Transcript Document

Economic Democracy
in Latin America
and the United States
Dada Maheshvarananda
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1. My story...
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“At the risk of
sounding
ridiculous, I would
say that the true
revolutionary is
guided by great
feelings of love.”
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Yoga and meditation
me, 1976
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar
(1921-1990)
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Prout = Progressive Utilization
Theory
socio-economic
model:
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economic self-reliance
cooperatives
environmental balance
universal spiritual values.
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Brazil:
Prout: alternative to global colonization.
Economic democracy with cooperatives.
Basic necessities for all.
Capitalist greed is destroying our planet.
Responses to Exploitation
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1. Silence
2. Reform
3. Revolution
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2. Economic Democracy...
why?
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What kind of
world do we
want?
We all want:
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END OF GLOBAL
CAPITALISM?
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Wealth Inequality in USA
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Conservative Frank Luntz
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fracking = “energy exploration”
healthcare reform = “government takeover”
government spending = “waste”
capitalist = “job creator”
CEO bonuses = “pay for performance”
global capitalism = “economic freedom”
Economy of, by and for the
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people
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RIGHT TO LIVE!
Guarantee five minimum necessities of life to all:
• food
• clothing
• housing
• education
• medical care
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Jobs with fair wages
guaranteed to all.
Three Levels of Economy
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1. Small Scale Private
Enterprises
2. Cooperatives
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• Base of “economic democracy”
• workers own their enterprises
3. Strategic Key Industries
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• public utilities
• belong to society,
never privatized
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Local economies
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Different Governance
1. Council of respected elders
2. Wise leader
3. Political democracy
4. Participatory democracy
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3. Economic Democracy
in Latin America
Minimum necessities
for all
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Free Healthcare
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Venezuelan
Economy
Poverty reduced 50%. Extreme poverty reduced 70%.
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66,000
functioning
co-ops in
Venezuela
2nd highest after China!
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33,000
communal
councils
Community
empowerment
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“We are
Chávez!”
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CECOSESOLA
Food Co-op
Barquisimeto,
Venezuela
Open 4 days/week
450 tons of produce
weekly
30% off supermarket
prices
55,000 families shop
each week!
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Co-op hospital
Co-op funeral service
Many small co-op
producers
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Workers
takeover
failed
enterprises
Argentina: 250
with 13,000
workers – only
2 failed.
Brazil: 174
Co-op spirit
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Moral Leadership
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moral force, spiritual vision, courage to fight
injustice. Anyone can become a moral
leader.
Rigoberta Menchú
Marina Silva
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Prout Research Institute of Venezuela
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Independent, not-for profit foundation since 2007.
What we do
Raise consciousness
Strengthen
cooperatives
Promote economic
democracy
Why
Transform lives
Empower
communities
Welfare of all
How
Publishing
Education
Research
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The Quinta Prout with 40
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beds for visitors!
Prout Projects in Venezuela
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Training courses
Prout Projects in Venezuela
Dada: “Every morning I wake up
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in paradise!”
Prout Projects in Venezuela
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Yoga classes
Prout Projects in Venezuela
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Didi Ananda
Sadhana
Centro Madre: Prout Community
Center in Barlovento
Prout Projects in Venezuela
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Centro Madre: empowering self-reliance through
education, sustainable agriculture, holistic
development and ethical leadership.
“Excellent” small scale
sustainable agriculture
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Prout Projects in Venezuela
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Neohumanist Education
"The practice of love for all creation
including plants, animals, and the
inanimate world."
1000 schools
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4. Economic Democracy
in United States
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr.
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Maximum?
US federal employee starting salary: $17,803.
Maximum salary: $179,700 (10 times higher).
(Source: General Schedule Grade 1 & Senior Executive Service).
Cooperatives: did you know...
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1 billion+ people are co-op members?
Co-ops provide 2 million jobs in USA, 100+ million
worldwide (corporations: 80 milion)?
1st year, 40% new U.S. companies fail (10% co-ops
fail)?
By 5th year, 60% U.S. companies fail (12% co-ops
fail)?
[World Council of Credit Unions, Statistical Data: United States Credit Union
Statistics, 1939-2002.]
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Why don’t people cooperate
more of the time?
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Social Darwinism
Herbert Spencer's
ideological basis of
British, US and
German imperialism:
the strong should rule.
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Scientific view
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“Too big to fail”?
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Mass media and
advertising
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What could we do to
inspire people to cooperate
more?
COOPERATIVE GAMES
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Cooperative
Musical Chairs
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Levitation
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Lack of Ethics
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• Most common factor among criminals is lying.
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Some powerful people also lie!
Many moral rules and laws
created for power.
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Ethics for
Liberation
Sarkar: balance individual and collective
interests.
Re-interpreted 10 ancient yoga moral
principles (Yama and Niyama)
Rejected rules-based morality, absolutes.
Cardinal Human Values
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• honesty, courage,
• mercy, humility,
• self-restraint, compassion.
• protect the weak,
• avoid harming others,
• overcome selfishness.
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1. Ahim’sá: Not to intentionally
harm others with one’s actions,
words or thoughts.
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5. Aparigraha: Not to
accumulate wealth or
indulge in comforts which
are unnecessary.
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5. Ecological & Spiritual
Perspective
Clarification:
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Dogma vs. Spirituality
Fundamentalism is closeminded,
Blind obedience,
Instills fear.
Divides people into believers
and non-believers.
Open-minded,
Questioning,
Promotes love.
Views all people as one
human family.
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Spiritual perspective
of Prout
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MEDITATION
Benefits:
overcoming insomnia,
depression and mental
complexes; increasing
memory, concentration,
willpower, self-control, selfesteem and tolerance;
developing mental peace,
wisdom, compassion and
unconditional love.
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Health-related benefits
Meta-analysis of 20 research studies of mindfulness
meditation:
87% less heart disease, 55% fewer tumors, 50%
fewer hospitalizations, 30% fewer mental disorders,
30% fewer infectious diseases.
Meditation-based therapies reduce chronic pain,
anxiety and depression, substance abuse, suicidal
behavior.
Prison Meditation Classes
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HOW TO MEDITATE?
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Close your eyes
Sit straight
Breathe deeply
Repeat your mantra
Practice every day
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Baba Nam
Kevalam
Universal mantra in
Sanskrit:
“Love is all there is.”
6. Conclusion
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“Follow your bliss!”
Joseph Campbell
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Take-aways?
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Learn!
$19.95
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