Sarvodaya Movement | Indian History

Table of Contents

WHAT IS SARVODAYA?

Sarvodaya means “the welfare of all.” Sarvodaya movement is the movement which aims at rural reconstruction and uplifting the people of rural India by peaceful and co-operative means. Sarvodaya stresses on coexistence and mutual love.
Mahatma Gandhi borrowed it from the philosophy of Ruskin and became a part of his constructive philosophy for the welfare of the people of rural India. The Sarvodaya philosophy received considerable attention of Jai Prakash Narayan. Sarvodaya provides opportunity for the all round development of the individual and the society.

SARVODAYA

This concept was first of all adopted by Mahatma Gandhi. It is a comprehensive, social, economic, political, moral and spiritual philosophy.
After Gandhi, It was subsequently adopted by Achaiya Vinoba Bhave. He developed it taking into consideration of Indian social systems and conditions. In order to implement high Ideals of Sarvodaya, Vinoba Bhave established Sarvodaya Samaj.

IDEALS OF SARVODAYA(ECONOMICS)

(a) The most Important economic wealth of the nation is the human being.
(b) Everyone should be given an opportunity to contribute in national production. It aims at equitable distribution of land.
(c) abolition of private ownership and the application of the principle of non-possession to public institutions.
(d) Inequalities in Income and wealth should be reduced.
(e) Industries should be decentralised and land redistributed equally.

POLITICS

(a) Vinobajl believed in stateless society.
(B) A Sarvodaya society believes in individual freedom and decentralised government.
(d) About the government Vinobajl said that there is nothing more terrible than the institution of government.
(e) In Sarvodaya philosophy, political power is not an end in itself, but it is only means to an end. The end is the human welfare.

SOCIETY

(a) A Sarvodaya society believes in individual freedom and it is totally opposed to untouchability.
(b) It is opposed to child marriage.
(c) It promotes inter-caste marriages.
(d) It promotes human dignity and universal brother hand.
(e) It believes in universal adult franchise.
(f) In Sarvodaya philosophy, human values and goodwill alone will dominate.
(g) The Sarvodaya society believes in human equality and welfare of mankind.
(h) Sarvodaya philosophy believes in the concept and basic philosophy of secularism.
(I ) Sarvodaya aims at universal education and voluntary family planning.

MOVEMENT

Gandhi’s ideals have lasted well beyond the achievement of one of his chief projects, Indian independence (Swaraj).
His followers in India (notably, Vinoba Bhave) continued working to promote the kind of society that he envisioned, and their efforts have come to be known as the Sarvodaya Movement.
Sarvodaya workers undertook various projects aimed at encouraging popular self-organization during the 1950s and 1960s, including Bhoodan and Gramdan movements.

MOVEMENT

According to Vinoba Bhave and Jai Prakash Narayan’s philosophy, the Sarvodaya Samaj would be free from coercive centralised authority. Truth and non-violence are the two fundamental principles of the Sarvodaya Samaj.
In Sarvodaya Samaj, there will be no exploitation of man by man. There will be no distinction between rich and poor, high and low and privileged or un-privileged. All the people are to contribute to the service of the State. The rights of minority are not to be exploited by the majority.

MOVEMENT

The Sarvodaya Movement has as its target the establishment of a whole network of such selfsupporting village communities.
Agriculture will be so planned that all the people will have enough to consume. Industry will be conducted on a cottage basis till all the people in the village are gainfully employed.
The needs of the village will be determined by the people of the village themselves, through Village Council, representative of the whole village.

PLANNING

Removal of natural or man-made impediments in the path to the development of man.
Provision of means, training and guidance for it.
In Sarvodaya, labour and capital are both dependent on each other

CRITICISM

Sarvodaya favours party less democracy, Indian Constitution adopted democracy based on political party system. Sarvodaya philosophy has been termed as an Utopia. Now in reality, selfishness, jealously like negative virtues are emerged in human nature.
Gandhian concept of simple living and high thinking is becoming a myth. In fact, wealth is believed to be an indispensable criteria of our culture and higher value in society.