== CURRENT EVENTS & MONEY ISSUES ==
Namaskar,
Right now the world is in an economic quagmire, desperately wondering
how to fix the economy.
Communism is gone; capitalism is reeling; and all kinds of band-aid
approaches are in vogue to revive the current free-market system. The
most common measure in the US being the so-called stimulus program,
wherein the government prints & pumps huge amounts of money into the
economy. While so many other countries are cutting back dramatically on
their spending such as in Europe and South America.
But these token approaches are not bringing stability. Each and every
day we see the economic landscape changing - even witnessing entire
governments like Greece going bankrupt, or nearly so.
In Ananda Marga, we know that the only real solution is Baba's teachings
on Prout and His samaj theory. These self-sufficient economic units are
the answer for today's problems as well as the way of the future.
This letter aims to highlight our samaj theory and apply it to present
world circumstances like Greece's place into the European Union (EU). By
these practical examples, we can better understand, value and utilise
Baba's Proutistic teachings.
If the current economic turmoil is not properly addressed, then
everyone's financial situation is jeopardised - the banks, the stock
market, even government bonds may all become suspect. And those are the
main places where we keep our money. So we should be in tune with this
critical issue on the macro level as it will also affect our personal
lives.
BABA'S TEACHINGS ON SAMAJ
To review, a socio-economic unit, or samaj, is based on certain criteria.
Baba says, "While forming socio-economic units, several factors should
be considered. These include same economic problems; uniform economic
potentialities; ethnic similarities; the sentimental legacy of the
people; and similar geographical features." (PNS-13)
These elements allow a particular region or area to rally around certain
common bonds and sentiments, complementary resources & landscapes, and a
shared vision, all of which allows them to function as an independent,
self-sufficient socio-economic community. That is what a samaj is.
Such socio-economic units will enable each area to grow well, valuing
their human and natural resources. Such samajas (i.e. socio-economic
units) will not allow stronger economic regions to come in and capture
all their natural resources. Thus they will avoid one of the major
pitfalls of capitalism that plagues the world today.
At present, places like Africa, the Philippines, South & Central America
and even parts of India which are rich in natural resources fail to
develop a thriving economy because they sell their own natural resources
to more industrially developed nations and in turn those poor countries
buy back those same resources in the form of finished goods from those
wealthy nations.
For instance, wood from tropical areas gets made into furniture by more
industrialised nations, and then those poor countries become the
consumers of those goods. Hence those impoverished areas do not develop
an economic surplus from their own resources - rather they face an
economic deficit even though the raw materisals are from their own area.
This is the not way to go. With Baba's samaj system, the resources and
assets of a particular region or samaj stay within that area. That will
enable each samaj to grow.
Baba says, "Each socio-economic unit should prepare and implement its
own developmental programmes. Factors like natural resources,
topography, river systems, cultural conditions, communication and
industrial potential need to be considered to facilitate proper planning
and development so that each unit will become economically
self-sufficient and prosperous." (PNS-13)
MERGING SOCIO ECONOMIC UNITS
Now we come to the point of Greece and the European Union (EU). As
everyone knows, Greece suffered a terrible economic collapse, and if we
do not learn from this, then such episodes will be repeated.
First let's read Baba's guidelines about merging samajas, or uniting
economic units. Although, Greece is not a samaj, per se, we have to
consider how beneficial their joining is with the European Union (EU).
And Baba's below teaching sheds light on this matter.
Baba says, "Where there is economic parity, cultural mixing,
communication facilities and administrative efficiency, it will be easy
and natural for two or more adjoining units to cooperate, because they
will have attained a high degree of socio-economic uniformity. In such
cases they should merge to form a single larger unit. This will further
the welfare of their respective citizens and enhance their
socio-economic interests." (PNS-13)
Thus, under certain conditions, samajas, i.e. socio-economic units, may
merge and that will be a fruitful partnership. The first condition for
such a merger is economic parity.
In the case of Greece and the European Union (EU), this condition of
economic parity was not met - as well as other missing requirements.
Greece, with its weak economy, joined the economic platform of the EU,
and in turn Greece had to compete with strong, industrialised nations
like Germany and France etc. Obviously Greece was not up to the task.
Germany is a country that thrives on exports and takes in large sums of
money. Greece's economy could not compete in this way, so they mostly
became consumers of Germany's finished products - like cars, machines,
computers and textiles etc. Plus the Germans invested heavily in Greece,
set up companies there and used the Greek labor force to build German
enterprises.
No doubt Greece does export certain products to Germany, but on the
whole Greece could not keep step with the more advanced economies of the
EU. This caused a lot of problems.
Baba "As each unit becomes strong and prosperous it will merge with
other units." (PNS-13)
Here the main point is that when regions or nations do not share the
same economic strength, then they should not be combined together - not
until the weaker economy becomes stronger. That is Baba's main warning.
So the very platform of Greece and the EU goes against our Prout policy.
PROBLEM WITH THE EU:
INDUSTRIALLY DEVELOPED & LESS DEVELOPED NATIONS
UNDER THE SAME ROOF
We must remember that the European Union brought 27 countries together
wherein all use the same currency and economic platform. This gives
industrially developed nations a greater advantage and more opportunity
to sell their goods in poorer countries within the EU.
