Study of the Bahá’í Writings on Economics (Part Nine)

At the outset, it has to be mentioned that, for the sake of simplicity, we are studying these Bahá’i Writings on economics briefly without going too deeply into their importance and implications. Volumes can be written on each of these Writings, and each could be the subject of extensive research. As time goes by, we will realize their importance and how they can and will bring us towards a totally different economic system.  Future economists will write books on how these Sacred Writings changed our spiritual, social and economic lives.  So please bear in mind that the simplicity of the language and my feeble attempts to share my understanding of them does not do them justice. Many Writings could be mentioned here, but I chose these on purpose because they cover many areas related to economics.

 

ECONOMIC RESOURCES

“… The economic resources of the world will be organised, its sources of raw materials will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated.

“… The enormous energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political, will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions and technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind, to the extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of the planet, to the prolongation of human life, and to the furtherance of any other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral, and spiritual life of the entire human race…” – Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha’u’llah, p. 204

The economic resources of the world belong to every human being on this planet. It does not matter where the oil fields or the uranium mines are located. Every human being is entitled to them. Once humanity has reached this spiritual understanding, there will be a better utilization of resources. They will be distributed in a fair and just way for the betterment of mankind and the advancement of science and technology, rather than making them the means of destruction such as the atom bomb and nuclear weapons.

 

ECONOMIC BARRIERS

“That a narrow and brutal nationalism, which the postwar theory of self-determination has served to reinforce, has been chiefly responsible for the policy of high and prohibitive tariffs, so injurious to the healthy flow of international trade and to the mechanism of international finance, is a fact which few would venture to dispute.” – Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha’u’llah, p. 35

“A world community in which all economic barriers will have been … demolished …” – Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha’u’llah, p.41

Every economic barrier created by narrow-minded nationalism is a hindrance toward achieving the oneness of mankind. When economic barriers such as tariffs and import-export taxes are removed, and the employment of different currencies and weights and measures around the world unified, we will move closer to a world commonwealth, a system for all nations.