Education, Employment & Economics

All the above three are basically quite independent entities. Education is acquiring knowledge for itself, not necessarily for employment. Newton, Darwin, Faraday & our own Aryabhata, Charaka & Bhaskaracharya did not invent to get employment. Education may also be used for social service without expecting economic benefits.

Similarly to get (manual) employment, one need not be educated. And altruistic employment need not be economically productive, like the social service mentioned above.

Economically being strong need not always require either education or employment for example in the case of inherited wealth.

Such being the case, it is a sign of the times that all three have become intertwined so much that they are viewed as synonymous. And as in the classic case of putting the cart before the horse, money is required to get education. The unfortunate effect of this being, educated people seek employment which promises the best economic reward. This inevitably leads to poor quality of education & inefficiency in employment, money being the only & ultimate goal of life.

This may sound cynical, but when push comes to shove, most people prefer to have money & status, rather than take pleasure in acquiring knowledge or working creatively.

Unique feature of Kautilya's "Artha Shastra"

In L. N. Rangarajan's English translation of the complete Arthashastra, published by Penguin Books, there is a revolutionary sentence. In Chapter VIII, Section XVI, the opening sentence reads thus: 

"IMPRISONMENT IS NOT PRESCRIBED AS A PUNISHMENT ANYWHERE IN THE ARTHASHASTRA."

People were locked up only because they were under investigation for a serious offence (Judicial Custody?) or unable to pay a fine imposed on them. Such "jails" were mentioned in only one verse (4.9.22).

Examining this extraordinary provision (which is not followed anywhere in the world now) in the current scenario is very enlightening. In the present day, prisons are populated by 

1.⁠ ⁠Criminals

2.⁠ ⁠Political prisoners

3.⁠ ⁠Terrorists.

In the case of criminals, who have violated the laws of society, should society, funded by law-abiding citizens, look after those (feed, clothe &  provide medical treatment) who have harmed it? Especially when large sections of the populace find it difficult to obtain those essentials even if they work?

In the case of political prisoners, who have ostensibilly gone into politics to serve the country, go against it? Ex. Imran Khan, ex PM, languishing in jail, while fellow all-rounders Padma Bhushan Kapil Dev, Lord Ian Botham & Sir Richard Hadlee are leading honourable lives.

The terrorists (many of whom richly deserve capital punishment), by being imprisoned, are an open invitation to their associates to take VIPs hostage to get them released. Ex. Khandahar hijacking.

In addition, especially in India, the prisons (& the Police) are the most corrupt arms of the government, & are the breeding ground of every vice. In this context, Kautilya's avoidance of prisons as places of correction, especially in India, seems highly relevant.

"Sabbatical" Literature

In 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne was employed at the Salem Custom House. At that time, even jobs like these were political appointments. So after elections, he lost his job. His wife Sophia told him this was the time to complete his dream book. She had some savings & she sold hand painted lamp shades & fire screens to pay house hold bills. She also offered him emotional support & later defended his literary legacy. The resulting book was "The Scarlet Letter", which many consider the most perfectly constructed novel. Interestingly, the prelude chapter on the Custom House runs to 50 pages whereas the main novel is less than 250 pages! 

Harper Lee was working as an airline ticket agent. Her friends, noticing her literary talent, gave her a Christmas gift in 1956, equal to her one year salary, to take time off & write whatever she wanted. The result was "To Kill A Mockingbird", a classic, also made into a famous film with Gregory Peck. The uniqueness of this book is the circumstances & central event are charged with racial & sexual overtones, but seen through the eyes of & narrated by Scout, a little girl who grows up from 6 to 9 years old during the events.