Wealth inequality: a common life with room for everyone

Although the body politic is one family yet because of lack of harmonious relations some members are comfortable and some in direst misery, some members are satisfied and some are hungry, some members are clothed in most costly garments and some families are in need of food and shelter. … Therefore a law must be given to this family by means of which all the members of this family will enjoy equal well-being and happiness.

Every human being has the right to live; they have a right to rest, and to a certain amount of well-being. As a rich man is able to live in his palace surrounded by luxury and the greatest comfort, so should a poor man be able to have the necessaries of life. Nobody should die of hunger; everybody should have sufficient clothing; one man should not live in excess while another has no possible means of existence.

On the one hand you have wealth, and great luxury; on the other hand men and women are living in the extremities of hunger and want. This great contrast of life is one of the blots on the civilization of this enlightened age.

For all the wealth, power, commerce and industry are concentrated in the hands of a few individuals, while all others toil under the burden of endless hardships and difficulties, are bereft of advantages and benefits, and remain deprived of comfort and peace. One must therefore enact such laws and regulations as will moderate the excessive fortunes of the few and meet the basic needs of the myriad millions of the poor, that a degree of moderation may be achieved.

… It is preferable then that some measure of moderation be achieved; and by moderation is meant the enactment of such laws and regulations as would prevent the unwarranted concentration of wealth in the hands of the few and satisfy the essential needs of the many.

Therefore, improving the means of livelihood is necessary for humanity - not that there should be equality, but rather improvement is needed.

… It must be improved and such laws established that all have comfort and wellbeing - neither should one be afflicted with poverty nor another have extreme wealth. For example, a wealthy person who has utmost wealth should not let another person have utmost poverty, but should take care of them so they too can be comfortable.

The fourth principle or teaching of Baha'u'llah is the readjustment and equalization of the economic standards of mankind. This deals with the question of human livelihood. It is evident that under present systems and conditions of government the poor are subject to the greatest need and distress while others more fortunate live in luxury and plenty far beyond their actual necessities. This inequality of portion and privilege is one of the deep and vital problems of human society.

His seventh teaching is equality of human rights and adjustment of means of livelihood. All humanity must share in happiness and comfort - if the wealthy have magnificent palaces, the poor should at least have humble dwellings; if the rich have ultimate wealth, the poor should have basic necessities. However, differences in degrees must be preserved as all cannot be equal.

All the peoples of the world will enjoy like interests, and the poor shall possess a portion of the comforts of life. Just as the rich are surrounded by their luxuries in palaces, the poor will have at least their comfortable and pleasant places of abode; and just as the wealthy enjoy a variety of food, the needy shall have their necessities and no longer live in poverty. In short, a readjustment of the economic order will come about, the divine Sonship will attract, the Sun of Reality will shine forth, and all phenomenal being will attain a portion.

Certain regulations are revealed which insure the welfare and well-being of all humanity. Just as the rich man enjoys his rest and his pleasures surrounded by luxuries, the poor man must likewise have a home, be provided with sustenance, and not be in want...

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The other is by executing new and just laws which will regulate all the economic conditions, so that there will not be the extremes, the very rich nor the very poor.

Relief must be brought to the toiling masses. Otherwise, if these ills are allowed to become chronic, their cure will be difficult and they will precipitate a great revolution.

What hardship these coal miners have to suffer, how poor and needy they are! It is necessary for the directors of companies and the owners of factories to allot a certain share, however small it may be, to their laborers so that their condition may be improved and they may be deterred from striking.

How poor are they [labourers on ship], and how hard they toil! The presidents of factories and other operations must allocate a share [of the profits] for the workers in their companies, so that these poor souls may know some comfort.

The Capitalists must be kind toward the Workers and treat them with justice and fairness; and they should appreciate the value of their labour; for labourers are serving the Capitalists. In the same way labourers ought to be pleased and grateful to the Capitalists; for their means of subsistance and comfort depend upon the help of Capitalists.

Of course they are obliged to take whatever salary is given them. For example the motorman of Alexandria receives ten dollars a month. Now how can a young man with a wife and children live on such a low wage? Whenever I gave them 25c they were so happy they did not know how to thank me, but the Company is making extraordinary profits.

Regarding the economic questions between the capitalists and laborers that you wrote about - what harm is there in discussing it in Green Acre? When I was in America, I gave several talks on this issue.

"The solution begins with the village, and when the village is reconstructed, then the cities will be also. The idea is this, that in each village will be erected a store-house. In the language of Religion it is called the House of Finance. That is a universal store-house, which is commenced in the village. Its administration is through a committee of the wise ones of the community, and with the approval of that committee all the affairs are directed.

… The greater the income, the greater is the ratio (of taxation).

In every village there must be founded a general storehouse which shall be the general or universal storehouse which shall have a number of revenues. … All these revenues will be collected in this storehouse.

