COMPILATIONS FROM THE BAHÁ'Í WRITINGS
BAHA'I QUOTATIONS ON
ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
This compilation brings together many references in the Bahá'í Writings and statements of the Bahá'í International Community that are relevant to the environment and sustainability. More selective compilations on different topics are also available on this site. The headings serve to organize the quotations, but many apply to more than one aspect of environment and sustainability.
French compilation/compilation en français
CONTENTS
The
Environment
ORIGINS OF THE UNIVERSE
NATURE
EVOLUTION
THE BAHÁ'Í ATTITUDE
TOWARDS NATURE
ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES
ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY
Economic
Sustainability
UNSUSTAINABILITY OF THE
OLD WORLD ECONOMIC ORDER
PRINCIPLES FOR A
NEW ECONOMIC ORDER
JUSTICE
POVERTY
POVERTY AND WEALTH
CONTENTMENT
DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH
CAPITAL AND LABOUR
EMPLOYMENT
TRANSFORMATION - A
NEW WORLD ORDER
Social
sustainability
NATURE AND PURPOSE OF HUMAN
LIFE
UNITY
HUMANITY'S PLACE
IN THE NATURAL WORLD
MATERIAL CIVILIZATION
GOVERNANCE
GENDER
KNOWLEDGE, SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION
RELIGION
CULTURAL
TRANSFORMATION - THE BAHA'I APPROACH
SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES
Regard ye the world as a man's body, which is afflicted with divers
ailments, and the recovery of which dependeth upon the harmonizing of all
its component elements.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Súriy-i-Haykal
§152 (to Napoleon III), in The
Summons of the Lord of Hosts, pp. 79-80. Haifa, Bahá'í World
Centre, 2002.)
The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind.
He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the
remedy. Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its particular
aspiration. The remedy the world needeth in its present-day
afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may
require. Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live
in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.
(Bahá'u'lláh,
Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CVI, p. 213)
There are spiritual principles, or what some call human values, by which
solutions can be found for every social problem. Any well-intentioned
group can in a general sense devise practical solutions to its problems,
but good intentions and practical knowledge are usually not enough. The
essential merit of spiritual principle is that it not only presents a
perspective which harmonizes with that which is immanent in human nature,
it also induces an attitude, a dynamic, a will, an aspiration, which
facilitate the discovery and implementation of practical measures. Leaders
of governments and all in authority would be well served in their efforts
to solve problems if they would first seek to identify the principles
involved and then be guided by them.
(Universal House of Justice, The
Promise of World Peace, 1985. p.13)
THE ENVIRONMENT
THE ORIGINS OF THE UNIVERSE
...the world of existence, this endless universe, has no beginning. To be
sure, it is possible for some part of creation - one of the celestial
globes - to be newly formed or to disintegrate, but the other countless
globes would continue to exist and the world of existence itself would not
be disrupted or destroyed. On the contrary, its existence is perpetual and
unchanging.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some
Answered Questions. Haifa, Baha'i World Centre, 2014. Chpt. 47,
p. 207-208)
That which hath been in existence had existed before, but not in the form
thou seest today. The world of existence came into being through the heat
generated from the interaction between the active force and that which is
its recipient.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh. Haifa, Bahá'í World Centre, 1978. p. 140)
...originally matter was one, and that one matter appeared in a different
form in each element. Thus various forms appeared, and as they appeared,
they each assumed an independent form and became a specific element....
Then these elements were composed, arranged and combined in infinite
forms.... From the composition of the elements; from their combination,
manner and proportion; and from their interaction with other beings
countless forms and realities and innumerable beings have come to exist.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some
Answered Questions. Haifa,
Baha'i World Centre, 2014. Chpt. 47, p.
208-209)
...this terrestrial globe came to exist, grow and develop in the matrix
of the universe and assumed different forms and conditions until it
gradually attained its present completeness, became adorned with countless
beings, and appeared in such a consummate form.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some
Answered Questions. Haifa,
Baha'i World Centre, 2014. Chpt. 47, p.
210)
NATURE
Nature is God's Will and is its expression in and through the contingent
world.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh, p. 142)
This nature is subject to a sound organization, to inviolable laws, to a
perfect order, and to a consummate design, from which it never departs. To
such an extent is this true that were you to gaze with the eye of insight
and discernment, you would observe all things - from the smallest
invisible atom to the largest globes in the world of existence, such as
the sun or the other great stars and luminous bodies - are most perfectly
organized, be it with regard to their order, their composition, their
outward form, or their motion, and that all are subject to one universal
law from which they never depart.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some
Answered Questions, Chpt. 1, p. 3)
By nature is meant those inherent properties and necessary relations
derived from the realities of things. And these realities of things,
though in the utmost diversity, are yet intimately connected one with the
other.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablet to Dr.
Forel, in The Bahá'í Revelation, p. 223)
If we look with a perceiving eye upon the world of creation, we find that
all existing things may be classified as follows: First - Mineral - that
is to say matter or substance appearing in various forms of composition.
Second - Vegetable - possessing the virtues of the mineral plus the power
of augmentation or growth, indicating a degree higher and more specialized
than the mineral. Third - Animal - possessing the attributes of the
mineral and vegetable plus the power of sense perception. Fourth - Human -
the highest specialized organism of visible creation, embodying the
qualities of the mineral, vegetable and animal plus an ideal endowment
absolutely minus and absent in the lower kingdoms - the power of
intellectual investigation into the mysteries of outer phenomena. The
outcome of this intellectual endowment is science which is especially
characteristic of man. This scientific power investigates and apprehends
created objects and the laws surrounding them. It is the discoverer of the
hidden and mysterious secrets of the material universe and is peculiar to
man alone. The most noble and praiseworthy accomplishment of man therefore
is scientific knowledge and attainment.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, in Bahá'í
World Faith, p. 242)
EVOLUTION
Just as man progresses, evolves, and is transformed from one form and
appearance to another in the womb of the mother, while remaining from the
beginning a human embryo, so to has man remained a distinct essence - that
is the human species - from the beginning of his formation in the matrix
of the world, and has passed gradually from form to form.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some
Answered Questions, Chpt. 49, p. 223)
...the growth and development of all beings proceeds by gradual degrees.
This is the universal and divinely ordained law and the natural order.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some
Answered Questions, Chpt. 51, p. 229)
All beings, whether universal or particular, were created perfect and
complete from the beginning. The most one can say is that their
perfections only become apparent gradually. The law of God is one; the
evolution of existence is one; the divine order is one.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some
Answered Questions, Chpt. 51, p. 229)
The innumerable created things that are found in the world of existence -
be they man, animal, plant, or mineral - must each be composed of
elements. There is no doubt that the completeness seen in each and every
thing arises, by divine creation, from the component elements, their
appropriate combination, their proportionate measure, the manner of their
composition, and the influence of other created things. For all beings are
linked together like a chain; and mutual aid, assistance, and interaction
are among their intrinsic properties and are the cause of their formation,
development and growth.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some
Answered Questions, Chpt. 46, p. 205)
Know that the soul which is common to all men cometh forth following the
commingling of things and after their maturation, as thou dost observe in
the germ: once it hath developed to its predestined stage, God manifesteth
the soul that was latent within it.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Súriy-i-Ra'ís
§31, in The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 153. Haifa,
Bahá'í World Centre, 2002)
THE BAHÁ'Í ATTITUDE TOWARDS NATURE
...to man God has given such wonderful power that he can guide, control
and overcome nature.... What ignorance and stupidity it is to worship and
adore nature, when God in His goodness has made us masters thereof.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks,
p. 122-123)
When... thou dost contemplate the innermost essence of all things, and the individuality of each, thou wilt behold the signs of thy Lord's mercy in every created thing, and see the spreading rays of His Names and Attributes throughout all the realm of being.... Then wilt thou observe that the universe is a scroll that discloseth His hidden secrets, which are preserved in the well-guarded Tablet. And not an atom of all the atoms in existence, not a creature from amongst the creatures but speaketh His praise and telleth of His attributes and names, revealeth the glory of His might and guideth to His oneness and His mercy....
And whensoever thou dost gaze upon creation all entire, and dost observe
the very atoms thereof, thou wilt note that the rays of the Sun of Truth
are shed upon all things and shining within them, and telling of that
Day-Star's splendours, Its mysteries, and the spreading of Its lights.
Look thou upon the trees, upon the blossoms and fruits, even upon the
stones. Here too wilt thou behold the Sun's rays shed upon them, clearly
visible within them, and manifested by them.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 41-42)
We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and
say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is
organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is
itself also deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every
abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions.
(Letter written on behalf of
Shoghi Effendi, 17 February 1933, Compilation on Social and Economic
Development, p. 4)
Consider the world of created beings, how varied and diverse they are in
species, yet with one sole origin. All the differences that appear are
those of outward form and colour. This diversity of type is apparent
throughout the whole of nature.... Let us look... at the beauty in
diversity, the beauty of harmony, and learn a lesson from the vegetable
creation. If you behold a garden in which all the plants were the same as
to form, colour and perfume, it would not seem beautiful to you at all,
but, rather, monotonous and dull. The garden which is pleasing to the eye
and which makes the heart glad, is the garden in which are growing side by
side flowers of every hue, form and perfume, and the joyous contrast of
colour is what makes for charm and beauty. So is it with trees. An orchard
full of fruit trees is a delight; so is a plantation planted with many
species of shrubs. It is just the diversity and variety that constitutes
its charm; each flower, each tree, each fruit, beside being beautiful in
itself, brings out by contrast the qualities of the others, and shows to
advantage the special loveliness of each and all.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris
Talks, p. 51-53)
Every man of discernment, while walking upon the earth, feeleth indeed
abashed, inasmuch as he is fully aware that the thing which is the source
of his prosperity, his wealth, his might, his exaltation, his advancement
and power is, as ordained by God, the very earth which is trodden beneath
the feet of all men. There can be no doubt that whoever is cognizant of
this truth, is cleansed and sanctified from all pride, arrogance, and
vainglory....
(Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to
the Son of the Wolf, Wilmette, Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1988, p.
44)
The elements and lower organisms are synchronized in the great plan of
life. Shall man, infinitely above them in degree, be antagonistic and a
destroyer of that perfection?
('Abdu'l-Bahá, talk at Leland
Stanford Junior University, Palo Alto, California, 8 October 1912. Promulgation
of Universal Peace. Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982. p.
350)
Briefly, it is not only their fellow human beings that the beloved of God must treat with mercy and compassion, rather must they show forth the utmost loving-kindness to every living creature.... The feelings are one and the same, whether ye inflict pain on man or on beast.
Train your children from their earliest days to be infinitely tender and
loving to animals. If an animal be sick, let the children try to heal it,
if it be hungry, let them feed it, if thirsty, let them quench its thirst,
if weary, let them see that it rests.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 158-159)
Unless ye must,
Bruise not the serpent in the dust,
How much less wound a man.
And if ye can,
No ant should ye alarm,
Much less a brother harm.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 256)
Bahá'u'lláh loved the beauty and verdure of the country. One day He
passed the remark: 'I have not gazed on verdure for nine years. The
country is the world of the soul, the city is the world of bodies.'
('Abdu'l-Bahá, in J. E.
Esslemont, Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era. Chpt. 3, p. 35)
Bahá'u'lláh said of His two years in the mountains: "the birds of the air
were My companions and the beasts of the field My associates."
(Bahá'u'lláh, quoted in Shoghi
Effendi, God Passes By, p. 120)
ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES
(see also compilation: Conservation of the Earth's Resources)
In addition to the problem of how to ensure peace, and all the
implications of such a step, it is clear that the economic and social
development of all countries is of vital importance and is a matter on
which the Teachings have much to say in principle if not in detail. In
this area, agriculture and the preservation of the ecological balance of
the world are of fundamental interest....
(Universal House of Justice,
31 March 1985 to an Association for Bahá'í Studies)
As preordained by the Fountain-head of Creation, the temple of the world hath been fashioned after the image and likeness of the human body. In fact each mirroreth forth the image of the other, wert thou but to observe with discerning eyes. By this is meant that even as the human body in this world, which is outwardly composed of different limbs and organs, is in reality a closely integrated, coherent entity, similarly the structure of the physical world is like unto a single being whose limbs and members are inseparably linked together.
Were one to observe with an eye that discovereth the realities of all things, it would become clear that the greatest relationship that bindeth the world of being together lieth in the range of created things themselves, and that co-operation, mutual aid and reciprocity are essential characteristics in the unified body of the world of being, inasmuch as all created things are closely related together and each is influenced by the other or deriveth benefit therefrom, either directly or indirectly.
