Welcome again to PROUT Gems.

The concept of leadership is now on the world stage. Serious questions are
being asked about the calibre of leadership. Tariq Ali outlined some
important points on Lateline on ABC TV on 14 September 2002. They were:

"But no-one, no Western leader, has so far publicly even declared that
they're sorry about the innocent Afghan civilians who have been killed,
whose numbers are now between 3,000 and 4,000."

"I would say there's an enormous lack of creativity among the Western
leadership. George W Bush as a leader of vision and creativity, give us a
break! People all over the world laugh when you say that. One of the most
noticeable things is the quality of leadership in the United States at the
moment is at a very low level. And having Tony Blair licking up to you
doesn't particularly help either. I have to say it, even though I disagree,
your PM [John Howard in Australia] is probably the most intelligent of right
wing leaders in power today. Mercifully he's completely marginal."

So what is sort of leadership is required and what are the hallmarks?

--

Some issues to consider for leaders

Human beings are social beings. If they have to live alone for a long time
they feel restless and search frantically for the company of others. So
human beings should be very careful in selecting the leaders of society.
Throughout history it can be noticed that many countries with a demoniacal
nature have pushed the entire society to the brink of destruction. Sometimes
whole communities have been exterminated, while at other times society has
overcome destruction only after coming to the precipice.

Personality as a trademark of leadership, whether good or bad, has existed
since ancient times and will continue to exist in the future. This is why
society should be very careful in selecting its leaders. Leaders should only
be recognized after considering the extent to which they possess qualities
like intelligence, wisdom, integrity, pioneering zeal, readiness to
sacrifice, etc.

The solidarity and unity of a group depends on the strength and
determination of the leadership. The leadership must be collective no
individualistic. If the leadership is not strong the entire structure -- 
social, economic and political -- becomes weak and ultimately crumbles down.
If the social consciousness is such that the moral and ethical standards are
not high, it is said that "The nature of people is somewhat like that of a
flock of sheep, when one sheep falls into a ditch, the others will follow."

Democracy compares most favourably with all the systems of government that
have so far been evolved. However there is less scope for strong leadership
in a democracy than in a dictatorship. In a dictatorship common people are
harassed in many ways by the whimsical rule of the dictator, and in a
democracy people are equally harassed by the whimsical decisions of
political parties and the expedient behaviour of the party or its cadres.
Peace-loving citizens are sometimes made to suffer terribly in their hands.

If the system of individual dictatorship cannot be fully supported, how can
we support the system of party dictatorship? The only solution to individual
dictatorship, party dictatorship and democratic pandemonium is the concept
of leadership by those socially and ethically conscious who have as their
goal the self-realisation and self-actualisation of their highest potential
and also that of others, and service to society or the world and the well
being of the universe as a whole.

The problem we see with those in power today (as many can hardly be called
leaders) is a defect in their objectivated mind and this can cause
superiority complex (or inferiority complex). When the objectivated mind
becomes large enough to pamper one's ego, one develops a superiority
complex. One starts considering oneself to be superior to others in points
of knowledge, capacity to act, organizational calibre and other qualities of
leadership, and such persons will unnecessarily slight others or nations.
Such a person expects preferential treatment and assumes the nation the
person represents also requires preferential treatment, VIP status and
unquestioning obedience. If by accident the ego is hurt even slightly, they
become upset. This gives rise to another kind of mania. This is due to lack
of universal or spiritual outlook.

--

Leadership and spiritual outlook

By P.R. Sarkar

Generally, there are three recognized means to bring about social welfare:

The rule of brute force
The rule of reason
Spiritual leadership

The rule of brute force

Sometimes the members of a society are made to follow rules in accordance
with the dictatorial decrees of their leaders. But these dictating
authorities are far from being benevolent, rather they trick the members of
society into believing that they are acting for their welfare, while their
sole concern is to promote narrow self-interest, power and privileges. Their
guidance is not at all helpful for the growth of social welfare. For
example, the British government ruled India for two hundred years. But how
much real progress has there been in India? In most cases, their rule was
based on their own self- aggrandizement. The political leaders of so many
countries have led their countries to the brink of war. The political
history of Germany, Italy, Spain, Pakistan and China is a clear proof of
this truth. Even though thousands of citizens hardly have enough food to
fill their bellies, their leaders continue to spend vast amounts of money on
arms.

History does provide some examples of benign, enlightened kings such as
Ashok the Great, and Alfred the Great, who did some good for society, but
they are few in number. Most were warmongers, such as Ghengis Khan, who were
so cruel that they stained the green earth under their feet with blood, and
caused the sky to resound with the wails and tears of their innocent
victims. The rule of a dictator is no rule at all.

