The Prosperity of Mankind
Part 0: On Development
1- Development planning must be participative
2- People have “suddenly” woken up and want to take charge of their own destiny
3- Development fails if it only addresses material needs
4- Materialistic assumption about human nature leads to wrong development strategies
5- Religions have been paternalistic
6- Division of communities along developed and developing based on material measures is wrong
7- “Aid” and “training” handed down does not lead to development
Part I: On Unity
1- When life is interpreted materialistically conflict is taken as the norm in a zero-sum game; hence
(i) Civil government has adversarial structure with opposition parties
(ii) Civil law depends on advocacy
(iii) Class struggle is assumed
(iv) Competitive spirit is encouraged
2- Baha’i model of social life is unity in diversity exemplified by the human body; explained by Baha’u’llah’s in His Tablet to Queen Victoria
3- A properly functioning body becomes the seat of consciousness i.e. transcends materialism
4- Humanity is maturing out of its collective infancy and adolescence
5- Social advancement from family to nationhood has increased the scope of individual expression
6- The challenge now is to build a world community, internally by promoting belief in oneness, and externally by constructing the machinery of a world government
7- Unity of thought in world undertakings is emerging e.g. consensus on conflict resolution, on environment, etc.
8- First unity then peace, not vice versa
9- The milestone is when decision makers believe in oneness, and when education and media begin to actively promote it
Part II: On Justice
1- Justice can translate vision of oneness into action
2- For the individual justice is the faculty of calling the spades, and to be fair minded
3- Don’t confuse justice with punitive measures
4- If technology helps a few and destroys the planet it is not development
5- Design and plan projects of universal benefit. Demand universal support with honesty, dedication and co-operation
6- The good of the individual and the society coincide
7- Both the cult of the individual and the deification of the State are corrupt
8- Human rights does not dichotomise the individual versus the State
9- It is our right to know, so our ability to know has to be protected
10- Each person is a trust of the whole, hence our socio-economic rights
11- Cultural diversity, like the gene pool has to be protected
12- Unity leads to justice, which in turn leads to human rights
Part III: On Co-operative Re-definition of Relations
1- Relation between individuals, between individuals and nature, between individuals and society, between individuals and social institutions, and relations within family have to be re-examined
2- Role of women, and attitudes towards work and money
3- Consultation versus negotiation, compromise, and protest
4- Apparatus of partisanship: debate, propaganda, adversarial method
5- Consultation as the organising principle: collectively seeking the truth and the best course of action with candour and courtesy for the good of the whole
Part IV: On Capacity Building
1- Knowledge brings capacity
2- Two forms of knowledge: science and religion
3- For real development people must generate and apply knowledge i.e. adopt and implement science and not only be its users
4- Our fundamental identity is spiritual
5- Religions have substantially shaped our law and the fine arts traditions and have civilised our discourse
6- Religions have been ignored in the discourse on development because they have been divisive in the past
7- Dogmatic influences have nurtured conflict
8- Facts are not independent of values and truth is not amoral
9- Religion has given us moral behaviour and social institutions to make such behaviour as the norm
10- Science must teach us to separate the facts; this is useful only if one is detached from self interest and is dedicated to the truth
11- Science teaches us to analyse and to think in terms of historical process; religion teaches us to be unbiased
12- Science trains us to be productive; religion teaches us to be service oriented
Part V: On Poverty and Work
1- True development is empowerment. Economic effort should enable us to expand our knowledge and extend our abilities
2- Economic sciences are hampered by a materialistic outlook; religion can free these sciences to fulfil their role
3- Priorities in science and religion must be reordered to eliminate poverty
4- Religion must stop accepting or glorifying poverty as an inherent feature of earthly life
5- “Gainful employment” has replaced the concept of work; but the workers are apathetic and the unemployed are demoralised. A new “ work ethic” is required.
6- Development strategies must enable us to participate in the advancement of civilisation through our work. A lesser goal has no appeal for humans
7- Environmental concerns are global and impose limits on expansion
8- Deifying of nature is an error. We must acknowledge that creation is an organic whole
9- We need devotion to duty, a moral discipline, and a capacity for contentment
10- Dutifulness is self-worth not self righteousness, morality is not asceticism or Puritanism, contentment is not fatalism
11- Rights of women as equal partners with men
12- Women’s contribution can change an impersonal market place into a more humane interpersonal interaction with strong family focus
Part VI: On The Power And Authority To Transform The Socio-Economic
Model Of The Planet
1- The word “power” needs to be redefined. The old definition: the ability to dominate, an advantage for a person or a segment of the society; the new definition is not sectarian, required by our emerging maturity
2- Power of truth, force of character, influence of example
3- Achievement of unity is so powerful “that it can illuminate the whole earth”
4- Authority is made effective through wide-based consultation
5- Democracy does not mean partisanship
6- Partisanship breeds cynicism, apathy and corruption
7- Electoral procedures should be purged from nominations, candidature, electioneering and solicitation
8- Governors at all levels should have a global perspective
Part VII: Summary On Transformation Of Social Institutions
1- The challenge is to the generality of mankind
2- The response should be:
(i) recognition of oneness of mankind,
(ii) commitment to justice,
(iii) dialogue between science and religion
(iv) rethinking the assumptions and concepts in socio-economic development
(v) faith in ultimate success
3- Such a change is the spirit of the age
4- Fundamental change in habits and attitudes
Rethinking the Assumptions and Concepts in
Socio-Economic Development
The following concepts have gained new meaning in the light of Baha’i teachings:
Development
Power
Authority
Democracy
Unity
Justice
Aggression
Partisanship
Advocacy
Adversarial Relations
Work Ethics
Foreign Aid
Training
Material Needs
Participative Development Planning
Class Struggle
North South Dialogue
Limits to Growth
Future Shock
Pollution
Poverty
Environmental Concerns
Religious Paternalism
World Peace
Science and Religion
Gainful Employment
Materialistic Assumption about Human nature