1st fundamental principle of Prout - Economic Democracy lG
1st fundamental principle of Prout - Economic Democracy
There is a stark contrast emerging today between materialist and higher
world views. Which is to prevail is the theme of this issue.
Basics
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To start with ... There is a need to curb accumulation of physical wealth.
But there is no need to curb accumulation of psychic and spiritual wealth.
The mental and spiritual is in unlimited supply. Rather, it is a crime to
bar anyone from partaking of mental and spiritual wealth to his or her heart
's content. The physical is limited. So, physical wealth is in limited
supply. Everyone needs their minimum requirements in order to move on in
life, therefore physical wealth should be subject to rational distribution.
How do you adjust between collective spirit and individual right? There can
be harmonious adjustment between individual right and collective spirit if
we follow in practice:
- The spirit of the principle of social equality in our individual and
collective lives, on the basis of rationalistic approach
- The teachings of Neo-humanism, in our personal and social lives
- The principle of limited freedom in the physical level, because it is
finite; and the policy of full freedom in the spiritual and psychic worlds,
because they are infinite in scope
- The synthetic path of a psycho-spiritual approach to life
Will society reach a saturation point, once the above principles are
established, for the minimum requirements in the physical, psychic and
spiritual strata? The minimum requirements of life should be assured through
the availability of essential goods and purchasing power. The minimum
requirements of life are not of a fixed standard - they must increase in the
course of time. Though physical hunger is limited, human longing is
infinite, as this is something subtle. Minimum requirements will increase
over time in different eras.
What is the significance of the value of wealth? In the subtle economic
sense the value of wealth is the real wealth. Wealth, if not properly
defined, may mean only riches. But the value of wealth is to be measured in
terms of its capacity to purchase commodities. That is, the purchasing
capacity of wealth is its real value. Economists have not yet properly
understood this real value of wealth in numerical terms.
Rational distribution is the critical principle. What is to be promoted is
scientific rational distribution as opposed to communism's unscientific
approach to distribution amongst "equals". Nothing or none is equal or
identical. Therefore capacity and need will vary from person to person. This
fact is the key to society's continued economic progress and industrial
vitality. The dogma "From each according to capacity to each according to
need" was a highly theoretical and catastrophic proposition that had no
place or future in the real world. Similarly, the speculative and random
distribution of wealth in a capitalist structure is also flawed, as it sets
no minimum requirements and thus ignores the human right of all to exist
with decency in the world. Accordingly, it also crudifies human existence
and human interaction, thereby creating inefficiencies in social and
economic relations.
Towards the foremost
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What is more ... The love of the human heart cannot be contained or confined
within the bounds of material acquisition and achievement. There is inherent
in the human heart a natural desire for that which is expansive, that which
is mystical, that which is beyond the mundane. Societies which try, in one
fashion or another, to suppress this natural human longing are bound to
create oppression. Materialism, be it communism or capitalism, suppresses
this longing - it suppresses the mystical tendencies of the individual.
Materialism can never be the foremost object of importance, not
collectively, not individually. Those within the influence of the communist
society find lack of motivation to continue their work because there is no
incentive. Those within the capitalist society are so incentive-driven that
they lose themselves in their work. So, both systems have failed to address
the fundamental needs of the human beings. Only in a co-operative economy
can there be effort to meet the basic necessities of the individual and to
limit the excesses of individual hoarding in the physical realm. In these
ways, the progressive socialist approach is more inline with
humanitarianism. But there is another thing and that is to provide incentive
for people to render more and more service to society in a meritorious and
outstanding way. That incentive is not for selfish gain but is provided in
terms of a person's service orientation to society. The concept of identical
needs for all is impossible to achieve. It is important to encourage dynamic
socially useful work in society.
All of the systems present today are lacking in understanding and support of
the fundamental urge for mysticism in human life - the urge to expand the
mind from psychological to psycho-spiritual - towards new frontiers. They
are so wanting to resolve religious conflict that they have not known how to
address this aspect of human existence. The leaders themselves who have
formed the policies and governments have been confused on these issues.
There are those who want revolution; there are those who want changes in
policy, but where are those who understand the deep and subtle leanings of
the human being as a physico-psycho-spiritual entity ... and not to promote
one religion but who understand the inherent quality of the human mind. That
is why there is a need for the rise into a centred focus of those
individuals who have both an understanding of psychology and
psycho-spirituality as well as of the basic physical needs of humans beings
and society. This involves an understanding of the fundamental needs of
human beings to be free of oppression, to have their basic human needs met
and to have food, water, clothing, shelter, education, health care,
transportation and the like and to have incentives to do great works; and
also an understanding of the larger ecological and sociological systems, and
desire for one united human society - for the good and happiness of all.