The rule of reason

What is reason or logic? There are three aspects of logic: analytical
surveillance, substantial formulation and pinpointed presentation. This is
the type of leadership that exists today. It is useful in battle. In the
battlefield an efficient general does not start the battle without
strengthening his army first. First he sends out his intelligence unit to
find the weak points of the opposing army. Secondly, he stations his army in
such a way that his soldiers can mount a surprise attack on the enemy
installations. Thirdly, the moment he gains the advantage he raids the enemy
camp and attains complete victory.

In exactly the same way a logician strives to detect the loopholes and
weaknesses in his adversary's argument. This part of the debate is called
analytical surveillance. In the next stage he formulates convincing
arguments to defeat the logic put forward by his opponent. This part of the
debate is called substantial formulation. In the third stage he will present
his clear views in such a way that his adversary is completely defeated.
This part of the debate is called pinpointed presentation. When one's mind
is perfectly adjusted with these three phases of logic it is called reason.

Reason is relative knowledge. Many people may come to the wrong conclusion
along the path of reason because, if the first premise is wrong, the
conclusion is also bound to be wrong. For instance, if a person studies the
old books on geography and argues that Allahabad is the capital of Uttar
Pradesh, or Cuttack is the capital of Orissa, it would be something
ludicrous.

If one resolves this very moment to lead an honest life, that would be
absolute knowledge because absolute knowledge comes directly from the
inherent characteristic of human beings to expand and the desire for
realisation of their true self and produces a certain awareness in the human
mind.

Spiritual guidance

"That which leads to liberation through discipline is called scripture."

Common people usually live their lives according to absolute knowledge and
become noble and great. That is why we see people like Kabir and Ramakrishna
who, even without formal schooling, were highly regarded by thousands and
thousands of people. In fact, it is doubtful whether learned scholars could
bring about even a small fraction of the spiritual progress these great
people brought to society. The amount of social welfare achieved by the rule
of ordinary administration is very insignificant. The rule of administration
is actually no rule. It does not provide any inspiration for the desire to
work, but rather injects a fear psychosis in the mind. Such administrators
do not command the confidence of the people. Once they are removed from
power they lose their social prestige. Social progress is achieved to some
extent through absolute knowledge.

Today, there is a great possibility of narrow sentiments, such as
nationalism, casteism, communalism, provincialism, etc. By extolling the
greatness of nation, class, community, creed, colour, etc, if often tends to
suppress other nations, classes, communities, creeds, etc, or wants to
annihilate them completely. On the other hand absolute knowledge teaches
human beings that the innate characteristic (dharma) of all human beings is
one and the same. Their is a Universal Consciousness. All the human beings
of the world are brothers and sisters. All are equal, no one is low, no one
is high.

Relative knowledge, by concocting certain false arguments, may prove that
there is no Universal Consciousness or God - that it is a mere figment of
human imagination. A weak brain may accept this argument, but the heart can
never do so. Whenever there is a conflict between the brain and the heart,
intelligent people should respond to the call of the heart. What does this
mean? In part, it means to develop love for others and to develop one's
thinking (a higher form of intellect) so that it is a pinnacled intellect
that touches the deepest intuitive (not instinctual) nature of human beings
that leads to all round welfare in thought, word and action. It is this that
is lacking in those in power today. Their inner spirit is suppressed and
their power is displayed by technical and logical agility only - often based
on false or narrow assumptions.

--

What is the real problem?

Many people say that different national interests are the only hurdle in the
formation of a world government. This is not the only obstruction; rather,
this is just a minor difficulty. The real cause lies in the fear of national
leaders losing their leadership. With the establishment of a world
government the powerful influence, which they enjoy today in different
countries, societies and in national life, will no longer exist. Rather,
there will need to be a collective leadership.

Different national interests and popular scepticism may hinder the formation
of a world government. The progress of this work must be carried on step by
step to remove the baseless fears in the human minds. Besides, due
consideration will have to be given to removing any possible obstacles to
the formation of a world government. The world government has to be
strengthened step by step and not suddenly.

It can start and the starting model needs to consider all interests. For
example, two houses may be formed for an unspecified period for
administration. The lower house will comprise representatives from parts of
the world elected on the basis of population, while members of the upper
house will be elected country wise. By this arrangement those countries
which cannot send a single representative to the lower house due to their
small population, will benefit by expressing their opinions before the
people of the world by sending their representatives to the upper house. The
upper house cannot adopt any resolution unless the lower house has ratified
it, but it will enjoy the privilege of disallowing the decisions of the
lower house.

This is a model that could be adopted even now in the UN. But what prevents
it is the Security Council and the military and national interests of its
permanent members - all based on national pride. If the UN is to be an
international body, it cannot be forever confined and imprisoned by 5 or so
countries nationalistic goals. It makes a mockery of the UN.

