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Issue No: 321, April 2016

Is Auroville Moving Toward a Market Economy?

Bertrand "For in this ideal place money would be no more the sovereign lord"  Excerpt from "The Dream" of The Mother, August 1954 The community kitchen, which epitomizes community living, no longer serves free meals. Auroville’s restaurants make little or no difference between guests and Aurovilians: all must pay. Housing is almost never provided free. If Aurovilians wish to give free workshops, concerts or shows, they usually have to pay a rental fee for the venue. Aurovilians are renting rooms or apartments to others. Office spaces are offered for a fee. And the list goes on.  Everywhere today, Aurovilians request money from other Aurovilians for goods or services. There are still exceptions, some areas where the original spirit is maintained, though they are becoming increasingly rare. Some institutions and individuals still offer free health care, services or classes, and Auroville’s cultural performances are usually offered for free to the co...
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4 Comments

Don Salmon, 19th Apr 2016, 03.55 PM

Given that there are numerous experiments in alternative economies around the world - a number of which could almost have been inspired by suggestions from The Human Cycle - it is quite sad to see what appears to be the lack of imagination regarding alternative economies in Auroville.

Surely there must be a group of residents somewhere in Auroville who have studied some of these many alternative possibilities and are working toward their realization?

Really, nobody is doing this in Auroville?

(Also, I have noticed that almost no articles in Auroville Today have comments - is there anybody here?)

law94air@me.com, 19th Apr 2016, 09.44 PM

Dear Dan and Bertrand.

I have just returned to the UK after a two week stay in Auroville with my family and two friends in the hope that I would discover the Dream what I had read about in Mother's Vision and that the dream would still be alive still today. I am afraid that what I saw and experienced was far from the ideals Miss Alfassa so poignantly expressed in her recorded discourses.

Myself, a State Prosecutor, my wife, a Teacher,and friend, a Doctor all came with the intention to see if Auroville was the place we would move to and give our skills and experience to and serve the ideals of Human Unity and Peace however what we all saw was like what you would find in London, New York, Delhi or any other commercialised city - money as the soverign lord, inequality and possessiveness.

I wholeheartedly agree with Bertrand's piece.

I hope that Auroville will change for the better otherwise it will become just another indian tourist attraction!

Wilfschenk@yahoo.com, 23th Apr 2016, 06.31 PM

Well observed Bertrand.
Given the very challenging ideals of "The Dream" and the Charter
of Auroville it just needs time. Making mistakes and going the wrong direction is not the end, as long something is learned and done better.
It's meant to be an experiment. Roll up your sleeves Aurovillian's and come up with a great solution. Certainly more "problems" will crop up to keep you battling on to fulfil "The dream" .
Wilf Schenk
Scotland

Armand Corthay, 24th Apr 2016, 08.36 PM

Savitri, April 24 2016

I was in Auroville a couple of months ago and I made the same reflections as all of you guys.
It 's kind of hard to see Auroville evolve in that trend.
We badly need a shift in consciousness for things to change for the better.
We have to promote Mother's teachings and dreams again and see to it that every single Aurovilian and newcomer grasp the real meaning of Auroville's existence. It's downshifting and sharing here not capitalism.That's it.

Issue No. 321, April 2016

  • Shalom Shanti Salam
  • The Auroville Economy: In Dire Straits
  • Is Auroville Moving Toward a Market Economy?
  • All for Water for All
  • Discovering Johannes Hohlenberg
  • Down Memory Road or The Tunnel
  • The English of Savitri, vol. 2
  • "You have to keep going forward": A Portrait of Pashi
  • German Volunteers in Auroville: The Weltwaerts Programme
  • Rockstar Racing
  • Eric Hughes (Passing)

Download as E-book

Issue No. 321, April 2016
EPUB - 2.28 MB
PDF - 3.63 MB
MOBI - 4.99 MB

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  • Vision

  • The Auroville Charter
  • A Dream
  • To be a True Aurovilian
  • The Galaxy Concept of the City
  • Matrimandir - Soul of the City
  • Founder: The Mother
  • Visionary: Sri Aurobindo
  • Words of Wisdom
  • Integral Yoga
  • Activities

  • Matrimandir
  • Planning & Architecture
  • Green Practices
  • Education & Research
  • Art & Culture
  • Health & Wellness
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  • Community

  • Auroville in Brief
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