Integral Polity: Integrating Nature, Culture, Society And Economy (transformation And Innovation)

Releasing the genius of an individual, an enterprise and a society is a central pre-occupation of the contemporary business environment. A fascinating approach to how we can begin to tackle this challenge is presented by the authors of Integral Polity. Integral spirituality, integral philosophy and the integral age, at an overall or holistic level of consciousness, has therefore become a strong enough idea to form the genesis of a movement over the course of the last half century. Taking as a starting point the ground-breaking work of the Trans4m Centre for Integral Development this book applies such an †̃integralâ€TM notion to the realms of business, economics and enterprise. To be successful, an integral approach must recognise the nuances of its environment - an integral approach in India is different from that in Indonesia, or Iceland, and they may in fact complement rather than conflict. Therefore this book also provides a fascinating alignment of such †̃integralityâ€TM with, and between different †̃southernâ€TM and †̃easternâ€TM, †̃northernâ€TM and †̃westernâ€TM worlds. Using case studies ranging across the globe this review of a newly integral theory and practice provides a new lease of life to what may increasingly be perceived as the self-seeking, insulated and occasionally violent and corrupt, realm of the political. Cover 1 Contents 6 List of Figures 12 List of Tables 14 About the Authors 16 Prologue: An Introduction to Integral Polity: Nature, Culture, Society, Economy 18 Part 1: Introduction 18 Part 2: Southern: Nature/Community: Earth: Direct Democracy 26 Part 3: Eastern: Culture/Spirituality: Air: Big Picture 28 Part 4: Northern: Society/Technology: Water: Interaction 30 Part 5: Environment/Economics: Fire: Individuation 33 Part 6: Integrally-Based Islamic Polity: Mandala as a Whole 35 References 37 I In Pursuit of Integrity 40 1 Disintegrated to Integral Polity 42 1.1. Introduction 42 1.2. Frames of State: Commonwealth to Leadership 44 1.3. Forms of State 46 1.4. Towards an Awakened Islamic Consciousness 49 1.5. Conclusion: Necessity of the State/Options of Governance 51 1.6. References 52 2 The Origins of Political Order 54 2.1. Introduction 54 2.2. The State of Nature 55 2.3. Social Community to Private Property 56 2.4. The Power of the State 58 2.5. The Rule of Law 60 2.6. The Rise of Political Accountability 63 2.7. Conclusion: Political Development Then and Now 65 2.8. References 65 II Natural and Communal Orientation: Southern Polity 66 3 Natural Grounding: Constituting Africa 68 3.1. Introduction to Black Civilization 68 3.2. Towards an Original African Constitution 70 3.3. Conclusion: The Direction of Civilization 77 3.4. References 78 4 Natural Emergence: Tradition and Modernity 80 4.1. Introduction 80 4.2. Philosophy and Politics 82 4.3. Tradition and Modernity 87 4.4. Conclusion 89 4.5. References 90 5 Communal Navigation: Development and Auto-centricity 92 5.1. Introduction: Africa’s General Crisis 92 5.2. The Nature of the Auto-centric Approach 94 5.3. Towards a Post-Cold War Global Order 98 5.4. Conclusion: Prospects for Auto-centric Development 99 5.5. References 101 6 Natural Rapoko Effect: Food Security at Zimbabwe’s Chinyika 102 6.1. Introduction: Towards an Integral African Polity 102 6.2. A Son Was Raised from the House of Gutu 105 6.3. Mai Mlambo: Towards a Democratic Community 109 6.4. Conclusion 112 6.5. References 113 III Cultural and Spiritual Orientation: Eastern Polity 114 7 Spiritual Grounding: India’s Human Cycle 116 7.1. Introduction: Nature/Community to Culture/Spirituality 116 7.2. The Human Cycle 119 7.3. The Discovery of the Nation-Soul 122 7.4. Conclusion: The Curve of the Rational Age 123 7.5. References 127 8 Cultural and Spiritual Emergence: Spiral Dynamics 128 8.1. Introduction 128 8.2. Comparison of Major Schools in Spiral Dynamic’s Theory 133 8.3. Description of the Different Human Niches 137 8.4. Conclusion: Mandala Centre for Integral Development 142 8.5. References 144 9 Cultural, Political and Economic Navigation: Threefolding 146 9.1. Introduction: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity 146 9.2. The Social Question: Cultural, Political, Economic 147 9.3. Shaping Globalization 152 9.4. Threefolding and the Example of Philippine Agenda 21 153 9.5. Conclusion: Civil Society and the