Humanity now needs a paradigm of development that places economic power in the hands of people and communities, nurtures living beings, promotes equity, ends exploitation, and maintains sustainable balance with the biosphere.
PROUT Blog: “A Solution-Oriented Approach”
How to change a community: A living example
Two major challenges faced by those facilitating local socio- economic systems change are how to holistically bring together the many components of a plan and how to implement the development [...]
PROUT
Progressive Utilization Theory (PROUT) is a guiding vision for transformative social change, a comprehensive paradigm for socio-economic planning, and an integrated design system for socio-economic development.
Projects
The PROUT Institute is engaged in numerous projects in our local neighborhood and community, and in communities in other regions of the planet.
Learn
The PROUT Institute offers classes, discussion groups, workshops, and summer intensive programs in Eugene on topics ranging from PROUT theory to permaculture design. You can also find books, articles, and online classes.
Events
Search, review and register for events sponsored by the PROUT Institute.
“Sarkar not only illuminated the growth and inevitable decline that comes from the capitalist stage in societal evolution, but offers wise counsel on what do to instead.”
Oliver Markley, professor, Univ. of Houston; author of Changing Images of Mankind“PROUT is an explicit and coherent alternative to Marxism and liberalism. PROUT is a synthesis of decentralist theory, Tantra, cooperative economics and transpersonal psychology.”
Mark Satin, author of New Age Politics; former editor of New Options“PROUT is an important contribution to rethinking the disastrous course of the economic globalization.”
Hazel Henderson, economist; author of Beyond Globalization“P. R. Sarkar was one of the greatest modern philosophers of India.”
Gyani Zail Singh, former President of India“P. R. Sarkar provides us with a vision of the future that remembers the poor and the weak, that touches the hearts of all, that appeals to our deepest need to create a good society, a planetary civilization that is dynamic and ecologically balanced.”
Sohail Inayatullah, professor, Queensland University of Technologies“PROUT is an alternative economic model whose principles of economic democracy and planning can contribute to a solution that benefits all.”
Mark Friedman, former mayor of El Cerrito, California; author of How to Prepare for the Coming Depression.“PROUT is spiritual and utopian, while remaining grounded in reality. Its analysis is intelligent and its vision inspiring.”
Howard Zinn, author of A People’s History of the United States.“At last, someone who balanced the exoteric and esoteric, who loved his fellow humankind in a way that showed respect for people’s day-to-day lives and did not leave them deserted in the here and now by preferring tomorrow’s salvation.”
Paul Wildman, professor, Southern Cross University, Australia.“Sarkar’s book Neohumanism: The Liberation of Intellect is the greatest poem to the human spirit ever written.”
Evgeny Mikov, Director of the Russian Noosphere Institute.“P. R. Sarkar is very important for all who yearn for a liberation which starts from economics and opens to a totality of personal and social human existence.”
Leonardo Boff, founder of Liberation Theology.“Alternative visions are crucial at this moment in history. PROUT’s cooperative model, based on cardinal human values and sharing the resources of the planet for the welfare of everyone, deserves our serious consideration.”
Noam Chomsky, professor emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; author. “Around the old reptile brain at the base of our skill was folded the mammal brain. Another brain called the ‘new brain’ has been folded around this one. Cold comes from the reptilian brain, warmth from the mammal brain, and light from the new brain. The new brain is where P.R. Sarkar lived.”
Noam Chomsky, professor emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; author. “PROUT is the theory of a self-reliant economic and political system that is spiritually rather than materialistically inspired. The goal is true human growth that satisfies basic needs. . . . Sarkar will stand out as one of the truly great thinkers in this century. He is an intellectual giant of our times.”
Johan Galtung; professor; co-founder of the World Futures Studies Federation; author.“As PROUT advises, the best use of developmental finance is to develop cooperatives.”
Jaraslov Vanek, professor emeritus, Cornell Un.; author, The Participatory Economy“The proposals of PROUT are the ethical summary of everything that humanity needs to accomplish universal fraternity. PROUT’s vision of a new world is not just concerned with political, social and economic relationships, but also with education, gender relationships and spirituality.”
Frei Betto, Dominican friar and political activist; author.“The socially responsible business movement should look into Sarkar’s economy. Sarkar believes that the new economy should be created in service of a greater ideal than the maximization of individual profit.”
Kit Bricca, co-author of Business for Social Responsibility
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