On Authority

Most of us in Auroville have a distrust of authority. Coming here was partly to escape the world of authority, politics etc. And so when confronted with a form of, or a projection of, authority, many rebelled against it, by default as it were: it was an emotional compulsive decision.

Authority in Auroville lies in the Charter, the Divine Life, and as a first layer of execution means Leadership: the 3 bodies of governance called The Foundation, and it consists of Governing Board, Residents Assembly and the International Advisory Council. They are represented by a secretary and bring direction, decisions to be made. It is also there to protect us from power group’s tendencies that are obstructing development and creativity. Enabling us to…get on with it. Especially building the City and the major projects.

We have always had authorities in Auroville. These took the form of bureaucracy and groups of interest of different kinds……and extensions thereof, for example: reaching into the AVI’s and networks for fundraising, land purchase etc. Also people feeling entitled to the patch of land they had developed and not allowing others to build.

There exist forms of aristocracy for example, groups of interest. Little islands of authorities: even like country clubs as it were. Or the Entry group process holding power over one’s livelihood and making their demands: often crippling people’s chances of settling here.

Are all these not also forms of authority? They are almost invisible, like hidden networks that won’t budge.
The seeking of power and keeping it has always been there. In many ways these formations would hinder activities, block the development of the City, show favouritism concerning fundraising etc. The whole notion of freedom and collective process was a bit of a farce, drowning in these groups of interest: stifling our chances of developing on a collective level. Even the Residents Assembly of late tried to be the only authority and stop people from doing their work. Making a decision and then using the RA to stop it again because it was not to the liking of a few.

We have a lack of authority also. Anybody could come along and kick you out of your own project. Our working groups have never really had power behind decisions being taken. We could not move much, especially collectively. Very frustrating for those giving their time and energy often for nothing.

Now, when there are many people always commenting on the master plan, even on Mother, such things like ‘oh, it’s the past’, what are we to do: have no authority, no protection at all? Just be overrun by people who in their arrogance believe they know better?

We wish to refocus those energies to the one and only authority: Auroville, the Divine Mother. And we need leadership to do this, to get anything done.

Maybe leadership helps us not to be a victim of Authority.

Leadership can be better than fixed rules and regulations. It is not here to fix everything once and for all. It is a management to help redirect the boat towards the collective vision.
Yes it is especially towards building the City and its major elements.The Mother gave a detailed design and concept, through Roger, a great man and loving person. Why can we not also show love to this, and align and work in simplicity and under leadership… . The authority is The Divine, Auroville itself. We need not rebel or go against it, nor submit to the idea we have of it. Rather, to learn and rise to a third perspective and towards a society governed by sages and intuitive intelligence. Individual and collective research, effort, life. Freedom of expression, generating creative energy.

The freedom we are longing for then can begin to develop. And the authority of the RA can grow more true. And love can grow amongst people creating this vision.

Reflections on Democracy and Auroville’s Governance

The serving members of the Working Committee have often turned to Sri Aurobindo and The Mother to understand what they had in mind for the governance or organization of Auroville, about the nature of freedom and anarchy and divine anarchy in the context of Auroville and its polity, and the collective future it must build. Here we share some of them here.

FROM SRI AUROBINDO
Ideal of Human Unity / Forms of Government
Or it might be something like the disguised oligarchy of an international council reposing its rule on the assent, expressed by election or otherwise, of what might be called a semi passive democracy as its first figure. For that is what the modern democracy at present is in fact; the sole democratic elements are public opinion, periodical elections and the power of the people to refuse reelection to those who have displeased it.

The Ideal of Human Unity / The Drive towards Legislative and Social Centralization & Uniformity
Certainly, democracy as it is now practised is not the last or penultimate stage; for it is often merely democratic in appearance and even at the best amounts to the rule of the majority and works by the vicious method of party government, defects the increasing perception of which enters largely into the present day dissatisfaction with parliamentary systems. Even a perfect democracy is not likely to be the last stage of social evolution, but it is still the necessary broad standing ground upon which the self consciousness of the social being can come to its own.
It does not follow that a true democracy must necessarily come into being at some time.

War and Self Determinism

Ancient liberty and democracy meant in Greece the self rule—variegated by periodical orgies of mutual throat cutting—of a smaller number of freemen of all ranks who lived by the labour of a great mass of slaves. In recent times liberty and democracy have been, and still are, a cant assertion which veils under a skilfully moderated plutocratic system the rule of an organised successful bourgeoisie over a proletariate at first submissive, afterwards increasingly dissatisfied and combined for recalcitrant self assertion.

Another illusion was that the growth of democracy would mean the growth of pacifism and the end of war…

Man refuses to learn from that history of whose lessons the wise prate to us; otherwise the story of old democracies ought to have been enough to prevent this particular illusion.

