Solidarity Economy Maine-eng

Social and Economic Ideals for a New Society Dada Maheshvarananda © 2009

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The US economy is headed for a crash… • $11.1 trillion national debt • $406 billion budget deficit • $726 billion trade deficit • Government borrows $2.4 billion per day • US families have, on average, $18,700 credit card debt (source: US Federal Reserve Board) 2

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Hundreds of thousands participate in the World Social Forum... Tremendous power in a shared dream. But what kind of world do you want?

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Prout is the abbreviation for the Progressive Utilization Theory, a new socio-economic model based on: • • • •

economic self-reliance cooperatives environmental balance and universal spiritual values. 5

Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar (1921-1990) • Indian philosopher • Author of more than 200 books • Composer • Spiritual master • Political prisoner from 1971-1978.

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“Prout’s cooperative model… sharing the resources of the planet for the welfare of everyone, deserves our serious consideration.” – Dr. Noam Chomsky, MIT

“An important contribution to re-thinking the disastrous course of the current economic globalization.” – Hazel Henderson, economist

"Sarkar's theory is far superior to Adam Smith's or that of Marx… It is spiritually rather than materialistically inspired.“ – Johan Galtung, Founder UN Institute of Peace Studies

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THE END OF GLOBAL CAPITALISM? It is based on profit, selfishness and greed. The tragic result is that half of world population lives, suffers and dies in poverty.

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After capitalism – Prout proposes a new cooperative model to share the resources of the planet for the welfare all living beings.

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THE RIGHT TO LIVE! The first priority of Prout is to guarantee the five minimum necessities of life to all: • • • • •

food clothing housing education medical care 10

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs Self-actualization Esteem Sense of belonging, love Safety 1908-1970

Physiological needs 11

An honest job with fair wages is also a human right. The minimum wage must be high enough so that people can buy their necessities.

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Small Scale Private Enterprise • encourage creativity • individuals, families and small partnerships • produce only non-essential goods and services 13

Cooperatives • give local people control over their economic destiny • called “economic democracy” • workers own their enterprises • Industry, trade, agriculture, banking run by producer and consumer cooperatives • largest part of a Prout economy

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Strategic Key Industries • too large or complex for co-ops • managed as public utilities by immediate government • belong to society and should never be privatized

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Local Food, Farms & Jobs: Growing the Illinois Economy •Task Force Report March 2009 •Illinois spends $48 billion annually on food •But 98% leaves the state. •If schools & hospitals buy 20% “local” food, •thousands of jobs created, •More money in state •less pollution •healthier diet.

www.foodfarmsjobs.org 16

Prout is not a rigid mold to be imposed on any society. It is a holistic set of dynamic principles that can be applied appropriately by the citizens and leaders to help their region or country prosper and achieve selfreliance in an ecological way.

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economy

ecosystem

community 18

Some Neoliberal Perspectives on Community British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher: “There is no such thing as society – there are only individual men and women.“ Neoliberal Economist Milton Friedman: The idea that business has a social responsibility is “fundamentally subversive“.

Sir James Killen, Australian Minister for Defence: “Anyone who does anything for anything other than profit is either a madman or a bankrupt.“ 19

What is a Community?

• Latin - to give amongst each other.

• Sociologist Sergio Luio - A group of people who do favours for one another. • Prout: A group of people moving together like a family towards a common goal.

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Moving together Bayanihan-Joselito E. Barcelona-1993

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Cooperative Games are a technique of popular education that raises consciousness and teaches solidarity. 22

Two rules: 1. You may not devalue others or yourself. Every person is unique and beautiful inside.

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2. You may choose not to participate. Leaders will invite you, but you have the right to say no – or yes – at any time.

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You can fly… with a little help from your friends!

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“When the last river and the last forest have been destroyed... man will discover that he cannot eat money.” 26

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Ideal Leadership • The world needs leaders with moral force, spiritual vision and courage to fight injustice and exploitation. Anyone can become an ideal leader by setting a personal example of honesty, selfdiscipline, sacrificing spirit and dedication to the welfare of humanity. 29

Ideal Leaders in Venezuela P. R. Sarkar, founder of Prout, visited Venezuela in 1979. He said: “Venezuela needs good spiritual political leaders. If Venezuela can produce spiritual political leaders, it will be not only the leader of Latin America, but also the leader of the planet.” 30

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Prout Research Institute of Venezuela • Started Sept. 2006 • Full-time staff: 8

What we do Raise consciousness Strengthen cooperatives Promote economic democracy

Why we do it Transform lives Empower communities Welfare of all

How we do it Publishing Education Research

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MISSION To empower all people to improve their quality of life and live in a more just society by fostering the development of worker cooperatives, selfreliant communities, environmental protection, universal ethics and spiritual values.

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Documentary “Another Life is Possible” • Film-maker Dada Narada Muni from Australia • 24-minutes • Venezuelan co-ops and how Prout can empower them

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Centro Madre: Proutist Community Center in 38 Barlovento, Miranda

Programas educativas

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Financial support for young mothers to finish their studies

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Cooperativa de costura

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Apicultura: 25 cajas de abellas produzen 300 kilos/año

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Cooperativa de Tambores: rescatando cultura y auto-estima

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Centro Madre Reading Program

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La fuerza del projecto: las voluntarias. 45

21 Brazilian students & their professor did intensitve yoga, meditation, Prout and co-ops for 6 weeks 46

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Student theater for Barlovento kids

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Visit Venezuela! • Planning intensive Prout training sessions • Safe, healthy, inspiring • With guided reality tours. LFT Dharmapala (Hungary)

Flights to Caracas from: • Miami: $510 • NYC: $552 • LA: $622 • Dallas: $709 • Chicago: $724 50

Be an Intern! Join a dynamic research/action team. Benefits include: • Learn Prout, Spanish, experience Latin America. • Work in a global community, where every idea counts. • Food, accommodation, local transport. • (Free health and dental care by government) • A respectful and spiritual working environment to inspire your personal development.

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MEDITATION In the struggle for peace and justice in the world, we should not neglect our own internal peace. Meditation is an ancient practice with many benefits: overcoming insomnia, depression and mental complexes; increasing memory, concentration, willpower, selfcontrol, self-esteem and tolerance; developing mental peace, wisdom, compassion and unconditional love. 52

Meditation Close your eyes and open your mind

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HOW TO MEDITATE? Close your eyes Sit straight Breathe deeply Repeat your mantra Practice every day

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Baba Nam Kevalam

universal mantra in Sanskrit that means: “Love is all there is.”

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Arundhati Roy (Recipient of Booker Prize for The God of Small Things)

“Another world is not only possible, she’s on her way. Maybe many of us won’t be here to greet her, but on a quiet day, if I listen carefully, I can hear her breathing.”

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For more information: • www.priven.org • [email protected]

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