This means leaders need not carry strong socio-sentiments or nationalistic
sentiments or geo-sentiments that prevent them from looking to the welfare
of the entire Earth. For today, one cannot separate the welfare of one area
from another.
Technology has made the world smaller, and it will become more and more
closely linked: the welfare of one will directly or indirectly influence the
welfare of another more and more. So, humanity stands upon a critical
juncture and it is essential that there be those who come forward, who step
forward into leadership to bring new and dynamic policies and programs and
who look to the welfare of all beings. Human beings cannot be bound in
material gain alone: it does not satisfy the human heart. It will never
bring a successful society. The higher consciousness of humanity and human
beings must be awakened to understand the fundamental mysticism that is
inherent in human life.
So, now is the time for such leadership to emerge. The fundamental concepts
of the "Progressive Utilization Theory" is being carried far and wide to the
public view. It is progressive people that make a difference to society.
Human society stands in a delicate position at present. Narrow sentiments
are swaying people, but change must occur within the human society: the
unbound greed and continued destruction of this whole planet cannot
continue. The universal viewpoint is that the development of all of the
living beings on or in this planet Earth are intricately associated. At this
stage, one cannot separate one nation from another, one segment of society
from another: the entire welfare of all is your welfare.
Materialism is not the primary goal - a self-cantered mentality can never
think of the larger whole. With that sort of mentality one may close one's
eyes and stop one's ears only for so long, but the noise of the problem will
only grow louder and louder - the acids in the air, the ozone depletion, the
destruction of habitat, the killing of essential oxygen-producing plants,
the shortages of natural supplies - what politicians are doing anything
viable. What are noisy problems today which one might try not to think
about, even those in power may not like to think about, will not just be
noises in the distance tomorrow.
Neither communism nor capitalism, nor even democratic socialism as it is
implemented today, provides viable solutions to the human dilemma. Humanity
is in need of new and dynamic ideas. This is not the work of someone else.
It must be a personal commitment on each and everyone's part. There is no
time to simply squander life. Now a new psychology must emerge. One that
takes a psycho-spiritual approach. Spirituality is not merely an individual
path to liberation. At this juncture in human society, it is an antidote to the disease of materialism.
Liberty
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By P.R. Sarkar
Since the beginning of history there has been an incessant fight for freedom
from natural, social, economic and political bondages. This fight is
inherent in human nature. Human beings want freedom both as individuals and
as members of society, and to achieve this freedom they must fight against
all types of oppression. Yet we find that when any oppressed group or class
gained some measure of freedom it in turn oppressed others. Whatever liberty
exists in society today is the result of prolonged struggle by many
individuals and groups. At the root of this struggle is the innate human
desire for happiness -- the longing to establish oneself in the supreme flow
of bliss. To fulfil this longing in individual life, human beings have to
attain the absolute state and break all shackles of relativity. It is a
natural human tendency to liberate the mind from the bondages of time, space
and person, but only the attainment of the absolute can fulfil the innate
desire for happiness.
Society will have to encourage the individual search for absolute freedom
because the psychic and spiritual realms are unlimited, and possession in
these spheres does not hinder the progress of others. But unrestricted
freedom to acquire wealth in the physical sphere has every possibility of
permitting a few people to roll in luxury while hampering the all-round
growth of the majority, because physical resources are limited. Individual
liberty in the physical sphere must not be allowed to hamper the development
of the complete human personality, and at the same time it must not be so
drastically curtailed that the all-round growth of society is impeded.
Freedom is a right of every human being. To encourage comprehensive,
unbarred human expression in the different spheres of social life a
congenial socio-economic environment has to be created, because such an
environment does not exist today.
October, 1979, Calcutta
Prout in a nutshell 13
1st fundamental principle of Prout
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No individual should be allowed to accumulate any physical wealth without
the clear permission or approval of the collective body (society).
Purport: The universe is the common property of all. All people have
usufructuary rights, that is, the right of enjoyment, but no one has the
right to misuse this common property. Those who gather much wealth and hoard
it directly curtail the happiness and convenience of others in society.
Their behaviour is flagrantly anti-social. Therefore no one should be
allowed to hoard wealth without the permission of society.
