Building Social and Economic Units

8/14/2019 Building Social and Economic Units

1/8

PROUT Institute of Australia

Central to Prout's (PROgressive Utilization Theory) concept of economicdemocracy is the building of socio-economic units. These take on someof the aspects of bio-regions which are common in the progressivesocio-economic literature. They form the thrust of local empowermentand the ongoing struggles for more democratic community control. Froman ecological perspective, they have been described as units or regionsthat "aims to inspire and stimulate the building of new, ecologicallysustainable cultures and communities in their myriad facets throughpresenting a broad spectrum of concerns ranging from how we view theworld and act within it, through efforts at restoring damagedecosystems or greening the cities, to the raising of new and hopefulgeneration." (Doug Aberly, Boundaries of Home: Mapping for LocalEmpowerment)

An overall integral approach needs to be taken which takes into accountall social, economic, environmental and sentimental tendencies for anarea, to form proper socio-economic units which can then reform thepolitical landscape as well. This is explored below.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC UNITS

By P.R. Sarkar

The importance of society

-------------------------

"Society is the collective movement of a group of individuals who havemade a unanimous decision to move together towards a common goal."

The meaning of the word society is to move together. People should makeevery effort to carry along those who are lagging behind with them.This is the spirit of society

When the members of some social order or groups come to a unanimousdecision, "We'll move together, we'll live together in good times or bad", then their collective movement is known as society. Some may havemoved far ahead; some may have lagged behind. Some may be unable to

walk due to pain in their legs. Some may have fallen on their faces.Those who do not even care to look after their companions trailingbehind them are not acting as worthy members of society or care for itsmembership.

The proper thing is for all members of the society to move in unison;and while moving together, each member should feel a responsibility for every other member of society. Those who are unable to move must becarried so that the rhythm of the collective movement remains unbroken.We will have to look upon this whole world as an integral entity. At


2/8

present, we do not yet look at things from a cosmological perspective.

Socio-economic movements

------------------------

In nearly all countries of the world economically privileged or advanced groups are mercilessly exploiting other economically backwardgroups and sucking their vitality, gagging their voice and closing allthe doors of their future progress. To overcome this tyranny andexploitation, movements will have to be launched for those suppressedpeople so that they can stride boldly forward, fight against allexploitation and attain economic independence.

Nobody can deny the need of such an approach, of such movements,because such an approach is truly humanistic. If such an approach isnot adopted, it is something unnatural and anti-human. In fact, tooppose such movements amounts to working as an agent to protect theinterests of the exploitative and reactionary forces.

Prout always stands for the cause of exploited people, irrespective of race, nation, religion, etc, and always opposes all types of exploitation. But as poverty is the main problem in the world today,Prout gives top priority to opposing economic exploitation, as thisaffects the livelihood and existence of the people.

To solve this problem and other pressing problems, popular movementsbased on anti-exploitation and universal sentiments should be launchedthroughout the world. Such movements should oppose all forms of economic, psychic, cultural and psycho-economic exploitation. Inaddition they should undertake appropriate practical programs toenhance the all-round welfare of the people.

Criteria for groupification

---------------------------

While forming socio-economic units, several factors should beconsidered. These include same economic problems; uniform economicpotentialities; ethnic similarities; the sentimental legacy of thepeople; and similar geographical features.

1. "Same economic problems" refers to the common economic problemsconfronting people in a particular unit and may include the lack of markets for locally produced goods, surplus or deficit labour problems,communication or transportation difficulties and lack of irrigation

water. Ascertaining whether or not a similar set of economic problemsexists in an area is the first thing, which should be clearly analysedwhen forming a socio-economic unit. The economic problems of thesocio-economic unit, and their solutions, should be well understood.

2. Secondly, there should be uniform economic potentialities in theunit. Despite natural variations from place to place, overall thepeople throughout a unit should enjoy similar opportunities for economic prosperity. Disparity between the haves and the have-nots andthe rich and the poor will have to be progressively reduced so that the


3/8

collective wealth will increase and society will become bountiful.

