Prout Gems 006
bold1...@yahoo.com.au
Welcome to another edition of PROUT Gems. In this issue:
Economic Overview of Prout
Leadership
Current Trends
Ecology - Sophia in Nature - Robert Bly interviewed by Roar Bjonnes
Types of Cooperatives
Ecological Economics - websites
Tobacco Terrorism - still hard at work in Australia - a satirical piece
Prout is an acronym for Progressive Utilization Theory. It is a new
socio-economic theory that is completely different from both capitalism
and communism. From 1955 to 1990, Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar gave
approximately 180 discourses on Prout, which are published in the
twenty-one part series, Prout in a Nutshell.
Economic Overview of Prout
--------------------------
In a 1966 discourse, "The Future of Civilization", P. R. Sarkar set out
the six basic factors that need to be adopted by a society or
civilization for it to survive and progress. One of these essential
factors is a comprehensive socio-economic theory. In the late 1970's,
P. R. Sarkar gave four basic requirements of a comprehensive
socio-economic theory. These points were published in the booklet
"Prout Gita", written by Ac. Ragunath Prasad. The four basic
requirements of a comprehensive socio-economic theory
are: an integrated philosophy, a theory of history, an economic theory,
and a political theory.
An integrated philosophy: An integrated philosophy includes the usual
branches of philosophy, such as epistemology, ontology, metaphysics,
etc., and also includes psychology and spiritual philosophy.
A theory of history: A theory of history includes class theory, the
nature of collective psychology, the movement of the social cycle, the
rise and fall of civilizations, evolution and revolution, the meaning
of progress, etc.
Economic theory: Economic theory includes the four basic areas of
economic
activity: people's economy, general economy, commercial economy, and
psycho-economy.
Political theory: Political theory includes topics such as the nature
and use of power, types of leadership, forms of government, etc.
Taken together, these four areas outline the scope of a comprehensive
socio-economic theory.
Of significant importance (although not more important than the others)
is economic theory. Economic democracy and an economic system and
analysis consists of:
1. People's Economy: ensuring the basic necessities. This is so
fundamental to economics that it must be a key duty of the government,
and written into law as such. The performance of a government should be
first rated according to criteria concerning the success and
implementation of aspects of people's economy such as purchasing
capacity -- does the minimum wage cover all the basic necessities of
food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education for all the family?
Is everyone able to meet their basic necessities?
2. Psycho-Economy: dealing with the psychic impact of economic trends.
There are two main concerns: preventing degrading trends such as the
subliminal imposition of sentiments and complexes, especially through
advertising; and ensuring that economic activity translates
progressively into greater opportunities for everyone to develop the
latent potential of mind.
3. Commercial Economy: concerned with efficiency throughout the
economy. Here, the contrast of Prout and capitalism is clear: under
capitalism it is efficient to ship raw materials from an undeveloped
area to a developed area, process them there, and return them to the
undeveloped area for sale. This takes no account of environmental costs
or greater potential for all-round welfare by developing the potential
of all local areas. The logic of efficiency in capitalism is based
primarily on the profit-taking opportunities for the controllers of
trade. Prout applies the rationale of all-round welfare and ensures it
in the local area by processing local resources locally.
4. General Economy: this is macro economics and includes the study of
economics through all available lenses; currently this would include
capitalism and socialism in their various forms, and Prout. Prout
structures the economy in a three-tier system: state concerns -- these
are the vital resources and services such as mining and national
transport and communications networks, which are run on a "no profit no
loss" basis; cooperatives -- the coop is the main mode of enterprise
structure in a Prout economy and would cover most manufacturing and
services currently under private enterprise; and the private sector --
in a Prout economy this is limited to operations deemed too complex or
small for coop organization. As with other parts of the economy, limits
to wealth accumulation and wage parity agreements apply.
Any serious study of economics and implementation of economic policies
and programmes must take these four areas into account. Conventional
economic and policies rely on the superstitious and religious folly of
an 'invisible hand' - and convenient metaphor for inaction and not
achieving all-round welfare for all people.
Leadership
----------
If we understand each of the four basic requirements of a comprehensive
socio-economic theory and the topics they cover, we will gain valuable
insight into human society. As an illustration, let us briefly discuss
leadership.
The types of leadership that can be adopted by a society may be divided
into three basic categories: rule by brute force, rule by rationality,
and spiritual leadership. Rule by brute force includes various forms of
leadership, ranging from brutal martial leaders, such as Genghis Khan,
to proletariat dictatorship, a utopian leadership model that never
actually existed in practice. Prout does not support rule by brute
force. Rule by rationality includes democracy, both general democracy,
which is widely practised today, and restricted democracy, which was
practised by the Licchavis and the Greeks. It is only possible to give
qualified support to democracy because its value depends entirely on
51% or more of the population having a proper education, a moral and
ethical sense, and a well developed socio-economic-political
consciousness. These must not be a superficial understanding.
