Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Balance

'Madhyam marg' or the middle path advises balance. The key principle of Gautam Buddha's preachings, 'madhyam marg' applies to a wide range of life aspects - from diet to economic systems.

While nutritionists will clearly advice on the former, latter might be of lesser interest to many who are busy dealing with the mundane activities of daily life.

Capitalism and Socialism are two opposites. Neither is better over the other, but it requires a balance. Capitalism is important to motivate people to work and enjoy their acheivements while aspects of socialism are necessary keeping in mind the number of underpriviledged in the world. (850m suffer from hunger, 1.1b live in extreme poverty, a permanent state of emergency - 'The Economist').

Yet, the world is led toward higher propotions of capitalism. Here in the US, privatising social security would be a a drastic step toward this disbalance.

Fears: increasing income disparity and leaving fewer consumers with the wealth to buy the produces of capitalism. A considerable propotion of socialist values would lend compassion to a society motivated and energized by a capitalist system.

Lets follow the 'madhyam marg' and find a balanced diet for the economic system.

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