HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

 

          HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

            Human development focuses on putting people first rather than just measuring a country’s wealth. It relies on cardinal virtues which are:

            A long and healthy life with moral values like prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance, self-control, abstention from criminal and vulgar acts, honesty, contentment , and righteous living.

            Among the Greek philosopher Plato’s cardinal virtues wisdom and rationality are also significant. Another Greek philosopher Aristotle includes in his group of virtues justice and the golden mean of the Indian Lord Buddha.

            Capitalism lays emphasis on economic system where private individuals or businesses own the means of production and run for profit.

            In current times developed countries boast of material advancement and military power with most destructive weapons.    

            All developed countries are now like business houses. They buy and sell, import and export their goods and chattels.

            Ethical values are declining  and that is an unfortunate aspect of latest developmental policies.

            Now greed rather than contentment is on the rise.

            Look at the following short poem by the American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882). The title of the poem is: A NATION’S SRENGTH.

            Not gold, but only men can make

            A people great and strong ---

            Men who, for truth and honour’s sake

            Stand fast and suffer long.

            Brave men who work while others sleep,

            Who dare while others fly,

            They build a nation’s pillars deep,

            And lift them to the sky.

 

To conclude, the following words of Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948):

Service of humanity and self-realization or knowledge of God are synonymous terms.     

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G.R. Kanwal

1^st September 2026