After Capitalism: Prout's Vision for a New World

by Dada Maheshvarananda

After Prout’s Vision for a New World sheds light on the Progressive Utilization Theory, or Prout, a socio-economic model based on decentralized economic democracy, cooperative enterprise and the ethics of inclusion. Foreword by Noam Chomsky, with contributions by Frei Betto, Marcos Arruda, Johan Galtung, Leonardo Boff, Sohail Inayatullah, Ravi Batra, Mark Friedman. The book asserts that capitalism contains the seeds of its own destruction, based as it is on greed, intense competition and the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few. In contrast, Prout provides a model of economic development grounded in universal values. It seeks to balance regional self-reliant economic development with ecological protection, and encourages creativity and innovation. In his preface to the book, Noam Chomsky stated, "Alternative visions are crucial at this moment in history. Prout’s cooperative model of economic democracy, based on cardinal human values and sharing the resources of the planet for the welfare of everyone, deserves our serious consideration." Historian Howard Zinn, author of the best-selling A People’s History of the United States, "After Capitalism is refreshingly original. It is spiritual and utopian while remaining grounded in reality. Its analysis is intelligent and its vision inspiring."

247 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2003

About the author

Dada Maheshvarananda is a yoga monk, activist and writer from the United States. As a student, he was active in the protests against the Vietnam War and adopted a radical approach to social change. He was inspired by the words of Che Guevara, to become a "true revolutionary guided by great feelings of love."
In 1978 he traveled to India and Nepal where he became a yogic monk and studied the Progressive Utilization Theory (Prout) under its founder, Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar. He taught meditation and organized for social justice for 14 years in Southeast Asia, three years in Europe and 21 years in Brazil and Venezuela. He gives seminars and workshops at conferences, schools, yoga centers, and prisons about social activism, spiritual transformation, and cooperative games.
His first book, "After Captalism: Prout's Vision for a New World" with a preface by Noam Chomsky was published in 2003 and has been translated into 10 languages.
In 2007 he founded the Prout Research Institute of Venezuela in Caracas, where he served for nine years as director. His second book, "After Capitalism: Economic Democracy in Action", was published in 2012.

Reviews

[Zoé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book is a must read for all fellow environmental and social activists and all other people trying to make a posotive change in the world. The phylosophy in the book doesnt stay floating in the air, but is practical with different examples and giving tools on how to implement PROUT in our local surroundings, for the benefit of the earth, the people, while sharing the abundance for the welfare of all.