscitate the villages of India. Today our villages have become a mere appendage to the cities. They exist, at it were, to be exploited by the latter and depend on the latter’s sufferance. P. 83, from Village Swaraj. Prabhupäda: The villagers, they have cows and lan | 1.1 Letter to Rayarama dasa, 17 October, 1968, Seattle | | Nobody should take to very hardship labor. The modern civilization has discovered severe types of dangerous industries, and laborers are attracted for high wages. But they should not accept such work. Then naturally there will be less capitalistic idea. Because the laborer cooperates, therefore demoniac persons they take advantage and make unnecessarily increase of artificial demands of the body. Better one should be satisfied with agricultural produce than go into large cities to be engaged in industry. Peaceful life depending on agricultural produce can bring him real happiness and prosperity, not otherwise. The more persons will be satisfied at their home, with home economics, not to go outside the home, that is peaceful life. In India, Mahatma Gandhi tried to organize villages in that way so that not to drag the people to the town. So peaceful atmosphere can be attained only when there is large scale village organization, actually village life. Not to borrow the ideas from the cities in the village life; poet Cooper said that country is made by God, and the cities and towns are made by man. So that is the distinction. There are many such nice ideas, for peaceful living on this planet and execute Krishna Consciousness, so that one may become completely freed from contamination of material existence, and get eternal life, just after quitting this body. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, Taktva Deham Punar Janma Na Eti Mam Eti Kaunteya. By simple prosecution of Krishna Consciousness, one goes back to home, back to Godhead, just after quitting this present body. |
d. That is sufficient for their economic problem. But the industrialists, they are alluring them, “To get more money, come here.” So they are going to the cities. And the food production in the village is neglected. And therefore the food grain price is rising. Actually, everyone should be engaged to produce food, but the modern set-up of civilization is that few people are engaged in producing food, and others are eating. They are offering... They are artificially getting money. So they are offering paper, “Here is ten dollars.” Although it is a paper, cheating. And they are captivated by cheating. They, they are thinking, “I have got now hundred dollars.” What is this hundred dollars? It is paper. So some people are cheating and some people are being cheated. This is the society. Mother: Yes. But I think one has to be clever enough not to let people cheat you. Prabhupäda: Clever means that he must stay in his own land. He should not be cheated by the paper and go to the city. Mother: But we have to teach our young to be able to define between those who cheat and those who..., be able to tell people who... Prabhupäda: The whole civilization is a plan of cheating others. That’s all. And they’re all sinful. According to our Vedic understanding, there are four things sinful, pillars of sinful life: illicit sex, unnecessary killing of animals, intoxication and gambling.
Mother: But you can lead a very happy life still, eating... Prabhupäda: No. Our students are trained in that way. |
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| 1.3 Conversations: May 25, 1974, Rome |
| Bhagavän: Now with paper money, any country can print any other country’s money. Prabhupäda: Yes. That is going on. Therefore inflation. Suppose I am an enemy. I print dollars like that, and distribute. So the inflation is there. And the price is increased. If you get money for nothing, you will be prepared to pay anything. Suppose there is one mound of rice. I have got these printed notes. You are offering ten rupees. I will say twenty rupees. Atreya Åñi: That’s inflation. Prabhupäda: That’s all. Because I did not earn this money, I have printed. I am prepared to twenty rupees. So he says, “Why shall I pay ten rupees? I must wait for the customer, for twenty rupees, and hoard it.” Even there is sufficient