3. Thirdly, there should be ethnic similarities. In the past many racesand sub-races have been suppressed and exploited by powerful or dominant races. Those with evil designs in order to divide society andestablish their own pre-eminence have propagated racism. Society mustguard against such narrow and dangerous sentiments. This can be doneonly if every ethnic group has adequate scope for its expression anddevelopment. The multi-coloured garland of humanity will be enriched tothe extent diverse human groups blend together from a position of strength and independence out of a genuine love for each other, and arenot forced together through fear or compulsion.

4. Fourthly, sentimental legacy includes factors such as language,historical traditions, literature, common usages and culturalexpressions. It is the common chord in the collective psychology of aparticular group of people, which gives them their unique identity, andsense of affinity. Human beings are predominantly sentimental bynature. They establish some kind of relationship with the many objectsof the world through their day-to-day activities. If the sentiment for a particular favourite object is adjusted with the collective sentimentthen that sentiment can be utilized for establishing unity in humansociety. The human sentiment for many objects may sometimes run counter to the collective sentiment and create great disunity, so thosesentiments, which are conducive to human unity, should be encouraged,and the sentiments which divide human society should be rejected. Thisis the approach adopted by Prout's socio-economic units.

5. Finally, similar geographical features such as topography, river systems, rainfall and irrigation water should also be considered in theformation of a socio-economic unit.

Socio-economic units will give expression to popular sentiments and

fight against all forms of exploitation to meet the demands andaspirations of the local people. Movements will have to be launchedthroughout the world to establish self-sufficient socio-economic unitsbased on the maxim, "Know the area, prepare the plan and serve thepeople". Local people are those who have merged their individualsocio-economic interests with the socio-economic interests of thesocio-economic unit they live in.

Socio-economic units

--------------------

Socio-economic units should be formed throughout the world on the basis

of the same economic problems, uniform economic potentialities, ethnicsimilarities, common sentimental legacy and similar geographicalfeatures. Whole regions and the entire world can be reorganized intosocio-economic units based on these factors. These units should notmerely be geographical areas but self-sufficient socio-economicgroupifications. The fundamental basis of these groupifications issocial, cultural and economic, and not religious or linguistic(although language has some role to play in the sentimental legacycriteria for forming socio-economic units). Socio-economic units willhave to adopt economic decentralization so that the local people will


4/8

be able to obtain all the requirements necessary for their physical,psychic and spiritual progress. This concept is an important aspect of applied Prout.

Economic planning will aim to make each socio-economic unitself-sufficient. Information should be collected to facilitate themaximum utilization of the local potentialities such as thegeographical resources of the area, including the capacity of therivers, lakes and canals, and the location of the hills and mountains;the location and amount of mineral, forest and aquatic resources; theagricultural and industrial resources, including the possibilities for agro-industries and agrico-industries; the demography, including thelabour skills, health and psychology of the people; the agrarianpotential, including the distribution of land for collective needs; andcommunication. Planning for economic self-sufficiency will have toproceed on the basis of implementing the principles of Prout by makingproper use of this data and information. For example, in India someforty-four socio-economic units may be formed.

Many socio-economic units may also be formed all over the world. Inmost cases, each socio-economic unit will correspond to one politicalunit, but in some cases more than one socio-economic unit may form onepolitical unit. Each socio-economic unit represents a collection of human beings who want to move together; hence all the people in theseunits should feel that they are brothers and sisters. Suchgroupifications can never be ultra vires to humanity. Any person whowants to break the solidarity of society must be opposed. You will haveto fight against such elements. You will have to fight all antisocialand anti-human forces in Asia, Europe, the world and the entireuniverse, and you must fight as a single entity. Whenever you fightagainst inhuman forces, all socio-economic units will fight as one. Inthis fight, you must fight for all the suppressed and oppressed peopleof the world.

