Istiqlál, 14 Qawl (Speech), 182 B.E.
Social Action: Selected Themes Pertaining to Social and Economic Development
Quotes for Reflection
As you know, technological advancement is integral to the emergence of a global civilization. Indeed, the Internet is a manifestation of a development anticipated by the Guardian when, in describing the characteristics of a unified humanity, he foresaw that a “mechanism of world inter-communication will be devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from national hindrances and restrictions, and functioning with marvellous swiftness and perfect regularity.” Yet, learning to utilize the Internet in a manner conducive to material and spiritual progress is an immense challenge.
… However, given that the Internet allows for the instantaneous dissemination of content among growing multitudes, wisdom and self-discipline are required lest the significance or dignity of the Teachings become compromised by an unbecoming, inaccurate, or trivialized presentation…..
… For example, while it may be beneficial to reflect on the nature and form of the core activities, especially in the context of the experience of a cluster or region, certain problems arise in attempting to create a site that aims to speak to Bahá’ís worldwide about the subject. Such an approach could lead to the cultural norms and values of a particular population being promoted to a universal audience—a pattern all too prevalent in the world today. There is also the danger of exerting an unintended influence on the process of learning unfolding at the grassroots, where individuals, communities, and institutions are acting as protagonists of their own growth and development. The perspectives offered in the following extract from the message dated 12 December 2011 from the House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies—although in the specific context of artistic endeavours and supplementary educational materials—are especially relevant to aspects of culture mentioned above:
“Propelled by forces generated both within and outside the Bahá’í community, the peoples of the earth can be seen to be moving from divergent directions, closer and closer to one another, towards what will be a world civilization so stupendous in character that it would be futile for us to attempt to imagine it today. As this centripetal movement of populations accelerates across the globe, some elements in every culture, not in accord with the teachings of the Faith, will gradually fall away, while others will be reinforced. By the same token, new elements of culture will evolve over time as people hailing from every human group, inspired by the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, give expression to patterns of thought and action engendered by His teachings, in part through artistic and literary works…. We long to see, for instance, the emergence of captivating songs from every part of the world, in every language, that will impress upon the consciousness of the young the profound concepts enshrined in the Bahá’í teachings. Yet such an efflorescence of creative thought will fail to materialize, should the friends fall, however inadvertently, into patterns prevalent in the world that give licence to those with financial resources to impose their cultural perspective on others, inundating them with materials and products aggressively promoted.” 1 — Universal House of Justice 2 3
Question for Consideration
As forces generated within and outside the Bahá’í community move the peoples of the earth ever closer to one another, what characteristics of a resulting “world civilization so stupendous in character that it would be futile for us to attempt to imagine it today” begin to emerge?
Perplexity Pro Response 4
A number of features of that “world civilization so stupendous in character” can already be discerned, even if its full reality lies far beyond present imagination. These features appear both as spiritual principles becoming more widely recognized and as concrete patterns of life slowly taking shape in humanity’s collective experience. [1]
Growing sense of oneness
Humanity’s essential oneness is increasingly acknowledged in ideas like world citizenship, global human rights, and shared planetary responsibility. This emerging consciousness is a first step towards a social order that “subordinates…every particularistic interest…to the paramount interests of humanity.” [1]
Justice as organizing principle
There is rising awareness that the prosperity of any segment of humanity depends on the well-being of the whole, reflected in concern over extremes of wealth and poverty, systemic oppression, and inequitable structures. In the future civilization, justice is described as the “light” and “host” that will reorganize human affairs and transform the face of the earth. [1]
Unity with diversity
The envisioned order protects both the organic unity of the human race and the autonomy and distinctiveness of its “federated units.” Diversity of peoples and cultures will be cherished as a source of richness, while harmful elements in every culture gradually fall away and new cultural expressions, inspired by spiritual teachings, appear. [1]
Coherence of material and spiritual life
Emerging is an understanding that civilization must harmonize material progress with spiritual purpose, rather than allowing technology, markets, or power to define human goals. The future order is described as one in which religion and science function as “two inseparable, reciprocal systems of knowledge” impelling an ever-advancing civilization. [1]
Knowledge, consultation, and participation
