Acharya Mahaprajna
Question:
With the modern concept of development, character development is not taking place. Are the modern standards of development responsible for it? What should be done for character development?
Answer:
Quantum of production and consumption has become the yardsticks of development. You are, perhaps, aware that even in the very countries where this concept of development was formulated, internal conflicts have started. Discussions about it are taking place continuously. Whether this concept of development is valid is the moot question. It seems clear that the prevailing concept of development will have to be changed. To the concept of development, the element of character will have to be added. As new articles of consumption become available, character also develops along with it. This partial truth, a partial concept, has vitiated the character of people and eroded human values to such an extent that even those who defined development in those terms have started thinking anew.
Among Marxist thinkers also, two schools of thought have come up, which is primarily because of the prevailing concept of development. A point has been reached when thinking about development will have to be done afresh. When economic concepts are formulated on the basis of experience of, and Inspiration from, values of good character, the real potential of development can be conceived and achieved.
