# Agriculture: A Fundamental Principle

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Paul Hanley, Agriculture: A Fundamental Principle, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> Published in the Journal of Bahá’í Studies Vol. 3, number 1 (1990)
> © Association for Bahá’í Studies 1990
> 
> Agriculture: A Fundamental Principle
> Paul Hanley
> Abstract
> Proper agricultural development is a “fundamental principle” conductive “to the advancement of mankind and to the
> reconstruction of the world” For this reason, Bahá’u’lláh instructs us to give “special regard” to agricultural
> development, but to a form of development shaped by and serving the goals of unity, justice, equity, and
> sustainability. The task of building a new social and economic order is associated with the redesign of food and
> agricultural systems, locally and internationally. A survey of the Bahá’í writings imparts vision of appropriate
> leading values for agriculture to ensure that development results in both ecological and economic viability. The
> survey further consider some of the implications for agriculture of the human/nature relationship, the role of women,
> the role of science and technology, and the relationship between globalism and local community development.
> 
> Résumé
> Un bon développement agricole est un «principe fondamental» conduisant à «l’avancement de l’humanité et à la
> reconstruction do monde». C’est pourquoi Bahá’u’lláh nous exhorte à accorder une «attention particulière» au
> développement agricole, pourvu que ce soit une forme de développement façonnée par l’unité, la justice, 1’équité et
> la durabilité et qui en serve le causes. Aussi bien au niveau local qu’international, la tâche de bátir un nouve ordre
> social et économique est reliée à une nouvelle conception des système alimentaires et agricoles. Une vue globale des
> Écrits bahá’ís nous fournit une vision des principales valeurs applicabies à l’agriculture et pouvant garantir un
> développement qui soit à la fois écologiquement et économiquement viable. Cette étude examine comment
> l’agriculture peut être affectée par la relation entre l’homme et la nature, par le rôle des femmes, par celui de la
> science et de la technologie et par la relation entre globalisme et développement communautaire local.
> 
> Resumen
> El debido desarrollo agrícola es un “principio fundamental” conducente “al avance de la humanidad y a la
> reconstrucción del mundo.” Por esta razón Bahá’u’lláh nos instruye dar consideración especial al desarrollo de la
> agricultura, pero a una forma de desarrollo moldeada por, y al servicio de las metas de la unidad, la justicia, la
> imparcialidad, y la sustentabilidad. La empresa de construir una orden económica y social nueva se asocia con el
> rediseñar de los sistemas de comestibles y de agricultura, localmente internacionalmente. Un reconocimiento de los
> escritos bahá’ís difunde una vision de las pautas apropiadas principales aplicables a la agricultura para asegurar que
> el fruto del desarollo resulte ecológicamente y económicaenente viable. Mas aún, este reconocimiento toma en
> consideración el significado para la agricultura de la relación entre la naturaleza y los humanos, el rol de la mujer; el
> papel de la ciencia y la tecnología, y la relación entre el globalismo y el desarrollo comunitario local.
> 
> T    he vision of a “Peaceable Kingdom” has long been a compelling human aspiration that has generated rich
> literary and artistic expression, fueled secular ideologies, and pervaded faith and scripture. Usually, descriptions
> of an ideal future are replete with the bucolic imagery of agricultural bounty. This agrarian conception of God’s
> Kingdom is eloquently voiced by Isaiah, whose prophecy anticipates the conflux of a future peace and an effective,
> just, and sustainable agriculture (Isaiah 2:4).
> This prophetic theme is continued and developed in the Bahá’í writings. In the “Tablet of the World,”
> Bahá’u’lláh establishes the importance of agriculture and its leading role in his world order:
> 
> Whilst in the Prison of ‘Akká, We revealed in the Crimson Book that which is conducive to the advancement
> of mankind and to the reconstruction of the world. The utterances set forth therein by the Pen of the Lord of
> creation include the following which constitute the fundamental principles for the administration of the affairs of
> men.... (Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh 89)
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh then enjoins promotion of the Lesser Peace by the Universal House of Justice; the reduction of all
> languages to a common one; the adherence to fellowship, kindliness, and unity; and universal participation in a
> subsidy for education. His fifth fundamental principle is quoted in full:
> …Special regard must be paid to agriculture. Although it hath been mentioned in the fifth place, unquestionably
> it precedeth the others. Agriculture is highly developed in foreign lands, however in Persia it hath so far been
> grievously neglected. It is hoped that His Majesty the Sháh—may God assist him by His grace—will turn his
> attention to this vital and important matter (Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh 90)
> 
> In the context of the other statements in the Tablet, the powerful utterance about the precedence of agriculture seems
> to call for a broad definition of the term. It is more than farming; it is agriculture in the fullest sense, with economic,
> social, and spiritual connotations referring to the food and agriculture system as a whole. Further, Bahá’u’lláh’s
> statements convince me that the development and maintenance of an effective agriculture will play a leading role in
> the process of peacemaking and that the outcome of this process will be an economy, society, and administrative
> order guided to a great extent by its agricultural priorities.
> Aside from this emphatic statement, there are few specific references to agriculture in the Bahá’í writings.
