3. A Possible Solution
From Confinement of Misery to Freedom of Vision
Manifesto "A Global Economy for the Benefit of the World Community"
by
Hans Jecklin
The immediate experience of misery and poverty may open eyes for a new perception of our planet and its state of health which is characterized by serious disharmony. We have the pull of the evolution of consciousness towards ever increasing integration on the one hand, and on the other the resistance of old patterns of consciouseness based on a destructive kind of individualism resulting from isolation and fear. Within the evolutionary process of globalization where individuals are meant to increasingly merge into a community of humanity and planet, the economy has very quickly isolated certain aspects and reduced them, unfortunately, to merely another opportunity for material gains. This has lead to even more harmful conflicts. The true meaning of the latest acceleration of evolution still remains to be discovered. To prevent an even deeper global crisis, the expansion of consciousness into a global dimension is imperative for humankind and nations. Moreover, the responsibility of the economy towards environment and society has to be channeled into the policies of a global governance.
Some time ago, I had the opportunity to spend several weeks in a slum in the Philippines. For a businessman living in well-off Switzerland this might seem an unexpected destination but the decision to go was not too difficult for me. "Sister Pia's Greenhouse School' in Ibayo, a slum in the greater metropolitan area of Manila was founded by Pia Gyger. It is a school for global consciousness and turned out to be a perfect greenhouse for touching (indelible) experiences and lasting insights. There was no way to avoid existential experiences in the slums: the crying misery in its most concentrated form, the squalor of tightly packed space, as well as hunger, bad smells, respiration problems caused by heavy smoke from the adjacent burning mountains of civilization garbage. The false promises of affluence provided by loudspeakers and screens, as well as gambling and drinking cannot dull the hopelessness of the situation. Anger and fury express themselves in violence and abuse of children and women. But nothing is there which cannot also be seen in our part of the world where it is only more hidden, less blatant. The pitiless confrontation with this continuous display of misery caused immediate pain, over and over again. I had to understand that external images open up internal wounds, and that my own pain had to be nursed before anything else. Only then I was able to tear the veil apart and release feelings of compassion, as an act of looking at this naked reality just as it was at that point in time, with an open heart and free of fear. The next step was a deeply moving vision of community as genuine solidarity with the human being, with humankind in its diversity of nations and cultures, solidarity also with all creatures, with the whole creation in its miraculous wealth of manifestations. Finally the image of the earth and its inhabitants evolved as a living organism. The slum appeared like an abscess, as they develop in the weak parts of sick bodies. The symptom points towards the underlying illness and ultimately even indicates its deeper origins in the realm of spirit and mind. If a symptom is thus taken serious and seen in its whole context, it can become the starting point for a holistic healing process. Soothing pain and bandaging wounds are, of course, needs to be first met, but the origin of the sickness has to be dealt with as well. Otherwise the illness will continue to spread and cover the body with festering sores.
Genuine solidarity with suffering fellow human beings raises questions. Does their misery not very clearly demonstrate the sickness of our planet and its inhabitants? How long should their agony continue? How many more of such festering sores will we allow to develop on the global organism?
Evolution and Global Consciousness
To understand the concept of humanity and earth as an interdependent organism, we should perhaps take a closer look at the history of the evolution of the universe. It is an evolution from the chaos of unorganized energy particles into higher and ever more complex forms, from sub-atomic particles to atoms, molecules, cells, organisms, leading to the whole variety of plants, animals and humans. This evolution also includes the unfolding of human consciousness, the awakening of a creature still archaically embedded in nature, which most probably needed millions of years to cultivate an ego and evolve into the individual of today with its highly differentiated consciousness and all its amazing (miraculous) possibilities. The expansion of the faculty to perceive spatial and social relationships is part of this development. The human range of experiences, once confined to narrow circles of family and tribe in its immediate surroundings, now includes the diversity of peoples and nations. Various signs indicate that our perception of the interdependence of humans and planet is heading towards an integration into the cosmic order. If we understand the history of evolution as a forceful, irresistible unfolding of living existence into ever more differentiated manifestations of an all-embracing field of consciousness, we can see many of the disturbing phenomena of today. e.g. globalization, liberalization, deregulation and unemployment in a new light. They hold a liberating potential which could be very beneficial for the human race in its advancement to a new level of consciousness. So far we only know those aspects of the latest evolutionary development which quickly translate into economic profits, but that is not enough.
Globalization is a fundamental expression of the evolution of human consciousness transcending the limitations of nations and peoples, in order to enter new dimensions involving our planet and the whole human race. Therefore, the possibilities of networking among all people and peoples through the new means of communication is not surprising. However, the new technologies, as useful and fascinating as they are, should not be allowed to obscure the spiritual dimension whose material manifestation they represent. Without link to this back-ground, they and their users pervert into instruments of manipulation in the service of ultimately illusiory self-interests.
