Practical Justice

Justice is not limited, it is a universal quality. Its operation must be carried out in all classes, from the highest to the lowest.  Justice must be sacred, and the rights of all the people must be considered. 

(‘Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks:159)

So far some aspects of the concept of the oneness and wholeness of human relationships have been described. However, simply to describe them is not to demonstrate how they work. What makes them work are two closely related principles: the principle of the fundamental right of every individual to an unfettered search for truth and the principle of consultation on any and all problems. Together these are operating principles of justice, because justice, as described by the House of Justice, requires universal participation in arriving at decisions in consultation.

The independent search for truth implies the right of each person to her or his own opinion based on that search. In full, frank and open consultation, individuals find their common mind, for minds are united upon the truth.  The process of consultation, when practiced under the guidance of "divine principles", brings these various perspectives together in a spirit of collective truth-seeking to discover what the whole truth in any situation is.  Thus the consultative process combines the rights of individuals to express their opinions and the requirements of the collectivity for the stability of a working consensus. In short, consultation brings out the cooperative side of human nature, yet does not sacrifice individual expression in the process.  Indeed it depends upon that expression if oneness and wholeness are to be manifest.  

Social change means social conflict. The question is how to manage or direct it. The last one hundred years has witnessed a growing number of consultative groups and agencies appearing in the world, from United Nations organizations to local NGO’s, as problems and challenges are shared across a greater spectrum of humanity.  These experiments in self-directed decision-making represent different models of conflict resolution to achieve creative solutions to problems and challenges.  Creativity, I said, was one of the hallmarks of a oneness and wholeness of human relationships.  But these experiments in consultation to achieve social and economic development usually go in one or another direction,  depending upon their stage of community.   That is, they are either slanted either toward social or economic development.  I mean that in the so-called developed nations such innovations are, generally, a social development toward greater community involvement, whereas in the less economically developed nations, where community remains strong and some form of consultation is already the norm, the development thrust and purpose is more economic.

In either case, in an “age that sees the people of the world increasingly gaining access to information of every kind and to a diversity of ideas will find justice asserting itself as the ruling principle of successful social organization."  (The Prosperity of Humankind: Section II para: 1)) 

Applying spiritual principles guides people through a kind of indirect social conflict, one of personal and community spiritual transformation, carried out in a free and unfettered search for truth while striving for the moral betterment of self and community.  Therefore, though conflict is intrinsic to the whole transformational process, that conflict can be constructive.  Its initial effects may be disequilibrating, but this is part of a larger process of renewal and reconstruction.  Within the framework of the Order of Baha'u'llah, there is complete harmony between the goals and aspirations of the individual and the objectives and efforts of the community when mediated through common institutions.  Where unity is not manifest, the process of consultation undertaken within the framework of spiritual principle brings it out or creates it.

The House of Justice points out that this process of finding unity is essential to establishing social justice.  They wrote: "In order for the standard of human rights now in the process of formulation by the community of nations to be promoted and established as prevailing international norms, a fundamental redefinition of human relationships is called for... Central to the task of reconceptualizing the system of human relationships is the process that Bahá’u’lláh refers to as consultation. “In all things it is necessary to consult,” is His advice. “The maturity of the gift of understanding is made manifest through consultation.” (The Prosperity of Humankind: Section III para: 3)  Hence at every level of human interaction and governance consultation will grow in importance as its power to solve seemingly intractable problems, smooth thorny issues and defuse contentious disputes unfolds.  It will become the chief director of the actions of nations and larger social entities and to their conflict management.

That is the conceptual level, or the big social level.  On the practical level of community building, justice demands universal participation to meet common challenges through wholehearted united action.  Consultation is a cooperative approach to the investigation of truth that activates the creative powers of individuals to find good solutions to problems.   In good consultation there are never those who know and those who don’t know.  There is no class structure of decision-makers and those that are charged to carry out those decisions.  The principle of humanity’s oneness points to one inescapable truth, every individual is invited to participate in deliberations upon subjects that affect his welfare.

Consultation strengthens the unity of any group, because it strengthens each individual’s commitment to common values and goals by finding shared means to realize these. Through consultation they may come from diverse views into agreement on the nature of a problem, agree on a desired solution, and agree on the desired approach to its solution, for we think together when we speak together.   In true consultation several lines of thought and opinion merge and combine to give a complete picture of any problem, because a comprehensive unit of thought then surrounds the subject.  Also, in good consultation disagreement is not frowned upon, so that discussion may be complete and frank. Yet each must respect the opinions of others, must never belittle another’s thought, and must maintain focus upon the ideas expressed and not fall into petty personality wrangles.  Hence we can read in the Baha'i Writings such statements as "the shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions." (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha:87)  

Finally, practical justice demands that everyone affected by the decision or will be asked to carry it out will have some say in its making.  The House of Justice writes that: “Viewed in such a light, consultation is the operating expression of justice in human affairs. So vital is it to the success of collective endeavor that it must constitute a basic feature of a viable strategy of social and economic development. Indeed, the participation of those on whose commitment the success of such a strategy depends becomes effective only as consultation is made the organizing principle of every project. "No man can attain his true station," is Bahá'u'lláh's counsel, "except through his justice. No power can exist except through unity. No welfare and no well-being can be attained except through consultation." (The Prosperity of Humankind: Section III para: 6)  

But consultation is more than simply a blending of opinions.  It creates a new awareness of truth, one that is not available to individual minds alone, and matures human thinking.  The Bahá’í writings assert: “Consultation bestoweth greater awareness and transmuteth conjecture into certitude. It is a shining light which, in a dark world, leadeth the way and guideth. For everything there is and will continue to be a station of perfection and maturity. The maturity of the gift of understanding is made manifest through consultation.” (The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 93)  And: “Take ye counsel together in all matters, inasmuch as consultation is the lamp of guidance which leadeth the way, and is the bestower of understanding.” (The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 91)

A direct link to my book, Renewing the Sacred, is http://tinyurl.com/cndew5a.  It is now also in Kindle.