Hindu capitalism is Adam Smith’s capitalism supercharged

Arthashastra represents a society that focuses on wealth creation and security to ensure the happiness of its citizens. Wealth creation is absolutely paramount.

In addition to exhortations to become rich and be brave and diligent in that goal, Chanakya notes:

• “The root of wealth is economic activity and lack of it brings material distress. In the absence of fruitful economic activity, both current prosperity and future growth are in danger of destruction.” {from 1.19.35,36}  [Rangarajan, L N, ARTHASHASTRA, p.150]

• “Trade shall be [directed towards markets which are] profitable; losses must be avoided.” {2.16.25} (ibid, p. 275).

This reaffirms the fundamental mantra of Hindu capitalism: Shubh Labh.

He clarifies that land is WORTHLESS. It is what we DO with it that is important:

• “The value of land is what man makes of it.” {7.11.9} (ibid, p. 94)

Finally, to ensure wealth a society must remove obstacles to economic activity, profit, and trade:

• “In the interests of the prosperity of the country, a king should be diligent in foreseeing the possibility of calamities, try to avert them before they arise, overcome those which happen, remove all obstructions to economic activity and prevent loss of revenue to the state.” {8.4.50, 8.5.21} (ibid, p.94).

Given these (and many other) BLUNT DIRECTIONS TO BECOME RICH, it is absurd for anyone to even remotely suggest that (a) Hinduism is “other worldly” or that (b) Hinduism promotes socialism.

There is NO Vedic socialism. Or Integral Humanism.

There is Vedic capitalism. There is Hindu capitalism. Period.

All attempts by Hindutva fanatics to promote collectivism, or by half-baked “thinkers” like Anna Hazare or Arvind Kejriwal to promote socialism (by the back door) and oppose FDI and free trade are ANTI-HINDU.

Not that I much care about someone being anti-Hindu (I’m not yet inclined to call myself Hindu, although I claim roots in India’s sceptical intellectual tradition). But I much care about the fact that these people have BLOCKED the study of economics and politics in which India was the world’s most advanced region over 2000 years ago.

For us to have re-discovered economics through the West is a shame.We should have developed and refined Chanakya’s work but probably even forgot it.

It is not too late even now to OVERTHROW the nonsense of socialism.