After Capitalism: Economic Democracy in Action
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What others are saying about After Capitalism: Economic Democracy in Action: “After Capitalism is a crucial contribution towards figuring out where we want to go, not only after capitalism, but now, as we try to build the new world within the old. It is so important not only because of the thoroughly considered vision it presents, but also because it incorporates a spiritual dimension that is missing from most post-capitalist visioning.” — Gregory Wilpert, author of Changing Venezuela by Taking Power “The world is in urgent need of new ideas on how to house, feed and shelter us all, without destroying the planet we are on. After Capitalism is a rich and varied warehouse of new ideas and new thinking that will do much to contribute to a better humanity and a better world.” — Kevin Cahill, author of Who Owns the World “I enthusiastically recommend this book for a college classroom and for those who are organizing for economic and social justice.” — Peter Bohmer, activist and faculty in Economics and Political Economy, The Evergreen State College “The search is on for new ways to inhabit a strained earth. There are plenty of interesting leads in these pages that will get you thinking!” — Bill McKibben, author Earth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet “The constitutional proposals of Prout are the ethical summary of everything that humanity needs to accomplish universal fraternity. The importance of Prout is that its vision of a new world is not just concerned with political, social and economic relationships, but also with education, gender relationships and spirituality.” — Frei Betto, activist and author of the bestseller Fidel and Religion “From Caracas, where the author is putting his ideas into practice, comes this accessible guide to the spiritual socialism of P.R. Sarkar. Activists working on contemporary issues from local food production to economic inequality will find much of value in this innovative volume.” — Jeffery M. Paige, author of Agrarian Revolution “The very concept of After Capitalism is liberating. This book is a must for those of us who are striving for a more equitable, ethical and just world–one which views society and the environment holistically and ethically.” — Frank Emspak, Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin; CEO and Executive Producer of Workers Independent News “Dada Maheshvarananda’s book enriches the paradigm of P.R. Sarkar, who proposes that human development in its highest sense should be the goal of economic development. It has the power to construct itself in a post-capitalist project.” — Marcos Arruda, author of External Debt: Brazil and the International Financial Crisis AFTER CAPITALISM Economic Democracy in Action AFTER CAPITALISM Economic Democracy in Action Dada Maheshvarananda InnerWorld Publications San Germán, Puerto Rico www.innerworldpublications.com Copyright © 2012 by Dada Maheshvarananda All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by InnerWorld Publications, PO Box 1613, San Germán, Puerto Rico, 00683. Library of Congress Control Number: 2012941494 Cover Design: Rodrigo Adolfo Prout logo: José Albarrán No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review. ISBN 978-1-881717-14-0 Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data Maheshvarananda , Dada. After capitalism : economic democracy in action / Dada Maheshvarananda. p. cm. ISBN 978-1-881717-14-0 Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Democracy --Economic aspects. 2. Economic development. 3. Monetary policy. 4. Capitalism. 5. Sustainable development. 6. Economics --Moral and ethical aspects. 7. Prout (Economic theory). 8. Sarkar, Prabhat Ranjan, 1921-1990. I. Title. JC423 .M332 2012 321.8--dc23 2012941494 The cover photo by Alex Fradkin shows an Occupy San Francisco protest against economic injustice on October 15, 2011. Flying the United States flag upside down is a distress signal, and was used here to express that the country is in distress. We would like to thank the following publishers for permis- sion to reprint their material: Gurukula Press of Maleny, Australia, for “Comparing Marx and Sarkar” by Ravi Batra, which appeared in Transcending Boundaries: Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar’s Theories of Individual and Social Transformation (Inayatullah and Fitzgerald, eds., 1999) and “The Future of the Prout Movement” by Sohail Inayatullah, which appeared in his book Situating Sarkar: Tantra, Macrohistory and Alternative Futures (1999); Publicações Ananda Marga of São Paolo, Brazil, for “Prout and the Concept of Prama” by Leonardo Boff, which appeared as the preface in