Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj analyse the concept of economic disparities
The economic policies of the country are putting burden on common man who is already kneeling under deep pressure of various other taxes. Development for the rich is not a socialist complaint, infact it’s a serious mistake which is taking a heavy toll on our society. Persistent and increasing economic hardship ultimately drives the poor to resignation that they cannot improve their lot. They take their condition as hopeless and lose all motivation to engage in productive work other than that needed to meet their basic requirements. Many of the poor become cynical and desperate when they find that there are few or no avenues for them to better their lives. In such a state they stop identifying with the society and state of which they are a part and begin to see themselves as victims of a predatory and unjust system that exploits their labour in return for meagre gains.
Their resentment is further fuelled by the conspicuously materialistic lifestyles of the rich, which creates unnecessary desires and aspirations in the minds of the poor. In the absence of a strong moral foundation, these desires very easily lead people to unlawful activities and even serious crimes which can be clearly seen in and around the society we live in. One cannot deny the fact that the increasing crime graph of our cities is a product of the increasing economic inequality in the society. While poverty and runaway desires makes men sell their integrity, it has much more unfortunate consequences on women which are out of one’s imagination.They are forced to sell their honour just to keep the body and soul together. And their children are condemned to a life of petty crime and exploitation. The fact that men and women in the country are being forced to take to immoral ways in order to get two square meals a day should ring alarm bells in the minds of concerned citizens. Eventhough many NGO’s are working to improve the lot of the destitute and create employment opportunities for them so that they can earn a living by honest means. But it is not completely possible for these voluntary groups to wipe out poverty and unemployment on their own and their hard efforts will continue to be an uphill struggle as long as the government does not zealously implement pro-poor policies.
Since the time we gained independence nearly six and a half decades ago, all the elected governments have been announcing various measures to uplift the poor, but what has been the result on the groundIJ We all know it.. Don’t weIJ Cheap foodgrains and daily wage schemes may have ensured the survival of those who otherwise might have starved, but millions still live in grinding poverty. What incentive do these poor have to uphold the law or moralityIJ For them the immediate concerns of survival come first. Hence, the the policymakers and the movers and shakers of the country’s economy, who dream of making India a global power in the 21st century should very well remember this that great nations are built on foundations of a strong character. So, if we still continue to ignore the social and ethical consequences of our policies in order to achieve quick economic growth we may end up turning the country into glitzy and alluring moral wasteland where some people have more wealth but nobody has any contentment, security, peace of mind or true and lasting happiness.