E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi's 'Theory of Trusteeship… 224the personal account of the trustee. It will belong to theundertaking. The capital that will be accumulated will not bethe trustee's private property. Gandhi held the view that in anon-violent society the individual could not accumulate capital,but the State, i.e. the nonviolent State could, and should do so.In fact, it would be one of the functions of the State to do so. 92Another criticism is that the theory demanded "a changeof heart among the rich." 93 "But in the real world such arevolution is unlikely and the trusteeship idea is nought but avision of society where the rich are charitable, so that the poorcan remain weak.” 94 The author of this criticism has thenmoved to the frontier of charitableness, and suggested that "byhis (Gandhi's) stress on the principle of trusteeship, and hisfriendliness towards many in exalted economic positions, heestablished a pattern of radicalism in talk but conservatism inaction that is still very much a part of the Indian scene." 95If one ignores the polemical tenor, there are three pointsthat need response. To begin with the last of the observations, itis true that Gandhi was friendly towards many in exaltedeconomic positions. There were many "capitalists" whom heregarded as his friends. In fact, he was a friend of all. But herepeatedly made it clear that he wanted to be known for whathe was, both by the people and the government, the workers aswell as the capitalists. He never concealed his views. He didnot want to sail under false colours. Nor did he desist fromdeclaring his views from the housetops for fear of hurting oralienating anyone, even hurting his image in the minds of thepeople. As has been pointed out earlier, his speech at theBanaras Hindu University, his speech at the Round TableConference, his statement in the court and a host of otherstatements clearly stated where he stood, and what be wasworking for. He talked of the rich living on the blood of thepoor—language that one does not normally associate with the