War and Self Determinism
The future does not belong to that hybrid thing, a middleclass democracy infected with the old theory of international relations, however modified by concessions to a new broader spirit of idealism.
The future destined to replace this present is evident enough in some of its main outward tendencies, in society away from plutocracy and middleclass democracy to some completeness of socialism and attempt at a broad and equal commonalty of social living, in the relations of the peoples away from aggressive nationalism and balances of power to some closer international comity.

The Idea of Human Unity / The Peril of the World State
Democracy is by no means a sure preservative of liberty: on the contrary, we see today a democratic system of government march steadily towards an organised annihilation of individual liberty as could not have been dreamed of in the old aristocratic or monarchical system… it revives now only only in periods of revolution and excitement often in the form of mob tyranny or a savage reactionary or revolutionary repression…

Sri Aurobindo / Evening Talks, 1926 / Purani
I am at present speaking against democracy. That does not mean there is no truth behind it – and I know it, yet I speak against democracy because that mentality is against the Truth that is trying to come down.

FROM THE MOTHER
On Thoughts & Aphorisms 341 -343 (Karma)
Democracy was the protest of the human soul against the allied despotisms of autocrat, priest and noble; Socialism is the protest of the human soul against the despotism of a plutocratic democracy; Anarchism is likely to be the protest of the human soul against the tyranny of a bureaucratic Socialism. It is chimerical to enquire which is the better system; it would be difficult to decide which is the worse.

A turbulent and eager march from illusion to illusion and from failure to failure is the image of European progress.

Agenda 10 April 1968
If there is no representative of the supreme Consciousness (which can happen, of course), if there isn’t any, we could perhaps (this would be worth trying) replace him with the government by a small number—we would have to choose between four and eight, something like that: four, seven or eight—a small number having an INTUITIVE intelligence.
All the intermediaries have proved incompetent: theocracy, aristocracy, democracy, plutocracy—all that is a complete failure.

Agenda, August 16, 1969
In an undated note, Mother once wrote: Democracy was necessary and useful a hundred years ago, but now we must go beyond it if we want to take a step forward towards a new creation.

Agenda 27 July, 1968 (conversation)
Satprem: The Press is asking for a few texts to fill blanks in the forthcoming Bulletin.

The Mother: Take from Sri Aurobindo, not from me! Everything from Sri Aurobindo

Satprem proposes the following text:

Sri Aurobindo: Overmind is obliged to respect the freedom of the individual….

Oh, that’s a revelation! I didn’t know that.

Sri Aurobindo: …including his freedom to be perverse, stupid, recalcitrant and slow. Supermind is not merely a step higher than Overmind—it is beyond the line, that is a different consciousness and power beyond the mental limit.”

Do you imply that the Supermind will not be obliged to respect the freedom of the individual?

Sri Aurobindo: Of course I do! It will respect only the Truth of the Divine and the truth of things.

The Mother / On Auroville’s Organization
We want an organization which is the expression of a higher consciousness working to manifest the truth of the future.

Mother’s Agenda, 1966
Scores of people have come for Auroville…. Instead of working, they spend their time talking… They’ve already begun discussing what the city’s political situation will be …And one of them wrote to me yesterday, saying he couldn’t take part in something that wasn’t purely ‘democratic’… So I answered him this: Auroville must be at the service of the Truth, beyond all social, political and religious convictions… but above all…it would be better to build the city first!

Mother’s Agenda, 7 Feb, 1970
The anarchic state is the self government of each individual, and it will be the perfect government only when each one becomes conscious of the inner Divine and will obey only Him and Him alone…

Someone from Auroville wrote to me that he had come here to obey only himself and he found there were rules and laws. And he said: I won’t do it! I am free, I refuse to do it… so I wrote to him..

“One is only free when one is conscious of the Divine…”

Charter of Auroville / The Mother
But to live in Auroville, one must be a willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness.

The Responsibility & Privilege of Building Auroville

For the last 23 years I have been visiting Auroville regularly. I have also presented the city of Auroville through the Lur Gozoa Association, especially two exhibitions of the city, the model of the Galaxy and its Master Plan. At the end of this letter, I expose my curriculum for your more detailed information. I have spent a few weeks in Auroville, on such important dates as Mother’s Anniversary and the 55th Anniversary of the City of Auroville, I have shared and held conversations with all kinds of Aurovilians, old residents, some of the pioneers, new Aurovilians, visitors… people of different nationalities. All these people seemed to have no other type of conversation than to give their opinion on the subject of the Galaxy and more specifically on the Crown.

I believe that the moment we are living is extremely delicate in the sense that the project of Sri Aurobindo and Mother is about to manifest itself in a progressively active way, finally after 55 years in which it has been slowing down for various reasons. The reasons for which the project has been stopped and slowed down for so many years are not relevant and it is not appropriate to count them and even less to personalize or name the different ways of manifesting the “fear” of realizing such a great work, not because of its size, but because of its significance.

