For a brief on philosophy please visit
http://kvssnrao-pss.blogspot.com/2008/05/gandhis-philosophy-on-trusteeship.html
Aditya Birla Group, believes in the trusteeship concept of management.
1 September 2007
The exhibition is an initiative of Aditya Birla Group, which believes in the trusteeship concept of management. Since the trusteeship concept was the concept of Gandhi, Aditya Birla Group has taken up this initiative says Bharat Parekh of Aditya Birla Group.
A multimedia digital exhibition titled 'Eternal Gandhi' was rolled off in February last. In the exhibition a touch of the installation by a visitor gives him feel of life, message and the time of Gandhi. Explaining the concept the Project director Ranjit Makkauni said the project explores modern art, design and interactive technology as a medium of cultural continuity, reviving the values by which India obtained freedom. It also redefined those values in order to animate modern products and design. It has in all 50 installations each presenting an aspect of Gandhi and his era. From Mohandas to Mahatma is the timeline browser which tells us pictorially about the important events in the life of Gandhi. One has to just slide a piece of cardboard to see the timeline in digital form. In praise of Gandhi, dolls representing world leaders allow a visitor to playback quotes on the contribution of Gandhi. The Vaishnav hands installation allows a visitor to explore the meanings and interpretations of the Vaishnavjan to hymn. The moment one touches E-prison one sees scenes of Gandhi's life in prison through three interactive prison rods. There is an installation of Ashram which tells ashram's story. The moment one touches a part of ashram a fact about Gandhi's ashram emerges on screen. The global Gandhi installation is an anthropomorphic computer; it can listen, see, speak with and understand its environment and you within its range. Here it expounds the global Gandhi, Gandhi as seen by contemporary histories and academics in relation to current day values and the needs of the people
http://www.gujaratindia.com/Media/newsdetail.aspx?News_id=877
Jamanalal Bajaj
Jamanalal dedicated much of his wealth to the poor. He felt this inherited wealth was a sacred trust to be used for the benefit of the people. This was in line with the trusteeship concept proposed by Gandhi.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamnalal_Bajaj
A book
Gandhi's Trusteeship : Concept and Relevance
Kapoor, A.
ISBN: 81-7100-496-2
1993 120 pp
Deep and Deep Publications
Tata's role in trusteeship
The Asian Age — March 12, 2005
What, exactly, does trusteeship mean?
"Under it, all wealth is a social trust and every individual the employer, the engineer or even the ordinary mistry — is a trustee, entitled to its proper utilisation for the common good. True to the ideals of its founder, the House of Tata always promoted the concept," said Jayaprakash Narayan.
Jamsetji Tata, driven by visions of a vibrant, industrialised India, set the pace with the right idea that patchwork philanthropy — giving clothes to some and food to others — was not the right approach for a robust future. It was with this in mind that he launched the JN Tata Endowment Scheme for higher education in 1892, which supported future administrators, scientists, doctors, lawyers and engineers.
By 1924, over a third of Indian officials in the Indian Civil Service were Tata scholars. This roster also includes illustrious names like scientist Dr Raja Ramanna and former President K.R. Narayanan. The sons of the founder proved worthy torchbearers of concern for the community. The Tata Group is unique among Indian industrial groups, in that 63 per cent of the capital of the present firm, Tata Sons Limited, is held by Tata philanthropic trusts, endowed by Sir Dorabji Tata and Sir Ratan Tata, the two sons of Jamsetji Tata.
Sir Dorabji left behind most of his personal wealth, including substantial shareholdings in Tata Sons, Indian Hotels and allied companies, his landed property and his wife's jewellery to the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, registered a few months before his death. The trust is best known for promoting six pioneering institutions of national importance.
Sir Ratan Tata, who supported Mahatma Gandhi and Gopal Krishna Gokhale with funds, left directives in his will for his wealth to be used for basic and advanced education, primary and preventive health, rural livelihood and communities, art and culture ad public initiatives. The trust named after him was established in 1918. The fund prioritises projects based in rural India and those that involve the advancement of women and children.
http://www.tata.com/tata_sons/media/20050312_trusteeship.htm
Showing posts with label Gandhian philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gandhian philosophy. Show all posts
Friday, May 16, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Gandhi's Philosophy On Trusteeship
I adhere to my doctrine of trusteeship in spite of the ridicule that has been poured upon it. It is true that it is difficult to reach. So is non-violence. But we made up our minds in 1920 to negotiate that steep ascent. We have found it worth the effort.
Non-violent Way
By the non-violent method, we seek not to destroy the capitalist, we seek to destroy capitalism. We invite the capitalist to regard himself as a trustee for those on whom he depends for the making, the retention and the increase of his capital. Nor need the worker wait for his conversion. If capital is power, so is work. Either is dependent on the other. Immediately the worker realizes his strength, he is din a position to become a co-sharer with the capitalist instead of remaining his slave.
In a family, when the father slaps his delinquent child, the latter does not think of retaliating. He obeys his father not because of the deterrent effect of the slap but because of the offended love which he senses behind it. That, in my opinion, is an epitome of the way in which society is or should be governed. What is true of the family must be true of society which is but a larger family.
The Theory
Supposing I have come by a fair amount of wealth—either by way of legacy, or by means of trade and industry—I must know that all that wealth does not belong to me; what belongs to me is the right to an honourable livelihood, no better than that enjoyed by millions of others. The rest of my wealth belongs to the community and must be used for the welfare of the community.
