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Contribution of gandhian thought to corporate responsibility
Pulla, Venkat Rao Nayak, Vinod Walke, Keshav
Pulla, Venkat Rao
Nayak, Vinod
Walke, Keshav
Abstract
Mahatma Gandhiji transformed contemporary capitalists amidst the criticism from leftist quarters that he was working for a compromise in the interests of the Indian bourgeoisie. The purpose of this paper is to present a forerunner of today’s conversations in the world about corporate social responsibility (CSR). Gandhiji not only befriended a number of businesspersons but also advised them to consider their role as a steward of their wealth and businesses that they held. We intend to substantiate his pious intentions derived from his understanding of Bhagavad Gita, which suggested to him that one could enjoy one’s acquired wealth by renouncing it. Persuaded by such moral disposition, Gandhiji argued that it is the surest method to evolve a new order of life of universal benefit of all people in the society as opposed to the order in which most of us live for ourselves without regard to what happens to our neighbour. The paper is based on archival materials representing his conceptualisation and acceptance of trusteeship and the collaborations of the capitalists that lived in his times.
Keywords
trusteeship, Gandhi capitalists, Indian Freedom Movement, corporate social responsibility and Gandhi, Swadeshi
Date
2017
Type
Journal article
Journal
Space and Culture, India
Book
Volume
4
Issue
3
Page Range
7-18
Article Number
ACU Department
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY 2.0
File Access
Open