Profit-sharing
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"...laws and regulations should be established which would permit the workmen to receive from the factory owner their wages and a share in the fourth or the fifth part of the profits, according to the capacity of the factory; or in some other way the body of workmen and the manufacturers should share equitably the profits and advantages. Indeed, the capital and management come from the owner of the factory, and the work and labor, from the body of the workmen. Either the workmen should receive wages which assure them an adequate support and, when they cease work, becoming feeble or helpless, they should have sufficient benefits from the income of the industry; or the wages should be high enough to satisfy the workmen with the amount they receive so that they may themselves be able to put a little aside for days of want and helplessness."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, pp. 274-275)
Employees should be given a fairly certain percentage of the property/mine/factory owners' profits[edit]
"The owners of properties, mines and factories, should share their incomes with their employees, and give a fairly certain percentage of their profits to their workingmen, in order that the employees should receive, besides their wages, some of the general income of the factory, so that the employee may strive with his soul in the work."
- ((Attributed to?) 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era, p. 146)
"The question of socialization is very important. It will not be solved by strikes for wages. All the governments of the world must be united and organize an assembly the members of which should be elected from the parliaments and the nobles of the nations. These must plan with utmost wisdom and power so that neither the capitalist suffer from enormous losses nor the laborers become needy. In the utmost moderation they should make the law; then announce to the public that the rights of the working people are to be strongly preserved. Also the rights of the capitalists are to be protected. When such a general plan is adopted by the will of both sides, should a strike occur, all the governments of the world collectively should resist it. Otherwise, the labor problem will lead to much destruction, especially in Europe. Terrible things will take place.
"For instance, the owners of properties, mines and factories should share their incomes with their employees and give a fairly certain percentage of their products to their workingmen in order that the employees may receive, beside their wages, some of the general income of the factory so that the employee may strive with his soul in the work."
- (Foundations of World Unity, p. 43)
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"Also, every factory that has ten thousand shares will give two thousand shares of these ten thousand to its employees and will write the shares in their names, so that they may have them, and the rest will belong to the capitalists. Then at the end of the month or year whatever they may earn after the expenses and wages are paid, according to the number of shares, should be divided among both."
- (Foundations of World Unity, p. 43)
"Profit-sharing is recommended"; capitalism would need to be adjusted[edit]
"Profit-sharing is recommended as a solution to one form of economic problem.
"There is nothing in the teachings against some kind of capitalism; its present form, though, would require adjustments to be made."
- (19 November 1945, on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, Redistribution of Wealth (compilation) no. 22)
The term "Profit-sharing" should be used rather than "income-sharing"[edit]
"Question V -- "Profit-sharing" should be used rather than "income-sharing", as the former is the term used actually in the Bahá'í Writings...."
- (26 December 1935, on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, Redistribution of Wealth (compilation) no. 17)
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"It will not be possible in the future for men to amass great fortunes by the labor of others. The rich will willingly divide. They will come to this gradually, naturally, by their own volition. It will never be accomplished by war and bloodshed. The ruling power or government cannot treat the rich unjustly. To force them to divide their wealth would be unjust. In the future, proportionately about three-quarters of the profits will go to the workmen and one-quarter to the owner."
- (Star of the West, vol. 7, issue 15, p. 147)
Employees to be partners in every work, not only paid by wages[edit]
"NOW I want to tell you about the laws of God. According to the divine law, employees should not be paid merely by wages. Nay, rather, they should be partners in every work."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Star of the West, volume 16, issue 11, p. 699; note: this cites vol. 8, issue 1, p. 7, but that translates as "no wages should be given to the employé", an error here and later corrected; also cited in Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era, p. 145)
