Acharya Mahaprajna
Question:
What were the views of Mahavira on production?
Answer:
Mahavira did not have any specific views on production, but he did explain himself on the problem of production. In today's world, the increase in production does not serve the objective of eradication of poverty but is aimed at stabilizing market prices. If there is excess production, it is dumped into the sea so that the market may remain stable. In other words, the objective of production is not poverty removal; it is to keep the market under control. Had the objective of production been eradication of poverty, tens of thousands of tons of food grains would not have been thrown into the sea. Mahavira said, "Do not do work cruelly; do not relegate human feelings to a secondary position." If human feelings were respected thousands of tons of food articles would not be destroyed.