But globalization has an even wider implication, i.e. the expansion of consciousness of the highly developed individual emerging from isolation to unite with the global community of evolved individuals. In this process, the new communication technologies can be a boon; decentralization of work and investment through the modern media promotes the participation of a wider segment of humankind in the support system of goods and services. Diminishing of local poverty and reduction of transportation are some of the benefits of the information network. When telephone offices were installed in the Indian half-state Himachal Pradesh, e.g., the farmers started to make inquiries about the market price of apples in the big cities, thus liberating themselves from the exploitation of middle-men and increasing their prosperity.
Liberalization and deregulation are thus means of liberation from mechanisms and barriers which protect privileges and indolence thereby preventing change. Impulses only materialize within such free space. Flexible and vital organisms have to replace rigid structures in private as well as community life, in the economic as well as governmental sector, and in public institutions, too. In the past, closed systems have given us an illusion of security, but they cannot survive the ever accelerating exponential transformations of our times. And what about unemployment? Given the present circumstances, it is a very painful ordeal for those concerned. But in the long run, it may turn out to be a gift of evolution presented to humankind. The amount of labor necessary for the supply of goods and services is diminishing. Our energy is not exclusively needed for our survival anymore. It is as if we were offered space for the next step in our development of consciousness which touches a new dimension necessary for life on this planet. But a new strategy for the distribution of productivity gains is essential. Considering that such gains are resulting from the reduction of human labor, they have to serve communal interests.
How many more Crises do We Need?
80 years ago already, Rudolf Steiner cautioned against the exploitation of the globalization process through unbridled economic forces only, without the corresponding developments in ethics and politics. He predicted a profound crisis, should that happen.
Most probably we have reached that point. Many experts still keep their eyes closed and place their stakes on a misinterpretation of Adam Smith, believing that maximal profits of the individual benefit everyone. They almost deliberately fail to notice that Adam Smith's moral philosophy, founded on benevolence, clearly saw the well-being of the community as a prerequisite for economic activity.
70 years ago, Teilhard de Chardin wrote about the population explosion of the present times and the corresponding strain on the planet. In his understanding of the evolutionary course, the paleontologist and philosopher saw the existential curtailing of survival space as a chance for a spontaneous breakthrough of compassion on a planetary scale, as a gate into the consciousness of the community and a means to unite billions of humans to humankind.
As Rudolf Steiner and Teilhard de Chardin predicted, however, the new elements of consciousness will drag us into an ever deepening crisis, into hopelessness and despair unless we understand that the benefit of such advancements can only develop in a spirit of solidarity. The worldwide electronic communication web, an essential feature of the global village, allows local independence and a better distribution of the growing prosperity among the global population. The beneficial effect, however, can turn into its reverse, if companies select their sites in countries where people in dire poverty will accept the most degrading working conditions, where toxic emissions are tolerated for the sake of economic development and where taxes, the symbols of solidarity are evaded through clever fiduciary manipulations.
To pursue one's own advantage is socially acceptable, or at least tolerable, if no harm is done to others. In the past, this rule of conduct was enforced by the social framework of family and tribe, as well as the nation state. In the global village, we are still without a corresponding authority, even though the transnational companies have left the realm of the nation state a long time ago.
A positive feature of global competition of prices is the undermining of tightly guarded privileges. If the companies are forced to streamline their cost structures due to the price war and if the fixed costs can be distributed on a larger amount of units thanks to quantitative growth, the community will enjoy certain benefits. Forced quantitative growth, however, leads to overproduction and unnecessary environmental strain, especially since low-priced goods are usually of rather ephemeral nature. In saturated markets, quantitative growth often translates into a fierce survival struggle for market shares. Bankruptcies and fusions result in a lower number of market participants who also fully utilize the benefits of rationalization thereby increasing the pressure on the employment situation. In the mostly free-for all atmosphere of the global economic space, monopolies presuppose a responsible attitude towards economic power. But its representatives often do not measure up to the challenge. With the intensified pressure, opposition towards measures of control is mounting. Resistance towards environmental concerns, not promising short-term profits, is rising. In addition, willingness to make a contribution of solidarity to the community through taxes and tariffs is waning.
Besides, productivity gains always imply a substitution of labor through capital. The stock-market remunerates progress in productivity in its prognostic stage already and favors shareholders who have not lifted a finger for the prosperity of the enterprise except to give signals which seduce the management of the company to take extreme measures to increase the shareholder value which is not in line with the interests of the community.
The widening gap between the rich and the poor of many countries, the rift between north and south, and the increasing stress on the biosphere are consequences of the above constellations whose components propell each other foreward.
Humanity will become more and more entangled in this fatal spiral, should the economy be allowed to move forward on its own in the globalization process. A corresponding development in the collective consciousness and appropriate political and legal measures are of utmost importance.
