Ranade on Indian Political Economy

 Ranade on Indian Political Economy

While studying Indian political economy, Ranade reviewed the prevalent theories of economic development. He came to the conclusion that they could not be arbitrarily applied in a backward country like India. He made it clear that as in other social sciences in economics also, time, place, circumstances, endowments and aptitudes of men, their laws, institutions and customs should be taken into account. The laws of classical economics could not be arbitrarily applied because history proved that they were not universal.

Ranade thought that the problem of distribution was not properly tackled by the classical economists. It condemned the poor to poverty and helped the rich to get richer. In this situation freedom of contract became meaningless when the two contracting parties were not evenly matched. "In such case" he wrote "all talk of equality and freedom adds insult to the injury". He supported the right to property but made it clear that the institutions of property and privileges were historical categories and products of social processes.

Ranade was of the view that economics was a social science and its problems should be studied through historical perspective and with social sympathy.

ECONOMIC IDEAS OF JUSTICE RANADE

 

ECONOMIC IDEAS OF JUSTICE RANADE

Justice MG Ranade was considered to be the father of modern Indian economics because he studied the problems of India's economic development from a realistic point of view.

Ranade on Social Reforms

 Ranade on Social Reforms  

Ranade believed in all-round development of the society and held that social religious political and economic reforms were interdependent. Reform according to Ranade had to be gradual and undertaken in such a manner that it did not break the continuity of traditions. He was opposed to revival of the old and archaic since these did not have anything positive to offer. He said, "in a living organization as society is no revival is possible. The dead are buried and burnt once for all and the dead past cannot be revived. If revival is impossible reformation is the only alternative open to sensible people". Lokmanya Tilak and his followers were of the opinion that political reforms' were more important than social reforms because after securing political power it was always possible to effect social reforms. But Ranade did not agree with this view and believed that social reforms were more important. In his opinion the foundations of a modern society could be established only through social 

reforms which in its turn would facilitate the struggle for political power. He pleaded for the abolition of caste system and argued in Favour of intercaste marriages. The oppression of women by the Hindu social system was yet another tradition which Ranade sought to reform. Ranade supported the age of consent bill that raised the marriageable age of women. Education was another important subject that drew Ranade's attention. He favoured the introduction of secular education in India which would inculcate the virtues of civic life. The aim of education should be the pursuit of truth. Thus, education for him had a liberating influence. He did not like students to blindly follow their teachers. He wanted them to develop the spirit of adventure. Ranade was a champion of Indian languages and sought their development so as to enrich the cultural life of the Indian people. Ranade wanted the British government to spend more on education especially on primary education because the latter was greatly neglected. Ranade wanted to establish a new Indian society based upon contract and free choice. 

Ranade on Methods of Social Reforms

 Ranade on Methods of Social Reforms  

Ranade advocated social reforms because he knew that all-round reforms were necessary to bring about basic change in Hindu society. There were different methods of social reform and Ranade held that barring revolution all other methods should be pursued. According to him, there were four methods of social reform and they were as follows :  The first method is the method of tradition in which the cause of social reforms was advocated with the help of religious texts, T he second method was that of appealing to the conscience of the people. Reformers could attempt to sensitize people to the corrupt superstitious and unjust practices, The third method was enforcement of reforms by means of penalties, for instance, the government banned the practice of burning widows, 

The fourth method was that of rebellion which sought to change the evil and inhuman customs by force. This could however, break the continuity and would divide the society. 

Ranade's Criticism of the Hindu Society

 Ranade's Criticism of the Hindu Society  

Ranade held that the root of all evils of the Hindu society could be traced to a distorted understanding of the Hindu religion. It was religion that gave sanction to the caste system untouchability and subjection of women.  He maintained that the caste system had divided the Hindu society into groups and factions. The caste system was based on status determined by birth-this caste position was by and large unchangeable. Birth and not merit determined a person's social mobility.