lic Finance

'Abdu'l-Baha suggests that each town and village or district should be
entrusted as far as possible with the administration of fiscal matters
within its own area and should contribute its due proportion for the
expenses of the general government. One of the principal sources of
revenue should be a graduated income tax. If a man's income does not
exceed his necessary expenditure he should not be required to pay any tax,
but in all cases where income exceeds the necessary expenditure a tax
should be levied, the percentage of tax increasing as the surplus of
income over necessary expenditure increases.

On the other hand, if a person, through illness, poor crops, or other
cause for which he is not responsible, is unable to earn an income
sufficient to meet his necessary expenses for the year, then what he lacks
for the maintenance of himself and his family should be supplied out of
public funds.

There will also be other sources of public revenue, e.g. from intestate
estates, mines, treasure trove and voluntary contributions; while among
the expenditures will be grants for the support of the infirm, of orphans,
of schools, of the deaf and blind, and for the maintenance of public
health. Thus the welfare and comfort of all will be provided for.(26)

Voluntary Sharing

In a letter to the Central Organization for a Durable Peace, written in
1919, 'Abdu'l-Baha says:--

Among the teachings of Baha'u'llah is voluntary sharing of one's
property with others among mankind. This voluntary sharing is
greater than (legally imposed) equality, and consists in this,
that one should not prefer oneself to others, but rather should
sacrifice one's life and property for others. But this should not
be introduced by coercion so that it becomes a law which man is
compelled to follow. Nay, rather, man should voluntarily and of
his own choice sacrifice his property and life for others, and
spend willingly for the poor, just as is done in Persia among the
Baha'is.

Work for All

One of the most important instructions of Baha'u'llah in regard to the
economic question is that all must engage in useful work. There must be no
drones in the social hive, no able-bodied parasites on society. He says:--

It is enjoined on every one of you to engage in some
occupation--some art, trade or the like. We have made this--your
occupation--identical with the worship