Proutist Economic Development
Introduction
 2004 Proutist Universal
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Prout
• Prout is the abbreviation for the Progressive Utilization Theory
• A new socio-economic model for a sustainable future
• Prout is based on:
–
–
–
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economic self-sufficiency;
cooperatives;
environmental balance; and
universal spiritual values.
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Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar
(1921-1990)
• Indian philosopher
• Founded Prout in 1959
• Author of more than 200
discourses
• Composer
• Spiritual master
• Political prisoner from 1971-1978
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“Prout is a human and ecological approach to
society and the economy that is not only
eminently feasible but is already being brought
into existence by visionaries and courageous
common people in various places.” - Arturo
Escobar, anthropologist
“Prout’s cooperative model … sharing the resources
of the planet for the welfare of everyone, deserves
our serious consideration.” - Dr. Noam Chomsky,
MIT
"The concepts of ethics and justice … reflect what saints
and sages of all the wisdom traditions have been saying for
centuries." - Dr. Bo Lozoff, LL.D., Director of the Human
Kindness Foundation
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“It is spiritual and utopian while remaining
grounded in reality.” - Howard Zinn, author of
the best-selling A People’s History of the
United States
“Prout is the theory of a self-reliant economic and
political system that is spiritually rather than
materialistically inspired.” – Johan Galtung, peace
activist, of the Right Livelihood Award
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“The constitutional proposals of Prout are
the ethical summary of everything that
humanity needs... .” – Frei Betto,
Dominican friar, activist and writer
“Prout was carefully thought out to create a
development with equilibrium and with harmony.” –
Leonardo Boff, co-founder of Liberation Theology
and recipient of the Right Livelihood Award
“An important contribution to re-thinking the
disastrous course of the current economic
globalization.” – Hazel Henderson, economist
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Proutist Universal
• PU is a global educational and community services
organization
• Founded in 1978 in India
• PU’s global headquarters is in Copenhagen, Denmark
• It has Sectorial offices in all the major continents: eg in
Manila, New Delhi, Nairobi, Sydney, Taipei, Washington
and Sao Paulo
• The mission of Proutist Universal is:
– 1) To promote Prout, the Progressive Utilization Theory;
– 2) To restore balance on our planet through the practical
application of Prout-based values, principles and policies in social,
economic, environmental and institutional life.
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Course content
0.
Significance of Prout Training in
Venezuela
1. Introduction
2. Possible Futures for Venezuela
3. The Number One Problem: Poverty
4. Economics, Community and Ecology
5. People’s Economy
6. Economic Self-Sufficiency
7. Decentralised Economic Planning
8. People’s Economy and Eco-Design
9. Triple Bottom Line
10. Three-Tier Industry
11. Cooperatives
12. Housing Cooperatives
13.
14.
15.
16.
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18.
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20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
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Agriculture
Balanced Economy
Different Forms of Currency
Trade
Prout’s Five Fundamental
Principles
Resource Types: Physical,
Mental, Spiritual
Psycho-Economic Exploitation
Middle Class and PsychoEconomics
Wholistic Human
Development: Neo-Humanism
Ethics for Personal and Social
Transformation
Six Hats Thinking
Ideal Leadership
Meditations
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Course Content
Topic
1
Part 1
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2
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3
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Part 2
Part 3
Significance of Prout
Training in Venezuela
Introduction
Possible Futures for
Venezuela




Three-Tier Industry
Cooperatives
Housing Cooperatives
Agriculture
 Psycho-Economic
Exploitation
 Middle Class and
Psycho-Economics
The Number One
Problem: Poverty
Economics, Community
and Ecology
People’s Economy

Balanced Economy

Different Forms of
Currency

Trade
 Wholistic Human
Development: NeoHumanism
 Ethics for Personal
and Social
Transformation
 Six Hats Thinking
Economic SelfSufficiency
Decentralised Economic
Planning
People’s Economy and
Eco-Design
Triple Bottom Line
 Prout’s Five Fundamental
Principles
 Resource Types:
Physical, Mental, Spiritual
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 Ideal Leadership
 Meditations
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Training Plan
1. The principles of the Prout model
2. Examples of local initiatives that illustrate the
principles
3. Discussion and practical exercises
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Course Material developed by:
Dada Maheshvarananda
• Trained in India as a yoga monk
• Studied Prout personally under its
founder, Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar
• Teaches meditation and yoga to the
public
• 14 years in Southeast Asia and 11 years
in Brazil
• Written 3 books on Prout
• Lectured at more than 30 universities
• Hundreds of seminars and workshops
about social issues and spiritual values
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& Course Material also developed by:
Dr. Michael Towsey
• Computer scientist - machine learning
and artificial intelligence
• Research Fellow at the Queensland
University of Technology in Brisbane,
Australia
• Studied Prout for 30 years
• Published 2 books and numerous
articles about Prout
• Founding member of the Prout Institute
of Australia
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