Aparigraha a New Economic Paradigm
for a Culture of Peace



Peaceculture and Agriculture are two stepping stones for the advent of another evolutionary step of humankind. As our guest from PROUT Dada Vimalananda’s rendering sustains, the brute force was the characteristic of the initial stage in which man had to work physically to take care of its needs. The Industrial Revolution marked another stage where machinery replaced the physical work, to allow the human being to be more occupied with mental endeavors, and develop its mental capacities.  The mental intellectual stage gave rise to the development of cybernetics where computers now perform mental activities reducing significantly the time needed for those tasks therefore freeing the human beings for higher pursuits than the purely mental, and opening the possibilities for spiritual pursuits.  It is said that this new evolutionary period is for the contemplative stage, and with it comes the awakening of higher creative powers of the soul.

As Robert Sardello puts it in the introduction of his book,  “We are entering the age of soul consciousness” and that  “the soul can not be confined to being a substrate of human  consciousness, a limitation leaving the outer world prey to the literalisms of science, technology, and economics, which in spite of all their benefits to the world, if left on their own, will not only eradicate individual soul life, but also bring world destruction.”  He explains that ”The need now emerging is both deeper and broader than history, tradition, and culture, and that need is love. I do not mean that soul needs to be loved but that love is the very essence of the soul.”

The teachings in Yoga, state that the essence of God is Love, that means the spirit which is the essence of the soul is that Divine Spark emanated from God. Spirituality therefore is recognizing that both God and true love are one and the same. But before we are able to experience true love we must go through the process of learning by “preparations” as he calls  the different forms of love that we experience in our human existence. As R. Sardello explains:

When love first emerged in the human world, it did so in the form of blood ties. This form of love is no longer effective, and in fact, if now enacted is harmful because it dims the fact of true individuality. When romantic love originated, it brought about the possibility of caring for a stranger as strongly and as completely as if the other person were of one’s own blood …. The approaching end of this millennium may signal the end  of love as we have known it in the past … the birth of fully consciousindividual love has already started. But this new birth will take a very long time and will not happen automatically ….The passing of one form of love to another did happen in the past, not without struggle, but  inevitably.  Romeo and Juliet, for example, depicts the passing of love from blood bonds to romantic love, something that could not be prevented.

For every advance in the domains of science, technology, and economics, two steps are needed in soul work to keep from loosing sight of the soul. Science must be met by equal disciplines of careful research and observation of the inner side of things in order to complement knowing through the mind with knowing through the heart. Technology must be met at every step by an equal interest in how soul can actually function in the world, the challenge of practicing soul work in the world (Karma Yoga)…, Economics must be balanced by learning care of the soul so that meaning does not come to be equated with outer possessions.

Left to itself technology determines the meaning and essence of the future. Left to itself science determines what counts as valid consciousness-that which is quantifiable, measurable and can be seen. Left to itself economics determines what happens in the world, and indeed defines what makes the world. These powers of the world are so strong, and so pervasive that very fundamental reflections of the soul such as tradition and culture can not balance them and will be lost …. Only the very essence of soul as love, worked out in concrete and specific ways, can balance these world powers.”

One final paraphrase of this great exposition is: Soul logic can be recognized by the fact that it synthesizes rather than analyzes. The breakdown of the institution of marriage can be seen as another movement of the soul towards Universal Love, the preparation for cosmic love or true  love.  Until it regains its strength and direction, the bonds then to be established are not to be based anymore in external manifestations, but rather in true expressions of the soul.

R. Sardello introduces us to the thinking of R. Steiner who is the originator of the Three fold Society, succinctly described by Edward R. Smith in the Document I-88 The “Threefold Social Order” (36), that considers the 3-Fold Being as:

Social Life               3-Fold Being                   The 3 Human Organisms

Economic system        Body                              Metabolic/Limb
Public rights                Soul                               Rhythmic
Individuality                 Spirit                              Head/Nervous

Christopher Schaefer in his article “Nine Propositions in Search of the Threefold Social Order”, (37) expands the concept and makes reference to seven social laws that govern social life, such as the one formulated by R. Steiner in 1898, The Basic Sociological Law, and in 1905 The Fundamental Social law that says: “The well-being of a community of cooperatively working human beings is the greater the less individuals demand the proceeds of their work for themselves, or in other words, the more they make over these proceeds to their co-workers and the more their needs are met not by their own work but from that of others.”

