What is Benevolent Capitalism?
“Benevolent” comes from ancient Latin “bene”- to be well, and “volent“- to wish, and actually, means “to wish well.” “Capitalism” originally meant the organic growth of existing wealth. This could also be money, resources, people, or the original derivation of the word “capita” meaning head, usually of cattle or other livestock. Benevolent capitalism is about creating organic growth whilst at the same time wishing all well. It is about being with the world in a different way, with finances, with business, and with your life. Benevolent capitalism is a fresh perspective on creating and generating that will provide you with insights. Thus, it offers experiences, and tools that have the power to transform your business and life.
by Chutisa and Steven Bowman
The Impact of Capitalism and Businesses on Our World
Too many businesses today do not recognize the significant and far-reaching impact they can potentially produce on the environment, other people and the living planet. Some businesses even intentionally manipulate circumstances to enrich themselves at the expense of others. They pursue only their personal self-interest and focus on maximization of profit to the exclusion of all else. These are also the people who have caused capitalism to earn a little respect and to be evil.
Much current animosity towards capitalism, therefore, stems from a misidentification by many businesses. They feel they must maximize profits, get their share of the pie and get everything they can with no consideration of the future.
Capitalism has been delegated to “where’s my share of the pie?” and “how I can get what I need when I need it,” rather than “how can I create beyond this?” This is a very destructive way of manipulating capitalism. One of the things we have realized is that most people have this point of view. This mindset doesn’t create the world from a sense of possibility. It creates the world from a sense of despair and lack!
Extremes of Maximizing Profits Can Lead to Destruction
Capitalism in a free market system should not be about maximizing profit to the exclusion of all else. Do many companies try to just maximize profit? Yes. Does it work? Actually, no! Businesses that do this do not survive for long in today’s environment. Most companies who have done this eventually destroy themselves.
But not all is lost. A totally different reality is available for the business arena. It all comes down to the choices business leaders make. As long as people’s points of view are governed by the old-fashioned system of capitalism, notable for its scarcity mindset, industrial concepts of control, predictability, profit maximization and ‘more is better’, we will continue to recreate businesses as they have been, despite the need of capitalism to transform and for business systems to evolve.
We have realized that a big gap for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and the general public is the awareness that there is a different way of looking at capitalism. And there is a way to generate something totally different in their businesses and in their lives if they choose to change the way they view things.
Benevolent Capitalism – A Real Change Agent
We want to change that. We are inviting business leaders to alter that anti-conscious mindset so that they can see different possibilities and start looking at a different way of creating a business, living, and a way of being in the world. If businesses don’t start considering the future of tomorrow, then we won’t have the amazing stuff that we can have. If we start to look from – how do I wish myself and everybody else well, as well as grow our wealth? Then we can start to create a greater possibility.
The only way we are going to be on the creative edge of business, of finance, of the universe, of not becoming obsolete instantaneously is if we’re looking at the possibilities of the future from the energy of Benevolent Capitalism. And it is possible, once we get to any point of view that says it is not possible. It all starts with you and me.
A Different Way to Create Business
The whole notion of benevolent capitalism is a different way we must start looking at how we actually create–business, our lives, leadership, strategy, home life, whatever it might be. If we go back to the energy behind capitalism, it is about individual growth, individual wealth, individual choice. When we tie onto that the benevolence component, a whole new possibility is created.
“Benevolent capitalism,” if you tap into its energy, is about organically growing and at the same time wishing well for everyone. And everyone means the planet, not just people. Everyone actually means everyone, everything, every …fill in the gap.
And now is the time to make this choice, in our own lives and businesses, because a better world starts with us.
Author’s Note:
The Benevolent Capitalism Class – A Better World Starts With You … 30/Jun/2017 – 3/Jul/2017 Venice, Italy, which brings together some world leaders in this movement. We explore insights and ways forward for our organizations and the planet.
About the Authors
Chutisa and Steven Bowman are co-authors, along with Gary Douglas, who wrote the book on unlocking benevolent capitalism: Benevolent Leadership For A Better World, is available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1IrSqkM. For more information on the book and class, visit their website: www.benevolentcapitalism.com