> Nevertheless, the agriculturalist sees in the basic tenets of the Faith the preconditions of a successful agricultural
> development that is necessary if agriculture is to play its destined role in the future.
> 
> The Preconditions for Successful Agricultural Development
> The Bahá’í approach to any major question is holistic, recognizing not only the integrity of the human species but
> also the coherence of the physical and spiritual dimensions of creation. To a Bahá’í, the starting point of human
> development is the placement of problems within this wider frame; no problem can be solved in isolation as none is
> isolated—the agricultural question is a prime example.
> The animating, pivotal principle of the World Order envisaged by Bahá’u’lláh is unity. Three corollaries of this
> principle are universally applicable in building that world order: a new unity paradigm, the cohesion of practical and
> spiritual requirements, and a balance of personal and social responsibility. All greatly influence the analysis,
> interpretation, design, and method by which the component systems—especially agriculture—will be transformed.
> 
> A Unity Paradigm
> The animating principle of unity has far-reaching applications. It causes us to alter our perception of ourselves, of
> our human relationships, and also of our relationship to nature. Recognizing our relatedness to nature results in a
> radical shift in our worldview: in the Bahá’í view, the theme of unity embracing the whole of creation becomes a
> paradigm for our age and the acceptance of the paradigm in the collective consciousness is key to both the
> development of peace and humankind/nature co-evolution.
> The initial and most important stage in this paradigm is the acknowledgement of the unity of the human race.
> “…until the minds of men become united,” says ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “no important matter can be accomplished” (Bahá’í
> World Faith 285). A penetrating appreciation of human unity is a potent medicine for society, in fact, says
> Bahá’u’lláh, “The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly
> established” (Gleanings 286).
> The success or failure of human endeavors depends very much on the question of unity. In relation to the
> agricultural theme, for example, our failure to ensure universal nourishment or to husband natural resources such as
> soil and forests adequately results not from any inadequacy of nature but from disunity manifest in unbridled
> nationalism, racism, classism, sexism, and religious animosity.
> The illuminating light of unity can eclipse these divisive prejudices and can nurture human solidarity, the only
> foundation for peace and development. This milieu will not only rectify social relationships but also help to rectify
> our relationship to the earth whose resources, in the words of Shoghi Effendi, “dissipated and wasted on war,
> whether economic or political, will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions and
> technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind...” (Call to the Nations 56).
> 
> The Cohesion of Practical and Spiritual Requirements
> The struggle of humanity toward the Kingdom of God on earth is a potent force for change. This ultimate
> reconstruction of the world implies the infusion of the spirit into every facet of our lives. The mission of Bahá’u’lláh
> is both to direct and to energize the realization of a peaceable, planetary order that is a cohesion of material and
> spiritual. “From the beginning of His stupendous mission,” states the Universal House of Justice, “Bahá’u’lláh urged
> upon the attention of nations the necessity of ordering human affairs in such a way as to bring into being a world
> unified in all aspects of its life. In unnumbered verses and tablets He repeatedly and variously declared the ‘progress
> of the world’ and the ‘development of nations’ as being among the ordinances of God for this day. The oneness of
> mankind, which is at once the operating principle and the ultimate goal of His Revelation, implies the dynamic
> coherence between the spiritual and practical requirements of life on earth” (letter of Oct. 20, 1983).
> 
> Our civilization as a whole, however, is increasingly preoccupied with the material, to the exclusion of the
> spiritual. The gods of wealth and power have seduced us but left us deadened. As an enervating materialism invades
> every part of society, the possibility of there being a spiritual remedy to our ills remains outside our worldview.
> Recognition of the spiritual dimension in life is now a condition of continued material existence, just as the material
> requirements of living are conditions for the manifestation of the human spirit.
> A salient feature of this radical conception of society is the broad acceptance of the coherence of material and
> spiritual requirements. This acceptance is a prerequisite for successful agricultural development.
> 
> The Balance of Personal and Social Responsibility
> The transformational process succeeds to the extent that it resounds within the individual; the kingdom must be
> found within and brought out into the world. Personal and societal transformation are a harmonic pair; progress
> results from a new way of living individually and collectively. The guidance on transformational process offered by
> the Bahá’í Faith, in the words of the Universal House of Justice, “does not comprise a series of specific answers to
> current problems, but rather the illumination of an entirely new way of life. Without this way of life the problems
> are insoluble; with it they will either not arise, or if they arise, can be resolved (letter of July 21, 1968). The new
> way of life aims to bring out individual potential and ensure that our contribution—through our skills and labor, our
> organizational abilities, our efforts for education or science, or in whatever field of expertise—will render service.
> Speaking of the role of the Faith in relation to the convergence of practical expertise and spiritual attainment, the
> Universal House of Justice observes that “as the Bahá’í Community grows it will require experts in numerous fields
> As these experts bring their knowledge and skill to the service of the community, and even more, as they transform
> their various disciplines by bringing to bear upon them the light of the Divine Teachings, problem after problem
> now disrupting society will be answered” (letter of Aug. 21, 1977). For this reason a Bahá’í approach to
> development attaches great importance to the expansion of awareness and to the cultivation of virtues and
> conversely to the design and implementation of systems supportive to the attainment of spiritual maturity.
