Revisiting Jaina School of Economic Thought for Modern Problems

Abstract

Mahavira, the 24^th Tirthankara of Jainism has greatly influenced the world with his humanitarian teachings. Today, modern men are facing large number of problems and despite consistent efforts by social scientists, these problems are rising with each passing day. This paper attempts to highlight the reason of failure of modern economic ideas by comparing it with economics and political ideas of Mahavira and how these issues can be redressed by revisiting 2600 years old wisdom as shown by reputed scholar of Jain literature, Acharya Mahapragya. This research paper is an attempt to briefly present less talked Jain ideas of an ideal economic and political system that can take us to “The new normal”.