stock, he will not sell. Therefore the other man, who is honest, he is suffering. This is going on. So to stop this inflation, the government must stop this paper currency. Then the inflation… There will be no more inflation. But that they will not do. They want to cheat people. “In God I trust. Take this paper and you be satisfied that you have got thousand dollars.” That’s all. This cheating is going on. Why should you pay me paper? Give me real dollar, in gold. That they have none. They haven’t got. That’s all. They will employ laborers and cheat them by paying these papers, and this rascal will think that “I am getting more money.” That’s all. Since this world has taken this paper currency, the situation has degraded. Formerly there was barter exchange. That was very good thing. Still in Indian villages, the remote villages, there is barter. Yes. He has produced some grains, paddy. He will bring to the storekeeper. And the storekeeper will take, “For so much oil, you have to give me so much paddy.” So he will weigh and keep it and give him oil. So he will arrange to sell the paddy. But for the villagers, he brings the paddy and he takes. They require little salt, little oil, some spices. That’s all. Otherwise they have got their own thing. They have got däl, their rice, wheat, everything. They have produced. In this way, still there are, Indian villages. There is no question of scarcity. Bhagavän: The easiest way to manage, then, is to have everything more or less in small villages. Prabhupäda: Yes, that was Gandhi’s philosophy, village organization. These people, they are attracting villagers to work in the factory, and they are exploiting them. Instead of producing food, they are attracted by so-called high salaries, to the factory, and they are producing bolts and nuts, motor parts. But food is produced somewhere else. But the food producers, they are working in the factory. Therefore scarcity of foodstuff. But this factory owner, he has got more money. He doesn’t care. The poor public, they are suffering. Our philosophy is that you produce your food anywhere. You stay, and keep cows, take milk, produce vegetables, food grains, and chant Hare Kåñëa. That’s all. This is our philosophy. Make your life successful. By becoming Kåñëa conscious, you become free from all these troubles of material condition. This is our education. Don’t be after these motorcars, television, and all nonsense things, sporting, wine, women. Don’t be after these. Simply eat sufficiently, keep your health nicely, chant Hare Kåñëa, realize Kåñëa, and go back to home. This is our philosophy. |
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| 1.4 Conversation with Governor, April 20, 1975 |
| “Point Ten: The manava-dharma mission, its constitution and program. Therefore the constitution of manava-dharma or the institution of varnasrama must be interesting for the whole world, and it should be exemplified by practical demonstration.
“The immediate program should be village organization as Mahatma Gandhi contemplated. In India the majority of the population is in the villages. The difficulty is that there is no sufficient supply of water to produce food grains. Mother Nature, or Mother Durgä, punishes the godless demons by restricting the supply of food grains. The godless demons are very enthusiastic to produce motorcars, skyscrapers, brothels, and cinemas, and many unnecessary demands of the body, but they are not interested in producing food grains. This is the defect of the modern society. If food grains are produced in an organized way, human society can produce ten times what they are presently producing. In the Bhagavad- gétä it is confirmed,
annäd-bhavanti bhütäni
parjanyäd anna-sambhavaù
yajïäd bhavati parjanyo
yajïaù karma-samudbhavaù
[Bg. 3.14]: “All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajïa [sacrifice}, and yajïa is born of prescribed duties.”] I hope you will give your serious consideration to my suggestions, and I am prepared to cooperate with you to my best capacity if you think my suggestions are right.” Prabhupäda: This suggestion is to you also. (chuckles) And if you can do these things organizedly, certainly it will be beneficial to the whole human society.
