The onslaught of the new

Through his office, US president Franklin D Roosevelt exhibited the qualities of vision, courage, and dedication to the greater good. He enabled tremendous improvements to the life of his fellow Americans and all of humanity, particularly through his work to secure world peace in the founding of the United Nations. In 1934, a close disciple of the Master Morya, Helena Roerich, was given the task of sharing the Masters’ guidance directly with Roosevelt.

'The Road to Freedom: Economics and the Good Society' (2024) could be called a socialist manifesto, but Joseph Stiglitz, a renowned American academic economist, calls his ideas “progressive capitalism” or a “rejuvenated social democracy” — he does not, for example, advocate for an entirely publicly owned economy. His focus is on the US where an individualistic approach to capitalism is particularly entrenched. He shows how political and economic freedom are inseparable.

In Britain in 2023, many are suffering from real, material poverty. Although still very wealthy, Britain has recently become more shamefully unequal. The pomp of the Coronation, the richly-dressed guests and the following celebration extravaganza party might recall the words of Maitreya: “where the rich parade their wealth before the poor”.

How can income reform provide room for spiritual development while at the same time involving all areas of our lives — physical, emotional, social, and what we might call the intuitive aspect of our life?

It is necessary to establish a system such as basic income that can distribute resources in a fairer way and contribute to a paradigm shift. We need a shift towards spirituality; to a paradigm that makes room for and stimulates human unity, compassion, which sees humanity holistically, as part of nature.

Mounting income and wealth inequalities are among the most pressing issues of our time. People around the world are becoming aware of their detrimental impact on our social and economic lives, and are looking for solutions. Having access to accurate and comprehensive data on inequalities is therefore crucial if we are to collectively take the right actions and decisions.

Universal Basic Income (UBI) can be defined as “Periodic, universal, unconditional cash payments to individuals to provide an income floor for all citizens.” It is ‘universal’ in that it goes to all members of society. It is ‘basic’ in that it is enough to meet all of an individual’s or a family’s basic needs. And it provides unconditional, recurring ‘income’ payments.