A beautiful example of the implementation of this law can be seen in the Camphill Movement examples of which are all over the globe. We are very well acquainted are the ones in Pennsylvania, Camphill Soltane, and Kimberton Village with whom we have had a business and friendly relationship for over six years.

The author commenting on this law says: “ this complex and awkwardly phrased law is concerned with motives, suggesting that when labor is a commodity and self-interest becomes the motive force of economic activity, suffering, poverty, and want are the result.” He goes on to describe the principle of the Threefold Social Order interpreting them on his own words as follows:

The health of a group, institution or society is the greater the more it works with principles of freedom in cultural life, equality in the sphere of rights and responsibilities, and brotherhood and sisterhood in the area of work or economic life.

 Christof Lindenau puts it, as described in this article, as the meeting of   h uman needs within a group, institution or society of cooperatively working human beings being greater the more it  is based on the practice of brotherhood or sisterhood.  He is referring to economic life - the principle referring to the conscious division of tasks within an institution or society based on competence, in which each person contributes his or her talents to serving the needs of the whole, and to a wage system based on need as opposed to power or influence.

C. Schaefer stresses the importance  To note that there is an inherent tension within each sphere: in economic life between service and efficiency; in rights life between rights and responsibilities; and in cultural life between individual freedom and a set of cultural norms or institutional goals. An inner balance between the polarities is essential for health.” 

The document also refers to experiments that are being done with these principles and draws some startling conclusions. One example could be illustrated by a report from the New York Times that talks about the relationship between health and inequalities in income between two groups, rich and poor with the result that the more the inequality the higher the rate of physical and mental illness in both groups. This can very well support the principle in the PROUT system to establish a maximum proportion between the highest and the lowest salaries.

Terry Boardman in Third Millennium Third Way (38) give us some historical references on the movement, its spiritual sources, the state at which the movement is at and the dilemma or threshold at which he sees it standing. This threshold seems to be the place where humanity  stands now, it can be perceived in all the different movements that are concerned with the direction in which humankind is moving.  It seems to validate the notion that all the different  impulses are responding to an historical demand pregnant with an evolutionary step, that since inevitable it demands the right attitude and actions to see that it completes its term, with all the
joy and pain of a new birth.

On another note, Michael Albert is interviewed by Kate Redmond on the subject of Par Econ,     The Participatory Economics Project (42), Michael Albert and Robin Hahnel an economist who teaches at American University are  the authors of two books: Looking Forward, and Political Economy of Participatory Economics. Based on similar concerns about the prevailing economic system, they offer a system that as the interviewer mentions resembles the socialist, M. Albert points out the difference, basically that it does not mean state ownership, and that there is no room for an elite to control the system. An interesting approach is the substitution of the “ free market” , how they produce the opposite of solidarity and empathy but “ market competition requires that everybody be greedy….”. It also proposes the disappearance of institutions that presently have strong influence in the economic system.

The People Centered Development (39) offers a message of hope and invitation to action, dealing with the collective crisis by cooperation of civil society groups around the world to replace the corporate and capitalist system with a planetary system of living economies. It says: It means reorganizing the economic life to produce more of the things that people need - like food, shelter, clothing, education, and healthcare - and less of the costly things we do not - like military hardware, pollution, traffic jams, and crime. Hope for the human future rests, therefore not with institutions of power, but with the millions of individuals all around the world who are awakening as if from a deep sleep, to the reality of our collective crisis.

David Korten, founder of the People Centered Development Forum introduces us to BALLE, Business Alliance for Local Living Economics, with his keynote address to the second BALLE annual conference.  “Balle and the Renewal of the American Experiment” (40) shares a very optimistic and inspiring observation by observing the parallelism between the uphill battle that the founders of this nation faced when they issued the declaration that launched the American Experiment and our present situation.  He says:
 
Washington’s ragtag part-time army of volunteer farmers stood against a much larger British force of disciplined professional soldiers.  British loyalists controlled most of the institutions of government.  And many colonists were royalists who remained loyal to the English kings and  the institutions of hereditary elite role …. Just as a democratic government seemed an audacious idea in 1776 in a world of great empires ruled by kings who commanded powerful armies, so to the idea of economic democracy seems audacious today in a world of corporate empires. We stand against overwhelming military and financial power armed only with the moral power of an idea …. Ultimately, however, history teaches that the moral power of ideas trumps the coercive power of the sword and the profane power of money.