Democracia Econômica (by P.R. Sarkar, 1996). Acknowledgements It is very difficult to express in words my gratitude to the many people and groups on six continents that have contributed to this project. These (and a few others who prefer to remain anonymous) are members of a growing, vibrant global network of Proutists and other fellow travelers working to realize our common dream of a better world. Their patient willingness to give their time, support, thoughts and encouragement leaves me very touched and humbled. My profound thanks to each one: Abe Heisler, Alex Jackimovicz, Alanna Hartzok, Allan Rosen, Amal Jacobson, Andy Douglas, Ang KaSaMa, Arati Brim, Ary Moraes, Bradford Jones, Bo Lozoff, Bruce Dyer, Chuck Paprocki, Clark Webb, Dada Daneshananda, Dada Gunamuktananda, Dada Nabhaniilananda, David Hardwick, Delhi Prout magazine, Devashish Donald Acosta, Didi Ananda Rucira, Diego Esteche, Dieter Dambiec, Donald Moore, Doris Olivers, Edemilson Pereira dos Santos, Edvard Mogstad, Eugenio Mendoza, Fabio Barone, Frei Betto, Garda Ghista (deceased), Ghecimar Golindano, Howard Nemon, Jake Karlyle, Jehan De Soyza, Jeshua Pacifici, Jim Braun, Joan Russow, Johan Galtung, John Gross, José Albarrán, Kamala Alister, Katie Davison, Leonardo Boff, Liila Hass, Malcolm McDonell, Marcos Arruda, Mariah Branch, Mark A. Friedman, Mark L. Friedman, Matt Oppenheim, Michael Albert, Michael Towsey, Mike McSweeney, Mirra Price, Nada Khader, Noam Chomsky, Ole Brekke, Ossi Viljakainen, Paul Wildman, Peter Bohmer, Prabhakar, Prakash and Jody Laufer, Pranav Bihari, Raimundo Braga Filho, Ras Arthemio Selassie, Ravi Batra, Roar Bjonnes, Ron Baseman, Ron Logan, Satya Tanner, Silvia Valle (deceased), Sohail Inayatullah, Spencer Bailey, Steven Landau, Szakmáry Donát and Tom Barefoot. For Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, the founder of Prout, who devoted his life to “the good and happiness of all”. Contents Foreword 1 By Dr. Marcos Arruda Introduction 6 Chapter 1: The Failure of Global Capitalism and Economic Depressions 11 From Colonialism to Political Independence 12 The Economics of the Cold War 14 Common Practices by Multinational Corporations 16 The Global Financial Crisis of the 2000s 20 Economic Depressions 22 Global Capitalism’s Four Fatal Flaws 23 Crisis and Opportunity 29 How to Live Through Economic Turmoil 30 By Mark A. Friedman Chapter 2: A New Social Paradigm Based on Spiritual Values 34 An Ecological and Spiritual Perspective 35 Prout’s Philosophical Base 36 Universal Spirituality 37 Cosmic Inheritance 38 The Problems with Materialism 39 Human Sentiments and Neohumanism 40 A New Definition of Social Progress 42 The Dynamic Web of Life: Pramá“ ” 44 How Pramá Can be Restored 47 Meditation 48 The Importance of Prout and its Concept of Pramá 51 By Dr. Leonardo Boff contents xi Chapter 3: The Right to Live! 53 The Minimum Necessities of Life 53 Pharmaceutical Corporations vs. Generic Medicines 55 Quality Health Care for All 58 Comparing Prout to Marxism and Communism 58 Atiriktam: Rational Incentives 61 The Five Fundamental Principles of Prout 62 Using the Fundamental Principles to Evaluate Social Policies 67 Factors that Motivate People to Work 68 Economic Indicators for Setting the Minimum and Maximum Wages 70 Comparing Prout with Participatory Economics 73 Striving to Achieve Affordable Health Care for All in Kenya 75 By Didi Ananda Rucira Chapter 4: Economic Democracy 79 Four Requirements of Economic Democracy 80 Industry, Commerce and Service in Three Levels 81 Providing Goods and Services to the People 85 Prout’s Housing System 86 Increasing the Purchasing Capacity of the People 87 Economic Decentralization and Socio-Economic Regions 88 Comparing the Welfare Economics of Amartya Sen to Prout 89 Barter Trade 91 Prout’s Monetary System 93 A Progressive System of Taxation 94 Earth Rights and Land Value Capture 98 A Proutist Response to Land Value Capture 100 By Dr. John Gross xii after capitalism Chapter 5: Cooperatives for a Better World 102 Is Human Nature Competitive or Cooperative? 102 Successful Cooperatives 105 The Mondragón Cooperatives 107 Worker Cooperatives 110 How Worker Cooperatives Function 112 A Supportive Infrastructure 114 What Makes Cooperatives Successful? 116 Examples of Small-scale Cooperatives in Maleny 117 The Venezuelan Cooperative Experience 120 Guidelines for Successful Cooperatives 121 Golden Rules for a Community Economic Strategy 123 Community Benefits 123 Chapter 6: An Agrarian Revolution and Environmental Protection 124 A Deepening Crisis in Agriculture 124 Food Sovereignty 127 Prout’s Agrarian Revolution 128 Agricultural Cooperatives 129 Ideal Farming 131 The Benefits of Growing Your Own Food 132 Rural Development: Agro- and Agrico-Industries