> A spiritual orientation is the starting point in the transformational process in general and within each field of
> human endeavor. It is particularly pertinent to the study of agriculture because an effective agriculture is both
> fundamental to and cannot be attained separately from the greater struggle to achieve solidarity and world order.
> 
> Principles for Agricultural Development – A Survey of the Writings
> 
> The Position of Agriculture in a New World Order
> Bahá’u’lláh’s remarkable assertion that agriculture has priority over even the promotion of the Lesser Peace in
> establishing world order reinforces the essential connection of development and peace. His statement is further
> emphasized by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá who said in his public talks concerning universal peace and order that “the
> fundamental basis of the community is agriculture” (Promulgation of Universal Peace 217) and that “the peasant
> class and the agricultural class exceed other classes in the importance of their service” (Foundations of World Unity
> 39).
> There are at least three reasons for the emphasis on agriculture as the foundation of social order. The first is
> obvious. Although we don’t live by bread alone, each of us needs food first and foremost. Religion calls us to pay
> attention to what is essential as opposed to what is not. “Special regard” should be given to assuring that all have a
> diet sufficient to nourish full physical and mental well-being, in preference to what is the current economic
> imperative—production of armaments, consumer items, indulgences.
> Second, everyone, not only the producer, has a high economic stake in the success of the agricultural system.
> Although, in industrial nations, as few as two percent of populations are engaged in farming, (Production Yearbook,
> vol. 35) as many as twenty-five percent work in the food and agricultural system in production and distribution of
> farm inputs and machinery, marketing, transportation, food sales and handling, advertising, finance, and so on. In
> Third World countries, most people are directly employed in farm work (Production Yearbook, vol. 35). Those that
> are not directly employed in the food industry, of course, allocate a sizeable portion of their income to food.
> Third, food has a tremendous cultural significance. Our most basic human relationships—mother to baby, parent
> to child, gatherings of family and friends, national, religious, or ethnic feasts and festivals—involve nurturance
> through food. Conversely, because of the need to eat we can all understand and empathize with hunger. Food and
> agriculture, then, have a profound symbolic power that can be a unifying force.
> Despite these three factors, which should establish food production at the center of social concern, our perception
> of the importance of agriculture has decreased as its capacity grows. The more farmers produce in excess of their
> own requirement—one producer can, with modern technology, provide for fifty people—the greater is the supply
> available for a population of non-producers. As people migrate to towns and cities, they can lose touch with the land
> 
> and develop attitudes unsympathetic to agriculture and farm people. They perceive cheap food to be a right but feel
> little responsibility for farm viability, farm prices, or resource conservation. Because they are the majority, their
> concerns prevail, and agriculture is impoverished.
> The Bahá’í approach resolves the rural—urban split by emphasizing the centrality of agriculture for all of
> society, including urban people, as a matter of spiritual principle. In keeping with the theme of unity, the division
> between urban and rural is repaired as they become mutually supportive, a harmonic pair in an advocacy rather than
> antagonistic relationship: the rural nurtures the city, which in turn provides full support for a vital rural community.
> This strong support for agriculture, rural life, and respect for the producing class suggests that a new order would act
> to halt rural to urban migration and to maintain a large and healthy rural population.
> 
> Justice, Equity, and World Order
> The major defect in the present world order is its inherent injustice and inequity in the personal, local, national, and
> international fronts. “Justice is, in this day, bewailing its plight, and Equity groaneth beneath the yoke of oppression.
> The thick clouds of tyranny have darkened the face of the earth, and enveloped its peoples” (Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings
> 92).
> Agriculture finds renewal only in the context of a world order animated by the guiding principles of justice and
> equity. These principles answer directly to the major shortcomings of the food system. Bahá’u’lláh says clearly that
> the implementation of justice in a New World Order is the key to satisfying material needs:
> 
> The light of men is Justice. Quench it not with the contrary winds of oppression and tyranny. The purpose of
> justice is the appearance of unity among men…. Were mankind to be adorned with this raiment, they would
> behold the day-star of the utterance, ‘On that day God will satisfy everyone out of His abundance,’ [cf.
> Qur’án 4:129] shining resplendent above the horizon of the world. Appreciate ye the value of this utterance
> (Tablets 66–67)
> 
> This utterance is the key to the design of a successful food system: “There can be no doubt whatever that if the
> daystar of justice, which the clouds of tyranny have obscured, were to shed its light upon men, the face of the earth
> would be completely transformed” (Gleanings 219).
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá identifies tyranny—which might be defined in this context as the inequitable allocation of land and
> other food-producing resources in order to benefit a minority (individual, state, or corporate) at the expense of the
> majority—as responsible for much human misery: “When we see poverty allowed to reach a condition of
> starvation,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says, “it is a sure sign that somewhere we shall find tyranny” (Bahá’u’lláh and the New
> Era 141). Scarcity of food from underproduction, inadequate resources, overpopulation, the passivity of the poor, or
> a lack of technology (as is usually assumed) are not the causes of hunger. These are the symptoms of a tyrannical
> order.
