Progressive Utilization Theory - Prout
= PROUT
URL = http://prout.net/ [1]
Description
1. From the Sarkarverse:
"The Progressive Utilization Theory is a socio-economic theory first mentioned in 1959 by Sarkar[ To popularise and implement PROUT, Shrii Sarkar established the organisation, "Proutist Universal", which primarily consists of five federations (students, intellectuals, farmers, labour, and youth). The proutist economy as described by Sarkar is a form of cooperative and decentralised economy that looks more at the collective welfare rather than to profit, without neglecting the promotion of the individual merits of each. "Progressive utilization" stands for the optimisation and maximum utilisation of natural, industrial and human resources on a sustainable basis for the entire ecosystem. This theory, that claims to overcome the limitations of both capitalism and communism with his Law of Social Cycle founded on Sarkar's "Social Cycle Theory", is not concerned solely with economics. In 1968, Sarkar founded the organisation "Proutist Block of India" (PBI), to further the ideals of his theory through political and social action.[18] The PBI was soon superseded by "Proutist Universal" (PU). According to its proponents PROUT encompasses the whole of individual and collective existence – physical, educational, social, political, mental, cultural and spiritual – not just for human beings but for all beings."
(https://sarkarverse.org/wiki/Prabhat_Ranjan_Sarkar)
2. From the Wikipedia article at [2]
"Progressive Utilization Theory or PROUT is a socio-economic theory developed in 1959 by Indian philosopher and spiritual leader Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar (1921-1990). PROUT claims to synthesize the physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions of human nature, making efficient use of them in productive, environmentally friendly actions. It posits itself to be an alternative to capitalist and communist socio-economic paradigms.
The theory is not concerned solely with economics but encompasses the whole of human individual and collective existence - physical, educational, social, political, mental, cultural and spiritual - within the paradigm of "integrated growth". The cardinal values of Prout are those of neo-humanism, a philosophy which aims to take into consideration the good and happiness of all living beings; plants, animals, and humans."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PROUT)
3. Sohail Inayatullah:
"The principles of Sarkar's good society are developed in his comprehensive theory: the Progressive Utilization Theory, or PROUT. [4] PROUT attempts to balance the need for societies to create both wealth and grow as well the requirements for distribution. To achieve this, an integral part of the PROUTist vision is to create income floors and ceilings progressively indexed to aggregate economic growth. Thus wealth will not be hoarded and thereby underutilized or misutilized, as in the case of global stock markets. However, unlike socialist utopias, which argues for equality, PROUT accepts individual differences and the desire of individuals to own limited property and goods as well as the key role of incentives in spurring technological innovation and economic growth. And unlike Green perspectives focused solely on equilibrium, PROUT is focused on prama, or dynamic balance, or progressive sustainability.
Sarkar along with others, has initiated PROUT movements throughout the world. Although the self-reliant, cultural people's movements are still small, he believes eventually they will reach a critical size and then pose a significant challenge to the present world system.
These movements are active throughout the world, organizing women, students, workers, farmers, professionals as well as other groups and classes against the injustices and inequities of the present system. Demands, for example, include 100% employment for local people; laws against the export of local raw materials; laws against the import of manufactured goods which can be produced locally; primacy of local languages in offices and schools; land reforms; rights for animals as well as concern for the long term care of the environment; and support for local music, writing, art and dance.
In the Philippines, for example, one social movement,Kasama participated in the ouster of Marcos and in the removal of foreign military bases from the Philippines. In India, Amra Bengali has contested various local elections and has established cooperatives throughout the region.
Thus through the creation and legitimation of globally-oriented, yet regionally and locally -based spiritual, cultural and economic movements - and, through the ensuing dialectical conflict that these anti-systemic movements will engender as they reconceptualize polities and economies, Sarkar sees the eventual demise of capitalism and communism." (http://ruby.zcommunications.org/p-r-sarkars-vision-of-the-future-by-sohail-inayatullah)
Principles
PROUT writes:
"A few basic tenets of PROUT are:
- Spirituality and Progress
Human beings are on an evolutionary path toward realizing their higher consciousness. True progress is movement that leads to self-realization and spiritual qualities such as compassion and love for all beings. Material or intellectual gains do not necessarily constitute progress unless they contribute to deeper, spiritual well-being.
The progressive orientation of society is maintained by making continual adjustments in the use of physical resources and mental potentialities in accordance with spiritual and Neo-humanistic values. Human beings are encouraged to construct economic and social institutions to facilitate the attainment of our highest potentialities.
