gandhiji's concept of trusteeship

8/7/2019 Gandhiji's Concept of Trusteeship

1/20


2/20

y Gandhiji's philosophy of trusteeship was a significantconcept with a potential to change the economic and

social order.y Gandhiji was probably the first to see the inherent

contradiction of both capitalism and communism anda practical idealist that he was he propounded the

theory of trusteeship which could be an alternativeway of life, an economic system in place of capitalismand communism.


3/20

y It Trusteeship provides a means of transforming thepresent capitalist order of society into an egalitarian

one. gives no quarter to capitalism, but gives thepresent owning class a chance of reforming itself.

y It Trusteeship provides a means of transforming thepresent capitalist order of society into an egalitarian

one.


4/20

y . Trusteeship is the concept of universal consequenceand which itself, a new alternative to honestly correct

the ills of social accumulation and at the same timegives those with managerial and entrepreneurialexpertise to use the same for' the good of the society.


5/20

Who is a Trustee?

One to whom something is entrusted.;

A natural or a legal person to whomproperty is legally committed to beadministered for the benefit of a

beneficiary .


6/20

Gandhijis idea about society &

capitalismy Economic Idea to protect Human dignity

y Fundamental ethical values dominated his economic

ideasy Aims at development, upliftment & enrichment of

human life rather than higher standard of living withscant respect for human & social values.

y Effort to spiritualize economicsy


7/20

Need for Trusteeship

y Economic inequalities of ownership and income

y Non-violent way of resolving socio-economic conflicts

y Distribution of material prosperity keeping humandignity in mind

y Dominated by moral values than economic ideas

y Ideal combination of economics and morals


8/20

Basis of the Doctrine

y To Promote Relationship

Trusteeship is the very stuff of life, the material of which

life is made because life ultimately consists ofrelationships. There is no life without relationship.Relationship is the essence of life and trusteeship iscalculated to promote relationship among men whoseinterests and whose roles seem to be conflicting. That,

to my mind, is the very fundamental truth abouttrusteeship. So trusteeship is the very condition of ourexisting together.

y


9/20

y Neighborliness in all walks of life

y That's the basic idea on which the scheme of

trusteeship has been based. It is not merelyneighborliness in certain walks of life, because inGandhiji's concept, life could not be divided intowater-tight compartments. Life has been conceived as

whole, which can not be divided into compartments.So trusteeship is not merely for business relations, butfor all relationships of men as they go in everydayaffairs of life.


10/20

y Ameans of Radical Social Changey There is one more aspect of trusteeship. Trusteeship is a means

of revolution or radical social change. In the economic field there

is the idea of description, which has been propagated by Marxistrevolutionaries. There is the method of confiscation of allproperty by the state. Then there is the accepted method oftaxation which has been universally accepted even in thedemocratic countries. But all these methods agree in notbringing men closer to each other. This process of social change,to my mind, is a process of accent and all ascent must ultimatelyresult in approach. So trusteeship is designed with a view toeliminate the distance between men and bring them, not only inbody but also in mind, as close together as possible.

y


11/20

y Change of heart

y Trusteeship was Gandhiji's peculiar contribution to the

technique of social change. He called it "the techniqueof change of heart."

y Expropriation, confiscation and taxation are notcalculated to conduct to this change of heart. Gandhiji

is often quoted as saying that in the Ramarajya of hisdream the status of the prince and the pauper will b-the same.


12/20

y The prince and pauper will come together only whenthe prince is shorn of his royalty and the pauper is able

to live a richer life, a fuller life.y . Trusteeship; my being responsible for my life, as well

as for the life of my neighbour. This mutuality, mutualresponsibility, is real trusteeship.


13/20

y Human Dignity and Charity

y Human dignity cannot be preserved on charity. If

those who live in perpetual misery are condemned tolive on the sufferance of those who are well to do, Ithink no human dignity could be preserved andcivilisation will come to an end sooner than later. So,

this social change must in the main come through theefforts of those who are in misery and who need socialchange immediately.


14/20

y Mutuality and Well-being

y Trusteeship does not conceive of a society in which the

poor shall remain poor and the rich shall remain rich.Both poverty and affluence for a few shall beeliminated. Mutuality and well-being shall be the ruleof the society, in which men learn to live together ingoodwill for one-another. That's trusteeship as I

understand it and that is trusteeship as I thinkGandhiji enunciated. Gandhiji was not, obscurantist,nor did he stand for statism. He believed in antyodaya-'the coming up of the last man.'


15/20

y Promote Relationship

y Relationship is the oxygen of life. Trusteeship is calculated

to promote relationship. That is why trusteeship is the vitalbreath of all our social relationships, more particularly ourindustrial relationships. I am reminded of the words ofDaniel Defoe with which I shall conclude. These words areas true of labour as of capital. I do not like the crew, I shall

not sink the ship. Rather I shall do my best and save it fromdisaster at the cost of my life. You see, w, are all in the samecraft and sail or swim together." That is the basic ideawhich lies at the root of this scheme of trusteeship.


16/20

Applicability & Benefits

y Applies to both tangible and Intangible property

y Not only in Business and Industrial sector but for

individuals alsoy No right to destroy the property deliberately

y Promotes relationship

y Neighborliness in all walks of life

y Means of radical social Change

y Mutuality and well being

y


17/20

y Trusteeship, as applicable to the corporate world,refers to the act of holding and managing resources on

behalf of the stakeholders of the firm.y . Given that the traditional take on wealth has almost

always been tilted towards owners of corporations, thisconcept brings in an element of equity, by placing

other stakeholders such as employees, customers andsociety on the same rung as large and smallshareholders.


18/20

y The idea is that all wealth, including human, financialand technological resources, belongs to society andthe rewards accruing from their use must revert tosociety at large.

y The principles of trusteeship can be traced to theconcept of collective endeavor and community living.

y Briefly, these are: Resources must be held and utilized

for the benefit of society. Managers are the trustees ofthe stakeholders and must work towards optimizingstakeholder value, not merely maximizing shareholdervalue.


19/20

y Thus, the overall approach is towards the macro andthe long-term perspective, rather than the short-term,

micro perspective which is often geared exclusively tosuit the shareholder and top management.

y The Gandhian Philosophy of Wealth Management isbased on the principle that a wealthy man does not

truly have the right to hoard wealth solely for the self;the only right he has is that to an honourablelivelihood.

y


20/20

THANKS

gandhiji's concept of trusteeship

Documents