> Equity is parallel to justice. It is “the most fundamental among human virtues,” says Bahá’u’lláh. “The
> evaluation of all things must needs depend upon it” (Bahá’í World Faith 131). Equity as applied to agriculture might
> be defined as a fair sharing of production and, more important, of food-producing resources. The objective of
> agricultural policy must be, evaluated from the point of view of equity, not so much to increase production, but more
> to increase the inclusiveness of productivity and the sharing of production.
> 
> Globalism and Decentralism
> At present, the world is already united through transnational systems of commerce, trade, communication, et cetera,
> but this unity is shaped by the ethics of power, profiteering, colonialism, and production based on exploitation of
> people and resources. The Writings call for the establishment of a just world community.
> 
> The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Bahá’u’lláh, implies the establishment of a world
> commonwealth…. This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose
> members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the
> component nations, and will enact such laws as shalt be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust
> the relationships of all races and peoples…. The economic resources of the world will he organized, its sources
> of raw materials will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and developed, and the
> distribution of its products wilt be equitably regulated….
> 
> Destitution on the one hand, and gross accumulation of ownership on the other will disappear. (Shoghi Effendi,
> World Order of Bahá’u’lláh 203–4)
> 
> However, this concept of globalism
> 
> repudiates excessive centralization on one hand, and disclaims all attempts at uniformity on the other. Its
> watchword is unity in diversity…. (Shoghi Effendi, World Order of Bahá’u’lláh 42)
> 
> Envisioned then is a planet united, not through coercion, imperialism, or excessive centralism, but as a
> cooperative commonwealth balanced by centralist and decentralist forces. This globalism is a requirement of a
> healthy food and agriculture system, unlike the current system which, although transnational in scope, is subject to
> exploitation that tends to undercut national and local self-reliance. The foundation of a Bahá’í commonwealth is the
> mature, self-reliant locality with a solid agrarian base.
> 
> Interdependence and Self-Reliance
> Globalism and decentralism correspond to interdependence and self-reliance, the qualities required in building good
> order. The Writings suggest an economy based first on individual and family; local and national self-reliance paired
> with a sophisticated interdependence on the global, national, and local levels. To assist us in visualizing a Bahá’í
> social order, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá uses a number of organic, non-mechanical analogies—the family, the human body, a
> garden (cited in World Order of Bahá’u’lláh 42). His analogy of the household corresponds to the concept of oikos
> [Greek for household), the root of the words ecology and economy (Foundations 38–43). Ecology refers to the
> subtle relationships that unify organisms and the environment while securing a niche for its members, and economy
> in this context can refer to regulation and management of relationships to assure the well-being of both part and
> whole. In this analogy economics is seen as management of resources for the benefit of whole communities rather
> than as a struggle to capture wealth for individuals, a ruling class, or a state monopoly.
> The Writings outline a new economic order in skeletal form. Economics is an indicator of spiritual conditions;
> thus the ultimate economic solution lies in spiritual transformation (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Promulgation 238).
> Although our vision must be world-embracing, the initial stage of economic reconstruction is at the local level,
> beginning with agricultural reform. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said the solution begins with the village, and when the village is
> reconstructed, then will the cities be also (Selections 279).
> 
> First and foremost is the principle that to all the members of the body politic shall be given the greatest
> achievements of the world of humanity. Each one shall have the utmost welfare and well-being. To solve this
> problem we must begin with the farmer; there will we lay a foundation for system and order because the peasant
> class and the agricultural class exceed other classes in the importance of their service. (‘Abdu’l-Bahá,
> Foundations 39)
> 
> Village reconstruction will involve the establishment of a central community institution, termed the “general
> storehouse” or “House of Finance,” directed by a democratically elected council of trustees responsible for the
> allocation of resources and services. The storehouse combines functions of economic regulation, lending, and social
> service. Its revenues come from a variety of taxes. Its first responsibility will be to stabilize the farm economy—
> should farm expenses exceed income, the farmer will be compensated, or if income exceeds expenses, the farmer
> will be taxed. After the farmer is taken care of, revenues will be expended in the care of the needy, followed by
> other necessary expenses. An excess of funds will be channeled upward to the national treasury, presumably to be
> allocated likewise within the community of communities.
> While rudimentary, this scheme establishes principles needed in agricultural and community development: social
> responsibility for ensured productivity; democratic control and regulation of community resources, especially credit;
> community support for individual or collective initiatives. It provides a means of social regulation or trusteeship
> without imposition on entrepreneurship while enshrining the principle of community self-reliance at the foundation
> of mass economics (Foundations 37)
> The need for equal access to resources and opportunities is the principle most often repeated in the Writings on
> economics. Extremes of wealth and destitution will be eliminated though degree will be retained. This will be
> enforced in part by legislation but will also depend on voluntary sharing (Bahá’í Scriptures 414). Profit sharing will
> have an important benefit for farm workers who will become “partners in every work” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá quoted in
> Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era 145).