Governor: Any elaboration of what you refer to as vanaprastha college? Prabhupäda: No, varnasrama. Vänaprastha, just like we have got this building. Now, if somebody retires and engages himself in Kåñëa consciousness movement, they are welcome. They can take prasädam and stay here. It is not possible at the present moment that gentleman will live in the forest. That is not possible. Then here is a place, Våndävana, holy place. We have constructed this building, and people should take vänaprastha, or retirement, and may come here and live peacefully and cultivate spiritual knowledge. Brahmänanda: I think the governor was asking about the varëäçrama college. Prabhupäda: Ah. Varnäçrama college, that training factual brähmaëa. And the government should be, as I explained to you, that if one is proclaiming himself as a brähmaëa, he must act as a brähmaëa. If one is proclaiming as a kñatriya, he must act as a kñatriya. Otherwise, there will be no restriction, and a çüdra will claim to be brähmaëa. That will create a disturbing situation. In Påthu Mahäräja’s time it was strictly prohibited that… That is stated in Bhagavad-gétä, sva-dharme nidhanaà çreyaù para-dharmo bhayävahaù. [Bg 3.35: “Destruction in the course of perform ing one’s own duty is better than engaging in another’s duties, for to follow another’s path is dangerous.”] So if one is claiming to be brähmaëa he must be brähmaëa. That is another way of reforming the society. And nowadays everyone is a çüdra, and somebody is claiming, “I am brähmaëa,” “I am kñatriya,” “I am this,” “I am that.” Formerly the brähmaëas [were] strictly following. They would not accept… In the çästras it is said that the brähmaëa in bad time may become a kñatriya. Just like Dronäcärya. He was brähmaëa, but he became a kñatriya for certain reason, and acting like kñatriya, although he was respected as brähmaëa, but he was acting as a kñatriya. So it is advised that brähmaëa may take the profession of a kñatriya and up to the vaiçya. But if he takes the profession of a çüdra, then he is fallen. Then he is fallen. So this cultural institution should now be introduced. And the other countries, they are still respectful to the Indian culture. That’s a fact. I have studied. So if we keep ourself in our, what he has mentioned, samsriti? |
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| 1.5 Letter to Sriman O.P. Goelji, Australia, May, 1975 |
| Guest: Like poverty and this lack of balance between rich and poor, how these problems can be solved? Prabhupäda: That... That... Gandhi wanted to solve it, but you rejected. Gandhi wanted them to..., village organization. He started that Wardha äçrama. You have rejected. What Gandhi can do? That was a good proposal, to remain satisfied in one’s own place. That was Gandhi’s proposal, that “Don’t go to the city, town, for so-called better advantage of life. Remain in your own home, produce your food, and be satisfied there.” That was Gandhi’s policy. The economic problem he wanted to solve by keeping cows, by agriculture, by spinning thread. You want food, shelter and cloth. You produce here, and remain here. Don’t be allured by the capitalists and go to cities and be engaged in industries. But Jawaharlal Nehru wanted overnight to Americanize the whole India. That is the folly.
Guest: I agree. Prabhupäda: Yes. The Congress side, the followers of Gandhi, should have followed Gandhi’s principle. From political point of view only. Village organization. But they won’t do that. Your proposal for co-operation with ISKCON is welcome. I very much appreciate your proposal. The mass problem at the present moment in India is actually a food problem. I have therefore decided to start some village organization program--namely, people should be invited to live in the village, produce their own foodstuff (grains, fruits, and vegetables), maintain a sufficient number of cows to get a large quantity of milk, produce their own cloth, eat sumptuously for keeping fit in health, and then they can regularly sit down and chant the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. I shall arrange for the irrigation of the land and the people living there should give their labor for their own food and clothing, and then chant Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and cultivate Krishna Consciousness. Besides that, our men should go from village to village with Sankirtana party, hold festival, namely distribution of Bhagavat prasadam and induce them chant and join with us in vibrating the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. In India, they are not less than 95% villagers and Mahatma Gandhi wanted this village organization. I think this is a solid program. The people must eat sumptuously--not voraciously and make them fit for working and chanting. In this way, they will be purified and everything will be nicely organized. We require some men only like your good self to co-operate with this movement. The necessary things in this connection will surely be supplied by Krishna. Simply we want some sincere worker like your honor. Up to date, I am working chiefly with my foreign assistants and disciples. In India, for them there is the language difficulty, otherwise they are ready to work in Indian villages also. Besides that, they have visa problems. Under the circumstances, I require immediately some willing, educated worker for this purpose. So, kindly reply this letter to my Honolulu center. The address is as follow: 51 Coelho Way, Honolulu Hawaii, USA. By the by, I be to request you to see His Excellency, Sri Aliyavar Jung, the governor of Maharashtra in connection with our temple construction, the sanction for which is pending in his hand. The Governor of U.P., Dr. Channa Reddy, approached him on my behalf on December 18th, 1974, the copy of the letter is enclosed herein. The Governor of Maharashtra acknowledges |
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| 1.6 Conversations: January 6, 1976, Bombay |
| Mahäàsa: Now we are in the process of making a brochure so that we can present to trusts and foundations for bigger donations for the farm project. Prabhupäda: That’s nice. They have amassed money. Let them spend for this village organization. This is real Gandhi’s program. He wanted this village organization. But because they manufactured their own way, it was not successful. But if we follow this principle, it will be successful, without any doubt. These big, big äçrama... Gandhi’s äçrama is vacant. No. They are getting money, but they have no such program. |
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| 1.7 Conversations: August 3, 1976, New Maapur |
| Prabhupäda: New Vrindaban is on the rocks and hills, and this is plain. Therefore situation is better. That New Orleans is also plain land. You have been there? And Pennsylvania is also.
