Mahatma Gandhi’s trusteeship theory was a socio-economic concept that advocated for the ethical and moral use of wealth by the rich for the welfare of society. Gandhi believed that wealth belonged to society as a whole, and those who had accumulated wealth were merely trustees of that wealth, not its owners. His idea was deeply rooted in his spiritual and moral vision of equality, non-violence, and justice.
Gandhi’s trusteeship theory suggested that the wealthy should not exploit their resources for selfish gains but should use them to serve the larger community. In a society governed by trusteeship, wealth would be equitably distributed, and there would be no class struggle, as the wealthy would voluntarily give up excess wealth for the betterment of society. Gandhi rejected violent class struggle and believed trusteeship could prevent the rise of communism and violent revolution.
The core of trusteeship was non-possessiveness (Aparigraha), one of Gandhi’s spiritual tenets. He wanted to convince the rich that accumulation beyond one’s needs was morally wrong. The rich, according to Gandhi, should maintain only what they needed for themselves and use the rest for societal good.
Although Gandhi’s theory was criticized as being overly idealistic and impractical, it remains a unique approach to addressing inequality, offering a middle ground between capitalism and socialism. It emphasized voluntary action, rather than government-enforced redistribution, and was deeply connected to Gandhi’s belief in self-reliance and decentralized economic systems.
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