> Bahá’u’lláh allows the charge of a reasonable rate of interest:
> 
> …it is lawful and proper to charge interest on money….
> 
> However, this is a matter that should be practised with moderation and fairness. Our Pen of Glory hath, as a
> token of wisdom and for the convenience of the people, desisted from laying down its limit. Nevertheless We
> exhort the loved ones of God to observe justice fairness, and to do that which would prompt the friends of God to
> evince tender mercy and compassion towards each other….
> Nevertheless the conduct of these affairs hath been entrusted to the men of the House of Justice that they may
> enforce them according to the exigencies of the time and the dictates of wisdom. (Tablets 133–34)
> 
> This provision eases a major burden—high interest on debts—that now faces farmers worldwide and also
> encourages a more inclusive system of credit.
> Ownership of the means of production and tenure of land will take a variety of forms. Private ownership is
> safeguarded, but other forms of initiative such as cooperative or village entrepreneurship are accepted. Gross
> accumulation of ownership will be completely eliminated. State ownership or control may have a role to play, but
> excessive centralization is warned against. Nevertheless, Bahá’í principles should not be confused with either
> capitalism or socialism. Entirely new systems, or those little used or known, may be employed. The designation of
> the House of Justice as trustee of resources perhaps suggests a concept of “trusterty” to complement the notion of
> property (as discussed in Swann, The Community Land Trust).
> Instruction on inheritance recommends a wide dispersal of property within and also outside of the family of the
> deceased. This will also aid in limiting concentration of land ownership (Huddleston, Bahá’í Studies Notebook, 67–
> 79).
> Some characteristics of macroeconomics are indicated. There can be little doubt that provisions for redistribution
> of wealth will be carried forward to international relations. Equitable patterns of trade, finance, and production will
> mean a major change for food and agriculture systems that now bear a colonial pattern, which virtually assures
> poverty in the underdeveloped countries and the accumulation of wealth in the industrial world (Shoghi Effendi,
> World Order of Bahá’u’lláh 203).
> 
> Science, Technology, and Moderation
> Perhaps the most obvious feature of agriculture today is its growing mechanization. Farming increasingly copies the
> industrial model. The Bahá’í approach promotes modernization to the extent that the application of technology
> actually aids in the task of nourishing people while conserving resources for future generations. The adoption of
> modern technology, however, usually outpaces the development of the social technologies required to cope with the
> consequences of mechanization, causing dislocation of the farm population add an ever intensified stress on the
> resource base.
> These problems are addressed in the Writings. Achieving a sustainable society is elevated to a central life
> purpose: “All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization.” The implications for
> agriculture are far-reaching; poor husbandry is without parallel in its destructiveness of soil and forest, and an ethic
> that prioritizes conservation will drastically alter farm practice. Bahá’u’lláh states that one purpose of his laws is to
> protect the earth: “Each one of the ordinances We have revealed is a mighty stronghold for the preservation of the
> world of being” (Tablets 69). Shoghi Effendi, a supporter of conservation efforts, states that the tasks of
> “PROTECTION PHYSICAL WORLD AND HERITAGE FUTURE GENERATIONS. . . CONSTITUTES YET
> ANOTHER FORCE WORKING FOR PEACE AND BROTHERHOOD” (cable, May 23, 1951).
> Foreseeing the potential consequences of the technical/scientific revolution, Bahá’u’lláh warned of its dangers
> and presented a principle of moderation that was to guide modernization:
> 
> The civilization, so often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and sciences, will, if allowed to overleap the
> bounds of moderation, bring great evil upon men. Thus warneth you He Who is the All-Knowing. If carried to
> excess, civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as it had been of goodness when kept within the
> restraints of moderation....
> All other things are subject to this same principle of moderation. (Gleanings 342–43)
> 
> Further to this point, Bahá’u’lláh comments on the trend to Westernization. “In all matters moderation is
> desirable. If a thing is carried to excess, it will prove a source of evil. Consider the civilization of the West, how it
> hath agitated and alarmed the peoples of the world” (Tablets 69). By way of explanation He projects a troubled
> vision of the dangers of unbridled development: “Strange and astonishing things exist in the earth but they are
> hidden from the minds and the understanding of men. These things are capable of changing the whole atmosphere of
> the earth and their contamination would prove lethal” (Tablets 69). Clearly, the unchecked development of modern
> 
> industrial agriculture, outward from the West, causes many of the most frightening side-effects of immoderate
> technology.
> 
> A Right Relationship to the Earth
> To repeat, the Bahá’í approach suggests a new paradigm of unity embracing all of creation. The separateness of
> humankind from nature (which is rooted in the history of agriculture) must be reconsidered in this light. The
> Writings provide valuable insights on this complex problem, suggesting that a right relationship is threefold,
> involving attitudes of humility, unity, and detachment.
> First, we are called upon to honor creation and to humble ourselves before it. The earth is itself a revelator of
> God: “Know thou that every created thing is a sign of the revelation of God” (Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings 184).
