The Baha'i Studies Listserv Consider an individual who has amassed treasures by colonizing a country for his profit: he has obtained an incomparable fortune, and has secured profits and incomes which flow like a river, whilst a hundred thousand unfortunate people, weak and powerless, are in need of a mouthful of bread. There is neither equality nor brotherhood. So you see that general peace and joy are destroyed, the welfare of humanity is partially annihilated, and that collective life is fruitless. Indeed, fortune, honors, commerce, industry are in the hands of some industrials, whilst other people are submitted to quite a series of difficulties and to limitless troubles: they have neither advantages nor profits, nor comforts, nor peace.
Then rules and laws should be established to regulate the excessive fortunes of certain private individuals, and limit the misery of millions of the poor masses; thus a certain moderation would be obtained. However, absolute equality is just as impossible, for absolute equality in fortunes, honors, commerce, agriculture, industry, would end in a want of comfort, in discouragement, in disorganization of the means of existence, and in universal disappointment: the order of the community would be quite destroyed. Thus, there is a great wisdom in the fact that equality is not imposed by law: it is, therefore, preferable for moderation to do its work. The main point is, by means of laws and regulations to hinder the constitution of the excessive fortunes of certain individuals, and to protect the essential needs of the masses. For instance, the manufacturers and the industrials heap up a treasure each day, and the poor artisans do not gain their daily sustenance: that is the height of iniquity, and no just man can accept it. Therefore, laws and regulations should be established which would permit the workmen to receive from the factory owner their wages and a share in the fourth or the fifth part of the profits, according to the wants of the factory; or in some other way the body of workmen and the manufacturers should share equitably the profits and advantages. Indeed, the direction and administration of affairs come from the owner of the factory, and the work and labor, from the body of the workmen. In other words, the workmen should receive wages which assure them an adequate support, and when they cease work, becoming feeble or helpless, they should receive from the owner of the factory a sufficient pension. The wages should be high enough to satisfy the workmen with the amount they receive, so that they may be able to put a little aside for days of want and helplessness. (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 281) Sandra ----- Original Message ----- From: Patti Goebel To: Baha'i Studies Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2011 7:32 AM Subject: RE: List Status The Baha'i Studies ListservWelcome back Mark! Now that the list is back, let's get to work J. Does anyone out there have any information about the authenticity of the quote in the following? It is beyond the chapters reviewed by 'Abdu'l-Baha. Thanks, Patti No Industrial Slavery In the Book of Aqdas Bahá'u'lláh forbids slavery, and Abdu'l-Bahá has explained that not only chattel slavery, but also industrial slavery, is contrary to the law of God. When in the United States in 1912, He said to the American people: -- Between 1860 and 1865 you did a wonderful thing; you abolished chattel slavery; but today you must do a much more wonderful thing: you must abolish industrial slavery. ... The solution of economic questions will not be brought about by array of capital against labor, and labor against capital, in strife and conflict, but by the voluntary attitude of goodwill on both sides. Then a real and lasting justness of conditions will be secured. ... Among the Bahá'ís there are no extortionate, mercenary and unjust practices, no rebellious demands, no revolutionary uprisings against existing governments. ... It will not be possible in the future for men to amass great fortunes by the labors of others. The rich will willingly divide. They will come to this gradually, naturally, by their own volition. It will never be accomplished by war and bloodshed. It is by friendly consultation and cooperation, by just copartnership and profit-sharing, that the interests of both capital and labor will be best served. The harsh weapons of the strike and lockout are injurious, not only to the trades immediately affected, but to the community as a whole. It is, therefore, the business of the governments to devise means for preventing recourse to such barbarous methods of settling disputes. Abdu'l-Bahá said at Dublin, New Hampshire, in 1912: -- Baha'u'llah and the New Era, p. 144 From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Kathryn Darrah Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2011 1:15 PM To: Baha'i Studies Subject: Re: List Status The Baha'i Studies ListservExcellent! I have missed it!! Kathryn a wee mouse in the corner, soaking it all in "Dedicate the precious days of your lives to the betterment of the world." ~ Bahá'u'lláh "Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing." ~ "Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust and hostility to evaporate." ~ "Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace." ~ Albert Schweitzer www.bahai.org On Wed, Oct 19, 2011 at 23:08, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. <[email protected]> wrote: The Baha'i Studies ListservHi, folks: The list is back up. Since I will now be watching the list, I have taken it off moderation. I am also "back" after many, many inner changes. ---- Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. www.markfoster.net [email protected] __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[email protected] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:leave-616748-27401.54f46e81b66496c9909bcdc2f7987...@list.jccc.edu Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [email protected] Or subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:[email protected] Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st News (on-campus only) - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
