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Proutist Economic Theory part 1

IIntroduction to Proutist economic paradigm

Aim of Prout: The creation of an ideal society encompassing the collective body of human beings progressively moving toward a spiritual goal, a cosmic goal, together. In building an ideal society there should be a congenial environment where people get anopportunity for their physical, psychic, and spiritual progress.

In this light society and economic structure(s) are based on the fraternity of all human beings regardless of race, class, gender, ethnicity, or religion, etc.Economic policies reflect the needs of the physical, mental, and spiritual potentialities of human beings (and eventually even the realms of plants, animals, and the rest of thenatural universe) and those potentialities are given ample encouragement and room for growth and development.Leadership of society is to be in hands of moralists who aim at harmonizing the needsand wants of individual members of society with the collective interest(s) of society.The economic structure should reflect a proper adjustment of human beings lifestyles inregard to each other and the natural world.

IIFundamental Concepts and PrinciplesA.

Minimum requirements

1. Human beings have minimum requirements of living such as food,clothing, medical supplies and assistance, housing and shelter.

a) These minimum necessities must be guaranteed regardless of race,class, gender, ethnicity, religion, etc. b) Rather than trying to give equal wealth to all, the proper approach is toensure that the minimum requirements are available to all.

2. Society must make arrangements so that people, in exchange for theirlabor according to their capacity, can earn the money they require topurchase the minimum requirements.3. The minimum requirements of human beings change according tochanges in ages and the demands of the age.

a) While a horse may be the standard requirement of one age, anautomobile may be for another. b) All people should have the minimum requirements of their age.c) As it becomes possible the standard of the minimum requirementsshould increase and go on increasing as society becomes more efficientand advanced.

4. The minimum requirements of people may be the same, but diversity is alaw of nature.

Promoting an incentive-less system of giving equal wealth to allwhen there is diversity of skill, talent, and motivation is not as desirable as providing minimum necessities to all and, also, incentives for meritorious people.

B.Maximum Amenities: The surplus wealth should bedistributed among meritorious people according to thedegree of their merit

1. In recognition of the diverse skills and capacities of individuals of society,after minimum requirements have been provided for the people, specialamenities should be provided as incentive for the utilization of skills, intellect,and other talents to be best contributed for the welfare of the society and theworld.2. Meritorious people such as physicians, engineers, and scientists shouldreceive more than the amount of minimum requirements allocated to peoplein general.3. After meeting the minimum requirements of all in any age, the surpluswealth should be set aside for meritorious persons with special qualities toenable them to render greater service to society.4. The wealth of society that is left over after providing for the minimumrequirements of the age should be distributed among meritorious peopleaccording to the degree of their merit.

(E.g., in an age when a bicycle is theminimum requirement for common people, a motor vehicle is necessary for a physician.)

5. The amenities given to the meritorious should never go against thecollective interest.6. Common people should not be deprived of maximum amenities.

As theincome of the more affluent members of society increase the scope of minimumstandards should not lag far behind. Efforts must be constantly made to reducethe gap between the maximized amenities of the affluent with the minimumstandards of the common people. Thus, the common people should receive moreand more amenities.

C.Purchasing Capacity

1. The requirements of all should be within their pecuniary periphery orpurchasing power.

In order to raise the level of the minimum requirements of people, the best policy is to increase their purchasing capacity.

2. The advancement of people’s economic standard should be measured onthe basis of purchasing capacity.

Purchasing capacity is the yardstick to knowhow a person’s economic needs may be met by their income. The responsibility of planners will be to make purchasing capacity ever-increasing and economic plansand programs should be designed toward that end. Having high income but low purchasing power is not preferable to low income with great purchasing power.

3. The economy should be organized in such a way that it has its own innatepower to produce more and more

. Money should be reinvested, money should be rolling rather than hoarded and purchasing capacity and the wealth of societyshould be increased. As maximum production is made according to collectiveneed and increased production is based on consumption motive and fullemployment policy purchasing capacity will increase.

D.Maximum Utilization of Resources

1.The Proper Use of Resources

a) In all regions of the earth there are abundant natural resources.Mundane resources are limited but human longings are limitless. Themisutilization, under-utilization, and/or over-utilization of resourceswithout rational distribution have caused untold sufferings, hardships, anddeath. Therefore, society must adopt as system of maximum utilizationand rational distribution of all resources. No group or individual can beallowed to hoard wealth and resources without allowing for the potentialfor harming the collective interest. b) The resources within the natural world, within the human body, andindividual and collective mind should be fully explored and utilized for the betterment of society.c) Society must ensure the maximum development of every member’s body, mind, and spirit, as well as the maximum utilization of the fullspectrum of the potentialities of resources available in the universe---mundane, supra-mundane, and spiritual. Also, society must ensure the