Ultimately that leads to a surplus of money in some countries whereas
other less industrially developed nations - like Greece, Spain &
Portugal - are put in a compromised situation and may even default. In
order to function, such poorer countries need subsidies and / or direct
help otherwise their per capita income will be very low in comparison to
rich countries. All because of a lack of industrialisation and the
inability to produce goods.
With respect to the EU platform, the rich countries get richer and the
poor ones becomes more poor. This is an ongoing phenomenon with no end
in sight - the situation cannot be fixed through capitalistic means.
When the economic strength of two countries is quite similar then they
can unite and form one currency. But when the economies of two countries
are not similar then a merger will not work. That is why even 20yrs
after the reunion of East and West Germany into one nation, still the
east is suffering from dire poverty and most of the money in the east is
controlled by the west. And when you take 27 countries of varying
economic capacity and put them under one roof, massive disparities are
going to develop. And that is what we see happening with the EU.
COMPARING STATES WITHIN A PARTICULAR COUNTRY
The above theory of wealth disparity does not just apply from one nation
to the next, but within nations as well.
In the US , when the various states united under one banner then certain
states were highly developed while some not. So the US federal
government started programs like Social Security and Medicare as well as
other safety nets to help those states that were not industrially
developed and lacked purchasing power. That is the only reason why these
states could function together. Still today within the US there is a
great disparity: Some states are extremely poor and some are very rich -
like California and New York are very rich. (Note: Here we are not
talking about the state governments but rather the overall flow of money
in the state.) Thus economic programs are needed to adjust for this
wealth disparity - but ultimately that is just a band-aid measure as well.
In India also, those states that are industrially developed - like
Punjab, Gujurat, Kerala & Maharashtra - are very rich in comparison to
poor states - like Orissa & Bihar etc- which are not industrially
developed. So that same formula applies here too. And those rich states
gobble up all the natural resources and profit from selling finished
goods made from raw materials in poorer states. There is an extreme
imbalance at work.
FINAL REMARKS
Hence it is not state lines or national boundaries that define a
socio-economic unit.
Baba's guideline is that a samaj must be formed based on these following
factors: 1) same economic problems; 2) uniform economic potentialities;
3) ethnic similarities; 4) the sentimental legacy of the people; and 5)
similar geographical features. And then once formed, that socio-economic
unit must become economically self-sufficient and keep hold of all its
natural resources. Merging such socio-economic units, or samajas, can
only occur with samajas of similar economic strength.
Baba's theory is applicable both inside and outside a particular
country. And it is applicable to the European Union also. When EU was
first formed, all the countries thought they would be better off, but
now it is quite clear that mixing poor and rich nations together does
not work. Rich countries get more of the benefit.
The conclusion is that the existence of the EU is threatened by its own
way of functioning. Industrially developed countries have more economic
surplus and less developed nations have less purchasing capacity . This
disparity creates problems - i.e. a downward spiral of the economy into
poverty. Tragically, this we are all going to witness if Baba's
Proutistic teachings are not put in place.
GLOBAL & PERSONAL RAMIFICATIONS
Now the entire money market system is interconnected due to global trade
so when this imbalance is present in the EU, then the economic fate of
EU will spread and the whole globe will be affected.
In this present global climate some countries are supplying raw
materials and some are producing goods and selling to other countries.
Those countries producing something will be most benefited and those
supplying raw materials will face serious problems. That is the essence
of the matter.
Because banks are investing all over the globe, if a certain country or
region goes bankrupt then other places are affected.
So we should be careful about putting money in banks, stocks and bonds
as the economic future of the planet does not look good right now
because the current (defective) polices do not match Baba's teachings.
BABA'S BLESSING
Baba says, "PROUT advocates the formation of self-sufficient
socio-economic units throughout the world. They will work to enhance the
all-round welfare of the people in their respective areas and unite
humanity on a common ideological base. The interests of all local people
will be guaranteed and gain proper recognition. As each unit becomes
strong and prosperous it will merge with other units. The formation of a
world government will assist this process of integration. Socio-economic
units will thus facilitate the comprehensive, multifarious liberation of
humanity." (PNS-13)
Namaskar,
Rasa Deva
Note: FURTHER READING
For a better understanding of this topic of socio-economic units and
Prout's financial mandates, please read this following discourses:
Socio-Economic Groupifications
Developmental Planning
Some Aspects of Socio-Economic Planning
Some Specialities of Prout's Economic System
Socio-Economic Movements
Decentralized Economy
Block Level Planning
Economic Dynamics
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Solution
Baba says, "This has been our failing: that we neglected the spiritual
faculties of human life, we neglected the cardinal spiritual points of
life. If we are interested today in the welfare of this beautiful
universe, we should try more and more to accelerate the speed of
spiritual progress. If the acceleration of spiritual progress becomes
tremendous, then not only in the human world, but also in the physical,
psychic and spiritual spheres of the entire world -- and not only of the
entire animate world, but of both the animate and inanimate worlds --
there will be tremendous progress. And this is what we want. Now we are
anxiously waiting for that crimson dawn on the eastern horizon." (AFPS-5)
Note: Generally people do not realise this very thing which Baba has
explained above. To understand this fully it needs agraya' buddhi
(pointed intellect). Only those who are blessed sadhaka can understand
that sadhana is the panacea.
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