P R Sarkar
Ananda Sutram 1962
A person accumulating physical wealth without the permission of the
collective body is certainly going against the interests of the collective
body. This principle states that individual liberty should not go against
the interests of the collective body. This may involve certain restrictions
on individual liberty in the physical sphere, but since the minimum
requirements of life and special amenities will be guaranteed, this should
not cause any difficulties to the people.
It is the duty of each socially awakened ethical person to protect the
ignorant from the fatal hunger for mundane property, which is encouraged by
self-seeking exploiters. These self-seekers try to hide themselves and their
naked brutality under the camouflage of democracy. In that case where self
interest prevails, democracy is a counterfeit bronze coin engoldened by the
elixir of high-sounding words.
P R Sarkar
From Talks on Prout (1961)
Prout in a nutshell 15
SPIRITUALITY - THE BASE OF LIFE
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PR Sarkar (Propounder of PROUT)
Today you have to create the Great Universe, and the guiding principle
behind it will be that all humans are of the one progeny of this Universal
Consciousness. Thus all are children of the universe, all should live
together - all will have to live together. Black or white, literate or
illiterate, small or tall, all are the children of the same Universal Entity
and all will have to live together. Accordingly, there will be unity in the
physical realm and also in the psychic realms.
But to strengthen this unity still further, there should be a common goal
for all the citizens of the world - the awakening of spirituality - the goal
of which is unification of unit mind with the Cosmic Flow All are in the
same universal flow, and therefore all will remain together. But this is not
sufficient. All people must also live together. For you, unity is the
natural course, and division is unnatural. The Cosmos will not long tolerate
what is unnatural.
So it is natural for human beings to live together and to make a Great
Universe. By not doing so, by mutual fight, all will be destroyed. This is
the law of the universe. Thus you will have to remain united; you must
create the Great Universe as soon as possible. There will be peace and
happiness for all in the universe, and with one indivisible ideology,
humanity will march ahead. Victory be with you!
(Discourse on the Mahabharata)
In our present environment there are many divisive tendencies splitting
humanity into mutually belligerent groups. Spirituality must foster a
natural affinity among people, to unite all humanity. The approach to
spirituality should be psychological. Through rational analysis, humanity
should appreciate its relationship with the Universal Consciousness and
recognize the most benevolent kindness. Spirituality should lead human
beings to that one Cosmic Truth by which one derives one's existence and
which is the ultimate destiny. That ultimate and absolute ideal is the
Cosmic Ideal - an ideal beyond the scope of time, place and person. It is
the Absolute, without and beyond relativity. It stands with Its own radiance
for all time and for every entity of the cosmos, whether human being or less
evolved soul. The Cosmic Ideal alone can be the unifying force which will
strengthen humanity to smash its bondages and abolish the narrow domestic
walls of divisive tendencies.
(Idea and Ideology, 89)
Spirituality provides humanity with that subtle and tremendous power with
which no other power can be compared. Therefore, with spirituality as the
base, a rational philosophy should be evolved to deal with the physical,
psychological and socio-philosophical problems of the day.
(Idea and Ideology, 91)
As people become more generous and broadminded, they rise above the feelings
of casteism, tribalism, provincialism and nationalism, which evoke
narrowness, violence, hatred and meanness. Those who enter the field of
social welfare with feelings of "mine" and "yours" actually create divisions
in human society. Those who wish to foster the welfare of living beings as a
whole have to embrace universalism as the only alternative. If we look upon
everything as our own, the question of "mine" and "yours" will dissolve; in
universalism there is no opportunity for violence, hatred or narrowness.
(Problem of the Day, 28)
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What is Prout
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PROUT is an acronym for PROgressive Utilization Theory, a socio-economic
philosophy that synthesizes the physical, mental and spiritual dimensions of
human nature. The goal of PROUT is to provide guidance for the evolution of
a truly progressive human society.
PROUT is an alternative to the outmoded capitalist and communist
socio-economic paradigms. Neither of these approaches have adequately met
the physical, mental and spiritual needs of humanity. PROUT seeks a
harmonious balance between economic growth, social development,
environmental sustainability, and between individual and collective
interests. Combining the wisdom of spirituality with a universal outlook and
the struggle for self-reliance, PROUTist thinkers and activists are creating
a new civilizational discourse and planting the seeds for a new way of
living.
