24 June 2014 - QA 20

Religious beliefs can effect economic views. I am wondering, what does your faith say about a free enterprise system (a system in which private businesses are able to compete with each other with little control by the government), to encourage human flourishing? Also, what does your faith say about wealth creation and working for success?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

In India, there has always been free entrepreneurship. Freedom has always been there.
Creation of wealth, as I said, if it follows certain ethics then it is good.
Poverty is not all holy and richness is not all sin. But if poverty is out of laziness, it is a sin, and if richness is out of greed and unethical means, it is a sin. That’s the measuring point.
How do you create wealth? Does your creating wealth cause problem to many people? Then it is no good. But, if your creating wealth brings comfort to many people, employment to many people, and solace to many people, then it is good. Go for it.