Consider for instance how one group of created things constituteth the vegetable kingdom, and another the animal kingdom. Each of these two maketh use of certain elements in the air on which its own life dependeth, while each increaseth the quantity of such elements as are essential for the life of the other. In other words, the growth and development of the vegetable world is impossible without the existence of the animal kingdom, and the maintenance of animal life is inconceivable without the co-operation of the vegetable kingdom. Of like kind are the relationships that exist among all created things. Hence it was stated that co-operation and reciprocity are essential properties which are inherent in the unified system of the world of existence, and without which the entire creation would be reduced to nothingness.
In surveying the vast range of creation thou shalt perceive that the
higher a kingdom of created things is on the arc of ascent, the more
conspicuous are the signs and evidences of the truth that co-operation and
reciprocity at the level of a higher order are greater than those that
exist at the level of a lower order. For example, the evident signs of
this fundamental reality are more discernible in the vegetable kingdom
than in the mineral, and still more manifest in the animal world than in
the vegetable.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, in Compilation
on Huququ'llah, p. 14-15; Compilation on Social and Economic
Development, p. 12)
In the physical realm of creation, all things are eaters and eaten: the
plant drinketh in the mineral, the animal doth crop and swallow down the
plant, man doth feed upon the animal, and the mineral devoureth the body
of man. Physical bodies are transferred past one barrier after another,
from one life to another, and all things are subject to transformation and
change, save only the essence of existence itself - since it is constant
and immutable, and upon it is founded the life of every species and kind,
of every contingent reality throughout the whole of creation.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 157)
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Bahá'í Scriptures describe nature as a reflection of the sacred. They teach that nature should be valued and respected, but not worshipped; rather, it should serve humanity's efforts to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. However, in light of the interdependence of all parts of nature, and the importance of evolution and diversity "to the beauty, efficiency and perfection of the whole," every effort should be made to preserve as much as possible the earth's bio-diversity and natural order.
As trustees, or stewards, of the planet's vast resources and biological
diversity, humanity must learn to make use of the earth's natural
resources, both renewable and non-renewable, in a manner that ensures
sustainability and equity into the distant reaches of time. This attitude
of stewardship will require full consideration of the potential
environmental consequences of all development activities. It will compel
humanity to temper its actions with moderation and humility, realizing
that the true value of nature cannot be expressed in economic terms. It
will also require a deep understanding of the natural world and its role
in humanity's collective development - both material and spiritual.
Therefore, sustainable environmental management must come to be seen not
as a discretionary commitment mankind can weigh against other competing
interests, but rather as a fundamental responsibility that must be
shouldered - a pre-requisite for spiritual development as well as the
individual's physical survival.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Valuing Spirituality in
Development: Initial Considerations Regarding the Creation of
Spiritually Based Indicators for Development. A concept
paper written for the World Faiths and Development Dialogue, Lambeth
Palace, London, 18-19 February 1998)
It has been widely acknowledged that economic prosperity has come at a tremendous cost to our natural environment. In fact, no country has emerged as a major industrial power without a legacy of significant environmental damage, affecting the security and well-being of its own populations and, equally significantly, those of developing nations. The growth-driven economic paradigm rooted in national interests at the expense of social and environmental variables and international well-being is under increasing scrutiny. Challenging ethical questions of resource distribution and responsibility for damages force governments to develop institutional mechanisms and implement policies that consider the prosperity and health of the global community and that of future generations. On an institutional level, a global entity with a strong scientific advisory capacity is needed to streamline reporting and decision-making processes, including the voices of non-state actors. It must coherently link environmental issues to social and economic priorities, for none of these can advance in isolation. At the educational level, curricula must seek to develop a sense of responsibility towards the natural environment as well as foster a spirit of inquiry and innovation so that the diversity of human experience can be brought to bear on the challenge of creating an environmentally sustainable development pathway.
(Bahá'í International Community, Eradicating Poverty: Moving Forward As One, 2008)
A core element of a strategy of sustainable development is the reform of agricultural policies and processes. Food production and agriculture is the world's single largest source of employment; nearly 70% of the poor in developing countries live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Although farming has been devalued by manufacturing and a rapidly expanding urban population, agriculture still represents the fundamental basis of economic and community life: malnourishment and food insecurity suffocate all attempts at development and progress. Despite this pivotal role, poverty is often concentrated in rural areas. Damage to natural resources, poor information and infrastructure often result in food insecurity, premature deaths and mass migration to urban areas in search of a better life. The farmer must be accorded his or her rightful place in the processes of development and civilization building: as the villages are reconstructed, the cities will follow.
(Bahá'í International Community, Eradicating Poverty: Moving Forward As One, 2008)
Until such time as the nations of the world understand and follow the
admonitions of Bahá'u'lláh to whole-heartedly work together in looking
after the best interests of all humankind, and unite in the search for
ways and means to meet the many environmental problems besetting our
planet, ...little progress will be made towards their solution....
(Universal House of Justice,
Department of the Secretariat, from a letter dated 18 October 1981 to an
individual believer. Quoted In "Conservation of the Earth's Resources".
Prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice.)
Economic sustainability
UNSUSTAINABILITY OF THE OLD WORLD ECONOMIC ORDER
All too many of these [man-made] ideologies...callously abandon starving
millions to the operations of a market system that all too clearly is
aggravating the plight of the majority of mankind, while enabling small
sections to live in a condition of affluence scarcely dreamed of by our
forebears.
(Universal House of Justice, The
Promise of World Peace, 1985, I, p. 6-7)
The time has come when those who preach the dogmas of materialism,
whether of the east or of the west, whether of capitalism or socialism,
must give account of the moral stewardship they have presumed to exercise.
Where is the "new world" promised by these ideologies?... Why is the vast
majority of the world's peoples sinking ever deeper into hunger and
wretchedness when wealth on a scale undreamed of by the Pharaohs, the
Caesars, or even the imperialist powers of the nineteenth century is at
the disposal of the present arbiters of human affairs?
(Universal House of Justice, The
Promise of World Peace, 1985, I, p. 7)
That materialistic ideals have, in the light of experience, failed to
satisfy the needs of mankind calls for an honest acknowledgement that a
fresh effort must now be made to find the solutions to the agonizing
problems of the planet.
(Universal House of Justice, The
Promise of World Peace, 1985, I, p. 8)
If long-cherished ideals and time-honoured institutions, if certain
social assumptions and religious formulae have ceased to promote the
welfare of the generality of mankind, if they no longer minister to the
needs of a continually evolving humanity, let them be swept away and
relegated to the limbo of obsolescent and forgotten doctrines. Why should
these, in a world subject to the immutable law of change and decay, be
exempt from the deterioration that must needs overtake every human
institution? For legal standards, political and economic theories are
solely designed to safeguard the interests of humanity as a whole, and not
humanity to be crucified for the preservation of the integrity of any
particular law or doctrine.
(Shoghi Effendi, World
Order of Bahá'u'lláh, p.42; quoted in Universal House of
Justice, The Promise of World Peace, 1985, I, p. 8)
Early in the twentieth century, a materialistic interpretation of reality
had consolidated itself so completely as to become the dominant world
faith insofar as the direction of society was concerned.... For many in
the West, the Divine authority that had functioned as the focal centre of
guidance - however diverse the interpretations of its nature - seemed
simply to have dissolved and vanished.... ...society as a whole proceeded
with growing confidence to sever dependence on a conception of the
universe that was judged to be at best a fiction and at worst an opiate,
in either case inhibiting progress. Humanity... had solved through
rational experimentation and discourse... all of the fundamental issues
related to human governance and development.
(Universal House of Justice, One
Common Faith, p. 3-4)
Having penetrated and captured all significant centres of power and
information at the global level, dogmatic materialism ensured that no
competing voices would retain the ability to challenge projects of world
wide economic exploitation.
(Universal House of
Justice, One Common Faith,
2005, p. 5)
As is well known, the dominant model of development depends on a society of vigorous consumers of material goods. In such a model, endlessly rising levels of consumption are cast as indicators of progress and prosperity. This preoccupation with the production and accumulation of material objects and comforts (as sources of meaning, happiness and social acceptance) has consolidated itself in the structures of power and information to the exclusion of competing voices and paradigms. The unfettered cultivation of needs and wants has led to a system fully dependent on excessive consumption for a privileged few, while reinforcing exclusion, poverty and inequality, for the majority. Each successive global crisis—be it climate, energy, food, water, disease, financial collapse—has revealed new dimensions of the exploitation and oppression inherent in the current patterns of consumption and production....
The narrowly materialistic worldview underpinning much of modern economic
thinking has contributed to the degradation of human conduct, the
disruption of families and communities, the corruption of public
institutions, and the exploitation and marginalization of large segments
of the population—women and girls in particular. Unarguably, economic
activity and the strengthening of the economy (a process that may include,
but is not synonymous with, economic growth) have a central role to play
in achieving the prosperity of a region and its people. Yet the shift
towards a more just, peaceful and sustainable society will require
attention to a harmonious dynamic between the material and non-material
(or moral) dimensions of consumption and production. The latter, in
particular, will be essential for laying the foundation for just and
peaceful human relations; these include the generation of knowledge, the
cultivation of trust and trustworthiness, eradication of racism and
violence, promotion of art, beauty, science, and the capacity for
collaboration and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Rethinking Prosperity: Forging
Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism, 2010)
The fate of what the world has learned to call social and economic
development has left no doubt that not even the most idealistic motives
can correct materialism's fundamental flaws. Born in the wake of the chaos
of the Second World War, "development" became by far the largest and most
ambitious collective undertaking on which the human race has ever
embarked. Its humanitarian motivation matched its enormous material and
technological investment. Fifty years later, while acknowledging the
impressive benefits development has brought, the enterprise must be
adjudged, by its own standards, a disheartening failure. Far from
narrowing the gap between the well-being of the small segment of the human
family who enjoy the benefits of modernity and the condition of the vast
populations mired in hopeless want, the collective effort that began with
such high hopes has seen the gap widen into an abyss.
(Universal House of Justice, One
Common Faith, 2005, p.9)
[The first World War] signalized the opening of the Age of Frustration
destined to precede the establishment of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh.
(Shoghi Effendi, The World
Order of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 171)
In an increasingly interconnected world, more light is being cast on the social conditions of every people, giving greater visibility to their circumstances. While there are developments that give hope, there is much that should weigh heavy on the conscience of the human race. Inequity, discrimination, and exploitation blight the life of humanity, seemingly immune to the treatments applied by political schemes of every hue. The economic impact of these afflictions has resulted in the prolonged suffering of so many, as well as in deep-seated, structural defects in society. No one… can remain unmoved by these consequences. "The world is in great turmoil," Baha'u'llah observes…, "and the minds of its people are in a state of utter confusion. We entreat the Almighty that He may graciously illuminate them with the glory of His Justice, and enable them to discover that which will be profitable unto them at all times and under all conditions."
The welfare of any segment of humanity is inextricably bound up with the
welfare of the whole. Humanity's collective life suffers when any one
group thinks of its own well-being in isolation from that of its
neighbours' or pursues economic gain without regard for how the natural
environment, which provides sustenance for all, is affected. A stubborn
obstruction, then, stands in the way of meaningful social progress: time
and again, avarice and self-interest prevail at the expense of the common
good. Unconscionable quantities of wealth are being amassed, and the
instability this creates is made worse by how income and opportunity are
spread so unevenly both between nations and within nations. But it need
not be so. However much such conditions are the outcome of history, they
do not have to define the future, and even if current approaches to
economic life satisfied humanity's stage of adolescence, they are
certainly inadequate for its dawning age of maturity. There is no
justification for continuing to perpetuate structures, rules, and systems
that manifestly fail to serve the interests of all peoples…. There is an
inherent moral dimension to the generation, distribution, and utilization
of wealth and resources. The stresses emerging out of the long-term
process of transition from a divided world to a united one are being felt
within international relations as much as in the deepening fractures that
affect societies large and small. With prevailing modes of thought found
to be badly wanting, the world is in desperate need of a shared ethic, a
sure framework for addressing the crises that gather like storm clouds.
The vision of Baha'u'llah challenges many of the assumptions that are
allowed to shape contemporary discourse—for instance, that self-interest,
far from needing to be restrained, drives prosperity, and that progress
depends upon its expression through relentless competition. To view the
worth of an individual chiefly in terms of how much one can accumulate and
how many goods one can consume relative to others is wholly alien to
Baha'i thought. But neither are the teachings in sympathy with sweeping
dismissals of wealth as inherently distasteful or immoral, and asceticism
is prohibited. Wealth must serve humanity. Its use must accord with
spiritual principles; systems must be created in their light. And, in
Baha'u'llah's memorable words, "No light can compare with the light of
justice. The establishment of order in the world and the tranquillity of
the nations depend upon it."
(Universal House of Justice,
To the Baha’is of the World, 1 March 2017)
(Universal House of Justice, To the Baha’is of the World, 1 March 2017)
PRINCIPLES FOR A NEW ECONOMIC ORDER
In cycles gone by, though harmony was established, yet, owing to the
absence of means, the unity of all mankind could not have been achieved.