A few basic tenets of PROUT are:
Economic Democracy
Political democracy and economic democracy are mutually inclusive. PROUT
advocates economic democracy based on local economic planning, cooperatively
managed businesses, local governmental control of natural resources and key
industries, and socially agreed upon limits on the individual accumulation
of wealth. By decentralizing the economy and making sure decision-making is
in the hands of local people, we can ensure the adequate availability of
food, shelter, clothing, health care and education for all.
A decentralized economy can better ensure that the ecological systems of the
earth are not exploited beyond their capacity to renew themselves.
Environmental stewardship is a requisite for people who are dependent upon
these systems for their own survival and well-being.
Basic Necessities Guaranteed to All
The basic necessities of life must be á constitutional birth right of all
members of society. People cannot attain their highest human potential if
they lack food, shelter, clothing, health care and education. Meaningful
employment with a living wage must be planned to ensure adequate purchasing
capacity for all basic necessities. The standard of guaranteed minimum
necessities should advance with increases in the economy's productive
capacity.
Leadership
For a benevolent society, it is essential that leaders are morally
principled and dedicated to serving society as part of their personal
progress. Authority should not be centered in the hands of individuals, but
should be expressed through collective leadership. The viability of
political democracy rests on an electorate possessing three factors:
1) education,
2) socio-economic consciousness,
3) ethical integrity.
Freedom
Individuals should have complete freedom to acquire and express their ideas,
creative potential and inner aspirations that leads to development of human
progress. Such intellectual and spiritual freedom will strengthen the
collectivity. Restrictions should only be placed on actions clearly
detrimental to the welfare of others. Constraints need to be placed on the
accumulation of physical wealth, as excessive accumulation by a few results
in the deprivation of many.
Cultural Diversity
In the spirit of universal fellowship, PROUT encourages the protection and
cultivation of local culture, language, history and tradition. For social
justice and a healthy social order, individual and cultural diversity must
be accepted and encouraged when it does not restrict human rights based on
cardinal human values.
Women's Rights
PROUT encourages the struggle against all forms of violence and exploitation
used to suppress women. PROUT's goal is coordinated cooperation, with equal
rights between men and women. PROUT seeks the economic, social and spiritual
empowerment of women throughout the world.
Science and Technology
Scientific knowledge and technology are potential assets to humanity.
Through their proper use, the physical hardships of life decreases and
knowledge is gained about the secrets of life. Time is freed for cultural
and spiritual pursuits. However, the development and utilization of
scientific knowledge must come under the guidance of neo-humanist values and
ethical leadership. Without this, technology is often abused by profiteers
and the power-hungry, resulting in destruction and exploitation.
World Government
PROUT supports the creation of a world governance system having a global
bill of rights, global constitution and common penal code in order to
guarantee the fundamental rights of all individuals and nations or
socio-economic zones, and to settle regional and international disputes. As
the global economy becomes decentralized, it will be advantageous to also
have a global political system.
Spirituality and Progress
Human beings are on an evolutionary path toward realizing their higher
consciousness. True progress is movement that leads to development of higher
human faculties and spiritual qualities such as compassion and love for all
beings. Material or intellectual gains do not necessarily constitute
progress unless they contribute to deeper, spiritual well-being.
The progressive orientation of society is maintained by making continual
adjustments in the use of physical resources and mental potentialities in
accordance with neo-humanistic and cardinal human values. Human beings are
encouraged to construct economic and social institutions to facilitate the
attainment of our highest potentialities.
EXPLOITATION
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Extracts from the works of P R Sarkar:
The ills perpetrated in society are in a great measure created by the
exploiters themselves. To swell their bank balances the exploiters create an
artificial scarcity of food, clothes and other necessary consumer goods, and
loot profits in the black market. Those who have no buying capacity for
high-priced food and clothes take to stealing and other shady methods in
order to meet their bare necessities. These ill-fed, ill-clad flocks of poor
wretches work for these greedy black marketeers and smugglers. When
apprehended, it is they who are penalized - the rich escape on the strength
of their influence. Throwing their conscience to the four winds, these poor
wretches take to sin and crime still more desperately. The society accuses
these sinners and criminals, while the rich exploiters enact the roles of
popular leaders, wear garlands, let loose fireworks of speeches and exhort
the masses with a clarion call to make more sacrifices.
(Human Society II, 109)
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I have spoken about haves and have-nots. To satisfy their hunger, the haves
misutilize their physical and intellectual wealth and force the have-nots to
become slaves and sinners to try to appease their own hunger. In the
background there is a big exploiter; in the front, as his agents, are
half-naked children. This is the cause of the downfall of society.
