portoluz presents Dada Maheshvarananda in a talk entitled: If Global Capitalism Doesn’t Work for Everyone – What’s the Alternative?

 

The Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela is evolving to find an appropriate Socialism for the 21st Century. For the last six years, Dada Maheshvarananda, a monk, activist, and writer, has been director of the Prout Research Institute of Venezuela, which promotes “progressive socialism” or Prout, the Progressive Utilization Theory. He is launching his new book, After Capitalism: Economic Democracy in Action. He explains how social crises are interlinked with personal consciousness, suggesting that finding inner peace is crucial to the struggle for peace and justice. His practical ideas are grounded in a new socio-economic model based on local, sustainable economies, social justice and environmental protection.

Dada Maheshvarananda is a yogic monk, activist and writer. In 1978 he began to study the Progressive Utilization Theory (Prout) under its founder, Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, by whom he was inspired to dedicate his life to the service of humanity. He has given hundreds of seminars and workshops around the world about social issues, spiritual values and cooperative games. In 2007 he founded the Prout Research Institute of Venezuela in Caracas, where he currently serves as director.

 

Today a powerful few control most of the world’s wealth, while most people work harder than ever, earn less, are forced from job to job, and fall into debt. In contrast, emerging independent local economies of small businesses, cooperatives and public utilities are building careers and meaningful futures for individuals and communities.

 

After Capitalism: Economic Democracy in Action describes a grassroots movement for economic democracy based on cooperatives and local economies which is quickly growing throughout the planet. Inspired by P.R. Sarkar’s Progressive Utilization Theory (Prout), After Capitalism offers a compelling vision of an equitable, sustainable model which economically empowers individuals and communities. Filled with successful examples from six continents as well as many resources, activities and tools for activists, After Capitalism will fill you with hope and the conviction that a new, democratic economy is indeed possible.  

portoluz is producing these events as part of its year-long multi-disciplinary instigation: WPA 2.0, a brand new deal.

 

ABOUT portoluz

 

portoluz – meaning “harbor of light” – is a Chicago-based non-profit organization currently under development as a cultural center, restaurant, artist’s residence, think-tank, and community gardens. portoluz was formed to provide sustainable environments for innovative artistic exploration, community development, and a wide range of cultural discourse.

 

In the interim, while developing a permanent site for its programs, portoluz partners with a range of individual artists, grassroots social justice activist organizations, academics, and lay volunteers to produce high caliber events to diverse populations in the Chicago metropolitan region.

 

portoluz developed this instigation as a kinetic and contemporary ‘take’ on a meme by utilizing a variety of cultural production to explore the Great Depression of 1929, the WPA and role of the “cultural worker”, and the current recession. By riffing on history, re-mixing archival ephemera, commissioning and curating a wide range of voices, portoluz seeks primarily to emphasize and inspire solutions that respond to today’s worldwide economic and social crisis.

For more information, call (773) 465-8005