Continents remained widely divided, nay even among the peoples of one and
the same continent association and interchange of thought were wellnigh
impossible. Consequently intercourse, understanding and unity amongst all
the peoples and kindreds of the earth were unattainable. In this day,
however, means of communication have multiplied, and the five continents
of the earth have virtually merged into one. And for everyone it is now
easy to travel to any land, to associate and exchange views with its
peoples, and to become familiar, through publications, with the
conditions, the religious beliefs and the thoughts of all men. In like
manner all the members of the human family, whether peoples or
governments, cities or villages, have become increasingly interdependent.
For none is self-sufficiency any longer possible, inasmuch as political
ties unite all peoples and nations, and the bonds of trade and industry,
of agriculture and education, are being strengthened every day. Hence the
unity of all mankind can in this day be achieved.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 15, pp. 31-32)
And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is that although material
civilization is one of the means for the progress of the world of mankind,
yet until it becomes combined with Divine civilization, the desired
result, which is the felicity of mankind, will not be attained. Consider!
...all these weapons of war are the malignant fruits of material
civilization. Had material civilization been combined with Divine
civilization, these fiery weapons would never have been invented. Nay,
rather, human energy would have been wholly devoted to useful inventions
and would have been concentrated on praiseworthy discoveries. Material
civilization is like a lamp-glass. Divine civilization is the lamp itself
and the glass without the light is dark. Material civilization is like the
body. No matter how infinitely graceful, elegant and beautiful it may be,
it is dead. Divine civilization is like the spirit, and the body gets its
life from the spirit, otherwise it becomes a corpse. It has thus been made
evident that the world of mankind is in need of the breaths of the Holy
Spirit. Without the spirit the world of mankind is lifeless, and without
this light the world of mankind is in utter darkness. For the world of
nature is an animal world. Until man is born again from the world of
nature, that is to say, becomes detached from the world of nature, he is
essentially an animal, and it is the teachings of God which convert this
animal into a human soul.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 227, pp. 303-304)
Central to the task of reconceptualizing the organization of human affairs is arriving at a proper understanding of the role of economics. The failure to place economics into the broader context of humanity's social and spiritual existence has led to a corrosive materialism in the world's more economically advantaged regions, and persistent conditions of deprivation among the masses of the world's peoples. Economics should serve people's needs; societies should not be expected to reformulate themselves to fit economic models. The ultimate function of economic systems should be to equip the peoples and institutions of the world with the means to achieve the real purpose of development: that is, the cultivation of the limitless potentialities latent in human consciousness.
Society must develop new economic models shaped by insights that arise
from a sympathetic understanding of shared experience, from viewing human
beings in relation one to another, and from a recognition of the central
role that family and community play in social and spiritual well-being.
Within institutions and organizations, priorities must be reassessed.
Resources must be directed away from those agencies and programs that are
damaging to the individual, societies and the environment, and directed
toward those most germane to furthering a dynamic, just and thriving
social order. Such economic systems will be strongly altruistic and
cooperative in nature; they will provide meaningful employment and will
help to eradicate poverty in the world.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Valuing Spirituality in
Development: Initial Considerations Regarding the Creation of
Spiritually Based Indicators for Development. A concept
paper written for the World Faiths and Development Dialogue, Lambeth
Palace, London, 18-19 February 1998)
In every sphere of endeavour, the relationships that sustain society need
to be recast; in each, the world seeks examples of how human beings should
be to one another. The economic life of humanity has recently embroiled so
many people. Injustice is tolerated with indifference and disproportionate
gain is regarded as the emblem of success. So deeply entrenched are such
pernicious attitudes that it is hard to imagine how any one individual can
alone alter the prevailing standards by which the relationships in this
domain are governed. Nevertheless, there are certainly practices anyone
could eschew, such as dishonesty in one's transactions or the economic
exploitation of others. There should be no contradiction between one's
economic conduct and one's beliefs. By applying in one's life principles
of fairness and equity, each person can uphold a standard far above the
low threshold by which the world measures itself. Humanity is weary for
want of a pattern of life to which to aspire; we should aim for actions in
our communities which will give hope to the world.
(Universal House of Justice,
Message to the Baha'i World, Ridvan 2012)
Today, much of economic activity and its institutional context is at odds with environmental sustainability, the advancement of women, the well-being of the family, the engagement of young people, the availability of employment, and the expansion of knowledge.... The economic theories of impersonal markets, promoting self-centred actions of individuals, have not helped humanity escape the extremes of poverty on the one hand and over-consumption on the other. New economic theories for our time must be animated by a motive beyond just profit. They must be rooted in the very human and relational dimension of all economic activity, which binds us as families, as communities and as citizens of one world. They must be animated by a spirit of innovation rather than blind imitation, ennoblement rather than exploitation, and the full and confident participation of women.
...it is the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few that is in urgent need of attention. Indeed, the tremendous wealth generated by transnational corporations could be an integral part of the solution to tackle poverty, through strict regulation to ensure good global citizenship, adherence to human rights norms and the distribution of wealth for the benefit of the larger society. Where a nation’s wealth is concerned, the question becomes one of social value rather than gross dollar measures. The Gross Domestic Product, for example, aggregates the sum total of all economic activity – including the production of guns, cigarettes, etc. – regardless of its social worth or environmental impact. New measures that account for pollutants and economic ills and add unmeasured, unremunerated benefits are needed for a more accurate picture of a nation’s economic health and wealth.
(Bahá'í International Community, Eradicating Poverty: Moving Forward As One, 2008)
To alleviate a variety of problems born of the economic inequalities so prevalent in the world today, social and economic development will require, especially among the younger generations, a fundamental shift in perspective, one that changes the way in which certain essential concepts are viewed--the true purpose of life, the nature of progress, the meaning of true happiness and well-being, and the place that material pursuits should assume in one's individual and family life.
Social justice will be attained only when every member of society enjoys
a relative degree of material prosperity and gives due regard to the
acquisition of spiritual qualities. The solution, then, to prevailing
economic difficulties is to be sought as much in the application of
spiritual principles as in the implementation of scientific methods and
approaches.
(Universal House of Justice,
To Baha'is in the Cradle of the Faith, 2 April 2010)
Consideration of… the reorganization of human society… inevitably gives rise to questions of economics…. The aim is to learn about how to participate in the material affairs of society in a way that is consistent with the divine precepts and how, in practical terms, collective prosperity can be advanced through justice and generosity, collaboration and mutual assistance.
Every choice [an individual] makes—as employee or employer, producer or consumer, borrower or lender, benefactor or beneficiary—leaves a trace, and the moral duty to lead a coherent life demands that one's economic decisions be in accordance with lofty ideals, that the purity of one's aims be matched by the purity of one's actions to fulfil those aims…. Not content with whatever values prevail in the existing order that surrounds them, the friends everywhere should consider the application of the teachings to their lives and, using the opportunities their circumstances offer them, make their own individual and collective contributions to economic justice and social progress wherever they reside. Such efforts will add to a growing storehouse of knowledge in this regard.
A foundational concept to explore in this context is the spiritual reality of man.… [T]he nobility inherent to every human being… is a fundamental tenet… upon which hope for the future of humankind is built. Economic life is an arena for the expression of honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, generosity, and other qualities of the spirit. The individual is not merely a self-interested economic unit. striving to claim an ever-greater share of the world's material resources. "Man's merit lieth in service and virtue", Baha'u'llah avers, "and not in the pageantry of wealth and riches." And further: "Dissipate not the wealth of your precious lives in the pursuit of evil and corrupt affection, nor let your endeavours be spent in promoting your personal interest." By consecrating oneself to the service of others, one finds meaning and purpose in life and contributes to the upliftment of society itself….
“And the honour and distinction of the individual consist in this, that he among all the world's multitudes should become a source of social good. Is any larger bounty conceivable than this, that an individual, looking within himself, should find that… he has become the cause of peace and well-being, of happiness and advantage to his fellow men? No, …there is no greater bliss, no more complete delight.” ('Abdu'l-Baha)
Viewed in this light, many seemingly ordinary economic activities gain
new significance because of their potential to add to human welfare and
prosperity. "Every person must have an occupation, a trade or a craft, so
that he may carry other people's burdens, and not himself be a burden to
others." ('Abdu'l-Baha) The poor are urged by Baha'u'llah to "exert
themselves and strive to earn the means of livelihood", while they who are
possessed of riches "must have the utmost regard for the poor". "Wealth",
'Abdu'l-Baha has affirmed, "is praiseworthy in the highest degree, if it
is acquired by an individual's own efforts and the grace of God, in
commerce, agriculture, art and industry, and if it be expended for
philanthropic purposes." At the same time, the Hidden Words [of
Baha’u’llah] is replete with warnings of its perilous allure, that wealth
is a "mighty barrier" between the believer and the proper Object of his
adoration. No wonder, then, that Baha'u'llah extols the station of the
wealthy one who is not hindered by riches from attaining the eternal
kingdom; the splendour of such a soul "shall illuminate the dwellers of
heaven even as the sun enlightens the people of the earth!" Abdu'l-Baha
declares that " if a judicious and resourceful individual should initiate
measures which would universally enrich the masses of the people, there
could be no undertaking greater than this, and it would rank in the sight
of God as the supreme achievement". For wealth is most commendable
"provided the entire population is wealthy." At all times, contentment and
moderation, benevolence and fellow feeling, sacrifice and reliance on the
Almighty are qualities that befit the God-fearing soul.
(Universal House of Justice,
To the Baha’is of the World, 1 March 2017)
JUSTICE
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice.... By its aid thou
shalt see with thy own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt
know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor.
(Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden
Words (Arabic))
And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh are justice and right. Until these
are realized on the plane of existence, all things shall be in disorder
and remain imperfect. The world of mankind is a world of oppression and
cruelty, and a realm of aggression and error.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 227, p. 304)
Justice is the one power that can translate the dawning consciousness of
humanity's oneness into a collective will through which the necessary
structures of global community life can be confidently erected. An age
that sees the people of the world increasingly gaining access to
information of every kind and to a diversity of ideas will find justice
asserting itself as the ruling principle of successful social
organisation. With ever greater frequency, proposals aiming at the
development of the planet will have to submit to the candid light of the
standards it requires.
(Bahá'í International
Community, The Prosperity of Humankind,
Office of Public Information, Haifa, 1995)
Concern for justice protects the task of defining progress from the
temptation to sacrifice the well-being of the generality of humankind --
and even of the planet itself -- to the advantages which technological
breakthroughs can make available to privileged minorities.... Above all,
only development programmes that are perceived as meeting their needs and
as being just and equitable in objective can hope to engage the commitment
of the masses of humanity, upon whom implementation depends. The relevant
human qualities such as honesty, a willingness to work, and a spirit of
co-operation are successfully harnessed to the accomplishment of
enormously demanding collective goals when every member of society --
indeed every component group within society -- can trust that they are
protected by standards and assured of benefits that apply equally to all.
(Bahá'í International
Community, The Prosperity of Humankind,
Office of Public Information, Haifa, 1995)
Many would readily acknowledge that the acquisition of wealth should be
governed by the requirements of justice, which, as a principle, can be
expressed to varying degrees, on different levels. An employer and
employee, for example, are bound by the laws and conventions that regulate
their work, and each is expected to carry out his or her responsibilities
with honesty and integrity. At another level, however, if the deeper
implications of justice are to be realized, other preconditions to the
legitimate acquisition of wealth must be taken into account, and
prevailing norms reassessed in their light. Here, the relationship between
minimum wage and the cost of living merits careful evaluation--this,
especially in light of the contribution workers make to a company's
success and their entitlement to a fair share of the profits. The wide
margin, often unjustifiable, between the production costs of certain goods
and the price at which they are sold likewise requires attention, as does
the question of the generation of wealth through measures that enrich the
generality of the people. What such reflection and inquiry will no doubt
make abundantly clear is that certain approaches to obtaining wealth--so
many of which involve the exploitation of others, the monopolization and
manipulation of markets, and the production of goods that promote violence
and immorality--are unworthy and unacceptable.
(Universal House of Justice,
To Baha'is in the Cradle of the Faith, 2 April 2010)
POVERTY
Issues of food, nutrition, health and shelter are central to the challenge of providing an adequate standard of living for all members of the human family. These issues cannot, however, be tackled solely as technical or economic problems. Eliminating hunger and malnutrition; establishing food security; providing adequate shelter; and achieving health for all will require a shift in values, a commitment to equity, and a corresponding reorientation of policies, goals and programs.