The civilization to come will be driven by the generation and application of knowledge at all levels of society, through patterns of action, reflection, consultation, and study. Increasing participation, especially of previously marginalized populations, in shaping their own spiritual, social, and economic development is one of the clearest present signs of this trajectory. [1]
From fragmentation to an ordered world polity
Shoghi Effendi describes an emerging world commonwealth in which political machinery, economic relationships, and communications are organized on a global basis, while personal freedom and local initiative are safeguarded. Technological advances, including global communication systems like the Internet, are seen as instruments for administering the complex life of a united world, provided they are governed by spiritual principles and not by domination or cultural imposition. [1]
Comparison of key emerging characteristics
| Dimension | Present signs in the world | Anticipated mature form of civilization |
|---|---|---|
| Human identity | Growing sense of world citizenship and rejection of some prejudices. [1] | Consciousness of one human family guiding all relationships and institutions. [1] |
| Justice | Heightened concern about inequity and oppression. [1] | Justice as the primary organizing principle of global life. [1] |
| Culture | Mixing of cultures, but also cultural imposition and homogenization. [1] | Diverse cultures purified, enriched, and mutually reinforcing in the light of spiritual teachings. [1] |
| Governance | Weak international mechanisms amid strong state sovereignty. [1] | A world commonwealth with institutions able to secure peace and order while preserving autonomy. [1] |
| Knowledge | Expanding scientific and technological power, often detached from ethics. [1] | Unified advancement of science and religion, with knowledge explicitly harnessed for the common good. [1] |
From the Bahá’í perspective, these characteristics are only the earliest “glimmerings” of a far greater civilization yet to unfold, one whose full splendor cannot be comprehended in advance but toward which current integrative processes are steadily moving humanity. [1]
Follow-Up Questions Proposed by Perplexity
Questions that deepen understanding of this theme tend to probe vision, process, and personal responsibility. Below are clusters of questions you might reflect on or use in study and consultation. [1]
About the vision of world civilization
- How does the image of humanity’s “collective maturity” change the way one understands history and current world events? [1]
- In what ways does the analogy of the world as a single body clarify what a just and unified civilization would look like? [1]
- What are the implications of the statement that all people are “created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization” for how one sees every human being? [1]
About culture and diversity
- How can harmful elements of any culture “fall away” while its distinctive strengths are reinforced and preserved? [1]
- What practical safeguards can prevent the imposition of one group’s cultural norms on others, especially through media, finance, or technology? [1]
- How might new elements of culture inspired by spiritual teachings emerge in music, literature, and art without becoming commercialized or superficial? [1]
About knowledge, technology, and the Internet
- What criteria distinguish “knowledge which is of use” to humanity from knowledge that “begins with words and ends with words”? [1]
- How can the Internet be used as an instrument of integration rather than disintegration, especially in relation to dignity, unity, and truthfulness? [1]
- What habits of personal discipline are needed so that participation online contributes to an ever-advancing civilization? [1]
About social transformation and power
- What does it mean in practice to seek social change without entering the arena of partisan political struggle? [1]
- How can efforts at social action avoid patterns where those with wealth, education, or institutional position dominate the agenda? [1]
- In what ways can consultation become a real “power of decision” in communities, rather than a formality? [1]
About personal and collective practice
- How does one balance concern for the “needs of the age” with the limitations of one’s own circumstances and capacities? [1]
- What does it mean for an individual to be a “source of social good” in the context of this long-term civilization-building process? [1]
- How can participation in core activities, social action, and public discourse help a community learn about the characteristics of the coming world civilization over time? [1]
Citations
- Social Action – A Compilation Prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice August 2020 – Bahá’í Reference Library
Footnotes
- Universal House of Justice. “12 December 2011 – To all National Spiritual Assemblies.” Bahá’í Reference Library, Accessed December 4, 2025. https://www.bahai.org/r/030751541 ↩︎
- Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. “Social Action.” Bahá’í Reference Library, August 2020. https://www.bahai.org/r/425846062 ↩︎
- Universal House of Justice. “9 October 2015 – [To a National Spiritual Assembly].” Bahá’í Reference Library, Accessed December 4, 2025. https://www.bahai.org/r/751666380 ↩︎
- Perplexity Pro. “Characteristics of a World Civilization Stupendous in Character.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. December 4, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/as-you-know-technological-adva-tFQu2FIPRaW5oW.raVXr8A#0. ↩︎
Frameworks for Understanding the World 