… All the income from such revenues will go to this general storehouse, and then there will be a consideration of such emergencies, as follows:

A certain farmer whose expenses run to 10,000 and whose income is only 5,000, he has necessary expenses; from this storehouse 5,000 will be directed to him, so that he will not be in need.

It hath been enjoined upon you to purify your means of sustenance and other such things through payment of Zakat. Thus hath it been prescribed in this exalted Tablet by Him Who is the Revealer of verses.

In future a manufacturer will not be allowed to leave all his property to his own family. A law will be made something like this--that he must leave one-quarter only of his property to his family, and the other three-quarters must go to the factory workers who have created his wealth.

To one who spoke of the people's desire to possess the land, and of the strong under-current of rebellion on the part of the labouring classes, Abdu'l-Baha said: "Fighting, and the employment of force, even for the right cause, will not bring about good results. … The rich must wish to give!

Now societies have formed in America and Europe called Socialists who say: "Why should so many souls be in need of their daily bread while others possess such wealth that they cannot even keep track of it? This is the result of the sweat of the poor's brow. This is the outcome of the destitute workers' lives - that someone has employed a commercial trick to hoard this wealth. All should be equal." But it is impossible for all to become equal. If there were no workers, no master craftsmen, and all were wealthy, the affairs and order of the world would be suspended. No one would do masonry or carpentry or butchery anymore.

Tell the socialists that sharing of property and land in this mortal world is the source of strife and warfare but sharing and inheritance in the Kingdom is the cause of love and unity.

Q: Could not the Bahai Movement be furthered by use of socialist and labor union movements?

A: All nations must become socialistic in spirit. People must not be forced by circumstances to help the poor. They must give aid willingly.

It will not be possible in the future for men to amass great fortunes by the labor of others. The rich will willingly divide. They will come to this gradually, naturally, by their own volition.

But in the new Cause, equality is voluntary, meaning the wealthy, great ones and princes should contribute to the poor with perfect joy and contentment.

Among them is justice and equality, nay rather, the voluntary sharing by the wealthy with the poor, not through force and coercion.

In the Cause of the Blessed Beauty there is muvasat, which is higher than musavat (equality), but the difference lies in that it must be by free choice and willingness, not by compulsion, and ranks must be preserved. At the level of ranks, equality is not possible. The world is like an army which must have both commander and marshal and soldier; all cannot be commanders, nor all soldiers. Ranks must be preserved, but each, in his own station, must have comfort--not that one should have every variety and kind of bounty while another lacks even plain bread.

Hearts must be so cemented together, love must become so dominant that the rich shall most willingly extend assistance to the poor and take steps to establish these economic adjustments permanently. … For example, it will be as if the rich inhabitants of a city should say, "It is neither just nor lawful that we should possess great wealth while there is abject poverty in this community," and then willingly give their wealth to the poor, retaining only as much as will enable them to live comfortably.

The meaning of "fellowship" that hath been revealed in the Book of God is this: that each of the believers should regard others as they regard themselves, that is, they should not consider themselves superior, and the wealthy should not deprive the poor of their wealth, and whatever they choose for themselves of good things, they should choose the same for other believers.

Allow not the abject to rule over and dominate them who are noble and worthy of honour, and suffer not the high-minded to be at the mercy of the contemptible and worthless, for this is what We observed upon Our arrival in the City, and to it We bear witness. We found among its inhabitants some who were possessed of an affluent fortune and lived in the midst of excessive riches, while others were in dire want and abject poverty. This ill beseemeth thy sovereignty, and is unworthy of thy rank.

In every quarter they have elaborate buildings for their own pleasure and entertainment, yet they leave the poor in such a state of hardship and melancholy.

On such feast days the rich members of a community must spread large feasts for the unfortunate ones and contribute toward the maintenance of charitable, educational and philanthropic foundations - thus the spirit of holiday and merry-making may be shared by all, and not only by the well to do. On such days the wealthy as well as the indigent must become mirthful, lively and joyous...

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Furthermore, during these days the wealthy must show great consideration for the poor, so that all may be joyful, and joy and delight not be confined to the wealthy alone. Both poor and wealthy should be in the same state and enjoy the same kind of festivity.

Economy is the foundation of human prosperity. The spendthrift is always in trouble. Prodigality on the part of any person is an unpardonable sin.

The reality of this matter is that it is required by God's universal system in this infinite universe that both rich and poor exist. If all became rich, the system of existence would be disrupted, and if all became poor, the connection between beings would be severed. Thus this poverty and wealth are requirements of the chain of beings and the firm relationships between existences.

The kings will remain kings, ministers - ministers; the rich - rich; the poor will be in comfort and each person of humanity can find his greatest desire herein. These teachings of Baha'u'llah are all inclusive. Other teachings are like branches but the teachings of Baha'u'llah are like the trunk of a tree which sends out all branches.