Reading this passage I could not help but draw another parallelism with our NEM group which may arrive to the conclusion and decision that the capitalist system needs to be replaced.  Even though we are not alone in the realization that the capitalist system in its present form does not work for the common good, there are less voices who proclaim total replacement of the system making the magnitude of the enterprise as daunting as what the
foun ing fathers faced.
 

On the other hand D. Korten leads to accept the realization that “ We have been a plutocracy since the founding of our nation.”  More than that he is challenging to face the again seemingly insurmountable challenge of the 5,000 year old institution of Empire. He says our long term work is to bring that Era to an end”, evidently the evolutionary step is being heralded by all who are working on finding economic alternatives. We can ask why we do not include those who are working for Social Justice or for Peace? Evidently they are all interrelated and equally important, the main difference is that at this junction the economic power has taken so much control that it has become increasingly the source of all the other maladies that afflict the planet:  environment, poverty, violence etc.  The time has come to propose a different approach to that area of human activity.

As D. Korten says: We are facing an epic choice… “ between organizing ourselves as a global empire or a global Earth Community. It is a choice between money or life as our defining value. It is a choice between the force of military domination and ruthless competition between global corporations, or cooperation and partnership among peoples and nations.” 

D. Korten shares our perception of the present when he says: “All over the world people are waking up to the reality of the need for deep change and embracing the challenge of what Theologian Thomas Berry calls the Great Work… BALLE, WHICH IS BIRTHING THE NEW ECONOMY OF THE NEW ERA IS A LEADING EXAMPLE.”

Then he makes a very good point. “Empire monopolizes the stories that answer the basic questions. How do we create prosperity? How do we create security? And how do we find meaning? With their stories they define and control the political debate to advance their imperial agenda. The elitist story will carry the day until we are able to counter it consistently and convincingly with a coherent prosperity story.

The question we should ask ourselves is can we provide our part of the story? Is this the challenge for NEM, to provide our part of the story? 


An interesting observation is when he says: Many people buy the flawed story because they are desperate to bring spiritual meaning into their lives, and the story offered by the theocrats is pretty much the only story offered.”

Once more it is necessary to point out how our effort to make spirituality a key element in the formulation of the NEM addresses this evidently fundamental aspect of the story.

In his concluding remarks, D. Korten points out that: True prosperity, security and meaning are all found in the life of vibrant interlinked communities that offer every person, without exception, the opportunity to contribute their creative energy through joyful, creative, engaged relationships with one another and the Earth to Creation’s search for ever unfolding possibilities. Life in community is essential to the realization of our humanity … For this is the moment when we are being called by the deep forces of creation to awaken to a new
consciousness of our human possibilities to one another and to the planet.

As mentioned in our opening sentence Agriculture is one of the two stepping stones in our evolutionary process. D. Korten in a luncheon presentation to the Annual Conference of the Community Food Security Coalition held in Seattle, October 7,2002 spoke about The New American Agriculture (41).  In it he praises their work for demonstrating that we do have choices:
 
Between dead food and living food 
Between dead agriculture and living agriculture 
Between a suicide economy and a planetary system of living economies 
Between American Empire and earth democracy

Your work is at the forefront of the global effort to displace a corporate dominated global suicide economy that destroys life tomake money for the already wealthy with a planetary system of life-servingeconomies devoted to meeting the basic needs of people, strengthening
community and healing the earth. The intention is to liberate economic life … BALLE chapters find that rebuilding local food economies is the essential starting point of their work.

D. Korten explains:
What was called the anti-globalization movement is now called the global civil society, in India it is called Earth democracy, the values of this movement are spelled in the Earth Charter. Its preamble opens with this prophetic words.”‘ We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history a time when humanity must choose its future.’

