The Bahá'í Faith teaches that effective social and economic development can only come about when the twin principles of the oneness of mankind and the essential spiritual nature of mankind have been universally accepted. Everyone should receive education so that they can develop their individual talents and skills in a fashion that will satisfy their own needs as well as those of the society to which they belong. The Bahá’í Faith recognises that while absolute equality is undesirable and ultimately unattainable, society must intervene where extremes of wealth and poverty occur to prevent unnecessary suffering. Some of the approaches that the Bahá'í community adopts in its efforts to contribute to social and economic development include: seeing people as resources, not problems; recognition of the nobility of the human being; avoidance of pre-packaged solutions; and raising the capacity of individuals and communities to participate in the generation and application of knowledge.
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Every able adult must engage in a trade or a profession. Work that is performed in a spirit of service occupies the same rank as worship, while idleness is condemned.
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The majority of the world’s population still earn their livelihood through agriculture, and we all depend upon it to survive.
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The government must ensure that in every village and town there exists a storehouse or ‘house of finance’ which is administered by responsible officials and whose duty it is to help those who are in need.
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Effective development occurs when those concerned take charge of their own destinies and this involves communities working together to find solutions to their problems. Every context is unique and demands insights that are rooted in everyday reality.
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Just as the people themselves are primarily responsible for devising appropriate solutions to their problems, so the people are also primarily responsible for implementing these solutions.
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All those whose income exceeds their needs will be taxed according to a graduated scale, while those whose income fails to meet their needs will be exempt.
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Employees will be given a share in the profits of their employers. In this way their interest in their work will increase, plus they will receive a share in the proceeds of their labour. The interdependence of capital and labour will be recognised and the politics of confrontation avoided.
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Moral integrity is the most important because without a moral compass all other attributes will become counterproductive. To train a thief in business practice, for example, is merely to produce a better thief.
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In our modern world where everything is interconnected and all people are interdependent, the exaggerated self-interest of the few limits the possibilities of the many.
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In the Bahá’í view, each divinely-inspired religion brings the moral teachings and social principles which are essential for the advancement of humanity.
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