Globalisation and Gandhian Approach to Rural Development

The present book examines the relevance of Gandhian approach to rural development in the wake of liberalization, globalization and privatisation. Of course, there is talk of rural development the world over. India has been a land of villages since time immemorial. The predominantly rural character of India’s national economy is reflected in very high proportion of population living in rural areas. A number of approaches to rural development have been experimented in India from pre-colonial era to present day. Gandhian approach to rural development is an unequal and noteworthy approach. According to Mahatma Gandhi rural development is a sine qua non of the development of India as he wrote "I would say that if the village perishes, India will perish too. It will be no more India. Her own mission in the world will get lost. The revival of the village life is possible only when it no more exploited (Harijan, 1936)". Hence, rural development is an absolute and urgent necessity in India now and will continue to be so in future. The first chapter is introduction and deals with conceptual issues and dimensions. The second chapter deals with the historical aspect of rural development. The third chapter deals with the operation and possibility of implementation of Gandhian concept in the context of globalization which is the order of the day. The chapter four deals with advantages and disadvantage of Gandhian approach in the conditions of the modern world. The chapter five points out the survival capacity of Gandhian concept. The chapter six gives the summary and the conclusion based on facts discovered so far. This book is very unique for Gandhian readers, research scholars and general readers.