Self-sufficient socio-economic units

------------------------------------

Each socio-economic unit should prepare and implement its owndevelopmental programmes. Factors like natural resources, topography,river systems, cultural conditions, communication and industrialpotential need to be considered to facilitate proper planning anddevelopment so that each unit will become economically self-sufficientand prosperous. If a significant part of the production of a unit ismisutilized or capital is sent outside, the unit cannot increase itsprosperity, hence there should be maximum utilization of all resources

and no drainage of capital.For example, the Indian state of Orissa is very rich in mineralresources such as coal, bauxite and manganese, but the present leadersexport these mineral resources to other countries. If the raw materialshad been utilized for indigenous industrial production, then four bigsteel plants could easily have been established. This would havesubstantially raised per capita income. But the leaders, instead of paying attention to those things, whimsically frame five-year plans.These plans neither remove economic disparity nor increase collective


5/8

wealth. To achieve these objectives, the Indian economy has to bethoroughly overhauled. At the very outset, to facilitate socio-economicdevelopment, the country should be divided into socio-economic units.If state boundaries are demarcated on the basis of political andlinguistic considerations, then socio-economic plans can never beproperly prepared and implemented, and various economic problems willnot be given due attention. Self-sufficient units are indispensable for expediting the country's economic progress.

Socio-economic development

--------------------------

To ensure socio-economic development, several additional points willalso have be considered in the course of economic planning. For example, people who have to travel to other regions to find employmentface various difficulties. Often they have to travel long distances,involving considerable expenditure, and there is the unnecessary burdenof maintaining two establishments. Generally, it is preferable if people do not leave their own area to find employment. There is enoughscope for creating full employment in every socio-economic unit. Thedrainage of money from one region to another must also be checked;otherwise the per capita income in a socio-economic unit cannotincrease. Every socio-economic unit should demand the cent percentutilization of state or central revenue raised in its area till the per capita income is on par with the most developed area in the country.Stopping the drainage of money from a socio-economic unit is the mostpractical and courageous approach to uprooting exploitation. However,the present leaders will never dare adopt this approach.

Prout's fundamental policy is that it is against small states becausethey become taxing and burdensome to the citizens, but in certaincircumstances the formation of small states may be justified. For

example, a state in a federal system which is not self-sufficienturgently needing developmental programmes, and to materialize these, itmay demand a separate allocation of funds in the federal budget. If anystate finds that obstacles are being created from some quarter inmaterializing its developmental programmes, it will have no other alternative but to demand the formation of a separate state. The sizesof Prout's socio-economic units are ever expanding. Smaller units willmerge together to form bigger ones. A day may come when all of Southeast Asia will become one unit. The following factors provide thebasis for socio-economic units to merge together -- economic parity,cultural mixing, communication facilities and administrativeefficiency.

Lastly, geo-psychological characteristics should also be considered insocio-economic planning. For example, in India people living in eastwet areas tend to be weak and lethargic, while those living in west dryareas tend to be strong and active. This may be called the "East WetTheory". Such characteristics are not caused by individual strengths or weaknesses but are the result of geo-psychological factors. ThePunjabis live in a dry western region and are physically strong andhard working. The Assamese live in a wet eastern region and are morephysically weak and lethargic. Such factors should be given dueconsideration when formulating socio-economic plans. The applied side


6/8

of Prout is based on universal sentiments and not geo-politicalpatriotism, as are other theories and philosophies. While such theoriesencourage enmity and rivalry, Prout's socio-economic units will allwork together and cooperate with each other.

Advancing toward rationality and common interest

-------------------------------------------------

In today's world large animals are on the verge of extinction.Environmental conditions do not support the existence of big animalsany longer. In the past many large creatures inhabited the earth, butas environmental conditions changed and human beings extended their domination over the planet, giant animals became extinct. Similarly,small states are struggling to survive. People are more interested informing larger and larger socio-economic units to ensure the welfare of all than in maintaining many small states. Narrow sentiments aregradually fading away and a universal outlook is arising in the mindsof human beings. Science and technological development have exposed theblind faith and dogma that have suffocated many sections of society,and gradually humanity is advancing towards an age of rationality andcommon interest.