Otherwise we will be left with the choice between far-reaching social unrest and a stupefying consumer craze ending in the collapse of the environment.
On the positive side, we have the still unrecognized promise of evolutionary history to progress from the individual to the global community of humanity and earth. Paradoxically, those aspects of the new consciousness based on material benefits only are directing people into even deeper isolation. It is as if the individualistic possibilities had to be enjoyed to the fullest and tested to their limits before the fascination will fade in order to let a comprehensive field of consciousness collect the precious individual parts and merge them into a higher unit.
Supposedly such dead-ends are part of the halting progression of evolution. The old traditions of spiritual paths admonish their adherents not to cling to the phenomena of a new stage of development since that could hinder advancement on the journey. Seen in that light, the persistent evolutionary thrust visible in painful globalisation could be understood as an expression of grace which prevents us from straying deeper into isolation and also serves as a spring-board for the next step of evolution. The amount of suffering would, consequently, depend on our readiness to jump - but jump into what direction?
If we have properly understood that evolution wants to unite many particular parts into a higher unified entity, we will see how humans merge into humanity, and nations into a global community. When cells unite to form an organism, they do not lose their function. On the contrary, their peculiar features correlate with the functions necessary for the performance of the organism.
Similarily, the community resulting from the globalisation process consists of complete parts whose particularities ensure the viability of the newly emerged organism.
One of the obstacles of evolutionary development is the inability of the old consciousness to entirely grasp the importance of the new phenomena. But it is safe to say that in the transformative process of people and peoples into the higher consciousness of the global community, the particular roles and functions of individuals will be defined exactly on the basis of diversified and unique contributions to the benefit of the higher entity each can make. In order to prevent any misunderstanding, a distinction has to be made between community of unique individuals as defined above and the regression of individuals into the anonymity of a group. Twice this century we have witnessed how individuality was forced to drown in mass movements. The approaching transformation unquestionably needs global citizens with an authentic sense of responsibility and the motivation to volunteer when the well-being of the individual is dependent on the well-being of the community.
A Global Economy for the Benefit of the World Community
Visions breed resolutions leading to measures and actions which ultimately crystallize in the shape of the material world. It is, therefore, meaningful to explore as far as possible the idea of community of billions of individuals merging into humanity. Visions are fields of consciousness which have the power to create forms. A refined delineation stimulates the potential for realization on the material level.
Keeping the above in mind, we will now cautiously try to sketch some essential features of the role the economy will play as a part of the new organism.
Prerequisite for the community, and its foundation too, is the understanding that the well-being of the individual - the human being, enterprise, region, state - is dependent on the well-being of the community.
This means that each individual, according to talents and possibilities, has to make his/her contribution to the (smooth?) functioning of the entire organism.
The purpose of each enterprise is, therefore, defined as a (the?) service which it performs for the community, through production and distribution of goods and services. Production, marketing, employment and profits are prerequisites for this service or its consequences, respectively. They are not justified as an end in itself.
No individual advantage justifies undue stress on the community, or its damage. The use of common goods, from resources to water and air, has to be regulated within the framework of community interests.
The enterprises should aim at profits because they are necessary to counterbalance short -and medium- term changes. Profits are also a prerequisite for the preservation and restauration of enterprise capital as well as for the contributions of solidarity serving the well-being of the community. Taxes help to finance those services which are necessary for the whole community even though they do not create any surplus value. The investors allocate (devote) their capital on a medium- to long-term basis to a purpose which serves the interest of the community. In return, they receive an appropriate share of the acquired surplus value. Such allocations of capital are not to be traded as short-term convertable assets.
As inconceivable as the conditions for such a development seem at present, and as little as we can imagine the higher organism whose well-being would be of top priority to the economy, we have to admit that the epoch-making changes of this century could very well be followed by other very fast-paced transformations. The acceleration of the consciousness expansion is exemplified in the increasing speed of the great liberation movements of this century, e.g., the prohibition of slave-trade, the end of colonialism, and the collapse of the East-block.
The Economy Needs Global Governance
Understanding for the increasing speed of transformation and confidence in the wisdom of the irresistible force of the spiritual dimension must be followed by concrete action. Otherwise, the situation will turn into violence between the advantaged and the disadvantaged, or it will begin to directly endanger the foundations of our lives. The responsibility of the economy towards environment and social duties has to be channeled into global policies requiring as little red tape as possible. In addition, the economy has to protect its own interests through a system of federalist world governance on a subsidiary basis, with a global center of control and enforcement. The required minimum of rules should lead to the above vision of a global economy for the benefit of the world community and cover the following areas:
Environment:
Enforcement of international standards for the protection and preservation
of common goods such as air, water, soil, food (internationalization of
costs);
Increase of efficiency in the use of energy and non-renewable ressources
(steering taxes?).