I enunciated this theory when the socialist theory was placed before the country in respect to the possessions held by zamindars and ruling chiefs. They would do away with these privileged classes. I want them to outgrow their greed and sense of possession, and to come down in spite of their wealth to the level of those who earn their bread by labour. The labourer has to realize that the wealthy man is less owner of his wealth than the labourer is owner of his own, viz., the power to work.
In Practice
The question how many can be real trustees according to this definition is beside the point. If the theory is true, it is immaterial whether many live up to it or only one man lives up to it. The question is of conviction. If you accept the principle of ahimsa, you have to strive to live up to it, no matter whether you succeed or fail. There is nothing in this theory which can be said to be beyond the grasp of intellect, though you may say it is difficult of practice. (H, 3-6-1939, p. 145)
No Make-shift
My theory of ‘trusteeship’ is no make-shift, certainly no camouflage. I am confident that it will survive all other theories. It has the sanction of philosophy and religion behind it. That possessors of wealth have not acted up to the theory does not prove its falsity; it proves the weakness of the wealthy. No other theory is compatible with non-violence. In the non-violent method wrong-doer compasses his own end, if he does not undo the wrong. For, either through non-violent non-co-operation he is made to see the error, or he finds himself completely isolated.
Acquisition of Health
Those who own money now, are asked to behave like trustees holding their riches on behalf of the poor. You may say that trusteeship is a legal fiction. But if people meditate over it constantly and try to act up to it, then life on earth would be governed far more by love than it is at present. Absolute trusteeship is an abstraction like Euclid’s definition of a point, and is equally unattainable. But if we strive for it, we shall be able to go further in realizing state of equality on earth than by any other method.
Can rich act live like poor?
It is true that generally the rich spend more on themselves than they need. But this can be avoided. Jamnalalji spent far less on himself than men of his own economic status and even than many middle-class men. I have come across innumerable rich persons who are stingy on themselves. For some it is a part of their nature to spend next to nothing on themselves, and they do not think that they acquire merit in so doing.
Immediate source:
http://www.gandhi-manibhavan.org/gandhiphilosophy/philosophy_trusteeship.htm
Non-violent Way
By the non-violent method, we seek not to destroy the capitalist, we seek to destroy capitalism. We invite the capitalist to regard himself as a trustee for those on whom he depends for the making, the retention and the increase of his capital. Nor need the worker wait for his conversion. If capital is power, so is work. Either is dependent on the other. Immediately the worker realizes his strength, he is din a position to become a co-sharer with the capitalist instead of remaining his slave.
In a family, when the father slaps his delinquent child, the latter does not think of retaliating. He obeys his father not because of the deterrent effect of the slap but because of the offended love which he senses behind it. That, in my opinion, is an epitome of the way in which society is or should be governed. What is true of the family must be true of society which is but a larger family.
The Theory
Supposing I have come by a fair amount of wealth—either by way of legacy, or by means of trade and industry—I must know that all that wealth does not belong to me; what belongs to me is the right to an honourable livelihood, no better than that enjoyed by millions of others. The rest of my wealth belongs to the community and must be used for the welfare of the community.
I enunciated this theory when the socialist theory was placed before the country in respect to the possessions held by zamindars and ruling chiefs. They would do away with these privileged classes. I want them to outgrow their greed and sense of possession, and to come down in spite of their wealth to the level of those who earn their bread by labour. The labourer has to realize that the wealthy man is less owner of his wealth than the labourer is owner of his own, viz., the power to work.
In Practice
The question how many can be real trustees according to this definition is beside the point. If the theory is true, it is immaterial whether many live up to it or only one man lives up to it. The question is of conviction. If you accept the principle of ahimsa, you have to strive to live up to it, no matter whether you succeed or fail. There is nothing in this theory which can be said to be beyond the grasp of intellect, though you may say it is difficult of practice. (H, 3-6-1939, p. 145)
No Make-shift
My theory of ‘trusteeship’ is no make-shift, certainly no camouflage. I am confident that it will survive all other theories. It has the sanction of philosophy and religion behind it. That possessors of wealth have not acted up to the theory does not prove its falsity; it proves the weakness of the wealthy. No other theory is compatible with non-violence. In the non-violent method wrong-doer compasses his own end, if he does not undo the wrong. For, either through non-violent non-co-operation he is made to see the error, or he finds himself completely isolated.
Acquisition of Health
Those who own money now, are asked to behave like trustees holding their riches on behalf of the poor. You may say that trusteeship is a legal fiction. But if people meditate over it constantly and try to act up to it, then life on earth would be governed far more by love than it is at present. Absolute trusteeship is an abstraction like Euclid’s definition of a point, and is equally unattainable. But if we strive for it, we shall be able to go further in realizing state of equality on earth than by any other method.
Can rich act live like poor?
It is true that generally the rich spend more on themselves than they need. But this can be avoided. Jamnalalji spent far less on himself than men of his own economic status and even than many middle-class men. I have come across innumerable rich persons who are stingy on themselves. For some it is a part of their nature to spend next to nothing on themselves, and they do not think that they acquire merit in so doing.
Immediate source:
http://www.gandhi-manibhavan.org/gandhiphilosophy/philosophy_trusteeship.htm
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