Accordingly, general democracy as it is practised today is unlikely to
elevate and increase the well-being of most people as it is dependent
on party politics and party dictatorships emerging from elections. It
also has no sense of economic democracy.
Until a better system is developed, restricted democracy can be
supported. Today's democratic standards are quite low in any case.
Until the consciousness of people is raised beyond the mundane, it is
likely that democracy will continue to support essentially selfish and
degraded interests over all-round welfare. In the future, it is quite
possible that democracy will be replaced by another form of government
based on merit: meritocracy. This means that people will demand that
their leaders be both capable and ethical. A genuine meritocracy should
be supported. Eventually, as human consciousness evolves a time will
come when elevated people will guide society. In due course,
spirituality will be widely accepted in society and spiritual
leadership is the best form of leadership. This does not mean religious
leadership by religious dogmatists. That era has long since gone since
the rise of the Renaissance period. Although it still emerges today
when political leaders continually evoke the name of God to assist in
their efforts for war and national victory. These blind dogmatic
notions and superstitious toadyisms do great harm to elevating the
consciousness of people - the degenerate the level of thinking to
irrational assertions that some kind of paper gods will solve
international conflicts.
Spirituality requires morality and a spiritualist fights against
immorality. Earning money in a sinful way or accumulating great wealth
is against the fundamental principles of spirituality. It will be quite
impossible for people who are not following the fundamental principles
of morality to be spiritualists. Spiritualists are those who are
engaged in the continued endeavour to expand the self. By reciting holy
scriptures or by acquiring a few pompous titles, one cannot succeed in
spiritual pursuit. Spirituality bears no relationship to religion.
Although religion may or may not have some aspects that incline to
spirituality.
Also, those who believe that they must first attain success in
individual life before participating in collective struggle will not
succeed. They will never bring expansion in their individual lives if
they ignore collective welfare. Individuals will have to concentrate on
both intellectual and social development. Otherwise, no matter how
lofty they might sound in theory, it will remain as a big hoax in the
practical field. One will have to make an earnest endeavour to develop
oneself thoroughly; mere rhetoric will not do. People who profess to be
spiritual moralists will pick up the neglected humanity and arrange for
its revival. To them no sinner is contemptible, no one is a rogue. All
round elevation of mind and self is the hallmark of spirituality, as
well as a proper objective understanding and application in the
physical world. It has nothing to do with attaining a spot in some
mythical heaven or kingdom of God or being a chosen people or any other
social and religious dogmas that confine people to narrow thinking
about their place and existence in the human society, world or
universe. That sort of thinking is the cause of fissiparous tendencies
and irrational inclinations for bloodshed.
The type of leadership adopted by a society provides an insight into
the stage of human evolution of its members and the extent of its
advancement. It is vital that members of the human society understand
the motives of leaders and see through the veneer of dogmas that are
spouted. This is critically important today as more and more political
leaders turn to the concept of God to justify their cause. The
distinction between religion and spirituality becomes even more
critical when that happens.
Current Trends
--------------
We live in an age of transition. We are moving from a materialistic age
to a post-materialistic age; out of a patriarchal era and out of a
capitalist age; from a religious age to a post-religious age in which
the distinction between religion and spirituality gradually becomes
evident; from an age dominated by the nation-state to an age of
worldwide socio-economic integration. As we look around, the old is
gradually disappearing and the new is taking an-ever-more-concrete
shape. However, the old dogmas will try to cling on hard to their
fanatical stance - that will be evidenced by fanatical economists who
try to justify capitalism through superstitious notions of the
invisible handle, superstitious religious notions espoused by political
leaders of God blessing particular countries, and superstitious and
irrational notions of what is work and value in society.
This age of transition that we live has one dominant characteristic:
polarization. There is polarization between the progressive and
regressive forces, between the pro-materialistic and anti-materialistic
forces, between the pro-spiritual and anti-spiritual forces.
Polarization will continue for the foreseeable future in every sphere
of life, and will continue at an accelerating rate.
A second significant characteristic of the age of transition is that
the process of transition itself is marked by distinct phases. For
example, over the last few decades, the socio-economic systems that
have dominated the world have undergone rapid change. Communism has
totally collapsed; it remains today in just a few places (and as a
shell for state capitalism), and even there it remains in name only.
Capitalism, on the one hand, is passing through a phase of accelerated
globalization, and on the other, is struggling to survive, exemplified
by the recent Asian economic crisis and the current problems in South
America. Organized religion, too, is in a state of crisis in several
places - immorality is rampant. As we look around, we can see that the
world is changing before our very eyes. Nature, and the Earth itself,
is not immune from this process.
