The great Reverend William Lawrence of Massachusetts once said, “there is a certain distrust on the part of our people as to the effect of material prosperity on their morality.” In Mohandas Gandhi’s speech, “Economic and Moral Progress,” Gandhi’s focal point is differentiating between the monetary growth of society and the chastity that one embodies. Throughout the course of time, mankind has proceeded to tie itself to the concept that our progression and prosperity as human beings in the field of economics and fiscal matters are pivotal for maintaining and living in a flourishing and thriving society. Gandhi juxtaposes an individual’s lifestyle choices with our grasp of how far morality extends within our lives. These two unparalleled
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When visiting South Africa, Gandhi made several discoveries in regards to this matter. He discovered that the people of South Africa blatantly believe that the more money they had, the more selfish with their money they are and not sharing your wealth and living a flashy lifestyle reveals your selfishness. Gandhi’s greatest influence Alfred Russel Wallace, was on the forefront teaching about the connection between economic and moral progress prior to Gandhi picking up where he left off. Gandhi quotes Wallace by remarking, “…we shall show more truth than gold, greater fearlessness than pomp of power and wealth, greater charity than love of self” (565). Wallace expresses that with the rise of power and wealth, the morality of people has diminished. Wallace stresses the importance of prioritizing morals over wealth. Martin Luther King Jr. chimes in on the teachings of Gandhi by saying, “Mahatma Gandhi embodied in his life certain universal principles that are inherent in the moral structure of the universe, and these principles are as inescapable as the law of gravitation.” King refers to the principles of morality as taught by Gandhi as they are inevitable and unable to avoid, just as the laws of gravity cannot be bended and defined differently than the world allows us
When visiting South Africa, Gandhi made several discoveries in regards to this matter. He discovered that the people of South Africa blatantly believe that the more money they had, the more selfish with their money they are and not sharing your wealth and living a flashy lifestyle reveals your selfishness. Gandhi’s greatest influence Alfred Russel Wallace, was on the forefront teaching about the connection between economic and moral progress prior to Gandhi picking up where he left off. Gandhi quotes Wallace by remarking, “…we shall show more truth than gold, greater fearlessness than pomp of power and wealth, greater charity than love of self” (565). Wallace expresses that with the rise of power and wealth, the morality of people has diminished. Wallace stresses the importance of prioritizing morals over wealth. Martin Luther King Jr. chimes in on the teachings of Gandhi by saying, “Mahatma Gandhi embodied in his life certain universal principles that are inherent in the moral structure of the universe, and these principles are as inescapable as the law of gravitation.” King refers to the principles of morality as taught by Gandhi as they are inevitable and unable to avoid, just as the laws of gravity cannot be bended and defined differently than the world allows us