The technologies and resources exist to meet the basic needs of humanity
and to eliminate poverty. Equity in the use of these technologies and
resources, however, will come about only with certain understandings and
commitments. While individuals must do their utmost to provide for
themselves and their dependents, the community must accept responsibility,
when necessary, to help meet basic needs. Access to development programs
and their benefits must be ensured for all. The economics of food
production and distribution will have to be reoriented and the critical
role of the farmer in food and economic security properly valued. With
regard to health – the physical, spiritual, mental and social well-being
of the individual – access to clean water, shelter, and some form of cheap
energy would go a long way toward eradicating the problems that currently
plague vast numbers of individuals and communities.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Valuing Spirituality in
Development: Initial Considerations Regarding the Creation of
Spiritually Based Indicators for Development. A concept
paper written for the World Faiths and Development Dialogue, Lambeth
Palace, London, 18-19 February 1998)
It is now increasingly acknowledged that such conditions as the
marginalization of girls and women, poor governance, ethnic and religious
antipathy, environmental degradation and unemployment constitute
formidable obstacles to the progress and development of communities. These
evidence a deeper crisis—one rooted in the values and attitudes that shape
relationships at all levels of society. Viewed from this perspective,
poverty can be described as the absence of those ethical, social and
material resources needed to develop the moral, intellectual and social
capacities of individuals, communities and institutions. Moral reasoning,
group decision-making and freedom from racism, for example, are all
essential tools for poverty alleviation. Such capacities must shape
individual thinking as well as institutional arrangements and
policy-making. To be clear, the goal at hand is not only to remove the
ills of poverty but to engage the masses of humanity in the construction
of a just global order.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Eradicating Poverty: Moving
Forward As One, 2008)
And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is man's freedom, that through the
ideal Power he should be free and emancipated from the captivity of the
world of nature; for as long as man is captive to nature he is a ferocious
animal, as the struggle for existence is one of the exigencies of the
world of nature. This matter of the struggle for existence is the
fountain-head of all calamities and is the supreme affliction.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 227, p. 302)
POVERTY AND WEALTH
Know ye in truth that wealth is a mighty barrier between the seeker and
his desire, the lover and his beloved. The rich, but for a few, shall in
no wise attain the court of His presence nor enter the city of content and
resignation....
(Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden
Words (Persian) 53)
Be not troubled in poverty or confident in riches, for poverty is
followed by riches, and riches are followed by poverty. Yet to be poor in
all save God is a wondrous gift, belittle not the value thereof, for in
the end it will make thee rich in God...
(Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden
Words (Persian) 51)
O SON OF PASSION!
Cleanse thyself from the defilement of riches and in perfect peace advance
into the realm of poverty; that from the well-spring of detachment thou
mayest quaff the wine of immortal life.
(Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden
Words (Persian) 55)
[The true seeker] should succour the dispossessed, and never withhold is
favour from the destitute.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Iqán,
p. 193-194)
O CHILDREN OF DUST!
Tell the rich of the midnight sighing of the poor, lest heedlessness lead
them into the path of destruction, and deprive them of the Tree of Wealth.
To give and to be generous are attributes of Mine; well is it with him
that adorneth himself with My virtues.
(Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden
Words (Persian) 49)
Service to the friends is service to the Kingdom of God, and
consideration shown to the poor is one of the greatest teachings of God.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 11, p. 27)
Man's merit lieth in service and virtue and not in the pageantry of wealth and riches. Take heed that your words be purged from idle fancies and worldly desires and your deeds be cleansed from craftiness and suspicion.
Dissipate not the wealth of your precious lives in the pursuit of evil
and corrupt affection, nor let your endeavours be spent in promoting your
personal interest. Be generous in your days of plenty, and be patient in
the hour of loss.... Guard against idleness and sloth, and cling unto that
which profiteth mankind, whether young or old, whether high or low.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets
of Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. 1978, p.
138)
Wealth is praiseworthy in the highest degree, if it is acquired by an
individual's own efforts and the grace of God, in commerce, agriculture,
art and industry, and if it be expended for philanthropic purposes. Above
all, if a judicious and resourceful individual should initiate measures
which would universally enrich the masses of the people, there could be no
undertaking greater than this, and it would rank in the sight of God as
the supreme achievement, for such a benefactor would supply the needs and
insure the comfort and well-being of a great multitude. Wealth is most
commendable, provided the entire population is wealthy. If, however, a few
have inordinate riches while the rest are impoverished, and no fruit or
benefit accrues from that wealth, then it is only a liability to its
possessor. If, on the other hand, it is expended for the promotion of
knowledge, the founding of elementary and other schools, the encouragement
of art and industry, the training of orphans and the poor - in brief, if
it is dedicated to the welfare of society - its possessor will stand out
before God and man as the most excellent of all who live on earth and will
be accounted as one of the people of paradise.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, The Secret
of Divine Civilization, p. 24-25)
No deed of man is greater before God than helping the poor.... Each one
of you must have great consideration for the poor and render them
assistance. Organize in an effort to help them and prevent increase in
poverty. The greatest means for prevention is that whereby the laws of the
community will be so framed and enacted that it will not be possible for a
few to be millionaires and many destitute. One of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings
is the adjustment of means of livelihood in human society. Under this
adjustment there can be no extremes in human conditions as regards wealth
and sustenance. For the community needs financier, farmer, merchant and
laborer just as an army must be composed of commander, officers and
privates. All cannot be commanders; all cannot be officers or privates.
Each in his station in the social fabric must be competent; each in his
function according to ability; but justness of opportunity for all.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Foundations
of World Unity, p. 36)
We need to start with an appropriate view of material wealth and its utilization. In the material world, to every end has been assigned a means for its accomplishment. Thus vigilance must be exercised in distinguishing "means" from "ends"; otherwise, what is intended as a mere instrument could easily become the very goal of an individual's life. The acquisition of wealth is a case in point; it is acceptable and praiseworthy to the extent that it serves as a means for achieving higher ends--for meeting one's basic necessities, for fostering the progress of one's family, for promoting the welfare of society, and for contributing to the establishment of a world civilization. But to make the accumulation of wealth the central purpose of one's life is unworthy of any human being.
An idea closely related to the above is that the end does not serve to justify the means. However constructive and noble the goal, however significant to one's life or to the welfare of one's family, it must not be attained through improper means. Regrettably, a number of today's leaders--political, social, and religious--as well as some of the directors of financial markets, executives of multinational corporations, chiefs of commerce and industry, and ordinary people who succumb to social pressure and ignore the call of their conscience, act against this principle; they justify any means in order to achieve their goals.
The legitimacy of wealth depends on how it is acquired and on how it is expended. Wealth is praiseworthy in the highest degree, if it is acquired by an individual's own efforts in commerce, agriculture, crafts and industry, if the measures adopted by the individual in generating wealth serve to enrich the generality of the people, and if the wealth thus obtained is expended for philanthropic purposes and the promotion of knowledge, for the establishment of schools and industry and the advancement of education, and in general for the welfare of society.
A host of negative forces, generated by the materialism and corruption so
widespread in the world, present a challenge in upholding standards of
conduct with respect to financial affairs. The members of the younger
generation would do well to ponder the difference between gaining wealth
through earnest effort in fields such as agriculture, commerce, the arts,
and industry, on the one hand, and, on the other, obtaining it without
exertion or through dishonourable means. Let them consider the
consequences of each for the spiritual development of the individual, as
well as the progress of society, and ask themselves what possibilities
exist for generating income and acquiring wealth that will ensure true
happiness through the development of spiritual qualities, such as honesty,
trustworthiness, generosity, justice, and consideration for others, and
the recognition that material means are to be expended for the betterment
of the world.
(Universal House of Justice,
To Baha'is in the Cradle of the Faith, 2 April 2010)
The extremes of wealth and poverty in the world are becoming ever more
untenable. As inequity persists, so the established order is seen to be
unsure of itself, and its values are being questioned. Whatever the
tribulations that a conflicted world must confront in the future, [every
community must take up] its responsibility to find ways of addressing the
root causes of the poverty in its surroundings, …[achieving] the higher
purpose of economic activity.
(Universal House of Justice,
To the Baha’is of the World, 1 March 2017)
...it is the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few that is in
urgent need of attention. Indeed, the tremendous wealth generated by
transnational corporations could be an integral part of the solution to
tackle poverty, through strict regulation to ensure good global
citizenship, adherence to human rights norms and the distribution of
wealth for the benefit of the larger society.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Eradicating Poverty: Moving
Forward As One, 2008)
CONTENTMENT
[The true seeker] should be content with little, and be freed from all
inordinate desire.... He should succour the dispossessed, and never
withhold his favour from the destitute.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Iqán,
p. 193-194)
Take from this world only to the measure of your needs, and forego that
which exceedeth them. Observe equity in all your judgements, and
transgress not the bounds of justice, nor be of them that stray from its
path.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Súriy-i-Mulúk
§19, in The Summons of the Lord of
Hosts, p. 193. Haifa, Bahá'í World Centre, 2002)
How complex is the life of the present age and how much more complex we
are making it daily! The needs of humanity seem never to come to an end.
The more men accumulate the more they want. There is only one way of
freedom and that is by shutting one's eyes and heart to all these things
which distract the mind.
(Words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, from
the Diary of Ahmad Sohrab, September 21, 1913. Star
of the West, Vol. 8 (April 9, 1917) no. 2, p. 17. Quoted in The
Wisdom of the Master: The Spiritual Teachings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
Los Angeles, Kalimát Press, 2002)
DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH
Overstep not the bounds of moderation, and deal justly with them that serve thee. Bestow upon them according to their needs, and not to the extent that will enable them to lay up riches for themselves, to deck their persons, to embellish their homes, to acquire the things that are of no benefit to them, and to be numbered with the extravagant. Deal with them with undeviating justice, so that none among them may either suffer want, or be pampered with luxuries. This is but manifest justice.
Allow not the abject to rule over and dominate them who are noble and worthy of honor, and suffer not the high-minded to be at the mercy of the contemptible and worthless, for this is what We observed upon Our arrival in the City (Constantinople), and to it We bear witness. We found among its inhabitants some who were possessed of an affluent fortune and lived in the midst of excessive riches, while others were in dire want and abject poverty. This ill beseemeth thy sovereignty, and is unworthy of thy rank.
Let My counsel be acceptable to thee, and strive thou to rule with equity
among men, that God may exalt thy name and spread abroad the fame of thy
justice in all the world. Beware lest thou aggrandize thy ministers at the
expense of thy subjects. Fear the sighs of the poor and of the upright in
heart who, at every break of day, bewail their plight, and be unto them a
benignant sovereign. They, verily, are thy treasures on earth. It behoveth
thee, therefore, to safeguard thy treasures from the assaults of them who
wish to rob thee. Inquire into their affairs, and ascertain, every year,
nay every month, their condition, and be not of them that are careless of
their duty.
(Bahá'u'lláh [to the Sultan of
Turkey], Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CXIV, pp.
235-236)
And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is voluntary sharing of one's
property with others among mankind. This voluntary sharing is greater than
equality, and consists in this, that man should not prefer himself to
others, but rather should sacrifice his life and property for others. But
this should not be introduced by coercion so that it becomes a law and man
is compelled to follow it. Nay, rather, man should voluntarily and of his
own choice sacrifice his property and life for others, and spend willingly
for the poor, just as is done in Persia among the Bahá'ís.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 227, p. 302)
... the Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh advocate voluntary sharing, and this is a greater thing than the equalization of wealth. For equalization must be imposed from without, while sharing is a matter of free choice.
Man reacheth perfection through good deeds, voluntarily performed, not
through good deeds the doing of which was forced upon him. And sharing is
a personally chosen righteous act: that is, the rich should extend
assistance to the poor, they should expend their substance for the poor,
but of their own free will, and not because the poor have gained this end
by force. For the harvest of force is turmoil and the ruin of the social
order. On the other hand voluntary sharing, the freely-chosen expending of
one's substance, leadeth to society's comfort and peace. It lighteth up
the world; it bestoweth honour upon humankind.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 79, p. 115)
The fundamental basis of the community is agriculture, tillage of the
soil. All must be producers. Each person in the community whose income is
equal to his individual producing capacity shall be exempt from taxation.
But if his income is greater than his needs he must pay a tax until an
adjustment is effected. That is to say, a man's capacity for production
and his needs will be equalized and reconciled through taxation. If his
production exceeds he will pay a tax; if his necessities exceed his
production he shall receive an amount sufficient to equalize or adjust.
Therefore taxation will be proportionate to capacity and production and
there will be no poor in the community.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Foundations
of World Unity, p. 37)
First and foremost is the principle that to all the members of the body politic shall be given the greatest achievements of the world of humanity. Each one shall have the utmost welfare and well-being. To solve this problem we must begin with the farmer; there will we lay a foundation for system and order because the peasant class and the agricultural class exceed other classes in the importance of their service. In every village there must be established a general storehouse which will have a number of revenues.
- The first revenue will be that of the tenth or tithes.