It could well have said we are standing at the threshold of another evolutionary step of the planet earth.

Then in a very compelling argument he says:

Individuals and societies differ as to which one of the compelling tendencies- domination or partnership- is more prominent in their lives, but both tendencies reside in each of us. So we ask: where liestruth? Is the world inherently hostile and dangerous or inherently caring and compassionate? The answer is it depends on us - on we the people of planet earth - because we have the knowledge, technology, and organizational capacity to create the world we choose. We need only the vision to see the possibility of a caring and compassionate world and to choose to live it into being.

NEM can provide the economic vision, with the confidence of the great potential that our group has in itself and its capacity to tap into extraordinary resources in this field.

He also gives a warning:The further along we are with getting the foundations of a new world order of Earth democracy in place before the final fall of Empire the less tragic the consequences will be.”

And projecting:
Rebuilding local food economies is an essential piece of this work … Economically as noted  earlier, our goal is to replace the corporate dominated global suicide economy with a  planetary system of life-serving local living communities.

Inviting:
We the Peoples of the Earth Community must organize ourselves to provide the leadership, which is what you are doing here as others are doing around the world.

Denouncing:
Our economic institutions have become the primary instruments of our subordination to values and priorities not our own. It falls to our generation to carry forward the project of democracy by
democratizing the economy  to achieve an equitable distribution of economic power and to establish accountability to the needs of life.

Proposing:
The goal of political democracy was not to create a more accountable monarchy; it was to replace the institutions of monarchy with new institutions appropriate to democratic societies. We need a similar approach to economic democracy. The appropriate goal is not to reform the institutions of corporate rule. It is to replace them, through an emergent processes of succession and replacement, with systems of economic relationship that distribute power by localizing ownership and control.

I would go on to say the goal of NEM should not be to reform the Capitalist system but to replace it, amongst other reasons, a very important parallelism can be established between Education and Economy in the following context.

Our friend professor Clopper Almon explained in his presentation to our group that one of the more developed areas of action of the Antroposophic Community is the area of education, with Waldorf Schools established all around the globe.  The reason for the emphasis in education was that the existing system was limited to the development of skills and income
generation. Therefore it is a castrating system that bypasses the possibilities and needs of the soul for development, with the additional negative effect of lop-sided development of the brain, with its concomitant effect of curtailing the God given possibilities of human beings to prepare
themselves to take the responsibility of facing the challenges of the impending evolutionary step that is rooted in spiritual values.  R. Steiner therefore at the request from the workers of the Waldorf cigarette factory in Germany gave a series of lectures. As a result of them the management commissioned him to develop a system of education based on the principles
given in those lectures. That is how it came to be known as the Waldorf system of education that is radically different from the conventional one. More clearly the essence of the conventional system is that it does not provide the necessary elements for the harmonious development of the whole human being but on the contrary it prepares it to function in ways that are in opposition to the soul natural tendencies, i.e. that is it prepares the individual to be  self-serving and for rivalry as the main thrust.

The parallelism we find is that the present capitalist system, also has as its fundamental tenets totally opposing principles to the souls natural tendencies (as we have pointed repeatedly in previous notes), it seems to follow therefore that the same kind of action is called for; that is to
replace the capitalist system by one that similarly responds to the soul’s highest aspirations.

The need for a comprehensive system that provides the economic vision establishing basic principles and shared values, with enough room to allow different forms of expression in terms of various models of economic endeavor, such as the ones we have seen so far: PROUT,  ANTROPOSOPHY, BALLE, etc.

Let’s look at some others:

COOP AMERICA
                                                  
Coop America is but one example of people implementing there ideas in a collective way, within the new notion of sustainability, and social and economic justice. Everyday, thanks to the accessibility of the Internet, more and more examples can be found. Efforts are at different levels but all follow a general trend, granted they still do not come close to the level of influence that the international corporations have, but there are enough, and numbers are growing, that they are already exerting on increasing level of influence in the world arena, as D. Korten has reported.

Evidence is also strong that there is a growing number of individuals and organizations that are concerned about the implication that the present economic system has as one of the main causes of the deteriorating condition not only of the environment but society as a whole, meaning behavioral, interpersonal, and international relationships. These individuals are not only trying to find alternatives but taking action and implementing them as we have seen.