So what is the first practical implications of a new model? In the first
stage this world government may act only as the world body for establishing
common legal principles. The world government will be vested with framing
the rights of implementation or non-implementation of any particular law in
any particular region. This is necessary to ensure that laws that are
anti-human (such as so-called Sharia law that stones women to death) do not
have practical legitimacy or implementation. In the beginning when the world
government is being established, the government of different countries must
sign up and agree that they will not have any power to enact any laws
arbitrarily. It will not be easy for any government to inflict atrocities on
its linguistic, religious, or political minorities according to the whims of
the governing majority.

Clearly, this concept has already been enacted on a lesser scale (even if
minimal) regarding the European Community, and none should be cynical that
it is incapable of fruition. It must be established as a basic principle
from which work for a real world government can start.

Only that will give security to all, for the good and happiness of all.

--

Further explanation of the preliminary model

To materialize the concept of universalism a world government is necessary.
This world government should be a confederation of all the federated states
of the world. These federated states will consist of self-sufficient
economic units or zones formed entirely on socio-economic and geographical
considerations. Economically developed areas have a tendency to exploit
economically undeveloped areas and hence federated states should be formed
of different units. If we take a concrete example inside India, Vidarbhga,
being a Marathi-speaking area, does not want to remain a part of Maharasthra
and wants to become a separate state. Another important example is
Azarbaizan. The Persian portion of Azarbaizan previously agitated to merge
with the Soviet portion of Azarbaizan to ensure economic development. The
different units or zones formed in this way may be redefined and renamed for
administrative convenience. These units may have certain common factors and
these common factors will unite them into federations.

In the initial stage, the world government will be a law-making body and the
different federations will have executive powers to implement the laws
passed by the world government. The federations may or may not fully
materialize the laws of the confederation but they must not go against them.
The confederation will, however, have some executive power for limited and
defined purposes, namely, for maintaining inter-federal peace and
tranquillity. This will mean the maintenance of a world militia under the
full control of the confederation.

The federation and the units will also maintain a police force to ensure
internal law and order. The economic units or zones will have governing
boards. These boards will form one higher board, which will be called
federated boards. These federated boards will govern the different
federations. The collection of these federated boards is called the
confederated board or body. This body will look after the confederation as a
whole, but will not ignore the interests of any federation.

PR Sarkar

From "Talks on Prout" (1961)

Prout in a nutshell 15

--

What will be the benefits and advantages to be enjoyed by people if a global
government is formed?

Answer: There are several benefits and advantages:

- The huge expense of maintaining a militia in each country will be saved
and this saving can be used by people for their benefit

- Human beings will be saved from psychic tension

- There will be less bloodshed

- There will be free movement of people from one corner of the globe to the
other.

Fundamentally, all government structures must abide by the separation of
powers doctrine which will, in a modern form, be:

* An elected body - for framing policy and supervising the functions of
different other branches of government in society.

* Legislature - consisting of persons experienced in the work of legislation
to frame laws that abide with policies laid down by the elected body.

* Executive - consisting of those who are experienced in the work of
administration and responsible for getting the policies and laws framed by
the legislature materialized and who shall supervise the work of selecting
and nominating the personnel who are employed in the bureaucracy (and also
supervise the work of the various sub-boards providing expertise in the
respective branch of the administration established for different branches
of the administration).

* Judicial - judges will be elected by those with proven ethical standards
and who have a universal outlook which has been put into action for the good
and happiness and elevation of all. A judicial board will exist which will
consist of persons who are experienced in the work of the judiciary, and
will also frame the rules and procedures for the appointment of judges and
different personnel of the judiciary.

--

Security

By P.R. Sarkar

Each and every individual wants security given by the State and the demand
for security is always increasing. Increased responsibility means increased
authority. In ancient times the only duty of the State was to protect people
from internal and external chaos. Now, as a result of ever-increasing
demands, the responsibility of the State has increased and its authority has
also increased. In ancient times no body demanded food or employment from
the government. There were no strikes and no public meetings. Now people
want the State to realize its responsibility, but they do not want it to
interfere in any matter such as civil liberties.

PROUT's view is that we must not go against fundamental public interests or
against fundamental theory. The fundamental theory is that with increased
responsibility the authority of the State should also increase, but while
operating its authority the State should not go against public important
values. The fundamental public interest is that the minimum requirements of
life should be guaranteed.