> “Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is a direct evidence of the revelation within it of the
> attributes and the names of God, inasmuch as within every atom are enshrined the signs that bear eloquent testimony
> to the revelation of that Most Great Light” (Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings 177). Again and again this theme of revelation
> through creation appears in the Writings: “No thing have I perceived, except that I perceived God within it, God
> before it, or God after it” (Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings 178). In this vein, we are also reminded of Bahá’u’lláh’s love for
> and rapport with nature (Maxwell, An Early Pilgrimage 33–34).
> Nature is a source, not only a physical source but also a spiritual source. Its ability to inspire is important to
> human spiritual attainment. We feel exhilarated and expanded by the vastness and profundity of the earth to which
> we belong. This attitude toward nature inspires humility—literally, being of the ground, humus—also part of a
> whole spirituality. Bahá’u’lláh calls on us to be humble to the earth:
> Humility exalteth man to the heaven of glory and power, whilst pride abaseth him to the depths of wretchedness
> and degradation. (Epistle to the Son of the Wolf 30)
> Every man of discernment, while walking upon the earth, feeleth indeed abashed, inasmuch as he is fully aware
> that the thing which is the source of his prosperity, his wealth, his might, his exaltation, his advancement and
> power is, as ordained by God, the very earth which is trodden beneath the feet of all men. There can be no doubt
> that whoever is cognizant of this truth, is cleansed and sanctified from all pride, arrogance, and vainglory.
> (Epistle to the Son of the Wolf 44)
> This attitude of humility not only is important to spirituality in itself but also underscores the requirement of
> conservation of nature in its wholeness.
> Second, the essential unity of nature and humanity is implied through the unity principle. “Now concerning
> nature,” says ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,
> it is but the essential properties and the necessary relations inherent in the realities of things. And though these infinite
> realities are diverse in their character yet they are in the utmost harmony and closely connected together. As one’s
> vision is broadened and the matter observed carefully, it will be made certain that every reality is but an essential
> requisite of other realities. Thus to connect and harmonize these diverse and infinite realities an all-unifying Power is
> necessary, that every part of existent being may in perfect order discharge its own function. (Bahá’í World Faith 344)
> The mineral, plant, and animal are actually seen as fully alive in that they possess a spirit. A mechanistic
> understanding of nature is therefore inadequate; more correct is a view of the earth as a whole, living organism.
> While this concept resembles animism, it is more truly a balance of ancient wisdom and contemporary science.
> Bahá’u’lláh explains that it is wrong to assume that the Divine is incorporated in nature. “He is really a believer in
> the Unity of God who recognizeth in each and every created thing the sign of the revelation of Him Who is the
> Eternal Truth, and not he who maintaineth that the creature is indistinguishable from the Creator” (Gleanings 189).
> The world of God is unimaginably above and beyond creation.
> The picture is completed as the world of the Manifestation is drawn into the image: “…all parts of the creational
> world are of one whole. All the parts are subordinate and obedient to the whole. The contingent beings are the
> branches of the tree of life while the Messenger of God is the root of that tree” (Bahá’í World Faith 364).
> Although we are taught to honor and live harmoniously with the earth, we are also instructed to become detached
> from the physical world. While these views may at first seem contradictory, deeper reflection will aid us to realize
> that this understanding describes a multidimensionality in human nature—just as it is necessary to experience unity
> with physical creation, it is also necessary to reach beyond the material world in order to fulfill our destiny. We are
> given to understand that our planet, itself but a fragment of the material universe, which in turn is infinitesimal, is as
> nothing in relation to the cosmos, which is immeasurably vast, comprising limitless spiritual worlds. Identification
> 
> with and attachment to this small reality wrongly limits human potential, which though born from the earth, rightly
> belongs to the spiritual realm. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá discusses this concept of human freedom:
> 
> And among the teachings of His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh is man’s freedom, that through the ideal Power he should
> be free and emancipated from the captivity of the world of nature; for as long as man is captive to nature he is a
> ferocious animal, as the struggle for existence is one of the exigencies of the world of nature. This matter of the
> struggle for existence is the fountain-head of all calamities and is the supreme affliction. (Bahá’í World Faith
> 288–89)
> 
> …the world of nature is an animal world. Until man is born again from the world of nature, that is to say,
> becomes detached from the world of nature, he is essentially an animal, and it is the teachings of God which
> converts [sic] this animal into a human soul. (Bahá’í World Faith 290)
> 
> To be empowered in building an appropriate relationship with nature (and this also depends on building human
> solidarity) we must become aware of and connected to the divine reality through the intermediary of the
> Manifestation. The new theology of the earth articulated in the Bahá’í writings, then, harmonizes elements of
> animalistic and revealed religion but overcomes an unbalanced concentration on either unity with or detachment
> from the natural world so conspicuous in most religious interpretations of the past and present.
> 
> Agriculture as Worship
> The threefold relationship of humans to nature gives our work on the land a quality of worship. It demands a new
> approach to agriculture, which is the main meeting point of humanity and nature. The idea of agriculture as a form
> of worship is implied in the word agri-culture. Agriculture means literally the cultivation of fields, but behind the
> word culture is the Latin cultus and the Sanscrit kwel, which mean to dwell, to care, and to worship. From the word
> agriculture, we are led to a deeply religious concept, embedded in language, which has to do with agriculture
> implying dwelling on the land and caring for it as an act of worship (Rowe, Home Place 166).
