Proutist Economic Development
Ethics for Personal
and Social Transformation
Dada Maheshvarananda
Corruption is Eating Away at Venezuela’s Progress
Transparency International published the Corruption Perceptions Index 2002, ranking 102 countries.
For Venezuela, the CPI utilized ten different polls, reflecting the perceptions of country analysts and business people, both resident and non-resident.
Venezuela was ranked 84,
Corruption as
a Spreading Disease
What if you had:
• Underpaid government employees working maddeningly slow unless they got bribes;
• Greedy business people and unscrupulous investors illegally paying millions to corrupt officials to gain favors or win lucrative government contracts;
How do you feel when:
• They put their selfish gain before the welfare of citizens and the economic development of their country.
Strategies to End Corruption
• Monitor public institutions, demanding and promoting accountable public administration.
• Create public awareness through media campaigns.
• Encourage citizen participation, confront resignation and apathy.
• Raise the standard of living for everyone through cooperatives and full employment.
• Teach honesty and universal ethical principles at every level of education.
“The Lords of the
Universe!”
-The London Financial Times:
About the financial leaders of the rich countries who meet
annually in the World Economic Forum in Davos,
Switzerland.
Lack of Ethics
• The tendency to lie is common amongst criminals – why should it extend to politicians, corporate
directors, advertisers … Who wants that!
• Traditional moral rules, absolutes, are inadequate.
• Throughout history, ruling classes have toyed with moral rules and laws to maintain power.
Morality / Ethics
• What is morality ?
• Code of conduct that leads human beings to their highest fulfilment.
• Ethical principles are the starting point on the journey of human life.
• Principles leading to one’s spiritual welfare.
Moral Values - basis
Basics:
• honesty, courage,
• mercy, humility,
• self-restraint, compassion,
• protect the weak,
• avoid harming others,
• overcome selfishness,
• denouncing lies of those who abuse their power.
• Moral values – overarched by cardinal human values ...
Found in neo-humanism
• Cardinal human values are found in neo- humanism, which is :
– universal humanism;
– spiritual humanism.
• Cardinal human values:
– reflect the spirit of continuing effort towards welfare of the entire humanity and promotion of universal well-being;
– benevolent spirit for the good and happiness of all;
– ensure humanity does not degenerate
Neo-humanism
• Takes the spirit of humanism further and extends it to everything, animate and inanimate, in the universe.
• Elevates humanism to universalism.
• Synthetic approach
(compared to analytical).
Morality is Society’s Foundation
• Moral values have a deeper origin – cardinal human values.
• Cardinal human values arise from the evolution of one’s higher consciousness.
• ‘Practical wisdom’.
• They are not do’s and don’ts.
• But do’s and don’ts – should be founded on cardinal human values.
• Balance individual and collective interests.
• Ethics are tools for liberation, not suppression.
Universal Moral Principles – external sphere
1. Not to intentionally harm others with one’s actions, words or thoughts.
2. To use one’s words and one’s mind for the welfare of others; benevolent truthfulness.
3. Not to take what rightfully belongs to others, and not to deprive others of what is their due.
4. Not to indulge in comforts and amenities which are superfluous to the preservation of life.
5. To respect and treat everyone and everything as an expression of the Supreme Consciousness.
1. Cleanliness of body and mind.
2. Contentment.
3. Undergo hardships to serve and attain self- actualized higher awareness.
4. Study of philosophy and uplifting spiritual discourse.
5. Internal contemplation of spiritual idea.
