"Small is beautiful", said German-born British economic thinker E.F. Schumacher in his 1973 book using the now-famous phrase as its title. He championed small, appropriate technologies that empower people more. The economist was greatly influenced by the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi.
The world has changed radically since this unconventional observation made in the early seventies. But the greatness of things small and close to people still remains unalloyed. It has been proven that small objects, both living and inanimate, contribute to the making of quite a large segment of happiness. Man does not have to run after the big to make life enjoyable. If one seeks to discover the true meaning of life, he or she may get it from things ordinary and mundane.
Pomp, grandeur and hubris only invite hazards and detractions. The tribute to the small and simple aptly goes with the world of ideas. But Schumacher has brought it to the domain of economy; that too with strong philosophical back-ups and also sufficient pragmatism.
For poorer nations like us, the most widely followed mantra happens to be thinking big, doing big, and achieving big. But unfortunately, on most occasions we end up in ignominies, despair and remorseless wastage.
As seen in human life, a nation can also be pushed into a state of bankruptcy owing mainly to wastefulness and the perverse fondness for ostentatious pomp. It puzzles one to see how a proverbially mature nation like Greece has recently made way for humiliating economic traumas by being blinded by hubris. This is another face of the fondness for extravagance. Too much government spending and then looking to a bailout coming from better-off European nations led to an uneasy situation for Greece in the Eurozone. Critics have blamed Greece's predicament mainly on its wasteful policies like pampering government officials with generous financial incentives. They include bonuses to public servants for being computer-literate, coming to office on time etc. Few nations can afford to indulge in these luxuries for long. Things are bound to go awry. Ruefully enough, this is what has happened to the country, once the epitome of classicism.
Many developing countries find themselves mired in seemingly endless poverty. Apart from rampant corruption, inept leadership and messed-up economy, the tendency to show off plays a big role in their failure to come out of the poverty trap. In fact, flaunting is innate with a section of people who are at the helm in many nations. This deviant trait on the part of rulers has led to series of woes for a large number of nations in different periods. Small ensures freedom, because learning to remain happy without much keeps a nation free of bondage -- political or economic.
On many counts, Schumacher is very much relevant even in the 21st century. Wise nations begin their march humbly, with small steps -- that enable them to launch their greater leaps forward. Moreover, things small have their unique grace. Going simple and pragmatic is the wisest way. Thus say the philosophers of the East.
The oriental school of thinkers has also searched for spiritual pleasure in small and simple things. They have advocated enjoying life in every tiny bit of time. Affluence and show-off robs man of the capability of feeling the sensuous beauty of survival. Attempts to become materially rich and having big dreams are also ingrained in human nature. In the present times of stiff competitions, youths love to nurse grand ideas that will pale others. In order to remain in sync with reality, we cannot stop thinking big. By not doing so, we will only keep ourselves dwarfed and submissive.
However, in spite of the arguments in favour of imposing goals, the pragmatism of going small holds. Like philosophy, it also fittingly applies to the world of economy. Dreaming big is healthy. The culprits are over-ambition, wrong priorities and vanity based on falsehood.
shihabskr@ymail.com
