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Paris Talks
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Pages 151-154
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THE SIXTH PRINCIPLE--MEANS OF EXISTENCE
4 Avenue de Camöens, Paris
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One of the most important principles of the
Teaching of Bahá'u'lláh is:
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The right of every human being to the daily bread
whereby they exist, or the equalization of the means of
livelihood.
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The arrangements of the circumstances of the people
must be such that poverty shall disappear, that everyone,
as far as possible, according to his rank and
position, shall share in comfort and well-being.
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We see amongst us men who are overburdened with
riches on the one hand, and on the other those unfortunate
ones who starve with nothing; those who possess
several stately palaces, and those who have not where
to lay their head. Some we find with numerous courses
of costly and dainty food; whilst others can scarce find
sufficient crusts to keep them alive. Whilst some are
clothed in velvets, furs and fine linen, others have insufficient,
poor and thin garments with which to
protect them from the cold.
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This condition of affairs is wrong, and must be
remedied. Now the remedy must be carefully undertaken.
It cannot be done by bringing to pass absolute
equality between men.
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Equality is a chimera! It is entirely impracticable!
Even if equality could be achieved it could not continue
--and if its existence were possible, the whole order of
the world would be destroyed. The law of order must
always obtain in the world of humanity. Heaven has
so decreed in the creation of man.
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Some are full of intelligence, others have an ordinary
amount of it, and others again are devoid of intellect.
In these three classes of men there is order but not
equality. How could it be possible that wisdom and
stupidity should be equal? Humanity, like a great army,
requires a general, captains, under-officers in their
degree, and soldiers, each with their own appointed
duties. Degrees are absolutely necessary to ensure
an orderly organization. An army could not be composed
of generals alone, or of captains only, or of
nothing but soldiers without one in authority. The
certain result of such a plan would be that disorder
and demoralization would overtake the whole army.
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King Lycurgus, the philosopher, made a great plan
to equalize the subjects of Sparta; with self-sacrifice
and wisdom was the experiment begun. Then the
king called the people of his kingdom, and made them
swear a great oath to maintain the same order of
government if he should leave the country, also that
nothing should make them alter it until his return.
Having secured this oath, he left his kingdom of Sparta
and never returned. Lycurgus abandoned the situation,
renouncing his high position, thinking to achieve the
permanent good of his country by the equalization of
the property and of the conditions of life in his kingdom.
All the self-sacrifice of the king was in vain. The
great experiment failed. After a time all was destroyed;
his carefully thought-out constitution came to an end.
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The futility of attempting such a scheme was shown
and the impossibility of attaining equal conditions
of existence was proclaimed in the ancient kingdom of
Sparta. In our day any such attempt would be equally
doomed to failure.
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Certainly, some being enormously rich and others
lamentably poor, an organization is necessary to control
and improve this state of affairs. It is important to
limit riches, as it is also of importance to limit poverty.
Either extreme is not good. To be seated in the mean
[1]
is most desirable. If it be right for a capitalist to possess
a large fortune, it is equally just that his workman
should have a sufficient means of existence.
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A financier with colossal wealth should not exist
whilst near him is a poor man in dire necessity. When
we see poverty allowed to reach a condition of starvation
it is a sure sign that somewhere we shall find
tyranny. Men must bestir themselves in this matter,
and no longer delay in altering conditions which bring
the misery of grinding poverty to a very large number
of the people. The rich must give of their abundance,
they must soften their hearts and cultivate a compassionate
intelligence, taking thought for those sad
ones who are suffering from lack of the very necessities
of life.
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There must be special laws made, dealing with these
extremes of riches and of want. The members of the
Government should consider the laws of God when
they are framing plans for the ruling of the people.
The general rights of mankind must be guarded and
preserved.
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The government of the countries should conform
to the Divine Law which gives equal justice to all.
This is the only way in which the deplorable superfluity
of great wealth and miserable, demoralizing,
degrading poverty can be abolished. Not until this is
done will the Law of God be obeyed.
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Notes
1. [`Give me neither poverty nor riches.'--Prov. xxx., 8.]
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