Beginning of History 154 9.6. References 155 10 Conscious, Powerful, Economic Effect: Sri Lanka’s Sarvodaya 156 10.1. Introduction to Sarvodaya 156 10.2. The Awakening of All 160 10.3. Conclusion 164 10.4. References 168 IV Technological and Societal Orientation: Northern Polity 170 11 Social and Political Grounding: Europe Living in Truth 172 11.1. Introduction 172 11.2. Elements of the Social and Political System 173 11.3. Building on Nature and Culture 174 11.4. The Politics of Greed 178 11.5. Conclusion: The Sacred Geography of Europe 181 11.6. References 183 12 Emergent Innovation: Technology, Management, Aesthetics 184 12.1. Introduction 184 12.2. Knowledge and Innovation 185 12.3. Towards Integral Innovation 191 12.4. The Leadership of Innovation 192 12.5. Conclusion: The Gaian Point of View 193 12.6. References 194 13 Navigation: Self-Management/Cooperative Association 196 13.1. Introduction 196 13.2. Cooperatives in the Age of Capital 199 13.3. Co-operation Italian Style 201 13.4. Conclusion: On Civil Society and the Social Economy 206 13.5. References 206 14 Social and Technical Effect: Integral Green Slovenia 208 14.1. Introduction: Living the Truth to Integral Green Slovenia 208 14.2. Tapping into Slovenia’s Moral Core 210 14.3. Towards an Integral Green Slovenia 213 14.4. Conclusion 221 14.5. References 225 V Economic and Environmental Orientation: Western Polity 226 15 Environmental and Economic Grounding: The American Soul 228 15.1. Introduction: Inner and Outer Grounding 228 15.2. Remembering America/Remembering Washington 230 15.3. Individuality: A Meditation on the Face of Lincoln 232 15.4. The American Indian: Crimes of America 233 15.5. Slavery, Frederick Douglass and the Story of America 235 15.6. Conclusion: The Meaning of America 236 15.7. References 239 16 Natural, Cultural, Social, Economic Emergence: Future Primal 240 16.1. Introduction 240 16.2. The Eclipse of Wisdom 243 16.3. The Primal Political Mandala 248 16.4. Conclusion 251 16.5. References 253 17 Political and Environmental Navigation: Politics of Nature 256 17.1. Introduction 256 17.2. How to Bring the Natural-Political Collective Together? 257 17.3. Devising a New Separation of Powers 259 17.4. Variegated Skills for the Collective 261 17.5. Conclusion: Exploring the Common Worlds of Oikos 265 17.6. References 266 18 Economic and Environmental Effect: Brazil’s Curitiba 268 18.1. Introduction: Soul of America to Curitiba 268 18.2. Treating Citizens as a Precious Resource 269 18.3. Conclusion: Bio/mimicry – Design Working with Nature 273 18.4. References 273 VI Nature, Culture, Society and Economy: Centring Polity 274 19 Integral Ground: Holy Qur’an: Start Sustainable Development 276 19.1. Introduction 276 19.2. By Way of Tradition 277 19.3. Themes and Concepts 280 19.4. Contemporary Topics 284 19.5. Power and Politics: Medina’s Participatory Democracy 285 19.6. Conclusion 287 19.7. References 288 20 Emergent Integral: Harmony: Sustainable Development Anew 290 20.1. Introduction 290 20.2. The Golden Thread: Wisdom of the Ancients 292 20.3. Which Natural and Cultural Grammar Do We Follow? 296 20.4. Conclusion 301 20.5. References 303 21 Integral Navigation: The Potential of the Arab Spring 304 21.1. Introduction 304 21.2. Cornerstones of Egypt’s History 305 21.3. The Dynamics of the Egyptian Revolution 309 21.4. A True Arab Awakening? 311 21.5. Islam and Sustainable Development 315 21.6. Conclusion: Where Arab Spring and Integral Polity Fail to Meet 319 21.7. References 319 22 Integral Effect: Sekem – Integral Sustainable Development 322 22.1. Introduction: Towards an Integral Centred Polity 322 22.2. Reformative Young Adulthood: Emergent Foundation 324 22.3. Newly Normative Midlife: Emancipatory Navigation 328 22.4. Transformative Maturity: Effecting Transformation 340 22.5. Conclusion 341 22.6. References 342 Epilogue 344 Index 346 Integral spirituality, integral philosophy and the integral age, at an overall or holistic level of consciousness, has become a strong enough idea to form the genesis of a movement over the course of the last half century--and Integral Polity applies this notion to business, economics and enterprise. Using case studies ranging across the globe this review of a newly integral theory and practice provides a new lease on life to what may increasingly be perceived as the self-seeking, insulated and occasionally violent and corrupt realm of the political