- The second revenue (will be derived) from the animals.
- The third revenue, from the minerals, that is to say, every mine
prospected or discovered, a third thereof will go to this vast storehouse.
- The fourth is this: whosoever dies without leaving any heirs all his
heritage will go to the general storehouse.
- Fifth, if any treasures shall be found on the land they should be
devoted to this storehouse.
All these revenues will be assembled in this storehouse.
As to the first, the tenths or tithes: we will consider a farmer, one of the peasants. We will look into his income. We will find out, for instance, what is his annual revenue and also what are his expenditures. Now, if his income be equal to his expenditures, from such a farmer nothing whatever will be taken. That is, he will not be subjected to taxation of any sort, needing as he does all his income. Another farmer may have expenses running up to one thousand dollars we will say, and his income is two thousand dollars. From such an one a tenth will be required, because he has a surplus. But if his income be ten thousand dollars and his expenses one thousand dollars or his income twenty thousand dollars, he will have to pay as taxes, one-fourth. If his income be one hundred thousand dollars and his expenses five thousand, one third will he have to pay because he still has a surplus since his expenses are five thousand and his income one hundred thousand. If he pays, say, thirty-five thousand dollars, in addition to the expenditure of five thousand he still has sixty thousand left. But if his expenses be ten thousand and his income two hundred thousand then he must give an even half because ninety thousand will be in that case the sum remaining. Such a scale as this will determine allotment of taxes. All the income from such revenues will go to this general storehouse.
Then there must be considered such emergencies as follows: a certain farmer whose expenses run up to ten thousand dollars and whose income is only five thousand, he will receive necessary expenses from the storehouse. Five thousand dollars will be allotted to him so he will not be in need.
Then the orphans will be looked after, all of whose expenses will be taken care of. The cripples in the village - all their expenses will be looked after. The poor in the village - their necessary expenses will be defrayed. And other members who for valid reasons are incapacitated - the blind, the old, the deaf - their comfort must be looked after. In the village no one will remain in need or in want. All will live in the utmost comfort and welfare. Yet no schism will assail the general order of the body politic.
Hence the expenses or expenditures of the general storehouse are now made clear and its activities made manifest. The income of this general storehouse has been shown. Certain trustees will be elected by the people in a given village to look after these transactions. The farmers will be taken care of and if after all these expenses are defrayed any surplus is found in the storehouse it must be transferred to the national treasury.
This system is all thus ordered so that in the village the very poor will be comfortable, the orphans will live happily and well; in a word, no one will be left destitute. All the individual members of the body politic will thus live comfortably and well.
For larger cities, naturally, there will be a system on a larger scale.
Were I to go into that solution the details thereof would be very lengthy.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Foundations
of World Unity, p. 39-41)
CAPITAL AND LABOUR
The question of socialization is very important. It will not be solved by strikes for wages. All the governments of the world must be united and organize an assembly the members of which should be elected from the parliaments and the nobles of the nations. These must plan with utmost wisdom and power so that neither the capitalists suffer from enormous losses nor the laborers become needy. In the utmost moderation they should make the law; then announce to the public that the rights of the working people are to be strongly preserved. Also the rights of the capitalists are to be protected. When such a general plan is adopted by the will of both sides, should a strike occur, all the governments of the world collectively should resist it. Otherwise the labor problem will lead to much destruction, especially in Europe. Terrible things will take place.
For instance, the owners of properties, mines and factories should share their incomes with their employees and give a fairly certain percentage of their products to their workingmen in order that the employees may receive, beside their wages, some of the general income of the factory so that the employee may strive with his soul in the work.
No more trusts will remain in the future. The question of the trusts will
be wiped away entirely. Also, every factory that has ten thousand shares
will give two thousand shares of these ten thousand to its employees and
will write the shares in their names, so that they may have them, and the
rest will belong to the capitalists. Then at the end of the month or year
whatever they may earn after the expenses and wages are paid, according to
the number of shares, should be divided among both. In reality, so far
great injustice has befallen the common people. Laws must be made because
it is impossible for the laborers to be satisfied with the present system.
They will strike every month and every year. Finally, the capitalists will
lose.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Foundations
of World Unity, p. 43-44)
EMPLOYMENT
O MY SERVANT!
Ye are the trees of My garden; ye must give forth goodly and wondrous
fruits, that ye yourselves and others may profit therefrom. Thus it is
incumbent on everyone to engage in crafts and professions, for therein
lies the secret of wealth, O men of understanding! For results depend upon
means, and the grace of God shall be all-sufficient unto you. Trees that
yield no fruit have been and ever will be for the fire.
(Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden
Words (Persian) 80)
O MY SERVANT!
The best of men are they that earn a livelihood by their calling and spend
upon themselves and upon their kindred for the love of God, the Lord of
all worlds.
(Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden
Words (Persian) 82)
O people of Baha! It is incumbent upon each one of you to engage in some
occupation - such as a craft, a trade or the like. We have exalted your
engagement in such work to the rank of worship of the one true God....
Waste not your hours in idleness and sloth, but occupy yourselves with
what will profit you and others.... The most despised of men in the sight
of God are they who sit and beg. Hold ye fast unto the cord of means and
place your trust in God, the Provider of all means.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas,
para. 33, p. 30)
It is obligatory for men and women to engage in a trade or profession. Bahá'u'lláh exalts "engagement in such work" to the "rank of worship" of God. The spiritual and practical significance of this law, and the mutual responsibility of the individual and society for its implementation are explained in a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi:
With reference to Bahá'u'lláh's command concerning the engagement of the believers in some sort of profession: the Teachings are most emphatic on this matter, particularly the statement in the Aqdas to this effect which makes it quite clear that idle people who lack the desire to work can have no place in the new World Order. As a corollary of this principle, Bahá'u'lláh further states that mendacity should not only be discouraged but entirely wiped out from the face of society. It is the duty of those who are in charge of the organization of society to give every individual the opportunity of acquiring the necessary talent in some kind of profession, and also the means of utilizing such a talent, both for its own sake and for the sake of earning the means of his livelihood. Every individual, no matter how handicapped and limited he may be, is under the obligation of engaging in some work or profession, for work, especially when performed in the spirit of service, is according to Bahá'u'lláh a form of worship. It has not only a utilitarian purpose, but has a value in itself, because it draws us nearer to God, and enables us to better grasp His purpose for us in this world. It is obvious, therefore, that the inheritance of wealth cannot make anyone immune from daily work.
In one of His Tablets, Abdu'l-Bahá states that "if a person is incapable of earning a living, is stricken by dire poverty or becometh helpless, then it is incumbent on the wealthy or the Deputies to provide him with a monthly allowance for his subsistence.... By 'Deputies' is meant the representatives of the people, that is to say the members of the House of Justice."
In response to a question concerning whether Bahá'u'lláh's injunction requires a wife and mother, as well as her husband, to work for a livelihood, the Universal House of Justice has explained that Bahá'u'lláh's directive is for the friends to be engaged in an occupation which will profit themselves and others, and that homemaking is a highly honourable and responsible work of fundamental importance to society.
Concerning the retirement from work for individuals who have reached a
certain age, Shoghi Effendi in a letter written on his behalf stated that
"this is a matter on which the International House of Justice will have to
legislate as there are no provisions in the Aqdas concerning it".
(Kitáb-i-Aqdas, note 56
to para. 33 "to engage in some occupation", p. 192-193)
The provision of meaningful work represents an essential component of
poverty alleviation efforts. The meaningful engagement of young people
becomes even more important as urban populations swell and, with them, the
increase of slums, rising crime rates, use of drugs, unemployment,
breakdown of family structures and social isolation. Today, young people
between the ages of 15-29 account for nearly half of all adults in 100
economically disadvantaged nations. Lack of meaningful employment only
feeds their hopelessness and frustration. Yet it is not only the quantity
but also the quality and meaning of work that needs to be reconsidered.
Whether tilling the soil or selling goods, one’s work should not be
reduced to a means for acquiring more goods or as an expendable cost of
production. One’s work is the means of developing one’s craft, of refining
one’s character, and contributing to the welfare and progress of society.
Indeed, the fight against underemployment must begin with the dignity and
value of all human labor, even if it is humble, insecure, unprofitable or
unremunerated.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Eradicating Poverty: Moving
Forward As One, 2008)
...it is... important to emphasize the relationship between production
and employment as a critical dimension of a strong economy. Too often,
increases in productivity have been accompanied by delocalization or a
transition to automation and thus, rising levels of unemployment. A
single-minded focus on profit-maximization has also valued workforce
reduction wherever possible. Under the present system, unemployment and
underemployment are soaring and the majority of the world’s population
does not earn enough to meet their basic needs. Those living in poverty
have no means by which to express themselves in such a system. Sustainable
production is not simply about ‘greener’ technology but rather, should
involve systems that enable all human beings to contribute to the
productive process. In such a system, all are producers, and all have the
opportunity to earn (or receive, if unable to earn) enough to meet their
needs. More than simply the means of generating wealth and meeting basic
needs, work provides a role in the community and developing one’s talents,
refining one’s character, rendering service and contributing to the
advancement of society.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Rethinking Prosperity: Forging
Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism, 2010)
TRANSFORMATION - A NEW WORLD ORDER
"All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing
civilization."
(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings
from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CIX, p. 215)
It is certain that momentous undertakings cannot be brought to a
successful conclusion in haste; that in such cases haste would only make
waste.... ...the political world...cannot instantaneously evolve from the
nadir of defectiveness to the zenith of rightness and perfection. Rather,
qualified individuals must strive by day and by night, using all those
means which will conduce to progress, until the government and the people
develop along every line from day to day and even from moment to moment.
...when the pure intentions and justice of the ruler, the wisdom and
consummate skill and statecraft of the governing authorities, and the
determination and unstinted efforts of the people, are all combined; then
day by day the effects of the advancement, of the far-reaching reforms, of
the pride and prosperity of government and people alike, will become
clearly manifest.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, The Secret
of Divine Civilization, p. 107-108)
Humanity... is approaching today the crowning stage in a millennia-long
process which has brought it from its collective infancy to the threshold
of maturity—a stage that will witness the unification of the human race.
Not unlike the individual who passes through the unsettled yet promising
period of adolescence, during which latent powers and capacities come to
light, humankind as a whole is in the midst of an unprecedented
transition. Behind so much of the turbulence and commotion of contemporary
life are the fits and starts of a humanity struggling to come of age.
Widely accepted practices and conventions, cherished attitudes and habits,
are one by one being rendered obsolete, as the imperatives of maturity
begin to assert themselves.
(Universal House of Justice,
To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013 para. 3)
[We] see in the revolutionary changes taking place in every sphere of
life the interaction of two fundamental processes. One is destructive in
nature, while the other is integrative; both serve to carry humanity, each
in its own way, along the path leading towards its full maturity. The
operation of the former is everywhere apparent—in the vicissitudes that
have afflicted time-honoured institutions, in the impotence of leaders at
all levels to mend the fractures appearing in the structure of society, in
the dismantling of social norms that have long held in check unseemly
passions, and in the despondency and indifference exhibited not only by
individuals but also by entire societies that have lost any vital sense of
purpose. Though devastating in their effects, the forces of disintegration
tend to sweep away barriers that block humanity’s progress, opening space
for the process of integration to draw diverse groups together and
disclosing new opportunities for cooperation and collaboration.... [The]
forces associated with the process of integration... will continue to gain
in strength, no matter how bleak the immediate horizons. Human affairs
will be utterly reorganized, and an era of universal peace inaugurated.
(Universal House of Justice,
To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013 para. 4)
Against the backdrop of climate change, environmental degradation, and
the crippling extremes of wealth and poverty, the transformation from a
culture of unfettered consumerism to a culture of sustainability has
gained momentum in large part through the efforts of civil society
organizations and governmental agencies worldwide. Beyond informed
policies and ‘greener technologies’ it is a transformation that will
require an earnest examination of our understanding of human nature and of
the cultural frameworks driving institutions of government, business,
education, and media around the world. Questions of what is natural and
just will need to be critically re-examined. The issue of sustainable
consumption and production... will need to be considered in the broader
context of an ailing social order—one characterized by competition,
violence, conflict and insecurity—of which it is a part.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Rethinking Prosperity: Forging
Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism, 2010)
The... transition to sustainable consumption and production [is] part of a global enterprise which enables all individuals to fulfill their dual purpose, namely to develop their inherent potentialities and to contribute to the betterment of the wider community. It is not enough to conceive of sustainable consumption and production in terms of creating opportunities for those living in poverty to meet their basic needs. Rather, with the understanding that each individual has a contribution to make to the construction of a more just and peaceful social order, these processes must be arranged in a way that permits each to play his or her rightful role as productive member of society. Within such a framework, sustainable consumption and production could be characterized as processes that provide for the material, social and spiritual needs of humanity across generations and enable all peoples to contribute to the ongoing advancement of society.