It may be questioned whether it is wise for any government to guarantee the
minimum requirements. If the State is to supply cereals, pulses, salt, gram,
ghee, butter, etc to all people then naturally the state has to institute
some process of control, which people may not like. Hence, the solution is
that people should be guaranteed the provision of sufficient purchasing
power to meet these minimum requirements. In that case the State need not
adopt control measures. But there must be a constitutional and legal
obligation on the State to ensure that it does all that is necessary so that
the socio-economic structure of society will provide these minimum
necessities to all. The State must take ultimate responsibility - otherwise
the situation will be that blame will lie with market forces and the State
will claim it can do nothing about it. The other disadvantage of
guaranteeing the supply of minimum requirements is that if consumable goods
are supplied to everyone, people will become lethargic. People must
therefore be supplied with purchasing power in exchange for their work
according to their physical, psychic or spiritual capacity.

Diversity is the law of nature. So there cannot be any hard and fast rule
about guaranteed minimum requirements. They will vary according to time,
space and person. A few persons with extraordinary physical, metaphysical or
intellectual ability may demand something more than ordinary people. Special
amenities have to be provided for them. Certain items like food, housing,
education, clothing and medical facilities are minimum requirements. Nothing
is stationary; everything is moving. So the minimum requirements and special
amenities will also undergo changes with the changes in time, space and
person. What should be the approach? There should be a never-ending
endeavour to minimize the gap between minimum requirements and special
amenities. Minimum requirements will take priority over special amenities,
but extraordinary persons, ie those who better serve the society, will get
more items as special amenities.

Unsystematic and unplanned government activities and the planned
exploitation by vested interests results in inefficiencies in the economy
and problems in social existence. Though there has been inordinately high
investment, the purchasing power of labourers has not been sufficient for
them to meet the minimum requirements. Hence, while on the one hand
labourers received less consumable goods due to less purchasing power, on
the other hand entrepreneurs have captured excessive purchasing power and
consumable goods causing excessive disparities in wealth. Economic balance
has been upset. The major returns on capital investment goes to the
entrepreneurs and a microscopic fraction goes to the labourers. The result
of this will be that there is a diminishing middle class left because what
you actually have is well-dressed labourers who have become the so-called
middle class. All are being relegated to a position of lack of purchasing
capacity with personal debt mounting.

Human unity is purely an ideological unity, which means unity in the psychic
sphere. This requires sound fundamental principles forming the base of
social and economic actions and policies, based on the deepest intuitive
leanings of the human mind and developed by a pinnacled intellect that is
motivated by the welfare of all. Where there is psychic unity, physical
unity will also occur. In the realm of unity, unity is always mental -
ideological unity means unity in the subtlest level of the mind. However,
psychic or ideological unity may be affected if we encourage the
exploitation of one group by another. So to avoid this there should not be
any scope for exploitation in society. And to ensure this we have to start a
new order to safeguard the interests of the exploited masses. So for a
proper social synthesis what we require is a common philosophy of life; that
is, ideological unity. But to check exploitation in the physical sphere
requires something more than this, and this something more comprises a
common constitutional system, a common penal code, and the availability of
the minimum essentialities of life. These matters must be the priorities of
all governments and the fundamental initial focus of the UN or a world body
or world government.

These things should be provided for the entire human society, as they are
inter-linked with one another. Up till now these things (philosophy of life,
constitutional system, penal code, availability of minimum necessities),
were based on people's faith, local manners, customs, usages, etc. Generally
local manners and customs do not go against cardinal human principles but
sometimes they do go against them and can do so in a drastically cruel way
(whether physically or psychically). Accordingly, universal needs and
cardinal human values must be recognised worldwide as the foundations of a
world community that seeks to elevate all and not the few.

From "Talks on Prout" (1961)

Prout in a Nutshell 15

--

Those who have a correct philosophy and a correct spiritual outlook based on
ethical principles founded on universal or cardinal human values -
morality - will be the guiding personalities in the society of tomorrow. It
is the duty of conscious people to snatch away the physical power and the
intellectual leadership from the hands of political hypocrites. Politicians
are of no use to society because they are engaged in the business of
mudslinging and nothing else.

If spiritual revolutionaries who follow cardinal human values and morality
get active mass support, revolution is bound to come. In case a government
adopts the ideals of PROUT, the rule of universal vision and cardinal human
values will prevail. If the government does not adopt the same, a physical
revolution is sure to come, and ultimately power will be transferred to the
those who are moral and who share a universal welfare for all on this
planet.

The motive of the politicians is only to capture power. They befool the
public with high-sounding words. Therefore it is necessary that the public
should be politically educated, because in that case politicians will not be
able to cheat them. The time is sure to come when all their cheating tactics
will fail to produce any effect, and the public will snatch away their mask
of social service. At present the general mass is not politically conscious.
The intelligentsia exploits their ignorance. It is the duty of all
progressive thinkers and activists to challenge this so-called
intelligentsia.

PR Sarkar
20 October 1959, Jamalpur
Discourses on Prout


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