Istijlál, 06 Kalimát (Words), 182 B.E.
Social Action: The Nature of Bahá’í Social and Economic Development
Quotes for Reflection:
He has noted with keen interest the plan you have conceived for the intensification of agricultural production with the view of meeting any possible food shortage in these times of war. While he is fully aware of the need for putting forth such a plan, and deeply appreciative as he feels of the noble motives that have prompted you to approach this problem, he nevertheless thinks that the time is not yet ripe for the believers, as a body, to undertake social and economic experiments of such character and scope. Neither the material resources at their disposal, nor their numerical strength are sufficient to give them any reasonable hope of embarking successfully upon a project of this kind. — Shoghi Effendi 1
Question for Consideration
What are the necessary conditions for Bahá’ís to undertake social and economic development projects in their local communities?
Perplexity Pro Response 2
The Bahá’í Writings and guidance provide clear criteria and guiding principles for when and how Bahá’í communities may appropriately embark on social and economic development projects. The capacity to undertake such efforts depends on a number of foundational conditions, emphasizing gradual, organic growth in harmony with the community’s size, unity, resources, and experience.
Established Community Strength and Unity
- Projects should be built upon sufficiently strong local Bahá’í communities with consolidated spiritual and administrative life, typically marked by an active Local Spiritual Assembly, functioning core activities (study circles, children’s classes, devotional gatherings), and a spirit of unity and consultation.
- The numerical strength and administrative maturity should be adequate to sustain projects and avoid dissipation of resources or over-extension [1].
Capacity and Material Resources
- The community must possess or develop the material resources, skills, and human capacity required to embark on and sustain development efforts.
- Initiatives should begin on a modest scale, growing organically as local capacity develops. Premature or large-scale projects risk failure and can disperse the energy needed for teaching and consolidation activities [1].
- Projects should aim for long-term self-sufficiency, minimizing reliance on ongoing external support.
Grassroots Participation and Ownership
- Effective development arises from local initiative, participation, and ownership. Projects are most sustainable when they emerge from the grassroots, with active involvement of the community in identifying needs, planning, decision-making, and implementation [1].
- External assistance should support and not dominate local initiatives, to avoid dependency or loss of local responsibility.
Guidance of Bahá’í Institutions
- Efforts are to be carried out under the direction and guidance of Bahá’í institutions, ensuring faithfulness to Bahá’í principles and wise stewardship of resources.
- Consultation with Local and National Spiritual Assemblies is essential, especially before starting more complex or resource-intensive projects [1].
Coherence With Core Activities
- Social and economic development should not be isolated from the process of community-building; rather, it should emerge naturally as an extension of spiritual growth, teaching work, and core activities.
- As the capacity for expansion and consolidation increases, community members become better equipped to address material needs, linking spiritual and material prosperity [1].
Alignment With Bahá’í Principles
All projects should:
- Foster both material and spiritual well-being.
- Promote the unity of humanity and uphold the harmony of science and religion.
- Avoid involvement in partisan politics.
- Operate on the basis of justice, consultation, integrity, and service to all.
- Reflect the underlying purpose to build capacity, not merely provide goods or services.
Gradual and Organic Growth
- Social and economic development is a process best approached in stages, growing organically alongside the growth of the Bahá’í community.
- Starting small, learning by doing, and allowing efforts to expand with increased experience and resources are key to long-term success [1].
Key Summary Table
| Essential Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Community Strength | Sufficient numerical and administrative maturity; united and consultative community |
| Local Capacity & Resources | Appropriate material, human, and spiritual resources; ability to be self-sustaining |
| Grassroots Participation | Projects initiated by and belonging to the local community |
| Institutional Guidance | Planned and executed with Local/National Spiritual Assembly oversight |
| Coherence With Core Activities | Linked to spiritual and community-building efforts |
| Adherence to Bahá’í Principles | Justice, unity, service, non-political, promoting both spiritual and material prosperity |
| Gradual, Organic, and Modest Start | Incremental development, expansion based on experience and capacity |
These conditions are designed to ensure that Bahá’í social and economic development projects are spiritually and materially sound, sustainable, and genuinely beneficial to the broader community, evolving in harmony with the growth and capacity of the local Bahá’í community itself [1].
Citations
Follow-Up Approaches Proposed by Perplexity
- Identify key spiritual qualities needed for successful development projects.
- Explore how community size affects project feasibility.
- Assess material resource requirements for local initiatives.
- Determine stages of readiness for social experiments in communities.
- Investigate examples of early Bahá’í development efforts and outcomes.
- Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. “Social Action.” Bahá’í Reference Library, August 2020. https://www.bahai.org/r/957685521. ↩
- Perplexity Pro. “Necessary Conditions for Bahá’ís to Undertake Social and Economic Development Projects.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. July 16, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/he-has-noted-with-keen-interes-I4q.96o3RiWToucVcwJu8w. ↩
Frameworks for Understanding the World 