Social responsibility:
Enforcement of international standards for the protection of human dignity
(fundamental needs);
International enforcement of solidarity for the financement of common tasks
on the national and international level (taxes).
Limitation of power:
Prevention of global monopolies and the abuse of their power, respectively. Prevention of short-term speculation on the stock and foreign exchange markets (Steering taxes, e.g. Tobin-tax).
An integrated vision requires additional adjustments. Most important among them would probably be global disarmament and the formation of an international intervention task force for the preservation of peace.
Everyone will be a winner
It goes without saying that responsible participants of the economy should have an enormous interest in a global economic order. Actually, very few have realized how substantial its rewards would be, especially in terms of quality of life:
The understanding that all participants of the economy can profit from an economic order as described above, would act as a counterpoint to the fatal perspectives resulting from continuation on the well-trodden path of today. Yet, an economy for the benefit of the world community cannnot be built by economic forces only. A collective understanding has to support the passage of the community of planet and humanity into the global dimension. Each and everyone is part of this community as a mature human being, aware of his/her potential and limitations, and not afraid to also give the right signals to the companies as a customer. A global order is vital, too, protecting behaviour that benefits the community and drawing the line at behaviour that harms it.
The widening of our focus from immediate personal gain to the benefit of the world community promises happiness for each and everyone. If a sufficient number of people and peoples share this conviction, the world will transform itself. A dream I had years ago seems to link this conviction with the existential experiences of the businessman in the greenhouse of Ibayo where he regained his authentic self in a spirit of reconciliation:
"I'm sitting in the shade of trees, Holding a gorgeous orange in my hands. Yes, I'm an Orang-Utan! And a stately specimen at that. A colleague appears. He wants my orange. I'm holding on to it, snarling, screaming, roaring As if my existence were threatened. I'm chasing him away Then start to relax, exhausted and appeased. And what do I see above me? A tree full of gorgeous oranges."
Sister Pia's Greenhouse School
An institution of the St.-Katharina-Werk, this school for global consciousness in Ibayo, a slum in the greater metropolitan area of Manila, was founded by Pia Gyger. Inhabitants of the slum and visitors stimulate each other's development towards global citizenship which requires authentic personal responsibility and the capacity to act for the common good.
Information: Pia Gyger, Winkelriedstr. 23, CH-6003 Luzern, Switzerland,
Tel. ++41 (0)41, 210 65 83, Fax ++41 (0)41 210 35 94
or:
Dr. Anna Gamma, Bildungshaus Fernblick, CH-9053 Teufen, Switzerland, Tel.
++41 (0)71 333 11 48, Fax ++41 (0)71 333 00 56
E-Mail: catarina@access.ch
Institute for Spiritual Development of Consciousness in Politics and
Economy, ISPW
ISPW is part of the Lassalle-House in Bad Schoenbrunn, Edlibach ZG. It's objective is the unification of the inward journey with the development of active life in society. It addresses politicians and company executives as well as other persons of responsibility in society. The institute organizes conferences and seminars with spiritual, political or economic, as well as interreligious themes. Persons interested in global responsibility and spirituality are welcome.
ISPW was established by Niklaus Brantschen, Jesuit, and Pia Gyger, member of the St.-Katharina-Werk. As its executive team they assure the unconventional, interspiritual character of the institute and advocate the connection between spirituality and global responsibility.
Information: ISPW, Lassalle-House Bad Schšnbrunn,
CH-6313 Edlibach ZG, Switzerland
Tel. ++41 (0)41 757 14 14, Fax ++41 (0)41 757 14 13,
E-Mail: ispw@bluewin.ch
Manifesto "A Global Economy for the Benefit of the World Community"
The understanding that all participants of the economy can profit from a global economic order, is a counterpoint to the fatal perspectives resulting from the continuation on the well-trodden path of today. The manifesto "A Global Economy for the Benefit of the World Community" aims to strenghten this message by acting as a focus for farsighted personalities of the economy and politics. Through the power of thought, the proclamation of the manifesto by international economic organizations will help prepare the path the economy has to take in its new role of being a part of an entity.
Hans Jecklin is in charge of the project within the ISPW framework. The Institute for the Spiritual Development of Consciousness in the Economy and Polititcs offers a forum for discussions, talks, workshops and seminars dealing with the topic.
Information: Hans Jecklin is an entrepreneur (Jecklin Music Company, Zurich). Besides, he accompanies individuals and groups in their development of consciousness and search for meaning in their personal and business life. He is an independent collaborator of the ISPW.
Address: Hans Jecklin, Au Village, CH-1742 Autigny, Switzerland,
Tel. ++41 (0)26 477 97 77, Fax ++41 (0)26 477 97 79
E-Mail: jecklin.hans@bluewin.ch