[Posted November 13, 2009]

Exploiters and Exploitees

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Hierarchy is core to any group - be it family, communal, corporate entity (Apple, Inc comes to mind), military, government, the Roman Catholic Church, a small parish or synagogue or ideological cult... In every field, on all levels, we find there is chain of command; certainly it is not the characteristic of "cults" exclusively. Hierarchy in itself is not the evil; leaders and their followers constructing their lives on the basis of erroneous or destructive, exploitive premises are the problem. A truly classless society cannot exist where there is exploitation.

Lew Rockwell - 1972 - MURRAY N. ROTHBARD

The Sociology of the Ayn Rand Cult

In the America of the 1970s we are all too familiar with the religious cult, which has been proliferating in the last decade. Characteristic of the cult (from Hare Krishna to the "Moonies" to EST to Scientology to the Manson Family) is the dominance of the guru, or Maximum Leader, who is also the creator and ultimate interpreter of a given creed to which the acolyte must be unswervingly loyal. The major if not the only qualification for membership and advancement in the cult is absolute loyalty to and adoration of the guru, and absolute and unquestioning obedience to his commands. The lives of the members are dominated by the guru’s influence and presence. If the cult grows beyond a few members, it naturally becomes hierarchically structured, if only because the guru cannot spend his time indoctrinating and watching over every disciple. Top positions in the hierarchy are generally filled by the original handful of disciples, who come to assume these positions by virtue of their longer stint of loyal and devoted service. Sometimes the top leadership may be related to each other, a useful occurrence which can strengthen intra-cult loyalty through the familial bond.

...It should be clear at this point in history that an ideological cult can adopt the same features as the more overtly religious cult, even when the ideology is explicitly atheistic and anti-religious. That the cults of Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Trotsky, and Mao are religious in nature, despite the explicit atheism of the latter, is by now common knowledge. The adoration of the cult founder and leader, the hierarchical structure, the unswerving loyalty, the psychological (and when in command of State power, the physical) sanctions are all too evident. go to story

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Chain of command

Orders from Above A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

That is the beginning of our spiritual life, that "I shall not use my mind for my activities. I shall wait for the direction from the higher authority, supreme consciousness. Then I shall act." Just like a soldier, he is simply awaiting the order of the commander. Then his activities are approved, "Oh, he is doing nicely. Yes." By the approval of the commander, he is killing as many persons, and by this killing art, he is being rewarded, "Oh, you are a good soldier." But that killing, if he does for his personal interest, even he kills one man, he is hanged—by the same state. more

Formula for a classless society

excerpt from Journey of Self-Discovery, "Shortcomings of Marxism"

PRABHUPADA: Because the communist state will never be perfect, there is no possibility of a classless society.

SYAMASUNDAR: Marx examines history and sees that in Greek times, in Roman times, and in the Middle Ages slaves were always required for production.

PRABHUPADA: The Russians are also creating slaves—the working class. Joseph Stalin stayed in power simply by killing all his enemies. He killed so many men that he is recorded in history as the greatest criminal. He was certainly imperfect, yet he held the position of dictator, and the people were forced to obey him.

SYAMASUNDAR: His followers have denounced him.

PRABHUPADA: That's all well and good, but his followers should also be denounced. The point is that in any society there must be a leader, there must be directors, and there must be workers, but everyone should be so satisfied that they forget the difference.

SYAMASUNDAR: No envy.

PRABHUPADA: Ah, no envy. But that perfection is not possible in the material world. Therefore Marx's theories are useless.

SYAMASUNDAR: But on the other hand, the capitalists also make slaves of their workers.

PRABHUPADA: Wherever there is materialistic activity, there must be imperfection. But if they make Krishna the center, then all problems will be resolved.

SYAMASUNDAR: Are you saying that any system of organizing the means of production is bound to be full of exploitation?

PRABHUPADA: Yes, certainly, certainly! The materialistic mentality means exploitation.

SYAMASUNDAR: Then what is the solution?

PRABHUPADA: Krishna consciousness!

SYAMASUNDAR: How is that?

PRABHUPADA: Just make Krishna the center and work for Him. Then everyone will be satisfied. As it is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam [4.31.14]:

yatha taror mula-nishechanena
tripyanti tat-skandha-bhujopashakhah
pranopaharach cha yathendriyanam
tathaiva sarvarhanam achyutejya

If you simply pour water on the root of a tree, all the branches, twigs, leaves, and flowers will be nourished. Similarly, everyone can be satisfied simply by achyutejya. Achyuta means Krishna, and ijya means worship. So this is the formula for a classless society: Make Krishna [God] the center and do everything for Him. There are no classes in our International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Now you are writing philosophy, but if I want you to wash dishes, you will do so immediately because you know that whatever you do, you are working for Krishna and for your spiritual master. In the material world different kinds of work have different values, but in Krishna consciousness everything is done on the absolute platform. Whether you wash dishes or write books or worship the Deity, the value is the same because you are serving Krishna. That is a classless society. Actually, the perfect classless society is Vrindavana. In Vrindavana, some are cowherd boys, some are cows, some are trees, some are fathers, some are mothers, but the center is Krishna, and everyone is satisfied simply by loving Him. When all people become Krishna conscious and understand how to love Him, then there will be a classless society. Otherwise it is not possible.

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