The present age is not the age of large animals and small states. Inaccordance with this trend, Prout advocates the formation of self-sufficient socio-economic units throughout the world. They willwork to enhance the all-round welfare of the people in their respectiveareas and unite humanity on a common ideological base. The interests of all local people will be guaranteed and gain proper recognition. Aseach unit becomes strong and prosperous it will merge with other units.The formation of a world government will assist this process of integration. Socio-economic units will thus facilitate thecomprehensive, multifarious liberation of humanity.

Merging socio-economic units

----------------------------

Where there is economic parity, cultural mixing, communicationfacilities and administrative efficiency, it will be easy and naturalfor two or more adjoining units to cooperate, because they will haveattained a high degree of socio-economic uniformity. In such cases theyshould merge to form a single larger unit. This will further thewelfare of their respective citizens and enhance their socio-economicinterests. In some places regions with different economic problems arelocated within the same political unit.

For example, in the Chotanagpur Hills in Bihar there is an acuteproblem of irrigation, whereas in the plains of north Bihar there isthe problem of water drainage. These two regions should be formed intodistinct socio-economic units. Royalseema, Shrii Kakulam and Telenganahave all been annexed to the one political state of Andhra, althoughtheir economic problems are different. In the interests of the peopleliving in these three regions, each should be formed into a distinctsocio-economic unit. If these three regions are converted into a singleeconomic unit right now simply for administrative purposes, it may lead


7/8

to complications. Thus, in some cases one political unit may be dividedinto two or more socio-economic units. That is, there can be more thanone socio-economic unit in a political unit.

This approach will enable different socio-economic units to develop toa level that fulfils their potentiality. If a particular state in afederal system cannot get economic justice, it may agitate for theseparate allocation of funds within the federal budget. If, after launching such an agitation, it still fails to secure proper justice,it will have no alternative but to demand the formation of a separatestate.

However, Prout does not favour the formation of many small states, eachwith its separate budget and administration. Numerous state divisionswill only compound socio-economic problems, causing unnecessaryduplication, and are costly and wasteful. Rather, small states shouldbe expanded into larger socio-economic units. When two units reach asimilar level of development, they should merge together to form alarger unit. For example, this process of unification will graduallyresult in the formation of one socio-economic unit for all India. Inthe next phase, through continued growth and development, the whole of South and Southeast Asia will become one socio-economic unit.Eventually, the whole world will function as one integratedsocio-economic unit. After reaching this stage of development,socio-economic groupifications will have attained a state of equipoiseand equilibrium, and universal fraternity will become a reality.

Protection from exploitation

----------------------------

Once socio-economic units are established throughout the world, howwill exploitation be avoided in the future? Society will enjoy lasting

protection from all types of exploitation only if an integratedideology, an empirical spiritual base, spiritually oriented cadres andproper institutions are well established in social life.

1. An integrated ideology should have several aspects. It must be thebasis for the rational analysis of socio-economic problems and theformulation of comprehensive, appropriate and logical solutions.Secondly, it must not ignore the human need for psychic expansion andspiritual emancipation. And thirdly, it should be imbued with inherentdynamism and vitality so that it can guide humanity forward in itsquest for all-round progress.

2. An empirical spiritual base will protect society from all

fissiparous tendencies and group or clan sentiments, which createshackles of narrow-mindedness. Spirituality does not recognize anyunnatural distinctions between human beings. It stands for evolutionand elevation and not for superstition or pessimism.

3. Spiritually oriented cadres will provide a moral check against allforms of exploitation, and propagate moral and spiritual valuesthroughout society according to the maxim, "Self-realization andservice to humanity".


8/8

4. Finally, proper institutions are necessary to reflect the needs andaspirations of the people and work for the cause of human welfare. Theneed for a world government is already apparent to many people, and inthe future, once it is established, its powers should be progressivelystrengthened. Each socio-economic unit will have to get ample scope for its integrated development within the framework of the worldgovernment.

Prout's system of socio-economic groupifications is a comprehensiveapproach to the socio-economic problems confronting society. If peopleadopt such an approach, society will move along the path of progresswith increasing speed, overcoming all bondages and hindrances. Humansociety will enjoy a bright and glorious future.

Documents

Building Social and Economic Units