A sense of ecological economics is vital and essential to economic
principles. That includes the psycho-ecological approach as well in
which the human self must be made ecologically whole and elevated
through higher human endeavours including those of spiritual elevation.
Many good people are working to create a bright future for all the
people living on our planet. All should work together, and join the
effort to create a better world.
Ecology - Sophia in Nature - Robert Bly interviewed by Roar Bjonnes
-------
Robert Bly is a well know American poet. These are extracts from an
interview with poet Robert Bly on ecology, spirituality and the
capitalist market-place. Bly remains one of the most hotly debated
American artists of the past half century. The psychologist Robert
Moore believes that "When the cultural and intellectual history of our
time is written, Robert Bly will be recognized as the catalyst for a
sweeping cultural revolution." Robert Bly is not only a poet, but also
a translator and essayist. Some refer to him as the father of what he
has called "the expressive men's movement". Some of his latest books
are: Meditations on the Insatiable Soul, What Have I Ever Lost by
Dying?, Morning Poems, and Eating the Honey of Words. See
www.robertbly.com
Roar Bjonnes is editor of Prout Journal.
The nature of the discourse is in poetic terms.
Bly: According to the Gnostic religion, Sophia looked down upon this
planet of ours and decided to descend into it. She entered inside the
stones, the trees, the birds, and the water. She went into fire and
air. This is the story of Sophia.
Bjonnes: This reminds me of the Tantric concept of Shakti.
Bly: Yes, exactly. Sophia--like Shakti--is an active, powerful force,
all-encompassing and all-pervading energy in nature.
Bly: The ecology movement, then, is a response to the inability of the
capitalist world to understand that Sophia is also in the rainforest.
Through the loss of the story of Sophia, the Christian Church has given
permission to the capitalists to destroy nature. This was done partly
by translating the word "Sophia" as "wisdom". This destroys the story
and takes away the feminine quality. There have been many such errors
in translating the Old Testament, and we are suffering from those
mistakes today.
Bjonnes: So how does modern technology fit into all of this?
Bly: Well, I think it is absolutely ridiculous to think that the
computer will bring some kind of renaissance. Technology used to move
much slower before. A Japanese poet recently said: "We have moved from
walking to the rickshaw to the horse-carriage to the airplane without
taking time to stop or pause". And that is terrifying. The speed with
which technology has developed is demonic.
I recently read a book in which the author said something like this:
"We used to build great houses, beautiful bridges and roads, but today
we build only markets". So, the only thing that can become bigger now
is the capitalist market-place. We have simply given upon our pride in
building great and beautiful things.
Types of Cooperatives
---------------------
- Based on notes by Ac. Samanvayananda
Ecological economics is related to economic democracy and the only way
to ensure that is through a co-operative economic structure.
Cooperatives are a way for people to work together so that they can
ensure the welfare of each individual in the enterprise and society at
large. The International Cooperative Alliance defines a cooperative as
follows: "A cooperative is an autonomous association of persons united
voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs
and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled
enterprise."
People often think that a cooperative is only meant to look after its
members. However, if we accept this view, there will be no difference
between a company, registered under the companies or corporations Acts,
and a cooperative. A company is intended to benefit its shareholders,
its "members", and is not intended to benefit each individual in the
enterprise or humanity in general. Companies run on the basis of
capitalist principles, meaning that they are run to make profit. This
is generally their primary, and often only, reason for existence.
Greatest importance is given to capital, and to those who have invested
their capital in the company; very little importance is given to the
needs and aspiration of the employees. Thus, in the company structure,
there is no intention to further the welfare of each individual human
being working in the enterprise or human society in general. If there
is any intention of welfare, at most it runs a distant second behind
the desire to make a profit. The consequence of companies placing
profit ahead of people is that they generally exploit people as they
strive to make a profit.
Cooperatives, on the other hand, are intended to look after the
interests of their members. Just like any business, they try to make a
profit - but it is rationally based, but at the same time they are
designed to further the welfare of human society, especially the people
in the local community. Those who work in a cooperative own the
enterprise and make all the decisions regarding its functioning. As
long as cooperatives are properly managed and run by ethical people,
there will be no scope for them to exploit people for profit.
There are at least three main types of cooperatives: producers'
cooperatives, distributors' or consumers' cooperatives, and service
cooperatives.
Producers' Cooperatives
Countries such as India, Mexico, Brazil, America, Canada, and Australia
have large amounts of agricultural land. Farmers' cooperatives and
farmers '-and-producers' cooperatives will have to play an important
role in the agricultural production of these countries. An important
type of producers' cooperative is dairy cooperatives; another is
agro-industrial cooperatives, or cooperatives which make commodities
from agricultural produce.
