A country’s prosperity is not measured only by how many big companies it has, how high its stock market rises, or how rapidly its cities develop.

True prosperity is when ordinary people also feel secure, respected and able to improve their lives.

This is why governments must pay special attention to small farmers, peasants, weavers, fishermen, artisans, street vendors, construction workers, domestic workers, gig workers and millions of others in the unorganised sector.

1. They form the foundation of the economy

Small farmers produce food.
Weavers and artisans preserve traditional industries.
Fishermen supply food and support coastal economies.
Unorganised workers build houses, roads, shops and cities.

They may not appear prominently in corporate balance sheets, but their work keeps the economy moving every day.

2. Inclusive growth creates stronger growth

If economic growth benefits only a small section of society, inequality increases.

But when small producers and workers earn better incomes, they spend more on food, education, healthcare, housing, transport and local businesses.

That money circulates through villages, towns and cities, creating demand and employment.

When the bottom grows stronger, the entire economy becomes stronger.

3. Rural prosperity reduces pressure on cities

When farming, weaving, fishing and village-based businesses provide sustainable livelihoods, people do not have to migrate to cities simply to survive.

This can reduce excessive pressure on urban housing, transport, infrastructure and public services.

Strong villages and small towns contribute to strong cities.

4. Social security protects dignity

Many unorganised workers have no stable salary, pension, paid leave or formal employment protection.

A serious illness, accident, crop failure or sudden loss of work can push an entire family into debt.

Basic social protection—such as affordable healthcare, insurance, pensions, credit access and income-support mechanisms—can prevent temporary hardship from becoming permanent poverty.

5. It protects social order and stability

Large economic inequalities can create frustration, insecurity and social tension.

People need to believe that the system gives them a fair opportunity to live and progress, regardless of whether they own a large business or work with their hands.

Economic inclusion is therefore not merely welfare.

It is an investment in social peace, public trust and national stability.

6. They preserve culture and local knowledge

Traditional weaving, handicrafts, agriculture, fishing practices and other occupations carry generations of knowledge.

If these livelihoods disappear, the country loses more than income—it loses skills, culture, identity and community knowledge.

7. National prosperity must reach the last mile

A country cannot claim complete development when GDP rises while millions remain economically insecure.

The goal should not be:

“How much wealth does the country create?”

It should also be:

“How widely is that wealth shared, and how securely can ordinary people participate in creating it?”

The real measure of prosperity

Governments do not need to protect people from competition or prevent economic change.

They need to create a level playing field—better infrastructure, access to credit, markets, technology, education, healthcare, social security and fair opportunities.

Big industries can build national economic strength.

But small farmers, peasants, weavers and unorganised workers provide the social foundation on which that strength stands.

A prosperous country is not simply one where the rich become richer.

It is a country where the ordinary person can work with dignity, support a family, withstand difficult times and hope for a better future.

That is inclusive growth.

And inclusive growth is not charity.

It is the foundation of a prosperous, stable and orderly society.