It is not meant that all will be equal, for inequality in degree and capacity is a property of nature. Necessarily there will be rich people and also those who will be in want of their livelihood, but in the aggregate community there will be equalization and readjustment of values and interests. In the future there will be no very rich nor extremely poor. There will be an equilibrium of interests, and a condition will be established which will make both rich and poor comfortable and content.

My message is the oneness of humanity and universal peace; the harmony of true science and religion; the equality of rights; the elimination of religious, racial and political prejudices; the truth of all the divine religions; the removal of religious imitations and superstitions; the education of women to such a degree that they may have equal rights with men; the adjustment of the economic condition of all people so that if a rich man enjoys honor and affluence, the poor man may also have a mat to lie on and a house to dwell in; the establishment of spiritual civilization; the reformation of human morals; the unity of all religions, so that when the people of the world recognize the truth of all religions, they may become united since truth is one - if they follow imitation, war and dissension shall remain, because imitations are the cause of differences.

Although the body-politic is one family, yet because of the lack of symmetry some members are comfortable and some are in the utmost misery; some members are satisfied and some are hungry; some are clothed with the most costly garments while some families are in need of food and shelter. … Is it possible for a member of a family to be subjected to the utmost of misery and abject poverty, and for the rest of the family to be comfortable? It is impossible, unless the rest of the family be without feeling, having become spiritually atrophied, inhospitable, unkind...

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The poor have ever been the cause of the freedom of the world of humanity; the poor have ever been the cause of the upbuilding of the country; the poor have ever labored for the world's production; the morals of the poor have ever been above those of the rich; the poor are ever nearer to the threshold of God; the humanitarianism of the poor has ever been more acceptable at the threshold of God.

When we look at the poor of humanity, we behold a world of brothers. All are the sheep of God. God is the real shepherd.

This poor have been the cause of the freedom of the world of humanity.

The poor have been the cause of the upbuilding of the country: the poor have ever labored for the world's production: The morals of the poor have ever been above those of the rich.

When one is physically destitute, spiritual thoughts are more likely. Poverty is a stimulus toward God. Each one of you must have great consideration for the poor and render them assistance. Organize in an effort to help them and prevent increase of poverty. The greatest means for prevention is that whereby the laws of the community will be so framed and enacted that it will not be possible for a few to be millionaires and many destitute.

His Holiness Christ lived in destitution, which is why He revealed, "Blessed are the poor." However the wealthy person who is not held back by his riches, provides charity to the needy and spends generously in the path of God, he is preferred to the patient poor. That is because such a wealth is the manifestation of divine benevolence and the wellspring of good to the whole of humanity.

The glorious Lord Christ - glory be to Him - said in the Gospel that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. However, praise be to God, wealth and riches did not prevent you from entering the Kingdom of God.

O servant of the Lord of Hosts! That loving Lord can make every weak one powerful and every poor one wealthy and abundantly prosperous, unless divine wisdom prevents it and the order of the realm would be disrupted.

Though you may be poor here, you are rich in the treasures of the Kingdom. I am the Servant of the poor. Remember how His Holiness Jesus said: 'Blessed are the poor!'

Here there was a very poor boy who came to assist us in unloading, bringing to us water etc. At night I gave him a full dish of Polou and meat. I watched him eat. He was enjoying it very much. It was as though he had never eaten Polou.

I consider him [Tolstoy] a Baha'i, a real Baha'i, because he lived and acted in accord with the good-pleasure of Baha'u'llah, because he divided all his estate between himself and his farmers.

A group of very hungry poor people came to me and made a request. I directed them to a grocery store that had all kinds of food available. I told them, "Storm this shop, take whatever is there, eat it and take it away - I will take responsibility for it."

The time must come and the work get so high that every community will have a box for charity which may be full to the brim of gold and yet a poor man will refuse to take any so long as he is able to work for himself. The work must reach such a pitch.

Now, in Persia many very poor believers will not accept anything from anyone. They are true believers. They want to serve themselves and to contribute themselves.

The civilizations of the past have all been founded upon the enslavement of mankind and the poor working class has suffered every oppression for the sake of the enrichment of the few. This limited wealthy class has alone had the privilege of developing individuality. The down trodden worker after laboring long hours each day, has not had sufficient mental capcity at the conclusion of his task to do anything but eat and sleep.

The solution calls for the combined application of spiritual, moral and practical approaches. A fresh look at the problem is required, entailing consultation with experts from a wide spectrum of disciplines, devoid of economic and ideological polemics, and involving the people directly affected in the decisions that must urgently be made. It is an issue that is bound up not only with the necessity for eliminating extremes of wealth and poverty but also with those spiritual verities the understanding of which can produce a new universal attitude. Fostering such an attitude is itself a major part of the solution.

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