Profit-sharing

Workers to receive 1/4 or 1/5 of profits according to factory capacity (or some other share of profits)

"...laws and regulations should be enacted which would grant the workers both a daily wage and a share in a fourth or fifth of the profits of the factory in accordance with its means, or which would have the workers equitably share in some other way in the profits with the owners. For the capital and the management come from the latter and the toil and labour from the former. The workers could either be granted a wage that adequately meets their daily needs, as well as a right to a share in the revenues of the factory when they are injured, incapacitated, or unable to work, or else a wage could be set that allows the workers to both satisfy their daily needs and save a little for times of weakness and incapacity..."

"It is therefore clearly established that the appropriation of excessive wealth by a few individuals, notwithstanding the needs of the masses, is unfair and unjust, and that, conversely, absolute equality would also disrupt the existence, welfare, comfort, peace, and orderly life of the human race. Such being the case, the best course is therefore to seek moderation, which is for the wealthy to recognize the advantages of moderation in the acquisition of profits and to show regard for the welfare of the poor and the needy, that is, to fix a daily wage for the workers and also to allot them a share of the total profits of the factory."

"In brief, insofar as the mutual rights of the factory owners and the workers are concerned, laws must be enacted that would enable the former to make reasonable profits and the latter to be provided with their present necessities and their future needs, so that if they become incapacitated, grow old, or die and leave behind small children, they or their children will not be overcome by dire poverty but will receive a modest pension from the revenues of the factory itself.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, Chapter 78, pars. 5-8 passim)

Employees should be given a fairly certain percentage of the property/mine/factory owners' profits

"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)

20% of a factory's shares to be given to the employees for profits at the end of the month or year (after expenses and wages)

"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

"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"

"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)

Rich to gradually share about 75% of the profits to the workmen

"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

"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)

See also

• Strikes
• Pensions
• Minimum wage