Co-op America is dedicated to creating a just and sustainable society, by harnessing economic power for positive change.  Its unique approach involves working with both the consumer (demand) and business (supply) sides of the economy simultaneously.

Co-op America’s programs are designed to: 1) Educate people about how to use their spending and investing powers to bring the values of social justice end environmental sustainability into the economy. 2) Help socially and environmentally responsible business emerge and thrive, and 3) Pressure irresponsible companies to adopt socially
end environmentally responsible practices.

The members and supporters of Co-op America represent the largest association of responsible businesses and consumers in the world. They are creating the values, businesses and networks that are the economic building blocks of a sustainable future.

Amongst the many important recent achievements of CO-op America we can mention
1) Holding two successful green festivals, mobilizing  30,000 green consumers and business owners to work towards a greener economy. This year 2004 they will have one also in Washington D.C. 
2) Channeling $250 million into community investments
such as affordable housing, day care, and new green businesses in low-income
communities around the world.

Alisa Gravitz, Executive Director says:

You hold the trump card against corporate abuse of workers, community, and our environment.  And it is time to play that card ever more powerfully and skillfully.  As you know, we live at a time when corporate actions are at the heart of a growing list of social and environmental ills, from climate change to child and sweatshop labor to toxic chemical accumulation in our food, air, and water.  Years of corporate cronyism and contributions in Washington have given rise to a political philosophy that worships deregulation and the so-called ‘free’ market. It professes that what is good for the corporate sector is good for America, and that the government needs to be out of the business of solving social and environmental problems.  Multinational corporations have also become increasingly strategic about evading national laws so even a legislative push toward protecting people and the planet is unlikely to be sufficient to ensure corporate responsibility.  This means that at the end of the day, you, and I, in our economic roles as consumers and investors, hold the crucial (and perhaps only) power card to stop corporate abuse and demand business practices based on social justice and environmental responsibility. What is the card? Our economic power.  It is what we choose-and refuse-to buy and invest in. It’s letting companies know why we have made those choices. Think of it as casting your economic vote along with your political vote.

Of course economics and politics work together. To move forward into a better future, it is absolutely essential for each one of us to be actively engaged.

Co-op America Quarterly No. 62/Spring 2004

Now an example of educational efforts, similarly directed to the creation of the peaceculture, another way of responding to the evolutionary demand. We can see the interrelatedness in different areas of human activity. Aparigraha, or whatever we call the effort in the economic area should be a part of it.

THE PEACE BOOK:

The Peace Book offers a sound recommendation of how to go about promoting change, it has evidently learned from history that from the top down or from the bottom up isolated do not work. A message seems to be coming clearer and clearer, that double action is necessary, the grassroots movement is gaining momentum as we can see from the World Social Forum, the recent “ Another World Is Possible Conference” and organizations like Organic Consumers Association (OCA) with 500,000 members representing 10,000,000 consumers. Political organizations like Move-On, Not In Our Name, etc. and political upsets like the ones that have taken place in India and Spain are clear indicators that there is a rising in consciousness taking place.

The Peace Book says:

The path of separation uses our differences to support the belief that some are better than, more worthy than, more entitled than, others. The outcome of such thinking is dominance; the vehicle is force; and the result is destruction. This view diminishes life, and condemns us to recurring cycles of violence, oppression, and struggle. 

The path of unity uses our differences to support the belief that we are an interdependent whole, one family of life in this precious planet, able to thrive and survive only when we work together for the needs and dignity of all. The outcome of such thinking is a partnership; the  vehicle is respect; and the result is peace.  This view sustains life in all its rich diversity, and offers us endless cycles of creativity, freedom and hope.

WORK FROM THE BOTTOM UP AND THE TOP DOWN

Social change, to be lasting, must occur through the whole  fabric of society. The motivation for change comes from two directions: either there is a compelling vision of where we want to go or there is so much hurt that we want it to stop -or both. Since the ones on “top” in any society rarely feel the pain, in a sincere way, of those without power, that motivation will usually come from the grassroots, or bottom up. 