> The designation of work (and perhaps agricultural work especially due to its preeminent status) as worship is
> highly significant. “It is made incumbent on every one of you to engage in some one occupation, such as arts, trades,
> and the like. We have made this—your occupation—identical with the worship of God, the True One” (Bahá’u’lláh,
> Bahá’í World Faith 195). Writing to an agriculture student, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states:
> 
> Thy letter was received. Praise be to God it imparted the good news of thy health and safety and indicated
> that thou art ready to enter into an agricultural school. This is highly suitable. Strive as much as possible to
> become proficient in the science of agriculture for in accordance with the Divine Teachings, the acquisition of
> sciences and the perfection of arts is [sic] considered as acts of worship. If a man engages with all his power in
> the acquisition of a science or in the perfection of an art, it is as if he has been worshipping God in the churches
> and temples. Thus as thou enterest a school of agriculture and strivest in the acquisition of that science thou art
> day and night engaged in acts of worship—acts that are accepted at the threshold of the Almighty. What bounty
> greater than this that science should be considered as an act of worship and art as service to the Kingdom of God.
> (Bahá’í World Faith 377–78)
> 
> The understanding that our work is worship carries with it the responsibility of finding an appropriately caring
> quality in our endeavors. The Writings imply that the quality, motivation, and direction of our work affects its
> suitability as worship. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states: “...strive that your actions day by day may be beautiful prayers” (Paris
> Talks 81). He says that “all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart [sic] is worship, if it is
> prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity. This is worship: to serve mankind and to
> minister to the needs of the people” (Paris Talks 176–77). Our work–worship becomes the more worthy to the
> extent that we assume our responsibility to the land and to each other by implementing sound husbandry in a just
> and sustainable food system.
> 
> The Role of Women
> The important role that women play in agriculture is stressed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: “Woman must especially devote her
> energies and abilities toward the industrial and agricultural sciences, seeking to assist mankind in that which is most
> needful. By this means she will demonstrate capability and ensure recognition of equality in the social and
> economic equation” (Promulgation 283).
> 
> Stress on woman’s involvement, which has been reiterated by the Universal House of Justice, can be understood
> from three points, the first being that women are in fact the primary agricultural producers in much of the world. In
> Africa, for example, women are responsible for eighty percent of agricultural production. Is it not sensible, then, that
> development projects focus on women (rather than men and machines, as is often the case)?
> A second point is that equal opportunity and responsibility in the agricultural field contributes to the struggle for
> sexual equality, which in itself is a precondition for the appearance of the Kingdom on earth. Education is an
> important avenue for advancing women in agriculture, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá encouraged women to attend agricultural
> college. The following quotation stresses again the importance of equality in educational opportunity and relates it to
> development and peace:
> 
> [Bahá’u’lláh] promulgated the adoption of the same course of education for man and woman. Daughters and
> sons must follow the same curriculum of study, thereby promoting unity of the sexes. When all mankind shall
> receive the same opportunity of education and the equality of men and women be realized, the foundations of
> war will be utterly destroyed. Without equality this will be impossible because all differences and distinctions are
> conducive to discord and strife. (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Promulgation 175)
> 
> A third point is that there is a need to stress the feminine principle in our relationship to the land and to each
> other; qualities of nurturance, intuition, empathy, caring, identification with forces of productivity and fruition, are
> those particularly understood by women. These are the qualities that we need to bring to agricultural work. ‘Abdu’l-
> Bahá says that “it is well established in history that where woman has not participated in human affairs the outcomes
> have never attained a state of completion and perfection. On the other hand, every influential undertaking of the
> human world wherein woman has been a participant has attained importance” (Promulgation 134).
> 
> Exhortations and Prohibitions
> A number of the exhortations and prohibitions found in the Bahá’í writings will have an effect on agriculture.
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is adamant about the importance of kindness to animals (Bahá’í World Faith 373–74). This principle
> will have repercussions in the field of animal husbandry. His stern warning about the need for kindness even to the
> lower creatures will have further repercussions on all aspects of our interaction with ecosystems. May Maxwell’s
> observations in this regard are interesting: “‘Abdu’l-Bahá said that we should always be kind and merciful to every
> creature; that cruelty was sin and that the human race should never injure any of God’s creatures, but ought to be
> always careful to do nothing to diminish or exterminate any order of living thing…” (Maxwell, An Early Pilgrimage
> 29). In this light we will have to redesign farm practices to avoid destruction of habitat and to reduce or eliminate
> practices that are destructive to animal organisms; this thinking is in keeping with ecological science, which
> recognizes the important role played by all levels of creatures in the functioning of whole systems.
