A New Paradigm of Development - Sumangalam

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Humanity has paid a high price for the development model it adopted since the Industrial Revolution Based on Western notions of linear progress, exploitation of resources consumerism and equating material prosperity with happiness, it has caused global warming environmental pollution, decimation of bio-diversity, taxicity of food products and decline of soil fertility Human society has been left vulnerable to this achievement-oriented and consumerist model It has fuelled dissatisfaction, disturbed the normal biological cycle, impinged upon family bonds and adversely affected the social structure. Humankind must discard this flawed model of development in favour of a wholesome idea.

The present book Sumangalam can humbly claim to be a charter of that new paradigm. Its ideas are derived from the perennial wellsprings of Indian thought. The Indian worldview perceives the entire universe as a living whole where spint, mind and matter are interdependent. It replaces exploitation with harnessing of resources, acquisitiveness with contentment and commodification by humanism. It does not place human being at the centre of the universe but treats as an integral part of the eco-system Sumangalam charts out a definitive course for economic and productive implementation of that unifying idea it is based on the concept of optimal development, appropriate technology and sustainable growth leading to enduring happiness. As a whole it is an attempt to restore the dignity of life employment and environment.

All development practitioners, night thinking individuals and those with an alternative vision for humanity will benefit from reading the book.

Bajrang Lal Gupta did his post-graduation in Economics from Rajasthan University Jaipur in 1966 He received his Phd from Kurukshetra University for his thesis on Value and Distribution System in Ancient India' in 1985, with a long career in academics behind him, he retired as Reader from Delhi University in 2005. His notable publications include Bharat Ka Arthik Itihas or Economic History of India (Haryana Sahitya Academy, Chandigarh), Value and Distribution Systems in Ancient India (Gyan Publishing House New Delhi and Hindu Arthachintan or Hindu Economic Thought (Bharatiya Vichar Sadhana. Nagpur) Several books on Economics authored by him are prescribed as text books from high school to university level. He has been a copious contributor of articles and essays in several newspapers and magazines.

Development has become a catchphrase of modernity but it has been narrowly identified with material development alone. A discourse on social welfare has been initiated although it is still on the fringes. Our idea of development is seriously flawed by the belief that that we have risen to a state of quasi-development from being underdeveloped and now moving towards full development, This erroneous outlook stems from the fact that we have adopted 'development theory' as gospel truth. We dare not rethink the adopted paradigm because modern science and the entire social thinking are so deeply influenced by this theory. Even if we assume the 'struggle for existence' and 'survival of the fittest' to be truisms and facts of nature, do they still qualify to be the standards of our civilizations? These could not be our ideals even if they were facts of life. Then there is no question of dichotomy between the desired (Preya) and beneficial (Shreya), and there is no place for industriousness and morality in this automatic or natural order of things. But history is witness that cooperation and not competition is the rock of human development. Even today the tribesmen and forest dwellers are lively and peace loving because there is cooperation and self-reliance in an environment of simplicity.

The concept of development has remained a widely debated subject during the last one hundred years. This period has witnessed different phases of development struggle and also of the varieties of perceptions, approaches and frameworks of development paradigms that have been put forward by the various eminent scholars and expert groups. According to Meier and Rauch (Leading Issues in Economic Development, Preface, XV) the economics of development is one of the most exciting as well as a frustrating subject in social sciences. Now we have with us a long sequence of experiences of various approaches, policies, systems and development models but all of them are proving inadequate in solving the problems of mankind at large. Instead of solving the problems, the development models are actually creating and aggravating problems. We can see that poverty, inequality and unemployment are increasing all over the world. Environmental degradation, increase in pollution levels, phenomenon of global warming and climatic changes are virtually threatening the very existence of the globe. Decline in ethical, cultural and human values and degradation of the family and community life have made the things much worse. Seeing all these things people are forced to think whether we are heading towards destruction in pursuit of development? Thus we find today, the world economy, and in particular, the developing world is at a crossroads in its development struggle.

**Contents and Sample Pages**