The work, the project of manifesting the City that the World Needs, the City that will welcome the Humanity of the Future, to participate in it, in this laboratory, is very scary, it is an enormous responsibility, because it is not a matter of manifesting and building houses, roads, social premises, dining rooms, commercial places… etc., which also, of course, is a matter of course. The difficulties of building are solved immediately, mostly with money, with financing.

The problem comes, the fear of responsibility arrives when the construction of a project of colossal magnitude, born from the dream of some exceptional beings, is in hand. Those same exceptional beings, by Their Grace, have called in some subtle way all the people who are now living in what will be the City of Auroville. It is understandable that during all these years it has been difficult to prioritize the construction of the City taking into account the difficulties of financing. Finally the Matrimandir has been built, the soul of the City, its gardens, the lake (for so many years it was believed to be an “impossible dream” and thanks to new technologies it has been possible to build, nothing is impossible if someone already dreamed it, and in that case the Dreamers were, are exceptional), the different aids and donations have had to be distributed and prioritize the most immediate and necessary. It is understandable, even occupying land with the most immediate to continue to keep the spaces alive while building, but without losing sight of the ultimate goal: why and for what reason we are in Auroville, why I answered the call.

With new technologies it will be possible to do things now and in the near future, innovations that seemed impossible when Mother dreamed them up. It is clear that Auroville is not going to be the place from which new technologies are born for the rest of the world, but it will be the place where those technologies are used in unexpected and innovative ways. What is certain is that the very experience of living in Auroville, of overcoming the difficulties, of attending to the detachments to our way of living, the flexibility in changing our minds, our ideas, overcoming the need to want to reduce with our little minds with their egoic needs the projections of Beings who have come to push our evolution, is what will make Auroville different from any other human enterprise undertaken so far. This is the wonderful contagion. Reaching 50,000 people living in Auroville with those who one day managed to reach this goal, is what will give the critical mass necessary to replicate it in other places in the world. This is what the Auroville laboratory is based on.

Auroville is for the world, it is not for a few privileged people. The privilege is to live to build Auroville, to have heard the whisper of the Masters and to accept it.

At this time, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Sri Aurobindo’s birth, the eyes of India have turned to Auroville and have begun to recognize the figure of the Master in a strong way. Sri Aurobindo’s 5 Dreams resonate strongly and this seems to have activated the need to strongly support the building of the city, another of Sri Aurobindo’s dreams. “There should be somewhere in the world…”. Mother knew that no other nation could participate in the experiment, allow it. And 55 years later, India goes a step further and commits to fully fund the construction. And it begins to do so…

It is time to protect the Dream of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, supporting the construction, being as close as possible, contributing what we have learned. It is time to build and protect, being grateful. It is not time for unsustainable absurd confrontations that confuse, that generate pain and allow fear to have its way. The people who live in Auroville have to remember their Dream. The people of Auroville have to remember that they have gone to India, to Auroville, to become Aurovilians and that being Aurovilians does not consist only in living in Auroville, but in getting involved in building the city of Human Unity and overcoming all the difficulties, material, emotional and spiritual that this challenge demands. Remember the words of Mother: “To be a true Aurovilian …………” the 7 points that She lists and that I, although I do not live in Auroville I consider them as a reference for my daily Sadhana, how to be a true human being. ALL LIFE IS YOGA.

In Auroville there is no need to build bridges of understanding. Whoever calls himself a mediator is fulfilling a task that no one has asked of him and is not necessary. Only an exquisite equanimity can attend to the needs and approaches of all the parties involved and, in this sense, as far as I am concerned AVI Spain is not fulfilling the function of representing all the sensitivities that are taking place at this time and with its clumsiness (which I do not doubt has good intentions) is aggravating an issue that the good will of all the people involved will know how to solve with intelligence and heart.

I request, by means of this letter, that AVI Spain, in this case, cease with the particular personal opinions of its president. I do not believe that AVI Spain is being able to transmit in an equanimous, fair and serious way to the people it represents, the reality of the delicate and decisive moment that the Auroville community is living and that with its visceral appreciations it is being of little or no help, furthermore it is producing unnecessary confrontations.

I can provide documents addressed to AVI Spain that last year I already sent through the Lur Gozoa Association, if required. I understand that the way in which AVI Spain, in the figure of its president, continues to address and present the issue is inappropriate and seriously affects the honor of some people living in Auroville giving names and whatsapps, thus subtracting them ability to resolve personally in a serene way any injury that may arise due to the different ways of understanding and evolve with respect to the construction of the city according to the Master Plan, accepted and sealed by The Mother.

