1 What is Prout? Dada Maheshvarananda

1

What is Prout?What is Prout?Dada Maheshvarananda

www.priven.org

2

The world we want: No war, hunger, or poverty Human rights and democracy Environmental protection Peace and justice on earth!

3

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.

4

Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar(1921-1990)

• Indian philosopher

• Author of more than 400 books

• Composer

• Spiritual master

• Political prisoner from 1971-1978.

5

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

"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

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

6

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 self-reliance in an ecological way.

7

Complete Model

1. The Economics of Prout2. The Social Message of Prout3. The Ecological and Spiritual Message of Prout4. Some Prout Projects in Venezuela5. Prout's Message for Venezuela and for you

8

Economic Inequality:Does it matter?

9

10

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.

11

A Logical Solution • The world’s physical resources are limited. If

individuals accumulate too much, there will not be enough for everyone.

• Every country should decide maximum salaries, wealth and land ownership.

• Maximum utilization and rational distribution of all the resources of the planet for the welfare of everyone.

12

The first priority of Prout is to guarantee the five minimum necessities of life to all:

• food• clothing • housing• education • medical care

THE RIGHT TO LIVE!

13

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs

Physiological needs

Safety

Sense of belonging, love

Esteem

Self-actualization

1908-1970

14

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.

15

Small Scale Private

Enterprise

• encourage creativity

• individuals, families and small partnerships

• produce only non-essential goods and services

16

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

17

Cooperatives need:• Honest leadership• Good business plan• Strict accounting • Community support

Government should provide:• More training• Accounting• Regular inspections

Cooperatives

18

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

19

Investigar Energía Alternativa

EOLICA

SOLARSOLAR

La economía de La economía de ProutProut

20

Economic Democracy and Self-Reliance

A dynamic economy of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Each region, state, and community self-reliant in food.

Sustainable farming and agricultural cooperatives

Full employment for local people No exploitation by outsiders or corporations.

21

Lack of Ethics

• American Psychiatric Association reports the most common factor among criminals is the tendency to lie.

Lying is also done by some politicians, lawyers, corporation directors, accountants, advertisers…

Throughout history, ruling classes have created moral rules and laws to maintain power.

22

Cardinal Human Values• honesty, courage,

• mercy, humility,

• self-restraint, compassion.

• protect the weak,

• avoid harming others,

• overcome selfishness.

23

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, self-discipline, sacrificing spirit and dedication to the welfare of humanity.

24

Ideal Leaders in VenezuelaP. 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.”

25

Comunidad:Mover juntos• Bayanihan en las

Filipinas significa mover juntos una casa.

• Cayapa, palabra venezolana, también muestra el espíritu de cooperación de la comunidad.

El mensagen social de El mensagen social de ProutProut

26

Ecological and spiritual perspective of indigenous

people

Feel connected to Nature and all life.“The land doesn’t belong to me, I belong to the land!”

27

Clarification:Dogma vs. Spirituality

Fundamentalism is close-minded,

Blind obedience,Instills fear.Divides people into believers

and non-believers, Us versus them.

Mystical search for truth is open-minded,

Questioning,Promotes love.Views all people as one

human family,Universalism.

28

Spiritual perspective of Prout

Human beings have a thirst for peace and happiness. External objects cannot satisfy this, because their

pleasure is only temporary. Journey within to find true peace and happiness. We seek connectedness, meaning and purpose. Self-realization and service to humanity.

29

MeditationIn the struggle for world peace and justice, 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, self-control, self-esteem and tolerance;

developing mental peace, wisdom, compassion and unconditional love.

Prout's ecological and spiritual Prout's ecological and spiritual messagemessage

30

Close your eyesClose your eyesSit straightSit straightBreathe deeplyBreathe deeplyRepeat your mantraRepeat your mantraPractice every dayPractice every day

HOW TO MEDITATE?HOW TO MEDITATE?

Prout's ecological and spiritual messageProut's ecological and spiritual message

31

Publishing

Education

Research

Transform lives

Empower communities

Welfare of all

Raise consciousness

Strengthen cooperatives

Promote economic democracy

How we do itWhy we do itWhat we do

Prout Research Institute of Venezuela• Independent, not-for profit foundation started Sept. 2006.• Full-time staff.

Prout Projects in Prout Projects in VenezuelaVenezuela

32

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, self-reliant communities, environmental protection, universal ethics and spiritual values.

Prout Projects Prout Projects in Venezuelain Venezuela

33


34

Training coursesProut Projects in Prout Projects in

VenezuelaVenezuela

35

Dada: “Every morning I wake up in paradise!”


36


Yoga classesYoga classes

37

Centro Madre: Prout Community Center in Barlovento


Didi Ananda Sadhana

38

Prout Projects in VenezuelaProut Projects in Venezuela

Centro MadreCentro Madre: empowering self-reliance through education, sustainable agriculture, holistic development and ethical leadership.

39

“Excellent” small scale sustainable agriculture

40

Reading campaignProut Projects in Prout Projects in

VenezuelaVenezuela

41


42

Neohumanist Education• Neo-humanism: "The practice of love for all

creation including plants, animals, and the inanimate world"

• Holistic development of the child• Daily quiet meditation• Ecological and social consciousness• Academic, practical, social and personal Skills• Joyful learning through stories and arts• Teacher is ideal example


43

• Neohumanist kindergarten in Caracas

Didi Ananda Amegha


44

45

Prout’s Message for Venezuela

• Become self-reliant in food and medicine as soon as possible through sustainable agriculture, agro- and agrico-industries.

• Strengthen and encourage the cooperative system with more training, accounting and inspections to increase employment.

• Petroleum sales are only a temporary source of income which should be used for education, job training and programs to alleviate poverty.

• Strive to balance the economy.

• Fight corruption relentlessly.

46

What can you do?Learn more about Prout: read, take courses, attend seminar.

Understand the link between the social and the personal: be the change you want to see.

Share the vision with others: the more people who share the goal, the more power we have to achieve it.

Volunteer: help create the world you want.

Be ecologist: reduce, reuse, recycle, grow food

Learn and practice meditation: find peace

ConclusiónConclusión

47

Updating and Expanding

Adding new tools:• “Sarkar Game”• Block level planning

exercise• Prout taxation• More examples

Can you help?

48

For more information:

[email protected]. (58)212-886-2323, 238-8665

Documents

1 What is Prout? Dada Maheshvarananda