Swadeshi

I haven't yet decided if I am pro-Gandhi (Mahatma... of course!!) or anti-Gandhi. I have very strong opinions about many things Gandhian. There are some Gandhian principles that I strongly agree with and some that I completely disagree with. Over the years though I have come to realize that I don't have to pick a side. Everyone has their own positives and negatives and I have the privilege of taking the positives from many others. I have read about Gandhi and by Gandhi for a long time and every time I read something new, it confuses me some more about my stance... Right now I am a little bit on the pro side.... I think!

I started reading his "Third class in Indian railways" on my flight last weekend and a chapter on Swadeshi set me thinking again. He defines Swadeshi as "that spirit in us which restricts us to the use and service of our immediate surroundings to the exclusion of the more remote". Although when he explains the concept, it has more meaning to it and it seems like the definition doesn't do justice to his concept. Using an example he explains, "In that of economics I should use only things that are produced by my immediate neighbors and serve those industries by making them efficient and complete where they might be found wanting". So, although I think that the definition of Swadeshi does not fit in today's global economy (and we have seen a lot of advantages of that), I do agree with the concept as described by Gandhi in his example. And for me the second part is more important than the first... Make those industries more efficient and complete where they are lacking. Especially for those people who complain about outsiders in Mumbai, maybe concentrate on how you can help "your" people to compete with the "outsiders". For those extremists that want to smash McDonald's because it's not Swadeshi, first think about the possibility of "your" people sitting inside with their children getting hurt and then help places like Green Guru survive and thrive. Just a thought.