Progress at the technical and policy levels now needs to be accompanied by public dialogue—among rural and urban dwellers; among the materially poor and the affluent; among men, women and young persons alike—on the ethical foundations of the necessary systemic change. A sustainable social order is distinguished, among other things, by an ethic of reciprocity and balance at all levels of human organization. A relevant analogy is the human body: here, millions of cells collaborate to make human life possible. The astounding diversity of form and function connects them in a lifelong process of giving and receiving. It represents the highest expression of unity in diversity. Within such an order, the concept of justice is embodied in the recognition that the interests of the individual and of the wider community are inextricably linked. The pursuit of justice within the frame of unity (in diversity) provides a guide for collective deliberation and decision-making and offers a means by which unified thought and action can be achieved.
Ultimately, the transformation required to shift towards sustainable
consumption and production will entail no less than an organic change in
the structure of society itself so as to reflect fully the interdependence
of the entire social body—as well as the interconnectedness with the
natural world that sustains it. Among these changes, many of which are
already the focus of considerable public discourse, are: the consciousness
of world citizenship; the eventual federation of all nations through an
integrated system of governance with capacity for global decision-making;
the establishment of structures which recognize humanity’s common
ownership of the earth’s resources; the establishment of full equality
between men and women; the elimination of all forms of prejudice; the
establishment of a universal currency and other integrating mechanisms
that promote global economic justice; the adoption of an international
auxiliary language to facilitate mutual understanding; and the redirection
of massive military expenditures towards constructive social ends.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Rethinking Prosperity: Forging
Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism, 2010)
Today the world is assailed by an array of destructive forces. Materialism, rooted in the West, has now spread to every corner of the planet, breeding, in the name of a strong global economy and human welfare, a culture of consumerism. It skilfully and ingeniously promotes a habit of consumption that seeks to satisfy the basest and most selfish desires, while encouraging the expenditure of wealth so as to prolong and exacerbate social conflict. One result is a deepening confusion on the part of young people everywhere, a sense of hopelessness in the ranks of those who would drive progress, and the emergence of a myriad social maladies.
The key to resolving these social ills rests in the hands of a youthful
generation convinced of the nobility of human beings; eagerly seeking a
deeper understanding of the true purpose of existence; able to distinguish
between divine religion and mere superstition; clear in the view of
science and religion as two independent yet complementary systems of
knowledge that propel human progress; conscious of and drawn to the beauty
and power of unity in diversity; secure in the knowledge that real glory
is to be found in service to one's country and to the peoples of the
world; and mindful that the acquisition of wealth is praiseworthy only
insofar as it is attained through just means and expended for benevolent
purposes, for the promotion of knowledge and toward the common good. Thus
must our youth prepare themselves to shoulder the tremendous
responsibilities that await them. And thus will they prove immune to the
atmosphere of greed that surrounds them and press forward unwavering in
the pursuit of their exalted goals.
(Universal House of Justice,
To Baha'is in the Cradle of the Faith, 2 April 2010)
The movement to redefine cultural norms in light of the exigencies of
justice and sustainability is well underway. In different measures,
leading cultural institutions, including governments, education and media,
as well as businesses, religious organizations and civil society are
bringing the values of sustainability to the forefront of public
consciousness. Broader visions of human purpose and prosperity are moving
from the periphery to the center of public discourse. It is becoming clear
that the pathway to sustainability will be one of empowerment,
collaboration and continual processes of questioning, learning and action
in all regions of the world. It will be shaped by the experiences of
women, men, children, the rich, the poor, the governors and the governed
as each one is enabled to play their rightful role in the construction of
a new society. As the sweeping tides of consumerism, unfettered
consumption, extreme poverty and marginalization recede, they will reveal
the human capacities for justice, reciprocity and happiness.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Rethinking Prosperity: Forging
Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism, 2010)
Animating the... new set of relationships among these three protagonists
is a vision of a future society... which compares the world to the human
body. Cooperation is the principle that governs the functioning of that
system. Just as the appearance of the rational soul in this realm of
existence is made possible through the complex association of countless
cells, whose organization in tissues and organs allows for the realization
of distinctive capacities, so can civilization be seen as the outcome of a
set of interactions among closely integrated, diverse components which
have transcended the narrow purpose of tending to their own existence. And
just as the viability of every cell and every organ is contingent upon the
health of the body as a whole, so should the prosperity of every
individual, every family, every people be sought in the well-being of the
entire human race.
(Universal House of Justice,
To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013, para. 12)
If the web of relationships alluded to above is to take shape and give
rise to a pattern of life distinguished by adherence to the principle of
the oneness of humankind, certain foundational concepts must be carefully
examined. Most notable among them is the conception of power. Clearly the
concept of power as a means of domination, with the accompanying notions
of contest, contention, division and superiority, must be left behind.
This is not to deny the operation of power; after all, even in cases where
institutions of society have received their mandates through the consent
of the people, power is involved in the exercise of authority. But
political processes, like other processes of life, should not remain
unaffected by the powers of the human spirit... the power of unity, of
love, of humble service, of pure deeds. Associated with power in this
sense are words such as “release”, “encourage”, “channel”, “guide” and
“enable”. Power is not a finite entity which is to be “seized” and
“jealously guarded”; it constitutes a limitless capacity to transform that
resides in the human race as a body.
(Universal House of Justice,
To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013, para. 13)
The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Bahá'u'lláh, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component nations, and will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples. A world executive, backed by an international Force, will carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by, this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth. A world tribunal will adjudicate and deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the various elements constituting this universal system. A mechanism of world intercommunication will be devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from national hindrances and restrictions, and functioning with marvellous swiftness and perfect regularity. A world metropolis will act as the nerve center of a world civilization, the focus towards which the unifying forces of life will converge and from which its energizing influences will radiate. A world language will either be invented or chosen from among the existing languages and will be taught in the schools of all the federated nations as an auxiliary to their mother tongue. A world script, a world literature, a uniform and universal system of currency, of weights and measures, will simplify and facilitate intercourse and understanding among the nations and races of mankind. In such a world society, science and religion, the two most potent forces in human life, will be reconciled, will cooperate, and will harmoniously develop. The press will, under such a system, while giving full scope to the expression of the diversified views and convictions of mankind, cease to be mischievously manipulated by vested interests, whether private or public, and will be liberated from the influence of contending governments and peoples. The economic resources of the world will be organized, its sources of raw materials will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated.
National rivalries, hatreds, and intrigues will cease, and racial animosity and prejudice will be replaced by racial amity, understanding and cooperation. The causes of religious strife will be permanently removed, economic barriers and restrictions will be completely abolished, and the inordinate distinction between classes will be obliterated. Destitution on the one hand, and gross accumulation of ownership on the other, will disappear. The enormous energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political, will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions and technical development, to increase the productivity of mankind, to the extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of the planet, to the prolongation of human life, and to the furtherance of any other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral, and spiritual life of the entire human race.
A world federal system, ruling the whole earth and exercising
unchallengeable authority over its unimaginably vast resources, blending
and embodying the ideals of both the East and the West, liberated from the
curse of war and its miseries, and bent on the exploitation of all the
available sources of energy on the surface of the planet, a system in
which Force is made the servant of Justice, whose life is sustained by its
universal recognition of one God and by its allegiance to one common
Revelation - such is the goal towards which humanity, impelled by the
unifying forces of life, is moving.
(Shoghi Effendi, The World
Order of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 203-204)
Social sustainability
NATURE AND PURPOSE OF HUMAN LIFE
Bahá'ís believe that the crucial need facing humanity is to find a
unifying vision of the nature and purpose of human life. An understanding
of humanity's relationship to the natural environment is an integral part
of this vision.
(Bahá'í International
Community's Seven Year Plan of Action on
Climate Change, 2009)
The question of human nature has an important place... as it prompts us
to reexamine, at the deepest levels, who we are and what our purpose is in
life. The human experience is essentially spiritual in nature: it is
rooted in the inner reality—or what some call the ‘soul’—that we all share
in common. The culture of consumerism, however, has tended to reduce human
beings to competitive, insatiable consumers of goods and to objects of
manipulation by the market. Commonly held views have assumed the existence
of an intractable conflict between what people really want (i.e. to
consume more) and what humanity needs (i.e. equitable access to
resources). How, then, can we resolve the paralyzing contradiction that,
on the one hand, we desire a world of peace and prosperity, while, on the
other, much of economic and psychological theory depicts human beings as
slaves to self-interest? The faculties needed to construct a more just and
sustainable social order—moderation, justice, love, reason, sacrifice and
service to the common good—have too often been dismissed as naïve ideals.
Yet, it is these, and related, qualities that must be harnessed to
overcome the traits of ego, greed, apathy and violence, which are often
rewarded by the market and political forces driving current patterns of
unsustainable consumption and production.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Rethinking Prosperity: Forging
Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism, 2010)
...the life of man proceedeth from the spirit, and the spirit turneth to
wheresoever the soul directeth it. ...the soul is endowed with two wings:
should it soar in the atmosphere of love and contentment, then it will be
related to the All-Merciful, and should it fly in the atmosphere of self
and desire, then it will pertain to the Evil One....
(Bahá'u'lláh, Súriy-i-Ra'ís
§33-34, in The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 154. Haifa, Bahá'í
World Centre, 2002)
UNITY
Acceptance of the oneness of mankind is the first fundamental
prerequisite for the reorganization and administration of the world as one
country, the home of humankind.
(Universal House of Justice, The
Promise of World Peace, 1985, p. 13-14)
...all the members of the human family, whether peoples or governments,
cities or villages, have become increasingly interdependent. For none is
self-sufficiency any longer possible, inasmuch as political ties unite all
peoples and nations, and the bonds of trade and industry, of agriculture
and education, are being strengthened every day. Hence the unity of all
mankind can in this day be achieved.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 15, p. 32)
The bedrock of a strategy that can engage the world's population in assuming responsibility for its collective destiny must be the consciousness of the oneness of humankind. Deceptively simple in popular discourse, the concept that humanity constitutes a single people presents fundamental challenges to the way that most of the institutions of contemporary society carry out their functions. Whether in the form of the adversarial structure of civil government, the advocacy principle informing most of civil law, a glorification of the struggle between classes and other social groups, or the competitive spirit dominating so much of modern life, conflict is accepted as the mainspring of human interaction. It represents yet another expression in social organisation of the materialistic interpretation of life that has progressively consolidated itself over the past two centuries....
Laying the groundwork for global civilization calls for the creation of
laws and institutions that are universal in both character and authority.
The effort can begin only when the concept of the oneness of humanity has
been wholeheartedly embraced by those in whose hands the responsibility
for decision making rests, and when the related principles are propagated
through both educational systems and the media of mass communication. Once
this threshold is crossed, a process will have been set in motion through
which the peoples of the world can be drawn into the task of formulating
common goals and committing themselves to their attainment. Only so
fundamental a reorientation can protect them, too, from the age-old demons
of ethnic and religious strife. Only through the dawning consciousness
that they constitute a single people will the inhabitants of the planet be
enabled to turn away from the patterns of conflict that have dominated
social organisation in the past and begin to learn the ways of
collaboration and conciliation. "The well-being of mankind," Bahá'u'lláh
writes, "its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its
unity is firmly established."
(Bahá'í International
Community, The Prosperity of Humankind,
Office of Public Information, Haifa, 1995)
Since the body of humankind is one and indivisible, each member of the
race is born into the world as a trust of the whole.
(Bahá'í International
Community, The Prosperity of Humankind,
Office of Public Information, Haifa, 1995)
Unity is a condition of the human spirit. Education can support and
enhance it, as can legislation, but they can do so only once it emerges
and has established itself as a compelling force in social life. A global
intelligentsia, its prescription largely shaped by materialistic
misconceptions of reality, clings tenaciously to the hope that imaginative
social engineering, supported by political compromise, may indefinitely
postpone the potential disasters that few deny loom over humanity's
future.... As unity is the remedy for the world's ills, its one certain
source lies in the restoration of religion's influence in human affairs.
(Universal House of Justice,
One Common Faith, 2005, p. 42-43)
...the principle of the oneness of humankind must become the ruling
principle of international life. This principle does not seek to undermine
national autonomy or suppress cultural or intellectual diversity. Rather,
it makes it possible to view the climate change challenge through a new
lens – one that perceives humanity as a unified whole, not unlike the
cells of the human body, infinitely differentiated in form and function
yet united in a common purpose which exceeds that of its component parts.
This principle constitutes more than a call for cooperation; it seeks to
remould anachronistic and unjust patterns of human interaction in a manner
that reflects the relationships that bind us as members of one human race.
