The group argued that the elimination of exploitation of any kind was necessary in order to bring about a more reasonable and humane society. From its inception, veganism was defined as a "philosophy" and "way of living." It was never intended to be merely a diet and, still today, describes a lifestyle and belief system that revolves around a reverence for life.
That the vegan movement has distanced itself, over the years, from the simple dietary practice of vegetarianism, is evident in British supermarkets such as Sainsburys, Tesco and the Co-op by the numerous products which are marked either "suitable for vegetarians" or "suitable for vegetarians and vegans"-clearly giving mainstream acceptance to the difference between the two systems. For instance, the Co-op supermarket has a website where customers can learn more about these two philosophies' dietary requirements. Other goals may include polyculture and other means of sustainable agriculture. Some vegans see this as part and parcel of their veganism.
Veganism as a secular movement is a modern idea, as a reaction to the exploitation of nature, including imposing unnecessary suffering on non-human animals. Although it can be seen as a minor and localized reaction to the excesses of the developed world, the principles behind it can be found in much older ethical/religious doctrine of the East, such as Hinduism, Buddhism or Jainism.
Much stricter forms of diet have been followed for thousands of years by adherents of Jainism, and a restricted diet is an integral part of their religious doctrine, which promote non-suffering. Jain monks usually follow a much stricter form of veganism where they eat only fruits and beans so that they can avoid indirect killing of plants. In fact, some Jains have been known to starve themselves to death in order to avoid harming any living creature or plant. There are even those who wear masks over their mouths and noses to avoid any possibility of breathing in tiny insects.
Except for these extreme cases, secular veganism is pretty much unheard of in most parts of the world. In most parts of developing countries, meat and animal products used to be a minor part of the diet. Because raising animals for food takes up far more resources than the raising of crops, regular consumption of animal products has historically been limited to the wealthy; this has, in turn, led to animal products becoming "aspirational foods", desirable because of their expensiveness. This situation has begun to be reversed by the rising standard of living in these countries and the associated "Westernization" of their cultures. In many of these countries, health problems associated with over-eating are on the rise, and so are serious environmental problems. Consequently, there is a small but growing awareness of the health and environmental benefits of a vegetarian diet.
Hofliches Veganism Hofliches Veganism, (pronounced: hoy'-flitz veganism) is approximately translated to mean "Cordial Veganism" or "Polite Veganism." It is a rarely followed form of extreme veganism which commands adherents to eating only that which formerly asks for itself to be eaten. It is, understandably, not the most well-attended variation of vegetarianism, but it was popular for a short period of time in Southern California and in Tanna Tuva-a tiny republic in south central Siberia. According to most contemporary records, this extreme form of veganism is no longer practiced due to its inherent impracticality.
