The economy has its importance; however, economic success cannot be the ultimate goal in human affairs. It cannot be allowed to entice and enslave human beings, erase cultures, and ruin the environment. The economy, on the contrary, must have a human face.
One of the strongest causes for anxiety in today’s world is ‘corruption’ that has become part of the global economy, though its forms differ from land to land, culture to culture. It is closely linked with today’s concept of economic growth.
Corruption is not only about the wrong use of money, but also about hidden ways of handling of economic opportunities. “Keep your promises; you are accountable for all that you promise…Weigh with even scales; that is fair, and better in the end” (Quran, 17:35-39). “Use honest scales, honest weights, and honest measures” (Leviticus, 19:36).
Corruption includes not only the taking of bribes in government offices, but also various forms of manipulation and blackmailing, political arm-twisting, evading taxes, ignoring safety laws, producing counterfeit goods, abusing customer confidence, falsifying accounts or labour figures, double book-keeping, deceptive advertisements, industrial espionage. Such things are undoubtedly criminal.
These things hurt common interests, damage social values, weaken community bonds, and make it difficult for peaceful attitudes to flourish. 1 Corinthians, 5:7-9 warns us, “Would it not be better for you to be robbed? Instead, you yourselves wrong one another and rob one another, even your brothers!”
We agree that economy has its own importance. However, economic success cannot be made the ultimate goal in human affairs. It cannot be allowed to entice and enslave human beings, wipe out cultures, and ruin the environment.
When people are evaluated only in market terms, when they are classified merely as ‘labour’ or evaluated solely in reference to the ‘market’, they become mere objects. Economy on the contrary must have a human face. Only humane relationships will create an atmosphere conducive to peace.
When people’s worth is calculated only in terms of their use to the economy, they become less than human beings and deprived of their dignity. And yet, the tragedy today is that entire nations are opting for this form of self-abasement by making economic growth their sole goal. The very foundational principles of this way of organising one’s life must be re-thought, if peace has to find a place in the area of relationship between people of various levels of prosperity.
I am quoting from a Taoist document that is centuries old. It is for you to judge whether it is relevant in our own days or not. “When rulers live in splendour and speculators prosper, while farmers lose their land and the granaries are emptied; when governments spend money on ostentation and on weapons; when the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible, indulging themselves and possessing more than they can use, while the poor have nowhere to turn. All this is robbery and chaos. It is not in keeping with the Tao” (Tao Te Ching, 53). Are we in such an age? The sage is free from self-display, and therefore he shines (Tao Te Ching, 22).
As political empires of old took advantage of weaker nations, in the same way commercial empires take advantage of weaker people today: of workers, customers, shareholders, of raw material-reliant countries, the uninformed society. If the lands of tribal people are taken away from them in the name of searching for natural resources, their anxieties are bound to rise. If the poor feel that their means of sustenance is being threatened, there is bound to be resistance. So, with ethnic and religious minorities. “He who has killed (harmed) multitudes of men should weep for them with the bitterest grief” (Tao Te Ching, 31).
The instruments of communications that have done so much of good in the globalised world, are today also being misused. Someone has described the tragedy in this manner: human society is made subject to the market; the corporations control the market subjecting every field of human activity to serve their interests.
Mass media strengthens this effort by promoting consumerism. Added to that, other types of social media promote other kinds of self-interests. As intelligent readers, can we respond to such negative trends, rather than be reduced to the level of being mere mute observers?
‘Fake news’ and biased reporting can plant prejudice in the minds of readers, inflame anger. Today it is being recognized that technologies of mass persuasion are being used as instruments for manipulating minds. Could we grow a little more conscious of this danger? Nearly all wise teachings of the East spoke of the need for resisting ‘illusions’ and attaining ‘truth’. How relevant those teachings seem to us in our times when so many of us spend any length of time in the ‘unreal’ (virtual) world of the TV, and in the world of ‘illusions’? Peace shall remain elusive.
The tragedy is that “Mass media and the politicians are in splendid symbiosis. The airwaves promote corporate products, consumer values, and the careers of friendly politicians. The politicians promote media deregulation, low taxes, and freedom from scrutiny of performance and public service” (Jeffrey Sachs). Other voices need to be heard. Truth must prevail. (Photo: Pixabay) – (Thomas Menamparampil, Archbishop Emeritus of Guwahati, India)