The earnest consideration of the place of this principle in international
relations should not be seen as an abstract exercise; it is precisely this
level of analysis that must be undertaken and this level of commitment
secured in order to forge a coherent ethic for the resolution of the
climate change crisis. In order to progress beyond a world community
driven by a largely economic and utilitarian calculus, to one of shared
responsibility for the prosperity of all nations, such a principle must
take root in the conscience of the individual. In this way, we come to
recognize the broader human agenda – which subsumes those of climate
change, poverty eradication, gender equality, development, and the like –
and seeks to use both human and natural resources in a way that
facilitates the progress and well-being of all people.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Seizing the Opportunity:
Redefining the challenge of climate change, 2008)
[T]he principle that is to infuse all facets of organized life on the
planet is the oneness of humankind, the hallmark of the age of maturity.
That humanity constitutes a single people is a truth that, once viewed
with scepticism, claims widespread acceptance today. The rejection of
deeply ingrained prejudices and a growing sense of world citizenship are
among the signs of this heightened awareness. Yet, however promising the
rise in collective consciousness may be, it should be seen as only the
first step of a process that will take decades—nay, centuries—to unfold.
For the principle of the oneness of humankind... asks not merely for
cooperation among people and nations. It calls for a complete
reconceptualization of the relationships that sustain society. The
deepening environmental crisis, driven by a system that condones the
pillage of natural resources to satisfy an insatiable thirst for more,
suggests how entirely inadequate is the present conception of humanity’s
relationship with nature; the deterioration of the home environment, with
the accompanying rise in the systematic exploitation of women and children
worldwide, makes clear how pervasive are the misbegotten notions that
define relations within the family unit; the persistence of despotism, on
the one hand, and the increasing disregard for authority, on the other,
reveal how unsatisfactory to a maturing humanity is the current
relationship between the individual and the institutions of society; the
concentration of material wealth in the hands of a minority of the world’s
population gives an indication of how fundamentally ill-conceived are
relationships among the many sectors of what is now an emerging global
community. The principle of the oneness of humankind implies, then, an
organic change in the very structure of society.
(Universal House of Justice,
To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013, para. 6)
Every nation and every group—indeed, every individual—will, to a greater
or lesser degree, contribute to the emergence of the world civilization
towards which humanity is irresistibly moving. Unity will progressively be
achieved... in different realms of social existence, for instance, “unity
in the political realm”, “unity of thought in world undertakings”, “unity
of races” and the “unity of nations”. As these come to be realized, the
structures of a politically united world, which respects the full
diversity of culture and provides channels for the expression of dignity
and honour, will gradually take shape.
(Universal House of Justice,
To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013, para. 7)
[T]he principle of the oneness of humankind and the convictions
underpinning it [imply]: that the rational soul has no gender, race,
ethnicity or class, a fact that renders intolerable all forms of
prejudice, not the least of which are those that prevent women from
fulfilling their potential and engaging in various fields of endeavour
shoulder to shoulder with men; that the root cause of prejudice is
ignorance, which can be erased through educational processes that make
knowledge accessible to the entire human race, ensuring it does not become
the property of a privileged few; that science and religion are two
complementary systems of knowledge and practice by which human beings come
to understand the world around them and through which civilization
advances; that religion without science soon degenerates into superstition
and fanaticism, while science without religion becomes the tool of crude
materialism; that true prosperity, the fruit of a dynamic coherence
between the material and spiritual requirements of life, will recede
further and further out of reach as long as consumerism continues to act
as opium to the human soul; that justice, as a faculty of the soul,
enables the individual to distinguish truth from falsehood and guides the
investigation of reality, so essential if superstitious beliefs and
outworn traditions that impede unity are to be eliminated; that, when
appropriately brought to bear on social issues, justice is the single most
important instrument for the establishment of unity; that work performed
in the spirit of service to one’s fellow human beings is a form of prayer,
a means of worshipping God.
(Universal House of Justice,
To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013, para. 9)
HUMANITY'S PLACE IN THE NATURAL WORLD
The human body is like animals subject to nature's laws. But man is endowed with a second reality, the rational or intellectual reality; and the intellectual reality of man predominates over nature.
Yet there is a third reality in man, the spiritual reality.... That
celestial reality... delivers man from the material world. Its power
causes man to escape from nature's world. Escaping, he will find an
illuminating reality, transcending the limited reality of man and causing
him to attain to the infinitude of God, abstracting him from the world of
superstitions and imaginations, and submerging him in the sea of the rays
of the Sun of Reality.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Foundations
of World Unity, p. 51)
...to man God has given such wonderful power that he can guide, control
and overcome nature.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks,
p. 122)
[Man] should be free and emancipated from the captivity of the world of
nature; for as long as man is captive to nature he is a ferocious animal,
as the struggle for existence is one of the exigencies of the world of
nature.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 302)
MATERIAL CIVILIZATION
The civilization, so often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and
sciences, will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of moderation, bring
great evil upon men.... If carried to excess, civilization will prove as
prolific a source of evil as it had been of goodness when kept within the
restraints of moderation.... The day is approaching when its flame will
devour the cities...
(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings
from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CLXIV, p. 342-343, and Bahá'í
World Faith, p. 138-139)
Strange and astonishing things exist in the earth but they are hidden
from the minds and the understanding of men. These things are capable of
changing the whole atmosphere of the earth and their contamination would
prove lethal.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh, p. 69)
Consumer culture, today's inheritor by default of materialism's gospel of
human betterment, is unembarrassed by the ephemeral nature of the goals
that inspire it. For the small minority of people who can afford them, the
benefits it offers are immediate, and the rationale unapologetic.
Emboldened by the breakdown of traditional morality, the advance of the
new creed is essentially no more than the triumph of animal impulse, as
instinctive and blind as appetite, released at long last from the
restraints of supernatural sanctions. Its most obvious casualty has been
language. Tendencies once universally castigated as moral failings mutate
into necessities of social progress. Selfishness becomes a prized
commercial resource; falsehood reinvents itself as public information;
perversions of various kinds unabashedly claim the status of civil rights.
Under appropriate euphemisms, greed, lust, indolence, pride - even
violence - acquire not merely broad acceptance but social and economic
value. Ironically, as words have been drained of meaning, so have the very
material comforts and acquisitions for which truth has been casually
sacrificed.
(Universal House of Justice, One
Common Faith, 2005, p. 10)
A challenge of similar nature faces economic thinking as a result of the environmental crisis. The fallacies in theories based on the belief that there is no limit to nature's capacity to fulfil any demand made on it by human beings have now been coldly exposed. A culture which attaches absolute value to expansion, to acquisition, and to the satisfaction of people's wants is being compelled to recognise that such goals are not, by themselves, realistic guides to policy. Inadequate, too, are approaches to economic issues whose decision-making tools cannot deal with the fact that most of the major challenges are global rather than particular in scope.
The earnest hope that this moral crisis can somehow be met by deifying
nature itself is an evidence of the spiritual and intellectual desperation
that the crisis has engendered. Recognition that creation is an organic
whole and that humanity has the responsibility to care for this whole,
welcome as it is, does not represent an influence which can by itself
establish in the consciousness of people a new system of values. Only a
breakthrough in understanding that is scientific and spiritual in the
fullest sense of the terms will empower the human race to assume the
trusteeship toward which history impels it.
(Bahá'í International
Community, The Prosperity of Humankind,
Office of Public Information, Haifa, 1995)
However, until material achievements, physical accomplishments and human
virtues are reinforced by spiritual perfections, luminous qualities and
characteristics of mercy, no fruit or result shall issue therefrom, nor
will the happiness of the world of humanity, which is the ultimate aim, be
attained. For although, on the one hand, material achievements and
the development of the physical world produce prosperity, which
exquisitely manifests its intended aims, on the other hand dangers, severe
calamities and violent afflictions are imminent.... Progress and barbarism
go hand in hand, unless material civilization be confirmed by Divine
Guidance... and be reinforced by spiritual conduct...
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 225, p. 283-284)
Such a chaste and holy life... involves no less than the exercise of
moderation in all that pertains to dress, language, amusements, and all
artistic and literary avocations.... It calls for the abandonment of a
frivolous conduct, with its excessive attachment to trivial and often
misdirected pleasures.... It can tolerate no compromise with the theories,
the standards, the habits, and the excesses of a decadent age.
(Shoghi Effendi, The
Advent of Divine Justice, p. 30)
Trustworthiness is the greatest portal leading unto the tranquillity and
security of the people. In truth the stability of every affair hath
depended and doth depend upon it.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh, p. 37)
GOVERNANCE
While it is acknowledged that any effective climate change policy needs to be rooted in a global perspective, even this enlargement of the sphere of responsibility has not sufficiently moved governments to act. This perspective must now evolve to reflect the essential connectedness and common fate of humanity that for too long has struggled against a worldview that emphasized sovereignty, ascendancy and competition. Efforts to reconceptualize sovereignty, from an absolute right to a responsibility, signal that a shift in consciousness towards greater degrees of global solidarity is already underway. To be sure, the solution to climate change exceeds the capacities and resources of any one nation and requires the full cooperation of all nations, each according to their means.
Much has been said about the need for cooperation to solve a climate
challenge that no nation or community can solve alone. The principle of
the oneness of humankind... seeks to move beyond utilitarian notions of
cooperation to anchor the aspirations of individuals, communities and
nations to those of the progress of humanity. In practical terms, it
affirms that individual and national interests are best served in tandem
with the progress of the whole. As children, women, men, religious and
scientific communities as well as governments and international
institutions converge on this reality, we will do more than achieve a
collective response to the climate change crisis. We will usher in a new
paradigm by means of which we can understand our purpose and
responsibilities in an interconnected world; a new standard by which to
evaluate human progress; and a mode of governance faithful to the ties
that bind us as members of one human race.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Seizing
the Opportunity: Redefining the challenge of climate change,
2008)
GENDER
On the community rests the challenge of providing the setting in which
decision-making can occur peacefully and individual capabilities can be
channeled through collective action. One of the most pervasive social
challenges besetting communities around the world is the marginalization
of girls and women – a condition further exacerbated by the impacts of
climate change. Around the world, women are largely responsible for
securing food, water and energy for cooking and heating. Scarcity of
resources arising from climate change intensifies the woman's burden and
leaves less time to earn an income, attend school or care for the family.
Moreover, natural disasters exact a heavier toll on women given their lack
of access to information and resources, and, in some cases, their
inability to swim, drive or even leave the house alone. It would be a
mistake, however, to cast women as the victims or simply as
under-resourced members of society; they represent perhaps the greatest
source of untapped potential in the global effort to overcome the
challenges of climate change. Their responsibilities in families, in
communities, as farmers and as stewards of natural resources make them
uniquely positioned to develop strategies for adapting to changing
environmental conditions. Women's distinct knowledge and needs complement
those of men, and must be duly considered in all arenas of community
decision-making. It is in relationship and consultation with one another
that the most effective strategies for mitigation and adaptation can be
devised.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Seizing
the Opportunity: Redefining the challenge of climate change,
2008)
KNOWLEDGE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The third Tajallí is concerning arts, crafts and sciences. Knowledge is
as wings to man's life, and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition is
incumbent upon everyone. The knowledge of such sciences, however, should
be acquired as can profit the peoples of the earth, and not those which
begin with words and end with words. Great indeed is the claim of
scientists and craftsmen on the peoples of the world.... In truth,
knowledge is a veritable treasure for man, and a source of glory, of
bounty, of joy, of exaltation, of cheer and gladness unto him.
(Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 51-52)
...Abdu'l-Bahá's explanation of the central role that knowledge plays in
human life and human society: that it is the process of generating and
applying knowledge that lies at the heart of civilization.... ...social
advancement, including economic, political, and social change, flows from
it.
(External Affairs Strategy, 19
September 1994, prepared by an Ad Hoc Committee and approved by the
Universal House of Justice, page 4)
Reality is one, and when truth is investigated and ascertained, it will
lead to individual and collective progress. In the quest for truth,
science and religion – the two systems of knowledge available to humankind
– must closely and continuously interact. The insights and skills that
represent scientific accomplishment must look to the force of spiritual
commitment and moral principle to ensure their appropriate application.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Valuing Spirituality in
Development: Initial Considerations Regarding the Creation of
Spiritually Based Indicators for Development. A concept
paper written for the World Faiths and Development Dialogue, Lambeth
Palace, London, 18-19 February 1998)
...the majority of technological development is driven by market forces
that do not reflect the basic needs of the world’s peoples. Furthermore,
the emphasis on the transfer of technology without accompanying efforts to
increase participation in the generation and application of knowledge can
only serve to widen the gap between the rich and the poor—the ‘developers’
and the ‘users’ of technology. Developing the capacity for identifying
technological need and for technological innovation and adaptation—in
light of societal needs and environmental constraints—will be vital to
social progress. The transformation of complex social realities will
require the development of institutional capacity within local populations
to create and apply knowledge in ways that address the specific needs of
that population. This question of institutional capacity (e.g. the
establishment of regional centers of research and training) constitutes a
major challenge to sustainable development. If successfully met, however,
the result will be to break the present unbalanced flow of knowledge in
the world and dissociate development from ill-conceived processes of
modernization. “Modern” technologies will be characterized by an
orientation towards addressing locally defined needs and by priorities
that take into account both the material and moral prosperity of society
as a whole.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Rethinking Prosperity: Forging
Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism, 2010)
EDUCATION
The development of a global society calls for the cultivation of capacities far beyond anything the human race has so far been able to muster. The challenges ahead will require an enormous expansion in access to knowledge on the part of individuals and organizations alike. Universal education will be an indispensable contributor to this process of capacity building, but the effort will succeed only to the extent that both individuals and groups in every sector of society are able to acquire knowledge and to apply it to the shaping of human affairs.
