ADDRESSING INEQUALITY AND MARGINALIZATION THROUGH GANDHIAN THOUGHT: A FRAMEWORK FOR INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Despite great success in the issue of development and eradication of poverty, there are key challenges such as inequality and marginalization prevailing around the globe. This paper aims to examine the Gandhian concept as a practical model of change in the development paradigm based on nonviolence, self-efficiency, and economic justice. Gandhi's philosophies call for integration that pays for transformation at the base of society for self-empowerment or the moral turpitude of the populace that is in parallel to the current calls for working on inequality. Employing an analysis of the applicability of the Gandhian theories of trusteeship, non-violence, and self-rule, this research brings out the possibility of social and economic equity. Using the principles of Gandhi, this report outlines the managerial and organizational recommendations for creating a more inclusive society that is more socially integrated and fairly shares resources. Unlike the conventional Western development models, the Gandhian model reconstructs the development paradigms eliminating hierarchical control and shifting the role of development to ethical responsibility in a community setting. This paper offers policy implications for policymakers to demonstrate how Gandhian concepts can be adopted in contemporary frameworks for inclusive development.