Political democracy and economic democracy are mutually inclusive. PROUT advocates economic democracy based on local economic planning, cooperatively managed businesses, local governmental control of natural resources and key industries, and socially agreed upon limits on the individual accumulation of wealth. By decentralizing the economy and making sure decision-making is in the hands of local people, we can ensure the adequate availability of food, shelter, clothing, health care and education for all.
A decentralized economy can better ensure that the ecological systems of the earth are not exploited beyond their capacity to renew themselves. Environmental stewardship is a requisite for people who are dependent upon these systems for their own survival and well-being.
- Basic Necessities Guaranteed to All
The basic necessities of life must be a constitutional birth right of all members of society. People cannot attain their highest human potential if they lack food, shelter, clothing, health care and education. Meaningful employment with a living wage must be planned to ensure adequate purchasing capacity for all basic necessities. The standard of guaranteed minimum necessities should advance with increases in the economy's productive capacity.
- Leadership
For a benevolent society, it is essential that leaders are morally principled and dedicated to serving society as part of their personal progress. Authority should not be centered in the hands of individuals, but should be expressed through collective leadership. The viability of political democracy rests on an electorate possessing three factors:
1) education,
2) socio-economic consciousness,
3) ethical integrity.
- Freedom
Individuals should have complete freedom to acquire and express their ideas, creative potential and inner aspirations. Such intellectual and spiritual freedom will strengthen the collectivity. Restrictions should only be placed on actions clearly detrimental to the welfare of others. Constraints need to be placed on the accumulation of physical wealth, as excessive accumulation by a few results in the deprivation of many.
- Cultural Diversity
In the spirit of universal fellowship, PROUT encourages the protection and cultivation of local culture, language, history and tradition. For social justice and a healthy social order, individual and cultural diversity must be accepted and encouraged.
- Women's Rights
PROUT encourages the struggle against all forms of violence and exploitation used to suppress women. PROUT's goal is coordinated cooperation, with equal rights between men and women. PROUT seeks the economic, social and spiritual empowerment of women throughout the world.
- Science and Technology
Scientific knowledge and technology are potential assets to humanity. Through their proper use, the physical hardships of life decreases and knowledge is gained about the secrets of life. Time is freed for cultural and spiritual pursuits. However, the development and utilization of scientific knowledge must come under the guidance of spiritual and Neo-humanist values and ethical leadership. Without this, technology is often abused by profiteers and the power-hungry, resulting in destruction and exploitation.
- World Government
PROUT supports the creation of a world governance system having a global bill of rights, global constitution and common penal code in order to guarantee the fundamental rights of all individuals and nations, and to settle regional and international disputes. As the global economy becomes decentralized, it will be advantageous to also have a global political system."
The Five Fundamental Principles
"The founder of Prout, P.R. Sarkar initially summarized Prout in sixteen verses, five of which are regarded as the most fundamental. The first principle is a challenge to basic capitalist notions.
"1) No individual should be allowed to accumulate any physical wealth without the clear permission or approval of the collective body."
In this, Prout holds that the most important point to recognise is that ownership lies with the collectivity. As such, the individual has a right to usage only. Sarkar believed that society should have the right to determine the extent to which private ownership is accepted. The over accumulation of wealth by one individual, he explained, is the scarcity of wealth of others. Due to this, Sarkar believed that there should be a limit to the amount of wealth which may be accumulated. He explained that such an idea represented that individual economic/financial liberty must be in harmony with the collective interest. He felt that such an approach would provide for more success than other systems in including every citizen in the rise of a standard of living.
He made a point of refuting both capitalism and communism. Sarkar observed that capitalism allows unlimited liberty for accumulation while communism prescribes uniform salaries for all regardless of merit and labour.
Prout explains that absolute uniformity of wealth is an unhelpful delusion. Prout prefers a subjective approach holding that the notion of ownership may vary considerably according to the collective psychology of a given society. In order to appropriately and flexibly meet the needs of each society, Prout gives no specific mechanism for determining ownership. Rather, Prout provides general guidelines to reinforce the notion of collective ownership, a democratic approach to the utilization of resources, and economic democracy.
"2) There should be maximum utilization and rational distribution of all mundane, supra-mundane, and spiritual potentialities of the universe."