Education must be lifelong. It should help people to develop the
knowledge, values, attitudes and skills necessary to earn a livelihood and
to contribute confidently and constructively to shaping communities that
reflect principles of justice, equity and unity. It should also help the
individual develop a sense of place and community, grounded in the local,
but embracing the whole world. Successful education will cultivate virtue
as the foundation for personal and collective well-being, and will nurture
in individuals a deep sense of service and an active commitment to the
welfare of their families, their communities, their countries, indeed, all
mankind. It will encourage self-reflection and thinking in terms of
historical process, and it will promote inspirational learning through
such means as music, the arts, poetry, meditation and interaction with the
natural environment.
(Bahá'í International
Community. Valuing Spirituality in
Development: Initial Considerations Regarding the Creation of
Spiritually Based Indicators for Development. A concept
paper written for the World Faiths and Development Dialogue, Lambeth
Palace, London, 18-19 February 1998)
Underlying the meaningful participation in the advancement of society and the higher aims of civilization is the bulwark of education. While many poverty eradication programs have focused on increasing enrollment in primary and secondary education – which is the first step – the long-term goal must also be articulated: namely to create a society in which the production, diffusion and application of knowledge infuses all facets of human activity. This requires interventions at all levels including child-rearing practices that foster questioning; equal educational opportunities for boys and girls; development of independent media sources; translation of texts from other cultures and the promotion of innovation and scientific research. In order to be free to innovate, to devise solutions to complex problems, the human mind must be free to know.
(Bahá'í International Community, Eradicating Poverty: Moving Forward As One, 2008)
...if [education and institutional capacity building] are to effect the profound changes in the minds of people and in the structures of society (needed to shift towards sustainability), the nature of the educational processes will need to be rethought. As a starting point, the program of education must be based on a clear vision of the kind of society that we wish to live in; and the kind of individuals that will bring this about. It needs to help learners reflect on the purpose of life and help them to step out of their cultural realities to develop alternative visions and approaches to the problems at hand and to understand the manifold consequences of their behaviors and to adjust these accordingly.
Schools themselves must become participants in the social transformation
processes. The curriculum cannot simply aim to impart relevant knowledge
and skills; rather it should aim to develop the vast potential inherent in
the human being. Individuals must be assisted to channel this potential
towards the betterment of their communities and the advancement of society
as a whole. The level of consciousness and the deep spirit of service and
collaboration required to transform individual behaviors and institutional
forces in the direction of sustainability will require a transformation of
educational processes commensurate with the task at hand.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Rethinking Prosperity: Forging
Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism, 2010)
Numerous, of course, are the questions that the process of learning, now
under way in all regions of the world, must address: how to bring people
of different backgrounds together in an environment which, devoid of the
constant threat of conflict and distinguished by its devotional character,
encourages them to put aside the divisive ways of a partisan mindset,
fosters higher degrees of unity of thought and action, and elicits
wholehearted participation; how to administer the affairs of a community
in which there is no ruling class with priestly functions that can lay
claim to distinction or privilege; how to enable contingents of men and
women to break free from the confines of passivity and the chains of
oppression in order to engage in activities conducive to their spiritual,
social and intellectual development; how to help youth navigate through a
crucial stage of their lives and become empowered to direct their energies
towards the advancement of civilization; how to create dynamics within the
family unit that lead to material and spiritual prosperity without
instilling in the rising generations feelings of estrangement towards an
illusory “other” or nurturing any instinct to exploit those relegated to
this category; how to make it possible for decision making to benefit from
a diversity of perspectives through a consultative process which,
understood as the collective investigation of reality, promotes detachment
from personal views, gives due importance to valid empirical information,
does not raise mere opinion to the status of fact or define truth as the
compromise between opposing interest groups.
(Universal House of Justice,
To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013, para. 10)
At the heart of the learning process is inquiry into the nature of the
relationships that bind the individual, the community, and the
institutions of society—actors on the stage of history who have been
locked in a struggle for power throughout time. In this context, the
assumption that relations among them will inevitably conform to the
dictates of competition, a notion that ignores the extraordinary potential
of the human spirit, has been set aside in favour of the more likely
premise that their harmonious interactions can foster a civilization
befitting a mature humanity.
(Universal House of Justice,
To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013, para. 12)
RELIGION
Given their tremendous capacity to mobilize public opinion and their
extensive reach in the most remote communities around the world, religious
communities and their leaders bear an inescapable and weighty role in the
climate change arena. By many measures, increasing numbers of religious
communities are consistently lending their voice and resources to efforts
to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change – they are
educating their constituencies, providing a scriptural basis for ethical
action and leading or participating in efforts at the national and
international levels. This role, however, must now unfold in the context
of an emerging conversation – a rapprochement – between the discourses of
science and religion. The time has come for the entrenched dichotomy
between these two systems of knowledge to be earnestly re-examined. Both
are needed to mobilize and direct human energies to the resolution of the
problem at hand: methods of science facilitate a more objective and
systematic approach to problem solving while religion concerns itself with
those moral inclinations that motivate action for the common good. In an
age yearning for justice and equality, religious doctrines will need to be
carefully examined. Those that encourage social exclusion, passivity or
inequality between the sexes will fail to engage the peoples of the world
while qualities of justice, compassion, trustworthiness, humility and
generosity – common to all religious traditions – will be even more
urgently needed to forge the patterns of progressive community life.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Seizing
the Opportunity: Redefining the challenge of climate change,
2008)
CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION - THE BAHA'I APPROACH
Cultural transformation involves deliberate changes in individual choices
and in institutional structures and norms. For over a decade, the
worldwide Baha’i community has been endeavoring systematically to effect a
transformation among individuals and communities around the world—to
inspire and build the capacity for service. The framework for action
guiding these activities has been rooted in a dynamic of
learning—characterized by action, reflection, and consultation. In
thousands of communities, Baha’is have set into motion neighborhood-level
processes that seek to empower individuals of all ages to recognize and
develop their spiritual capacities and to channel their collective
energies towards the betterment of their communities. Aware of the
aspirations of the children of the world and their need for spiritual
education, they have started children’s classes that focus on laying the
foundations of a noble and upright character. For youth aged 11-14, they
have created a learning environment which helps them to form their moral
identity at this critical time in their life and to develop skills which
empower them to channel their constructive and creative energies toward
the betterment of their communities. All are invited to take part in small
groups of participatory learning around core concepts and themes which
encourage individuals to become agents of change in their communities
within a dynamic of learning and an orientation towards service.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Rethinking Prosperity: Forging
Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism, 2010)
Bahá'ís believe that progress in the development field depends on and is
driven by stirrings at the grass roots of society rather than from an
imposition of externally developed plans and programmes. This plan, then
seeks to increase local communities' and individuals' awareness of the
needs and possibilities and of their capacity to respond. Different
communities will likely devise different approaches and solutions in
response to similar needs. It is for each community to determine its goals
and priorities in keeping with its capacity and resources. Given the
diversity of communities around the world, the plan encourages innovation
and a variety of approaches to the environment appropriate to the rhythm
of life in the community.
(Bahá'í International
Community's Seven Year Plan of Action on
Climate Change, 2009)
The commitment to preserve the autonomy and diversity of Bahá'í
communities does not take away from the unity of the worldwide Bahá'í
community. In fact, Bahá'ís all over the world are engaged in a coherent
framework of action that promotes the spiritual development of the
individual and channels the collective energies of its members towards
service to humanity. Thousands upon thousands of Bahá'ís, embracing the
diversity of the entire human family, are engaged in certain core
activities. These activities promote the systematic study of the Bahá'í
Writings in small groups in order to build capacity for service. They
respond to the inmost longing of every heart to commune with its Maker by
carrying out acts of collective worship in diverse settings, uniting with
others in prayer, awakening spiritual susceptibilities, and shaping a
pattern of life distinguished for its devotional character. They provide
for the needs of the children of the world and offer them lessons that
develop their spiritual faculties and lay the foundations of a noble and
upright character. They also assist junior youth to navigate through a
crucial stage of their lives and to become empowered to direct their
energies toward the advancement of civilization. As Bahá'ís and their
friends gain experience with these initiatives, an increasing number are
able to express their faith through a rising tide of endeavours that
address the needs of humanity in both their spiritual and material
dimensions.
(Bahá'í International
Community's Seven Year Plan of Action on
Climate Change, 2009)
The approach to curriculum development followed... is not the traditional one of design, field-testing and evaluation, carried out in a linear fashion. The first step in writing any set of materials is taken, rather, when an experience is created at the grassroots in performing some act of service in response to the exigencies of the development of a community. Materials emerge out of this experience and become an expression of it. They are, on the one hand, a record of the learning that occurs in applying the Bahá'í Writings in a particular area of service and, on the other, an instrument for the systematization of that learning. These materials are used and then further refined and revised based on experience.
[The...] courses are not arranged according to a series of subject
matters, with the specific aim of increasing individual knowledge. The
content and order are based, rather, on a series of acts of service, the
practice of which creates capacity in the individual to meet the
exigencies of dynamic, developing communities. The enhancement of such
capacity is viewed in terms of “walking a path of service”. On such a path
individuals are assisted first in accomplishing relatively simple tasks
and then in performing more complex and demanding acts of service.
(Bahá'í International
Community's Seven Year Plan of Action on
Climate Change, 2009)
Curriculum materials are continually refined in light of new knowledge
and insights. The cultural shifts taking place are evident in the greater
capacity to carry out collective action, to see oneself as an agent of
change in the community, as a humble learner, as an active participant in
the generation, diffusion and application of knowledge. The continuous
cycle of learning through action, reflection and consultation has raised
awareness of the needs and resources across communities as well as
strengthened the mechanisms for collective action and deliberation.
(Bahá'í International
Community, Rethinking Prosperity: Forging
Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism, 2010)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Foundations of World Unity. Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1945.
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks. London, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1951.
'Abdu'l-Bahá, The Secret of Divine Civilization. Wilmette, Baha'i Publishing Trust,
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Haifa, Bahá'í World Centre, 1978.
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions. Haifa, Baha'i World Centre, 2014.
Bahá'í International Community, The Prosperity of Humankind, Bahá'í International Community, Office of Public Information, Haifa, 1995.
Bahá'í International Community. Valuing Spirituality in Development: Initial Considerations Regarding the Creation of Spiritually Based Indicators for Development. A concept paper written for the World Faiths and Development Dialogue, Lambeth Palace, London, 18-19 February 1998. London, Bahá'í Publishing Trust.
Bahá'í International Community, Eradicating Poverty: Moving Forward As One, 2008.
Bahá'í International Community, Seizing the Opportunity: Redefining the challenge of climate change, 2008.
Bahá'í International Community's Seven Year Plan of Action on Climate Change, 2009.
Bahá'í International Community, Rethinking Prosperity: Forging Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism, 2010)
Bahá'í World Centre, Compilation on Social and Economic Development
Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh. Wilmette, Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1952.
Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words. Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust.
Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Haifa, Bahá'í World Centre, 1992.
Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Iqán, Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust.
Bahá'u'lláh, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts. Haifa, Bahá'í World Centre, 2002.
Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh. Haifa, Bahá'í World Centre, 1978.
Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, The Bahá'í Revelation (compilation). London, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1955
Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Faith (compilation). Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1956.
Esslemont, J. E. Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era. Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust.
Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice. Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust.
Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By. Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1957
Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1955.
Universal House of Justice, One Common Faith. Haifa, Bahá'í World Centre, 2005.
Universal House of Justice, The Promise of World Peace. Haifa, Bahá'í World Centre, 1985
Universal House of Justice, To Baha'is in the Cradle of the Faith, 2 April 2010
Universal House of Justice, Message to the Baha'i World, Ridvan 2012
Universal House of Justice, To the Baha'is of Iran, 2 March 2013
Universal House of Justice, To the Baha’is of the World, 1 March 2017
International Environment Forum - Updated 10 June 2017