Hari-çauri: Pennsylvania is very good. Prabhupäda: But it doesn’t matter. Our purpose will be served anywhere. So, try to concentrate in this village organization life. Full of anxieties, city life. The houses already there, if you repair them nicely then it is a very nice place. They’re gradually being repaired. |
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| 1.8 Conversations: September 12, 1976, Vrindavan |
| Prabhupäda: I have seen, Gandhi wanted to organize a program, village [break] ...in the field, that this program for constructing toilet in the village, they have spent so much. You know that? The first business was toilet. To restrict them to pass stool here and there, they must have. Now in constructing that toilet paraphernalia, (indistinct), they... Therefore it failed, village organization. Not for that purpose. There were many purpose. Because they had no engagement, so why they should remain in the village? There are so many attraction in the city, and they get money. The factory-wallas, they’re inviting, “Come here. You shall get twenty rupees per day.” Why shall he remain in the village? So if you can organize in the villages, they are interested in chanting Hare Kåñëa mantra and getting nice prasädam, then... One must have some attachment. In the city there are so many artificial attachments. So on what ground they’ll remain in the village? Mind, always remember this. Unless you have got some attachment, there is no possibility. Gandhi’s program was very nice, village organize so that they may not come to the city and help the capitalists. Remain satisfied in the village. But where is that satisfaction? That is the failure. |
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| 1.9 Conversations, February 15, 1977, Mayapur—Evening darshan |
| Hari-çauri: So at least if we successfully introduce the varëäçrama system in our own society, then when all the demons finish themselves… Prabhupäda: At least… At least… At least they will see, “This is the ideal.”
Hari-çauri: Yes. Then if there is a war after that, it will be all right. Prabhupäda: At least ideal must be there. That we are doing.
Hari-çauri: This will more or less revolutionize the way we’re running our centers. If we introduce it, it will more or less revolutionize the way we’re running our centers. Prabhupäda: Why? Why revolution?
Hari-çauri: Because right now our only emphasis is just to simply produce brähmaëas. Prabhupäda: So why you are taking “we”? Why not others? This is kaniñöha-adhikäré. You are thinking of “we.” That is kaniñöha-adhikäré. It is not that “we.” Na tad-bhakteñu cänyeñu. [SB 11.2.47: see above.] You have to think for others also.
Satsvarüpa: But the people are not at our disposal to organize.
Hari-çauri: We are thinking of “we” because actually we only have our own society at the moment to organize.
Satsvarüpa: We cannot approach the masses to organize.
Hari-çauri: It can’t be implemented on such a big scale. Prabhupäda: I do not follow what you say.
Satsvarüpa: Just like… Prabhupäda: Ideal. We are giving the ideal.
Satsvarüpa: But no one’s listening and no one’s taking it up except a few… Prabhupäda: But you take. You show them.
Hari-çauri: That’s why we say, “we.” Prabhupäda: That “We said” means not we are going to take them, but we are simply giving the ideas. We are not going to be a çüdra. But to show the… Just like you play in a drama. You are playing the part of a king. You are not a king.
Hari-çauri: No. Prabhupäda: So similarly, just to give them idea, we have to play like that.
Hari-çauri: Well, again, that’s… Prabhupäda: Not necessarily that we are going to be çüdra. So that is it. That is the thing. We are servant of Kåñëa. That’s all. And as servant of Kåñëa, we have to execute |
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