Wealth in society is like blood in the body. The blood must
circulate all through the body. If it does not reach any part of the body, that
part gets withered and may even lead to gangrene jeopardizing the life of the
person. Similarly, if wealth does not circulate in any part of the society or
body politic, that part withers and ultimately leads to the death of that
society.
Socialism, as it is conceived today, is a product of
materialism, but the present crisis is not merely in the outside world but also
in the soul of man and it can be resolved only by religion which raises man to
the divine state. Any amount of political or economic manipulations cannot meet
the situation. Moreover, when we come to the establishment of socialism we are confronted
with the selfishness in man. An Act of Parliament cannot make him unselfish. So
when the Government tries to implant socialism, the selfish people resort to
various methods to satisfy their greed such as hoarding, adulteration of
foodstuffs and medicines, misappropriation of funds etc. The selfishness which
makes them anti-social can be cured only by a higher and more effective selfishness,
viz the desire for Mukti which leads to freedom from all the ills of life. If
this adaptation of socialism is based on a religious foundation like the Karma
Yoga of the Gita.
Service rendered to the ignorant, the needy and suffering as
the worship of divine in them, raises secular work to the level of worship and
this leads to God-realisation ultimately.
Swami Vireswarananda
(Tenth President, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna
Mission)