Kurt Archer

 
While I was visiting the Roshni Village in Lahore, an eco-friendly farm and school who produces the best organic bread, I met the man who started it all. He shared with us this presentation he gave at LUMS on Alternative Economy, and I wanted to share it with you all.
 
 
Presentation on Alternative Economy
by Hamid Hellmut Hannesen, Roshni Association, Lahore
 
In ancient cultures all social and economical life was influenced by the religious life. Normally there was a group of religious people, not involved in any practical work, but teaching everybody and designing all social and practical life. Worldly leaders like kings and pharaohs were part of this.

This system was radically changed by St. Benedict

he founded a christian order on the rule of "ora et labora", i.e. pray and work. Other orders followed this rule. They had big lands, not belonging to anybody personally, but belonging to the order. They created a new role model of working for a cause and developing new techniques of farming etc.
 
This was later taken up by the Knights Templar, who made big progress in techniques of money handling, estate management etc. They spread over Europe within very short time, and everybody trusted in their true commitment and entrusted them with money and property.

 
Later Adam Smith observed the socio-economique life and esp. the issue of self interest and well being of the community. He said that self interest is a good energy in social life and not harmful, because there is something like an "invisible hand" which turns the results of self interest into the well being of the whole community.

 
This became the basic justification of modern capitalism. It was challenged by Karl Marx and other socialist thinkers, but they could not survive against the enormous power behind the self interest, more and more turning to pure "make money", no matter by which means or for which cause.
 
Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), an eminent scientist and spiritual teacher, gave – within his teachings on human nature, cosmos etc. -  some basic ideas about social life. Other than Adam Smith, he stated that the well being of the community is depending on working for each others and not claiming the proceeds of the work for himself but leaving them to the other members of the society.

 
His teachings on the nature of the human being and his development from childhood led to a complete pedagogical concept, now applied in around one thousand Rudolf Steiner or Waldorf Schools worldwide, all based on NGOs, and in this way at the same time overcoming the forces of self interest.
http://www.paedagogik-goetheanum.ch/987.html?&L=1
 
The teachings on human nature and on medicine and also on organic farming inspired people working with special persons and led to the Camphill Movement and many similar communities with special persons, one of them being Roshni Association, Lahore.

 
Later on a German Lawyer, Wilhelm Ernst Barkhoff, got inspired by the social ideas of Rudolf Steiner. After founding a big Rudolf Steiner School in Bochum/Germany he started the first bank, based on principles of  community needs, and working without interest rates on credits but with a fee only covering the expenses of the bank. He developed also money lending techniques, based on human guarantees instead of material securities like mortgages. His bank is now working for more than 30 years and found followers in other countries, like Triodos Bank Netherlands:

http://www.rsfsocialfinance.org/
 
Similar ideas came up in Asia and inspired Prof. Yunus to start micro credit. Recently he has taken a second step by proposing "social business" in his new book, asking for business for a cause instead of making money.

 
Rudolf Steiners ideas also inspired Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish, an Egyptian entrepreneur, and led to a big development project, based on organic farming

The Sekem Farm can be a role model for countries like Pakistan and encourage people to work for the cause of social justice, environment, and sustainability.
 
Roshni Association is trying to implement these ideas in Lahore and promote such ideas and projects in Pakistan. Latest step was the opening of the first organic shop in Pakistan (in Gulberg opp. SHAPES).
 
We are always interested in your comments and suggestions.
 
Hamid Hellmut Hannesen
roshni(at)gmx.net

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