Agro-industrial producers' cooperatives vary in size and can produce
all types of goods, including commodities such as sugar, jute, banana
chips, potato chips, corn flakes, rice, flour, etc. Agro-industrial
cooperatives can produce edible oil (such as soya, coconut, peanut,
mustard, olive, cottonseed, sunflower, etc.), bakery products (such as
bread, cakes, biscuits, etc.), fruit juice, jams, jellies, etc. They
can process vegetables and preserve many types of vegetables and
fruits. All types of food products can be manufactured by such
cooperatives.
Producers' cooperative also include cooperatives which produce goods
for general industrial purposes. Such coops might produce commodities
such as iron and steel goods, plastic goods, rubber goods, aluminium
goods, cement, paper products, chemicals, etc. There are many products
which agro-industrial and industrial cooperatives can produce in order
to provide employment for local people and develop their economy.
These lists above only emphasis that the scope of co-operatives is
vast.
Distributors' Cooperatives
Distributors' cooperatives are generally referred to as consumers'
cooperatives. Consumers' coops can be either wholesale or retail
cooperatives. In many cases, consumers' cooperatives function as retail
cooperatives. They are cooperatives through which members of the
public, ie, consumers, buy products produced by producers'
cooperatives.
Wholesale consumers' cooperatives usually function in one of two ways.
First, they bulk purchase various types of products made by producers'
cooperatives and bulk sell them to the public, thus enabling them to
offer wholesale rates. For example, if several retail cooperatives join
together to bulk purchase commodities, they will be able to pass on the
savings to their consumers. Second, they take on some of the functions
of a producers' cooperative, producing various types of commodities
themselves, and then sell them directly to consumers, often at
discounted rates.
Service Cooperatives
Examples of service cooperatives include, but are not limited to, the
following: cooperative hospitals, cooperative maternity centres and
nursing homes, cooperative educational institutions, cooperative banks,
credit cooperatives, transport cooperatives, housing or builders'
cooperatives, medical and medicinal cooperatives, printers' and
publishers' cooperatives, health food cooperatives, children's homes
and student's homes cooperatives, and aged people's homes cooperatives.
In the broadest sense, service cooperatives include all the various
cooperatives that provide essential, semi-essential and non-essential
services.
Ecological Economics - websites
--------------------
The International Society for Ecological Economics
Australia New Zealand Society for Ecological Economics
Global Futures And The Future 500
The Natural Step
Tobacco Terrorism - still hard at work in Australia - a satirical piece
-----------------
Tobacco smoking is an act of terrorism, governments agree! But can do
nothing due to the economic effects. The Australian and United States
governments have agreed that tobacco companies around the world who
have killed more than 180 million people are carrying out acts of
terrorism.
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, says this has always been a
specific terrorist threat that could have been stopped by the
Australian Federal and State Governments prior to the deaths.
It is known that many Australians have been killed, but Mr Howard has
not issued his sympathy to the families of the dead and injured.
Instead he has agreed to waive tobacco taxes owing by tobacco companies
in order to stimulate the economy.
The indiscriminate, brutal and despicable way in which lives have been
taken away by an act of barbarity will deeply shock
all Australians, he said. Mr Howard says the Australian Government has
received information for many years leading up to the tobacco attacks.
But denies his government was able to specifically warn of these
incidents on actual human beings, he said. There have been some general
expressions repeated and we have expressed our concern in relation to
them, he went on to say.
There are now calls for those responsible to be brought to justice, but
there are no criminal laws in place so it is unlikely Australian
Federal Police will get involved in investigations. Instead, he said it
is better that the common person spend more money on law suits in order
to resolve the situation. He says it is more than likely tobacco
companies will obtain special exemptions for their terrorist attacks.
Not to do so would be against western interests, even though he
realises all Australians are specific targets.
An expert on the tobacco company terrorist network, Rotthen Gumdiseasa
has for a long time advised the government not to interfere with its
interests. Mr Howard says he believes those responsible for the tobacco
terrorism will prove to have links with the corporate America network.
God Bless America! has to be the catch cry he re-emphasised.
He acknowledges how good tobacco smoking is for the Australian economy.
He said it creates many externalities and extra costs for the
Australian medical system, thereby putting pressure on demand for
hospital beds, meaning shortages increases prices resulting in benefits
of more profits for everyone involved in curing the attacks. The flow
on effects go right down to the need for more bed sheets advisors have
suggested.
The Australian Government in the past has not taken the tobacco
terrorist threat seriously, but the Australian Government will not
respond more effectively against the threat of tobacco terrorism, as
these killers inject to much money into the economy. Public smoking
injecting rooms, however, are also out of the question, and in a
positive move - but only due to public pressure - there will be laws
that hotels and workplaces across Australia are to be smoke free.
However, Mr Howard asserted that in the name of democracy and freedom
smoking injection rooms will be allowed at home, and people can openly
inject themselves in public parks and gardens.
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