Module 11: Indian social thoughts
  Lecture 35: Practical Problems of India-II

In the present circumstances the Gandhian model of sarvodaya of empowerment and inclusion of the powerless humanity may still attract some as an alternative. There is a vast difference between inclusionary growth model and sarvodaya. Sarvodaya has solution for both the problems mentioned above: irrational rise of the mythological and magical thought and neo-social-group nationalism. Sarvodaya presents an action and experience based approach to Truth (Gandhi changed his initial idea that God is Truth to that Truth is God). It also accepts differences of groups and shows a way for acting together in the pursuit of self-rule. In sarvodaya framework there is a need for building non-violent organizations of poor with a vision of sustainable future. They will not reject the fruits of science and technology but keep a check on activities of science and technology institutions so that they function for moral interests rather than capitalist interests. The most significant of the differences between the two interests is that the former is based on holism and human agency while the latter is limited to logic of social conflict in the context of unbridging class disparities. Sarvodaya model could not make much headway not because it is internally inconsistent or impossible to practice but because it would not serve the goals of the power elite who preferred socialism over capitalism initially and liberalism subsequently. The elite found in it a utopia which was potentially disruptive of various hegemonies. Sarvodaya promised to empower the powerless not without disempowering the powerful, for which the power elite irrespective of social group were not ready. Sarvodaya also required redefinition of power elite. The new power is heavily dispersed in media, politics, community and education and post-social world and identifying a common, visible enemy is impossible. Are the Gandhian conceptual categories of soul, truth and action still not relevant? Disillusionment with education, industry and parliament is much more vivid today than it was when Hind Swaraj was written.