A Note on Violence, Poverty and Wealth

 

As pointed out by Adam Curle, an insightful British Quaker, the violence of the system in our western society deprives those at the lower end of the socio-economic scale of what is necessary to fulfillment, both materially and — since they are made to feel inferior and insecure — psychologically.

Curle brings up some basic facts. Being deprived of a certain range of medical services, the poor have a lower life expectancy. They have an infant mortality rate four times that of the rich. Those born into the upper echelon of the socio-economic scale are seven times less likely than the poor to leave school early. Subsequently, they are much more likely to go on to college and get a degree which will make them twenty times more likely than someone with a high school diploma or similar qualifications to earn top salaries which will place them among the ten percent of the population who possess about ninety percent of the wealth. Curle’s facts concern Great Britain, while we know in substance they are true of other Western countries. (See Adam Curle, True Justice: Quaker Peace Makers and Peace Making, London, 1981.)

 

I am proposing… that… America launch a broad-based and gigantic Bill of Rights for the Disadvantaged…

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

 

Solution:   Practice love grounded in economic justice. Establish a fairer and saner balance of resources in the world. Change systems of production and distribution. Co-create “new” solutions so that mutual benefits result. Build a society that provides for basic human needs such as adequate housing, health, education, jobs in humane working conditions, and a safe environment. A society that provides equal opportunities to develop the fullest potential of each individual. Simplify our own lifestyle; practice frugality. Regard possessions in the light of trusteeship. Be fair in allowing the underprivileged the right to work. Learn to share — to give — to practice generosity on a daily basis; make these activities part of our lifestyle.

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Gandhi had his own vision of the future of India… That vision was of a new social order — different from the capitalist, socialist, communist orders of society. A nonviolent society, a society based on love and human values, a decentralized, self-governing, non-exploitative, cooperative society. Gandhi gave that society the name of Sarvodaya — i.e., a society in which the good of all is achieved… A total [Gandhian] revolution will bring about fundamental changes in the social, economic, political, cultural, educational, and moral spheres.

 

— Jayaprakash Narayan,

Indian politician, leading disciple of Gandhi

 

All people are members of the same family, endowed with a moral conscience. We, as members of this family, must work to bring about equality where there is inequality, justice when there is injustice, and peace when there is threat of war, by living the Law of Love.

Concrete steps can be taken daily to create more peace around us. If we are willing to give up holding antagonisms toward persons or groups, we can de-fuse aggression at every opportunity and approach closer understanding with our family, neighbors, and friends, and thus create an atmosphere of love.

We can donate our time in the form of selfless service in community work, action groups, and social work.

We must move in the direction of voluntary simplicity to put an end to the great division between the rich and poor.

An evaluation of the institutions controlling our lives must be made to ensure they represent what the best in us wants them to achieve.

Our schools must provide the education for our children to know, to create, and to love—and that aim of education must be continued in the life of adults. At the same time as we un-learn competitive and aggressive ways, we must continue educating and training ourselves and each other to practice attitudes and actions which generate peace within us and around us.

These different aspects of the overall Gandhian strategy for peace and justice are closely interrelated. Non-achievement of any one aspect is a potential hindrance to the achievement of the other aspects. Achieving one aspect of goal fosters the achievement of the other goals in Gandhi’s overall, integrated program. Achieving decentralization, restructuring society along non-exploitative and cooperative lines, practicing frugality, sharing resources, having recourse to negotiation and conciliation — all these activities and practices are an integral part of his overall, global vision of a social order based on love and nonviolence.

And these endeavors consist of intensely concrete and practical steps, which each one of us can undertake. Today.

 

WHAT ABOUT GETTING STARTED TODAY? Specific suggestions are provided in “What Can I Do? ” beginning on the next page.

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