Can we achieve sustainable development without tackling the question of personal power? And can people who are not compassionate in their personal behaviour work effectively to achieve a caring and compassionate society?
This paper offers a passionate view of the role of personal values in achieving social change. It was written by the Director of the Governance and Civil Society Programme at the Ford Foundation together with a professor of economics and social sciences at the Indian Institute of Management.
Globalisation has shifted the balance of power from public to private interests, resulting in an emerging social order that excludes or oppresses certain groups of people. Sustainable development requires a deeper change in power relations. There must be a shift from using power over others to advance selfish interests, to using power to facilitate the self development of all. This can only be achieved by personal inner change. NGOs have an important role to play in making these changes, through their programme activities, their fund-raising work and their own organisational practices.
Relevant to any individual interested in achieving a more just social order, and particularly international NGOs.
All social systems rest on three bases: a set of principles; a set of processes; and the subjective states which constitute our inner being. The interaction of the three bases determines how different forms of power are exercised in society, which in turn combine to produce a ‘social order’.
Capitalism was built on the principal that self-interest leads to collective welfare. The processes are rooted in private property and markets. The subjective state is a commitment to individual advancement and competition.
The problems of the 21st century can only be confronted through cooperation and solidarity, through the advancement of the common good and the defence of each others’ rights.
The individualism and competitiveness promoted by global capitalism, undermines this cooperation – we can cannot compete our way to solidarity.
These three bases can interact in many ways to produce a different framework of power relations, a better set of outcomes, and a new social order.
Any efforts to create a new social order must take into account all three of the bases.
Value-led organisations, such as NGOs have a strong potential to achieve this change through their programme activities, constituency building and internal organisational practices.
International NGOs can work towards the transformation of systems of power that are the key to a sustainable future through programme activities; constituency-building activities; and internal organisational practice.
Programme activities for example, some credit schemes, regulate or construct systems of power for a more equal distribution benefits and services, and promote cooperative values and behaviour.
NGOs should use their high levels of public trust and extended fund-raising networks as channels for personal transformation and lifestyle change amongst their constituency in the North.
NGOs must make sure that their internal organisational practices reflect values of cooperation and equity.
A new social order implies personal change and disciplined self-reflection. This inner journey can bring inner peace, energy, effectiveness and compassion towards others. On a mass scale this can have deep social implications.