> In several talks and tablets ‘Abdu’l-Bahá comments that “when mankind is more fully developed, the eating of
> meat will gradually cease” (Promulgation 171). The adoption of a lower meat content in our diet improves health as
> well as making more food available for human use—meat production is an inefficient use of protein, and about one
> half of all grain protein is fed to livestock. “…the Holy Books forbid the eating of any unclean thing, or the use of
> anything which is not pure” (Bahá’í World Faith 334). This calls into question the extensive and rapidly growing
> use of pesticides and the adulteration of natural foods in processing. Similarly, the prohibition on alcohol, opium,
> marijuana, and other narcotics, and the recommendation against tobacco will release resources for food production
> [Marijuana is surpassed only by corn as a cash crop in the United States] (Bahá’u’lláh, Bahá’í World Faith 335).
> Speculation on land and agricultural commodities will be either moderated or eliminated in view of the Bahá’í
> injunction against gambling (Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas 47).
> 
> Conclusion
> In summary, agricultural development is a “fundamental principle” for the advancement of humankind, linked to the
> establishment of the Lesser, and ultimately, the Most Great Peace. For this reason we are instructed to give “special
> regard” to agricultural development, more specifically to a form of development shaped by and serving the spiritual
> cause of unity, justice, and equity. The task of building a new social and economic order is associated with the
> redesign of agriculture to ensure economic viability for producers in self-reliant communities, which are vital cells
> in a global organism founded on cooperative interdependence. We are asked to bring a spiritual sense to our
> agricultural work, to elevate it to a form of worship, and in the process to transform our inner lives in
> correspondence to God’s Will revealed in nature and Word. We are asked to conduct our lives individually and
> collectively in such fashion as to ensure a sustainable society by balancing technical and spiritual development. We
> 
> are given a vision of our relatedness to the earth but called to an inspired station where we are empowered to take
> full responsibility in carrying forward an ever-advancing civilization.
> In this view, agriculture is elevated from mere commerce to a spiritual way of living. In the words of the noted
> Japanese farmer Masanobu Fukuoka, “the ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation
> and perfection of human beings” (One Straw Revolution xii).
> How can we aid in this transformation’? We can make whatever effort possible to allow the creative influence of
> the Spirit to inform our thought, feeling, and action, paying full attention to the consequences of what we do as we
> share in the bounty of the earth and the work on the land. The task of agricultural development cannot be carried out
> in isolation from the process of spiritual evolvement, recognizing, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says, that “when the love of God
> is established, everything else will be realized” (Promulgation 239).
> As we witness the failure of agriculture to meet even the basic need of the people for nourishment and watch the
> continued decline of soil and other resources for production, we can avoid despair and paralysis by remembering
> that the destiny that we have been promised is approaching and that while it may seem impossible in any significant
> way to alleviate the growing suffering of humanity “…thanks to the unfailing grace of God, the loving-kindness of
> His favored ones, the unrivaled endeavors of wise and capable souls, and the thoughts and ideas of the peerless
> leaders of this age, nothing whatsoever can be regarded as unattainable” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá quoted in Shoghi Effendi,
> World Order of Bahá’u’lláh 38).
> 
> Works Cited
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Foundations of World Unity. 2d ed. Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1972.
> ———. Paris Talks. 11th ed. London: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1979.
> ———. Promulgation of Universal Peace. Comp. Howard MacNutt. 2d ed. Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust,
> 1982.
> ———. Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’ l-Bahá. Comp. Research Dept. Bahá’í World Centre. Trans. Marzieh
> Gail et al. (Haifa: Bahá’í World Centre, 1978).
> Bahá’í Scriptures. Ed. Horace Holley. New York: Brentano’s Publishing, 1923.
> Bahá’u’lláh. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. Trans. Shoghi Effendi. 3d ed. Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1988.
> ———. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. Trans. Shoghi Effendi. 3d ed. Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing
> Trust, 1976.
> ———. A Synopsis and Codification of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Trans. Shoghi Effendi. Haifa: Bahá’í World Centre,
> 1973.
> ———. Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh. Comp. Research Department. Trans. H. Taherzadeh et al. Haifa: Bahá’í World
> Centre, 1978.
> Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Bahá’í World Faith. 3d ed. Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1956.
> Esslemont, J.E. Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era. 5th ed. Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1980.
> Fukuoka, Masanobu. One Straw Revolution. Emmaus: Rodale Press, 1978.
> Huddleston, John. Bahá’í Studies Notebook. Vol. 3. Nos. 3/4. Ottawa: Association for Bahá’í Studies, 1984: 67–78.
> Production Yearbook. Vol. 35. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization, n.d.
> Rowe, J.S. Home Place. Edmonton: NeWest, 1990.
> Shoghi Effendi. Advent of Divine Justice. 4th ed. Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1984.
> ———. Call to the Nations. Haifa: Bahá’í World Centre, 1977
> ———. Cable of May 23, 1951.
> ———. World Order of Bahá’u’lláh. 2d ed. Wilmette: Trust, 1974.
> Swann, Robert. The Community Land Trust. Springfield Community Economics, 1974.
> Universal House of Justice. Letter of July 21, 1968.
> ———. Letter of August 21, 1977.
> ———. Letter of October 20, 1983.
>
> — *Agriculture: A Fundamental Principle (Used by permission of the curator)*