This principle begins Prout's process of defining resources and capacities that can be utilized and distributed. This definition process, as explained in Prout, must be aware of the economic value as well as the more qualitative, life-appreciating value. For instance, the aesthetic and environmental value of a forest is no less important than its economic value once converted into christmas trees. Prout clarifies that utilization implies the opposite of misutilization and non-utilization as occurs during periods of resources stagnation. As such, Prout opposes hoarding resources for purposes of market value manipulation. Prout explains that maximum utilization of physical resources provides the means of properly generating basic social requirements and amenities. Prout explains that rational distribution refers to providing access to subtle resources as well as an equitable and constantly adjusted income policy. In Prout, the minimum requirements must first be guaranteed to all and then the surplus can be distributed to merit, provided that the differential gap is progressively closed and the minimum level adjusted upwards.
"3) There should be maximum utilization of the physical, metaphysical, and spiritual potentialities of the unit and collective bodies of human society."
This principle refers to Prout's preference for the humanitarian, efficient use of different human qualities. Sarkar explained that the physical, intellectual and spiritual potentialities should be expressed in a constructive way and effort should be made for all-round development. Prout seeks for the strengths of each to be utilized according to their particular unique character. Prout encourages those with outstanding abilities to be given maximum support in order to meet their potential of work, boosting their confidence, and providing the best service for society. Prout similarly seeks to provide maximum support for the development of the innate potential of the common mass. In order to develop the potential of all, Prout seeks to eliminate fear for basic needs by guaranteeing the minimum requirements of life such as food and shelter. Prout believes that only with these necessities can people have the mental ease to develop their mental and spiritual capacities. Prout also encourages free, high quality educational opportunities to be made available to all, and for consistent opportunities be made for the development of professional skills.
Prout also believes in the importance of having the education system teach socio-economic consciousness, ethical conduct, community-service mindedness, social awareness, and spirituality.
"4) There should be a proper adjustment amongst these physical, metaphysical, mundane, supramundane and spiritual utilizations."
Prout's fourth principle asserts that the previous two principles must be applied in a manner in which they are balanced with one another. Prout explains that the lack of this balance will cause society to become disturbed, endangering it to degradation and degeneration. In order to maintain this balance, Prout suggests that increasing the people's purchasing power is the best method of meeting people's needs on the physical level. Prout argues that routine handouts encourage dependency and are destructive to initiative.
Proutists have used the example of a society automatically providing food and housing without prior or ongoing requirements. They explain that this causes the people's individual initiative and responsibility to become retarded; people will gradually become lethargic. Therefore, the proutists continue, society has to make such arrangements so that people, in exchange for their labor according to their capacity, can earn the money they require to purchase the minimum necessities. They imply that there should be 100% employment.
Prout suggests that people's role in society should also be determined in a balanced way. Prout explains that employment should draw on people's inherent talents and interests. According to Proutist perspective, at present, intellectual and artistic skills are comparatively rare compared to physical skills. Spiritual awareness is yet rarer still, Prout observes. Prout believes that the remedy for this can be in supporting those who hold advanced mental or spiritual faculties so that they can benefit the greatest number of people who take interest in their guidance. Thus, multiple faiths and philosophical inquiries would be supported. The only instance in which Prout would not support a given faith would be in the case that it infringed upon obvious human rights or forced adults to join the faith. Additionally, Prout believes that it is important to allow and require the leaders of a society to develop their skills intellectually, spiritually, and physically.
"5) The method of utilization should vary in accordance with the changes in time, place, and person, and the utilization should be of a progressive nature."
Prout's fifth principle urges the importance of changing to the times. Prout observes that keeping policies and practices solely for the sake of familiarity often leads to the suffering of many people. As Prout believes that all activity should be mindfully done with the aim of mass-human development, Prout rejects sticky dogmatic attitudes. Prout similarly encourages such open-minded flexibility for a given area where policy is being created, and for each separate individual unto who policy is being applied.
Sarkar once orated, "Take a particular example. Suppose a physically strong person serves the society as a rickshaw puller or a market porter. As the rickshaw may become out dated some day, the method of utilizing their physical strength should vary. If a person is intellectually developed but has the same physical strength as others, their intellectual potentiality should be utilized. Thus the process of utilization will not be the same for all people. Better methods of utilization should be continually developed, but the process of utilization should be progressive in nature. "
As change occurs, the benefit of everyone should be placed first and foremost in policy changes, believes Prout. Prout also encourages the use of technology to support these aims, and encourages ecologically friendly ways in which the technology is used." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PROUT)
More Information
Prout is at http://www.prout.org/
- Will Proutist Economics Work: Futures after Capitalism. A Dialogue between Sohail Inayatullah and Thor Thorgeirsson on Proutist Economics and the Futures of World Capitalism . Edited by Maud Peever, 1998. [3]
See also: