The crisis which set off the current wave of reforms is not an intra-national developmental crisis, but largely an externally induced monetary crisis. attributable to adverse terms of trade imposed by the First World. The Western world-view, industrialism, technology and consumerism have now replaced the erstwhile imperialism. No country can now claim to be in control of its own destiny. The government’s aggressive pursuit of market economy saps the nation’s inner strength and cre-ative energies. This will gradually lead to a civilisational crisis of vast dimensions. A Swadeshi approach alone can be an effective response to such a multidimensional crisis.

The Swadeshi view is that each society has unique characteristics and has to progress on lines and at a pace determined by itself. Swadeshi is the natural state of the society, the rest are distortions and perversions. The Swadeshi movement aims at restoration of the society to its natural state, and manifestation of the self-identity of the society.

The quality of life and the moral standard ought to be the measuring-rods of progress, and not the scale of production and consumption of goods.

Unless people’s self-respect is awakened, the country will not be able to meet the present challenges. The historical processes are themselves driving the country in the direction of the Swadeshi ideology. The Swadeshi movement has now become inevitable for the very survival of the nation.