(Great Universe, 180)
-
What we see in the market place and railway stations is the exhibition of
half-clad street beggars and lepers - all stretching out their begging
bowls, the only means of earning their livelihood. They are fortunate if
anybody contemptuously flings a copper coin at them. The old blind beggars
wait all day long at the bridge and lift their bowls as soon as someone
walks past them. Their shrill cries fall on deaf ears only. On the other
hand, the affluence of foods kept ready in luxurious houses to entertain the
big guns of society ridicules the present human civilization.
("Social value and Cardinal Principle")
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Very often we say that a particular individual or a particular community of
people is badly exploited. Then, what we mean by "exploited" is this, that
they are exploited in the economic stratum. But if we penetrate deeply into
the matter, we shall discover that the exploitation has not been only in the
economic stratum, but also in the other strata of human existence, in
different forms, on various pretexts. When there is exploitation on the
physical level, it is not necessarily economic in nature in all cases; it is
mostly social. For instance, the vested interests inject, at a certain
stage, inferiority or superiority complexes in the public mind and at a much
later stage, use those psychic complexes for social or economic
exploitation. This exploitation on the psychic level is mostly perpetrated,
in the first phase, through dogma.
When the exploitation in the physical sphere is directly economic in
character, even the common people can understand that; they need not labour
hard to comprehend it. But in the event of exploitation in other spheres,
the exploited people are not even aware of the fact that they are being
exploited. That is why it becomes easy for the cunning exploiters to keep
them in prolonged domination by creating inferiority complexes in their
minds.
And the tragedy is, that the exploited mass don't try to understand; they
even refuse to understand even though some may try to make them understand,
that they are the victims of exploitation. So, this is more dangerous. When
the exploitation is directly economic, the people can easily understand it;
but when the exploitation is perpetrated in this socio-economic sphere or
the psycho-economic sphere, the situation becomes complicated. The people
feel a little aggrieved because they feel that they are being psychically
suppressed, but they are not aware of the fact that the ultimate result is
their economic exploitation.
Today all over the world there is greater economic awareness than before.
That is why the cunning exploiters have resorted to the path of either
socio-economic or psycho-economic exploitation. They have spread their trap
over a vaster area, hoping to reap a rich harvest.
("Psycho-Economic Exploitation," Calcutta 1981)
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If a flying bird is caged for long, it loses its ability to fly. If the door
of its cage is unfastened accidentally, it thinks, "What benefit will I
derive flying in the distant blue sky? Let me pick up seeds, sitting on the
perch of my little cage."
Now, if people have been educated in a distorted manner and their minds
crippled, they are unable to stand independently. If their minds have been
moulded by propaganda for a long period, they cannot utilize the opportunity
for freedom even if it is presented to them.
Common people have been taught for ages that they belong to a low caste or
class. Even if you offer these down-trodden people a chair to sit by you,
they would murmur, "No sir, I am alright - let me sit on the ground." That
is to say, their minds cannot function properly, just as a bird's wings
become totally inactive in a cage. People have been accustomed to such
repressions for thousands of years - the exploiters have injected
fear-complex in their minds to control them.
("Quadri-Statumic Progress In Human Life," Calcutta, 1981)
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The one who exploits the masses is also a person; this must never be lost
sight of even for a moment. The human family is a conglomerate of different
elements of the human race. Reforming and guarding against human frailties
with a liberal and tolerant outlook, we have to proceed together towards the
path of benevolence.
(Human Society I, 81)
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So your duty is threefold. Your first duty is to observe morality and do
intuitional practices. Without this you cannot have mental determination.
Your next duty is to unite the moralists of the world, otherwise
righteousness (dharma) will not endure. This will be your real duty. You
will become great by this, for ideation of the Great makes one great. At the
third stage, you will have to mercilessly fight against sin wherever it has
habitated this world. You will have to propagate this mission from door to
door.
Any political party or so-called religious institution cannot bring
salvation. Praising God with drums and cymbals will not bring salvation to
the world, for it will not be able bring the sinner into submission. Today
the necessity to curb the onslaughts of the immoralist is a necessity and
cannot be done with drums and cymbals .
(Supreme Expression II, 148)
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You must have a flaming moral purpose so that greed, oppression and
exploitation shrivel before the fire in you.
(Supreme Expression II, 33)
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