Gandhi’s Idea on Self Sufficient Village Economy: Solution to unemployment and Poverty

Gandhi's economic ideas are governed by ethical and moral considerations. His economic models are humanitarian in nature and any model which ignores general well being of mankind should not be implemented. He believed that business without ethical considerations was considered evil and considered capitalist structure as the cause of oppression and exploitation. If people took which they earn from hard work and capable of production then only poverty and other economic woes can be eliminated. People need to be strong both physically and morally to gain big political or ideological goals. He had strong belief in village mode of production and thought that industrialization will harm age-old, indigenous village techniques heading towards unemployment. He realised that sole dependency on agriculture will not solve the problem of poverty and unemployment, therefore, stress on rural cottage and small scale industries such as khadi, handlooms, sericulture and handicrafts should be done. They involve family labour thus dependency on capital is less. This will prevent migration to urban industrialized areas with big industries preventing problems arising due to migration from rural areas to urban centres. Machinery should be used in such a way as to serve the villages and their crafts and not destroy them, should be socially controlled.