The bottom up approach to social justice is strong; it is democracy at its best. It involves people in shaping up their destiny; it empowers people to work together for common cause; it informs and engages people in acts of shared meaning; it builds community; it airs the underside of public life, bringing into the light that which needs to be changed. It also can be  very effective.

Change from the bottom up is even more effective when met by change from the top down. For true transformation, this meeting point is necessary. While the momentum for social change will usually come from the grassroots, still, in every powerful institution there are individuals who do have a vision for a better way and who do feel the hurt of the people. As they become more visible and credible much is possible.

* Find your grassroots allies for community action. Help articulate a compelling vision for a better future, and express the pain of the current situation in ways that can be truly heard and understood. 
* Seek out those in the top levels of political, economic and social institutions who share that vision. Make common cause with them. Help them to help you by avoiding blame, finger pointing, and the casting of those at the top as enemy. Consider how you can work together.
* Explore the meeting point of the top down and bottom up approaches. Who is in the middle? What institutions can influence both the people and those who hold the power? How can you best work with and through them? 
* Realize that there is great power-and powerlessness-in each
position of the system: top, bottom, and middle. Seek to change situations
of “power over” to ones of “power with” so that everyone can share in the
benefits of change.

TAKE AN INTEREST IN WORLD AFFAIRS

Modern communication technology has brought the world into our living rooms. We can see what’s happening on every continent. Some people turn off to this flow of information. It may seem like too much suffering, too complicated a picture of situations we don’t understand in places that feel foreign to us. We can turn away, or we can turn toward what’s happening around the world. When we turn toward it, we discover that what may appear as an endless progression of war, famine, corruption, and political intrigue is actually an exciting story of humanity addressing its challenges as best it can.  Each of us is an actor, director, script-writer, and audience for this rich and inspiring drama.

                                                   Louise Diamond is the author of this book.


As we have seen from the material collected there are also quite a number of  proposals to change the existing economic system. A valuable contribution to all this efforts could be a proposal, as comprehensive and inclusive as possible that contain and reflect the more substantial issues integrating them in a coherent way. Ideally, since there seems to be consensus in our group that it would be necessary for this proposal to have spirituality as its core premise, it would be very important to include this as part of the definition of the basic concepts.  Religions still have a wide sphere of influence even if it is mainly at a theoretical level, but they can provide the scriptural references that will support the basic principles making them recognizable for the corresponding congregation and therefore encouraging
them to support it.

The idea of this present paper is to share with you an expanded view of the possibilities of our endeavor and as a way of exploring possible courses of action. Some of you have asked: if we end with some kind of proposal with NEM what will we do with it? Where do we go from there? The first answer is the group will have to decide. The second is my vision for the following steps.  Expose the proposal as widely and deeply as possible, making it available by presentations to universities, schools of economics, organizations that are working in the same field or related ones, organizing forums, etc. This of course will follow the previous steps of testing its merit by inviting panels of recognized economists to share their opinion and 
offer suggestions.

It seems very important to involve at some stage as many participants as possible so that we can all become aware of our interrelatedness and wake up to the potential that this interrelatedness offers to us. Everybody has something to offer.  We all came to this physical plane with a purpose and this will become more evident as we allow every single human being to participate in all the spheres to which they feel attracted. It is a  demanding alternative but it is what will show the stature of the soul who is capable of such compassion and understanding.  

It must be clear that this paper reflects solely the opinion of the one who signs it, not the consensus of the group if and when that happens, it will be clearly stated. 

I thank you all for your understanding.

Om Shanti

Victor (Vyasa) Landa
July 4, 2004


(36) “Document I-88” The “Threefold Social Order” by Edward R. Smith
(37) “Nine Propositions in Search of the Threefold Social Order” by
Christopher Schaefer
(38) “Third Millennium Third Way” by Terry M. Boardman
(39) “The People Centered Development” by David Korten
(40) “Balle and the Renewal of the American Experiment” by David Korten
(41) “The New American Agriculture” by David Korten
(42) “The Participatory Economics Project” by Michael Albert

The Concept

Latest Paper
Aparigraha: A New Economic Paradigm

Supplemental Materials No.1         Supplemental Materials No. 2


Supplemental Materials No. 3

Home