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Preface to the Hungarian Edition of After Capitalism

By Dr. György Lajos. Mr Lajos is a medical doctor who helped pioneering the ecological movement in Hungary.

After Capitalism is a unique book that fills many gaps. I have read only few works about the problems of the world that strive so much for completeness. The literature dealing with the present crisis usually addresses one or a few key issues, looking for priorities, which may be environmental, political, legal, economic, concerning overpopulation, nature, etc. Few have the human soul or consciousness as the basis of their approach, and spiritual questions are seldom in the frontline (The Voice of the Earth by Theodore Roszak may be an exception). For decades the Communist Party taught us that existence defines consciousness, thus few think that what we really need is a shift in consciousness.

When in 1955, Sarkar founded a socio-spiritual organization called Ananda Marga ("The Path of Bliss"), he built on the meditation and spiritual practice of the 15000 year-old Tantric tradition. Tantra is not a dogmatic religious system but a spiritual life style. Its fundamental principle is the one-ness (as defined by Heraclites), the cosmic consciousness, the intelligent universe. Thus the path of knowledge is a mystical, intuitive path. According to Hamvas Béla, “Mysticism is that kind of knowledge that sees the unity of all things, while science does not see it.” Mysticism is not the opposite of science; it is the highest stance of knowledge. Maybe the highest stance reachable by humans.1

In 1959, Sarkar introduced the Progressive Utilization Theory, that’s also based on universal spiritual values. Its goal is to reorganize the economy, to establish a system where everybody’s well being, health and happiness can be realized.

Sarkar understood that global capitalism based on greed and accumulation of profit is doomed to recurring crisis and collapse. Humanity has entered into the era of catastrophes, self-annihilation. The total collapse of our culture and species, the irreversible degradation of the environment seems unavoidable. Prout wants to prevent the united suicide of humanity and examines whether there is a way out.

According to Prout we have no right to exploit the Earth, living beings, Nature. From a spiritual standpoint it opposes limitless private property and parasitic capitalism. It gives a critique of the old meaning of humanism – Sarkar’s neo-humanism means compassion with all humans, animals, plant and even the other parts of Nature. It discriminates between knowledge and wisdom. We remember the words of T.S. Eliot, “Where is the wisdom that was lost in our knowledge?” Life on Earth means a dynamic equilibrium – it’s called prama in Sanskrit.

Prout analyzes economic depressions as inevitable in capitalism. The reasons for this are: money is concentrated in the hands of few, the flow of money is blocked, purchasing capacity is curtailed, inflation, increase of purchases on credit.

Prout opposes neo-liberalism that “preaches” efficiency, success, free trade, growth, accumulation of wealth, and the exploitation of nature. According to neo-liberalism, the state has no right to take a significant part of private incomes in the form of tax! (I can refer here to the current tax policy of the United States).

Prout intends to walk on the “Third Way” that’s well known in Hungary already. Let me refer to the “village explorers”: Németh László, the articles written by Czakó Gábor during the transition and several books of Síklaki István. This Third Way is about economic decentralization, reviving ancient wisdom, self-reliance, regional planning and development, environmental sustainability, protection of local languages and cultures, establishing coops. In this circle of issues, Prout is related to Schumacher, Wendell Berry and Elena Norberg-Hodge.

The loss of the natural environment, the extinction of species and the human role in these are central issues to Prout. Nature has lost its balance, the prama. This leads to degeneration and destruction. Human society has reached this stage too: it is characterized by economic collapse, social unrest, cultural degradation, and religious superstition.

The chapter on ethics discusses more of the questions that are debated today: quick technological transformation, the role of the media, TV and Hollywood movies propagating violence, cultural relationships, and many others (euthanasia, genetic engineering, cloning, death penalty, workers’ exploitation, drug abuse, problems of nuclear waste and animal rights). .

Sarkar differentiates between ordinary and spiritual morality. The latter is based on neo-humanism and the cardinal human values that are found in religious traditions, too – these originate from the evolution of consciousness and gaining spiritual self knowledge. It describes the ten fundamental principles of morality, starting with not intentionally harming others (“ahimsa”) and concluding with the acceptance of cosmic awareness/consciousness.

Prout differentiates between culture and civilization. Culture includes tradition, customs, arts, language, dress, food habits, etc. Civilization means the presence of rationality within the given culture. According to Prout, racism, sexism, class exploitation are uncivilized. Imperialists call the cultures of colonized people “primitive”, and force their own materialist, consumerist “pseudo-culture” on them, Even though those cultures may be more civilized than that the capitalists.

What does the political system of Prout look like? The role of government is not to control the economy but to enhance balanced economic growth through administration. Its roles are to provide security, education, services, health care, assistance to coops, environmental protection, etc. It is important to separate the legislative, judiciary, and executive branches. Besides these, there is a financial branch that audits the other three branches of the government. At the time of elections, the government and the media treat all candidates equally. Neither the candidates nor their supporters are allowed to finance the campaigns – only the government does it, equally.

Sohail Inayatullah writes about the future of the Prout movement. He thinks we live at the time of a paradigm shift. Apparently unrelated phenomena have the same cause: a materialist worldview, in which the individual comes first, the society second. This shortsightedness for immediate profit is mortgaging the future for present gains. Prout will soon enter the media presenting a challenge for the old movements. The new paradigm will defeat liberal capitalism and autocratic communism. Sarkar said, “Half an hour before victory you won’t know about it.” Let me refer to the systems theory: “If a butterfly in Beijing flaps its wings that will transform the storm pattern in New York the following month.”

Finally I’d like to say a few words on the relations of Prout. The nucleus of the book is alternative economics. It’s interesting that many of the economists with such perspectives have a spiritual vein: Schumacher, Herman Daly and among the local ones, the Altern Group at the University of Economics founded by Kindler József.

We have to think in systems. According to Sarkar, “We must not forget for a single moment that the whole living world is one joint family.” While reading these lines and others, the question comes to me: did Sarkar know about the General System Theory propounded by Ludwig von Bertalanffy? Many principles of that theory are in tune with the holistic principles of Prout.

According to the monist view of Bertalanffy, the whole is more than the sum of its parts. The relationships, the mutual effects, the self-regulation are of essential importance. He explains that General System Theory has mystical foundations. He doesn’t refer to Eastern religions but to Leibnitz, Cusanus, Paracelsus, the dialectics of Marx and Engels, and the novel “The Glass Bead Game” by Hermann Hesse.

Can Prout’s objectives be realized? Let us not regard these as utopian. Utopias guide us, they show us the goals. Chomsky writes, “When the Lords of the Universe meet yearly in the World Economic Forum, NGO representatives meet in Porto Alegre.” The world needs different types of leaders. He thinks these people in the World Social Forum are the hope of the future. Their slogan is, “Another world is possible.” Yes, possible, and the possibility must be realized.

The book intends to introduce Prout to the widest possible group of readers. This is an overview both for professionals and to anyone interested in social issues. If this book awakens your interest for Prout, you’re recommended to study Sarkar’s original writings and the works of contemporary Prout researchers.

The book focuses on comparing Prout to capitalism, though references to communism are included, too. Though one can find many similar points to the principles of communism, (e.g. social security, free education and healthcare, full employment, restricted private ownership, system of cooperatives), due to its spiritual base, Prout offers a completely different perspective. The comparison of Prout and communism could be the theme of a book on its own – maybe it’ll be a Hungarian author who writes it!