Economic
Progress VS Moral Progress
Gandhi
is considered to be one of the most influential people through-out
history. His work has inspired numerous people. The unique thing
about Gandhi is how he influenced so many people without using force
or by fighting in wars. He would never use fighting to solve his
problems because he was a peace maker. In Gandhi's article “Economic
and Moral Progress” he states his view on the economy. He compares
the economic and moral progress and how they correlate with each
other.
In his
article regarding the relation's between economic progress and moral
progress “Economic and Moral Progress”(1916), the nonviolent
civil disobedient and charismatic leader Mohandas Gandhi argues how
economic progress does not necessarily mean moral progress. Gandhi
examines the ways in which economic progress has shown to be evident
in ways that it could actually be harmful to moral progress. Gandhi
wrote about this argument in order to show man-kind that you don't
need expensive material's and wealth to have good morals as a human
being. Although this is one of Gandhi's first experience with
explaining the economy, he uses a lot of valid explanations and
examples on how material goods are not a necessity to be a good
willed person. His passage has influenced several thousands of people
in search of good morals.
Gandhi,
the intelligent, influential political leader, was offered a
challenge by Mr. Kapildeva Malaviya. The challenge presented to
Gandhi was to speak about the economic society. Gandhi acknowledged
the question bestowed in front of him and believed he was the only
speaker who was “ill-fitted for the task set before him.” Gandhi
then goes on and explains that the society is divided in two, by
economic progress and real progress. Economic progress is defined by
material advancement and real progress is defined as moral progress.
With that being stated Gandhi's main question was “Does not moral
progress increase in the same proportion as material progress?”
This quote is the main point gandhi was trying to come across. He
explains how Rome had suffered a moral drop when it attained a high
amount of material affluence's. Also another example he puts forward
was described by St. Mark, when Jesus confronted by a man asking for
eternal life. The man explains how he knows and practices all of the
ten commandments ever since his youth; which represents that he had
good morals. Jesus in response says “One thing thou lackest. Go thy
way sell whatever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have
treasure in heaven.” In this example Jesus is explaining how in
order for the man to gain wealth in heaven he must give what he has
in existence back to the poor. Jesus's point was that you may
practice good and show good, but to be prevail in heaven you must not
only practice good you must help others. Gandhi's examples are
pinpoint and accurate to how moral progress is not proportional to
economic progress.
Although
Gandhi provides excellent examples of how moral progress is not
proportional to economic progress, I believe that there is a
proportional relationship between the two. The reasoning I have to
the case is how celebrities or high class civilians give back to the
community. The celebrities that give back are following Jesus's
statement in which they give back to the poor. Bill Gates for example
is a perfect representative on how this is true. Bill Gates and his
wife created a Charity called B&MGF or the Gates
foundation which is the largest private foundation in the world.
His charity has donated over 33.5 billion dollars with the primary
goals to globally enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty. That
is not all his charity does, in America his goals are to expand
educational opportunities, and access information technology. Another
example of a celebrity who give back to the community is actress Jami
Gertz. Mrs Gertz first gained attention in her star roll in Less
Then Zero.
In 2011 Jami Gertz and her husband were ranked at the top of the
charts for donating the most to back to charities. It's celebrities
like these two who have succeeded in economic progress and who are
morally excelled. Gandhi said that you would have to choose if you
wanted to succeed in moral progress or to succeed in economic
progress. Celebrities like these give hope that you could succeed in
both moral and economic success.
As one of the most influential people in history Gandhi was an
advisor of moral progress over economic progress. He believed that
there was not a direct relationship between moral and economic
progress. He stated that you could only have one or the other and it
was impossible to choose the both. I believe that it is possible to
choose both moral and economic progress. That just because you have
materials of significance that you could still have positive morals.
As examples Bill Gates and Jami Gertz showed how you could achieve
both economic and moral progress.
