"Centralization"

[shambu]

Maybe this is hardly a spiritual subject matter, but I am making some inquiry about what Prabhupada (ACBSP) said about this. I mean "centralization" as far as management in regards to temple communities is concerned (as opposed to independent management of seperate communities). Does any of the kind devotees have some quotes about this from HDG?

[Guest guest]

Centralized power in kali-yuga is very dangerous. That is why monarchies fail. The central power must be wise, strong and pious. As that piety is diminished to next to nothing the king loses wisdom along with the desire to benefit the citizens. They still have power but they weild it in a ruthless manner and become dictators.

 

Same problem with Communism only it is slightly more diffused. Same problem with Capitalism, one corp. takes over a smaller one and son on until just a few are left with everything. Same result concentrated power in the hands of those who are unfit to weild it.

 

Democracy is the best hope although it is also severly flawed.

 

So why do we think concentrated power in the hands of religionists will be any better? Catholics or Krishnas?

 

Prabhupada did indicate a desire for small independent temples with a looser knit affiliation.

 

There are those on this forum who were involved and much more knowledgeable than I on this and I leave it to them to give the quotes.

 

Thanks for raising the topic.

[stonehearted]

Here's how he expressed his opinion in a letter to Karandhar in 1972:

Regarding your points about taxation, corporate status, etc., I have heard from Jayatirtha you want to make big plan for centralization of management, taxes, monies, corporate status, bookkeeping, credit, like that. I do not at all approve of such plan. Do not centralize anything. Each temple must remain independent and self-sufficient. That was my plan from the very beginning, why you are thinking otherwise? Once before you wanted to do something centralizing with your GBC meeting, and if I did not interfere the whole thing would have been killed. Do not think in this way of big corporation, big credits, centralization—these are all nonsense proposals. Only thing I wanted was that books printing and distribution should be centralized, therefore I appointed you and Bali Mardan to do it. Otherwise, management, everything, should be done locally by local men. Accounts must be kept, things must be in order and lawfully done, but that should be each temple's concern, not yours. Krishna Consciousness Movement is for training men to be independently thoughtful and competent in all types of departments of knowledge and action, not for making bureaucracy. Once there is bureaucracy the whole thing will be spoiled. There must be always individual striving and work and responsibility, competitive spirit, not that one shall dominate and distribute benefits to the others and they do nothing but beg from you and you provide. No. Never mind there may be botheration to register each centre, take tax certificate each, become separate corporations in each state. That will train men how to do these things, and they shall develop reliability and responsibility, that is the point. I am little observing now, especially in your country, that our men are losing their enthusiasm for spreading on our programmes of Krishna Consciousness movement. Otherwise, why so many letters of problems are coming, dissatisfied? That is not a very good sign. The whole problem is they are not following the regulative principles, that I can detect. Without this, enthusiasm will be lacking. Even mechanically following, and if he gets gradually understanding from the class, he will come to the point of spontaneous enthusiasm. This spontaneous loving devotional service is not so easy matter, but if one simply sticks strictly to the rules and regulations, like rising early, chanting 16 rounds, chanting gayatri, keeping always clean—then his enthusiasm will grow more and more, and if there is also patience and determination, one day he will come to the platform of spontaneous devotion, then his life will be perfect. All of this I have told you in Nectar of Devotion. So I do not think the leaders are themselves following, nor they are seeing the others are following strictly. That must be rectified at once. Each centre remain independent, that's all right, but the president and other officers must themselves follow and see the others are following the regulative principles carefully, and giving them good instruction so they may understand nicely why this tapasya is necessary. And GBC and Sannyasis will travel and see the officers are doing this, and if they observe anything lowering of the standard, they must reform and advise, or if there is some discrepancy I shall remove it. Of course, if new men are coming, they may not be expected immediately to take to our regulative principles cent per cent. Therefore we should not be so anxious to induce them to live in the temple. Anyone who lives in the temple must agree to follow the rules and regulations without fail. So if some new man moves in with us he may become discouraged if he is forced in this way. Therefore let them live outside and become gradually convinced in the class why they should accept some austerity, then they will live with us out of their own accord and follow nicely everything. It is very difficult to give up very quickly so many bad habits as you have got in your country, so educate them gradually, first with chanting, and do not be so much anxious to count up so many numbers of new devotees, if such devotees go away later being too early forced. I want to see a few sincere devotees, not many false devotees or pretenders.

[ancient_paztriot]

We can easily see how this "centralization" has destroyed the many cultures worldwide… The company must survive! Not only that! It must grow and prosper! You're progress depends on it!

 

Maybe it's all just rhetoric. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

No. It deserves the status of s successful commerical.

 

Culture is desired if you're on vacation… But you don't want it interfering with BUSINESS.

 

Uh, who's business is that? "That's granted on a right to know basis." /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Guest guest]

"...Movement is for training men to be independently thoughtful and competent in all types of departments of knowledge and action, not for making bureaucracy. Once there is bureaucracy the whole thing will be spoiled...There must be always individual striving and work and responsibility, competitive spirit, not that one shall dominate and distribute benefits to the others and they do nothing but beg from you and you provide."

 

Strength comes from diversity working together towards a common goal based on oneness of individuals' faith. For Gaudiya vaishnavas that necessitates each devotee's realization of the essential purpose that unites us -- all service is ultimately under the patronage and direction of Sri Radha.

 

If gurudeva cannot be seen as Her confidential servitor, sectarianism will inevitably cause conflicts that waste valuable energy. Not that Lord Sri Krsna-Caitanya's Sankirtan Movement can ever be stopped, together however our momentum can continue to accelerate, as we saw in the early days of ISKCON when Srila Prabhupada was physically present as the living embodiment of our common faith.

 

Now we are forced to find him in our heart-of-hearts, transcending that which appears to separate us. This remains the personal responsibility of every sincere devotee, to thus share the deepest innermost beliefs we are committed to and thereby avoid finding themselves at odds with others, which brings a loss of enthusiasism.

 

The competition Srila Prabhupada encourages is in unity, not one against the other in our most basic faith and purpose, assisting in the service of Srimati Radharani through Sri Guru and Gauranga. All glories to His Divine Grace!

[krsna]

"...our main business is to train up men to be self sufficient and competent

in many ways to carry on the preaching work, not to make them into specialists

or to minimize their responsibility by centralizing everything. If each center

must rely upon its own strength to stand, that will be better training ground

for the devotees. We must learn how to do all kinds of varieties of engagements

on Krsna's service, not that we shall expect anyone else to act for us and thus

avoid something ourselves. But for reasons of spreading Krsna Consciousness

movement, we may sometimes centralize, just like the books and money for BBT

are managed by Karandhara in Los Angles. In that case, for more than one man

to be dealing with Dai Nippon, overseeing the general production and financial

condition of the books, if that were left for each temple to manage, there

would be great difficulty and the books would get neither printed nor paid

for nor distributed widely. So in that case, centralized management is

preferable. But in the case of new temples, it is better if they must have to

struggle a little while to establish themselves in their cities, become

familiar with the local city officials and leading citizens, elicit support

from all quarters of the city, like that, otherwise these things will be

neglected and there will be false dependency upon the outside supplies.

This will deteriorate everything. Our purpose of Krsna consciousness

movement is to create first class servants of Krsna, that means they

know how to do everything." (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 9th

January 1973. letter to Damodara dasa. Bombay, India.)

[shambu]

Thank you for all your superb quotations & comments, prabhus! All has been very useful indeed! Dandabats.