The needs of human being were very small in number in the stone ages. As we advanced in civilization, our wants also increased. Today, when the world is most civilized and modern, our wants have increased alarmingly. This enormous increment of wants is more rapid than the increase in the natural resources that is the supply. As a result of this disproportion between supply and demands, misery and pain have taken the world in their grip.
In most of the countries of the world the distribution of wealth is unjust. They are adding to the miseries of the poor but providing more and more comforts to the elite or the ruling class. In agricultural countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia it happens so that certain people, the capitalist and the members of the landed class, have more than they need, while the individual workers and farm labors have very little for themselves. In such countries the common people, who belongs to the latter class, is not free from wants. Our labors and artisans work more but get very little, while the rich work little, and get much more. This social system, as evident, is based on injustice. Therefore, steps are being taken in various countries of the world to bring the two classes closer to one another. The day when perfect social justice will be administered is still far; but when it comes, it will set the people of the world free from want.
Pakistan has taken many steps in this direction. One of these steps is "The Land Reforms" made by some previous regimes. According to these reforms a limit of 500 acres was imposed on the ownership of land by any individual. The excess of land owned by local landowner (Zamindar), according to this law, would be taken away by the Government and distributed among landless tenants and farm laborers on easy installment. This step contributed towards diminishing the class differences between landlords and farm laborers. The Government was praised for this noble action by almost all sections of the people. Of course this was a great step which, if carried out in its true spirit, would improve the condition of the lower class people of our society.
Another step taken by our Government in this direction is the formation of such labor laws as are of great help to the poor. In British India, mil owners were allowed to exploit the laborers. In Pakistan too, was long felt that the laborers must be saved from the injustice which the mil owners inflict upon them. This thought developed into the present labor laws, which provide full security and safety to the laborers. Now our labors can form unions, and they have the rights to strike also. In case their grievances are not removed by the owners, they can fight for their rights through labors unions in labor and civil courts. It is an effective measure to free the people from wants.
But both these steps in our country, have helped only a little to abolish the class differences, though, logically they intended to do a lot. The USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) and China, along with a few other East European countries, adopted communism or pure socialism to cure this evil. They formed such Governments as had all the resources of the country in their control. These resources were divided equally in 'communes' or groups of families. Each group had to put in its labor unitedly and get an equal share of the fruit under the Government control. Thus they claim to have freed their workers from want. But such are the ways of the world that, when one evil is abolished another takes its place. Communist countries have provided their people with some freedom from desire, but they have completely deprived their individuals of the freedom of will. They have filled the belly but starved the soul of their people. Freedom from want at such a high cost is certainly undesirable. No doubt freedom from want is necessary for humanity, but it should not be bought at the cost of freedom of will.
In this respect the solution presented by many religions especially by Islam is the most reasonable one, as it is the religion of peace, tells the daily life problems and their solutions. It insists on minimizing class differences by imposing heavy taxes on the wealth of the rich to the poor. Islam insists on founding a 'Public Treasury' to help the needy. Alms are the main sources of income for this public treasury, 'From every one according to one's income to everyone according to his need' is the basic rule of the Islamic theory of economics. In Pakistan, Zakat Ordinance was issued in 1984 for this very purpose. If this end is achieved, each and every man would be really free from wants, as they all would be living at the same social level. It is the relative equality in the distribution of wealth, and not the bulk of national income and resources, that can ensure freedom from desire for everybody.
In most of the countries of the world the distribution of wealth is unjust. They are adding to the miseries of the poor but providing more and more comforts to the elite or the ruling class. In agricultural countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia it happens so that certain people, the capitalist and the members of the landed class, have more than they need, while the individual workers and farm labors have very little for themselves. In such countries the common people, who belongs to the latter class, is not free from wants. Our labors and artisans work more but get very little, while the rich work little, and get much more. This social system, as evident, is based on injustice. Therefore, steps are being taken in various countries of the world to bring the two classes closer to one another. The day when perfect social justice will be administered is still far; but when it comes, it will set the people of the world free from want.
Pakistan has taken many steps in this direction. One of these steps is "The Land Reforms" made by some previous regimes. According to these reforms a limit of 500 acres was imposed on the ownership of land by any individual. The excess of land owned by local landowner (Zamindar), according to this law, would be taken away by the Government and distributed among landless tenants and farm laborers on easy installment. This step contributed towards diminishing the class differences between landlords and farm laborers. The Government was praised for this noble action by almost all sections of the people. Of course this was a great step which, if carried out in its true spirit, would improve the condition of the lower class people of our society.
Another step taken by our Government in this direction is the formation of such labor laws as are of great help to the poor. In British India, mil owners were allowed to exploit the laborers. In Pakistan too, was long felt that the laborers must be saved from the injustice which the mil owners inflict upon them. This thought developed into the present labor laws, which provide full security and safety to the laborers. Now our labors can form unions, and they have the rights to strike also. In case their grievances are not removed by the owners, they can fight for their rights through labors unions in labor and civil courts. It is an effective measure to free the people from wants.But both these steps in our country, have helped only a little to abolish the class differences, though, logically they intended to do a lot. The USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) and China, along with a few other East European countries, adopted communism or pure socialism to cure this evil. They formed such Governments as had all the resources of the country in their control. These resources were divided equally in 'communes' or groups of families. Each group had to put in its labor unitedly and get an equal share of the fruit under the Government control. Thus they claim to have freed their workers from want. But such are the ways of the world that, when one evil is abolished another takes its place. Communist countries have provided their people with some freedom from desire, but they have completely deprived their individuals of the freedom of will. They have filled the belly but starved the soul of their people. Freedom from want at such a high cost is certainly undesirable. No doubt freedom from want is necessary for humanity, but it should not be bought at the cost of freedom of will.
In this respect the solution presented by many religions especially by Islam is the most reasonable one, as it is the religion of peace, tells the daily life problems and their solutions. It insists on minimizing class differences by imposing heavy taxes on the wealth of the rich to the poor. Islam insists on founding a 'Public Treasury' to help the needy. Alms are the main sources of income for this public treasury, 'From every one according to one's income to everyone according to his need' is the basic rule of the Islamic theory of economics. In Pakistan, Zakat Ordinance was issued in 1984 for this very purpose. If this end is achieved, each and every man would be really free from wants, as they all would be living at the same social level. It is the relative equality in the distribution of wealth, and not the bulk of national income and resources, that can ensure freedom from desire for everybody.
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