Karma, State & Economics

Karma is a Sanskrit term that comes from the root ‘Kri’, meaning to act, any physical or
mental action is Karma. Law of Karma is the universal law of cause and effect - in its
simplest form it is “as you sow, so shall you reap”. However, under the hood there is much
more to it. There are three types of karmas viz. Sanchit, Prarabdh, Kriyamana karmas.
Sanchit is all accumulated karmas, in all past lifetimes, which are yet to ripe for effect. A
part of Sanchit karma by the scheme of Prakriti (Nature) is given to Sthula sharira (Gorss
Body) which takes birth in this life - is called Prarabdh karma. It’s that karma which
becomes your entitlement to be lived as destiny at the time of birth. Human life is
governed by proportions of Prarabdh karma & and more thing called Freewill. Freewill is
what a man makes it to happen, Prarabdh karma is what happens to him – the life is a
continuum of both in play. It’s the Freewill which creates the third type of karma –
Kriyamana karma, also called Agaami Karma. Effects of some of the Kriyamana karmas are
lived in the same lifetime while rest are carried forward and accumulates in Sanchit karma.
When the current Sthul sharira withers away (dies), the Sukshma sharira (Subtle body) -
storehouse of all Sanchit karmas keeps living across Yonis and continue to exhaust karmas
as Prarabdh karmas one after another. It’s only Human Yoni which has Freewill where
karmas are acquired.
The individual karmas of people living in a nation state becomes the collective karma of the
nation state. Poverty percentage, accident rate, life expectancy, per capita income, poor-
rich divide etc. are some of the aggregated numbers representing collective effects of law of
karma.
Human societies have progressively moved from hunting and gathering,
through pastoralism and cultivation, to commercial society now. If we explore the current
milieu in time where societies are mostly democratic capitalism, established on the
principle of Laissez faire – has given humans opportunities to exercise Freewill of work or
of entrepreneurship; economies are growing & economic activities are expanding. Each
economic activity or aggregate of such activities results in some sort of outcome, good or
bad. Such outcomes can be considered “effects” of karmic living, which means we are now
having more karmic causes and effects than ever before. Increasing economic activity leads
to increasing production, which has to be matched by increasing consumption. The motive
behind consumption, which is also an action is a Vasna or a Desire. Increasing Vasnas are
hallmark of a materialistic world. Another basis of Capitalism is each by itself and common
good is achieved by self-good. Working for self would mean more karma attachment. An act
dedicated to god or selfless karma is mentioned as “Akarma” in Gita by Lord Krishna and
are those karmas which don’t attaches to oneself. Would it mean that the current way of
living is generating more karmas? – where is, then the Atonement or Moksha, which is
complete annihilation of karmas?
As a contrast Karl Marx theory of socialist communism expounded on society ownership on
means of production thereby economic resources & activity – “"From each according to his
ability, to each according to his needs”. In truly egalitarian societies, the output can be
controlled by controlling production & society’s self-balancing act –would it mean a more
controlled Law of karma?
Given that two individuals applying same hard work, having same skill and same energy,
it’s the karma led destiny which ensures results are different for individuals.
Wealth is representation of resources, resource belong to nature, is it that, in Capitalism
nature plays in such a way that Law of karma become more effective and making individual
more accountable?
Since communism in its purity could never find a foothold in the world, hence we can
conclude that Law of karma is so powerful that it’s the one which decides Nation state’s
Economic base and its super structures.