Transcript Document

Proutist Economic Development
Ethics for Personal
and Social Transformation
Dada Maheshvarananda
 2004 Proutist Universal
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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,
with a score of only 2.5
out of a clean score of 10.
Dada Maheshvarananda
Proutist Universal
www.transparency.org
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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.
Dada Maheshvarananda
Proutist Universal
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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.
Dada Maheshvarananda
Proutist Universal
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“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.
Dada Maheshvarananda
Proutist Universal
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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.
Dada Maheshvarananda
Proutist Universal
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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.
Dada Maheshvarananda
Proutist Universal
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Moral Values - basis
Basics:
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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 ...
Dada Maheshvarananda
Proutist Universal
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Found in neo-humanism
• Cardinal human values are found in neohumanism, 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
to animality.
Dada Maheshvarananda
Proutist Universal
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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).
Dada Maheshvarananda
Proutist Universal
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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.
• The intention behind each deed is most important.
Dada Maheshvarananda
Proutist Universal
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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.
Dada Maheshvarananda
Proutist Universal
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Universal Moral Principles –
self development
1. Cleanliness of body and mind.
2. Contentment.
3. Undergo hardships to serve and attain selfactualized higher awareness.
4. Study of philosophy and uplifting spiritual
discourse.
5. Internal contemplation of spiritual idea.
Dada Maheshvarananda
Proutist Universal
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