Page:SELECTED ESSAYS of Dr. S. S. KALBAG.pdf/236

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If we look at Japan, they do not have even what we have. But through sustained effort, they have built up wealth for the nation. We have a good climate for growing organic materials, and we have adequate mineral and water resources. We must therefore, make the best use of our main resource, the human resource. We should look at history and plan our strategy. 5. Evolution of Industry In the history of man, collective hunting, the invention of fire and its use for cooking food, could be considered as the beginning of industry. Then only about 10,000 years ago came agriculture and the domestication of animals. This gave rise to production of surplus goods. That means the producer had something for his own needs and more, which he traded with someone else in exchange for goods. This was the barter economy. Production of surplus food by agriculture lead to shifting some people from agriculture to other activities, such as making tools, helping in making shelters, arts, trading or just philosophy. This production of surplus resulted gradually, in the segregation of activities (trades), development of knowledge as an activity and formation of settlements based on activities other than agriculture. These later became cities. Initially, agriculture was the major producer of wealth and land was the prime asset. Those who were strong controlled the land and dominated over the rest. This gave rise to landlordism. This continued for thousands of years. Around 300 years back, came the inventions that allowed man to use energy from coal and other fuels. This led to factories where manufacturing activities were organized and the industrial revolution came about. This increased wealth rapidly. Gradually, wealth from industry became more important than wealth from agriculture. By this time, barter trade had to give way to the money economy. Money Capital became the most urgent Rural Development Through Education System 223