The impartiality in “telling” the story of the process that the Auroville Community is going through must be exquisite, in the case that the different AVI’s have decided that they must participate and transmit the evolution of this important and decisive moment. I understand that we must, all the people involved in different ways, transmit calm, serenity and support and above all confidence that the people will be able to solve it with the sure help of The Mother, who is taking care of them and of the City that the World Needs, the City of Human Unity.

A twinned embrace in Her Light.

Aurocracy: An Auroville-specific governance model


Over the period, Auroville has developed a unique governance model, which can be called Aurocracy, which is based on the principles of collaboration, self-governance, and self-awareness. In this article, we will explore the Auroville specific governance model – Aurocracy. The Aurocracy governance model is based on the principles and purpose of Auroville as outlined in the Charter. It is a unique model of governance that seeks to promote harmony, unity, and progress among the residents of Auroville.

The term “Aurocracy” is derived from the Greek word “kratos,” which means “power” or “rule.” In Aurocracy, the power or rule is not vested in any individual or group, but in the Divine Consciousness that is said to guide and govern Auroville.

Aurocracy is a decentralized form of governance that is based on the principle of self-organisation. It is a system where decisions are made collectively and where the individual is empowered to take responsibility for his or her own actions. The aim of Aurocracy is to create a system where each person can live in harmony with others and with nature, while being able to contribute as a willing servitor to the well-being of the City as a whole.

The core documents of Auroville like the Auroville Charter, a Dream, and To be a True Aurovilian serves as the basis for the Aurocracy governance model. The Auroville Charter which was adopted in 1968 and outlines the vision and values of Auroville. It clearly states that Auroville is meant to be a place where people live in harmony, where the emphasis is on inner development and where there is no discrimination on the basis of race, nationality, religion or political beliefs.

The Aurocracy governance model is based on three key principles: collaboration, self-governance, and self-awareness.

  1. Collaboration is a fundamental principle of Aurocracy. It is the principle that underpins all decision-making processes in Auroville. In Aurocracy, decisions are made collectively, with the aim of finding the best possible solution for the City as a whole. Collaboration is seen as a way to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard and that decisions are made in a transparent and inclusive manner.
  2. Self-governance is another key principle of Aurocracy. It is the principle that empowers Aurovilians to take responsibility for their own actions and to contribute to the well-being of the City as a whole. Self-governance is based on the belief that Aurovilians are capable of making decisions for themselves and that they have a responsibility to contribute to the well-being of the City as a whole. Working groups are led by 4-8 individuals with intuitive intelligence. Each individual is expected to take responsibility for their own actions and decisions, and to work towards the common good of the City .
  3. Self-awareness is the third principle of Aurocracy. It is the principle that emphasizes the importance of inner development and personal growth. Auroville is seen as a place where individuals can come to explore their inner selves, to develop their own consciousness and to contribute to the growth of the City as a whole.

Aurocracy is a system where decision-making is decentralized and where power is distributed among the residents. The system is designed to encourage participation and collaboration among the Aurovilians. Decision-making in Aurocracy is based on the principle of consensus. In a consensus-based system, decisions are made after all City members have had the opportunity to express their opinions and concerns. Aurovilians are expected to take ownership of their lives and their work, and to contribute to the City in a way that aligns with the ideals of Auroville. This means that decision-making is decentralized, and there is a great deal of trust placed in individuals to make choices that are in the best interest of the City as a whole.

The Aurocracy governance model is based on a series of working groups, each with a specific mandate. These working groups are responsible for various aspects of City life, such as governance, education, environment, and economy. The working groups are made up of volunteers who have nominated themselves to the public service and vetted by the Foundation. From amongst the pool of self-nominated volunteers, a handful are selected by some randomised selection process. As each working group is responsible for making decisions related to their specific mandate and for implementing those decisions, the new volunteers naturally join the group and contribute to its purpose.

The Aurocracy governance model is also based on a series of committees, each with a specific mandate. The committees are responsible for overseeing the work of the working groups and for making decisions related to City -wide issues. The committees are also responsible for maintaining the Auroville Charter and for ensuring that the principles of Aurocracy are upheld. The committee members are nominated by the Governing Board of the Auroville Foundation and they ensure checks and balances on the working groups.

Another key feature of the Aurocracy model is its emphasis on collective decision-making. In Auroville, decisions are made through a process of consensus building, where all members of the City have an opportunity to participate and share their ideas. This ensures that all perspectives are considered, and decisions are made with the collective interest of the City in mind. According to the Aurocracy governance model, decision-making is based on the principle of consensus. This means that decisions are made through a process of dialogue and discussion until a consensus is reached. This process is designed to promote harmony and unity among the residents of Auroville.

Another important aspect of Aurocracy is the emphasis on transparency and accountability. Auroville operates on a system of open meetings, where all City members have the opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns. This helps to ensure that decision-making is participatory and engaging, and that everyone’s voices are heard. Additionally, Aurovilians are expected to be transparent in their actions and to hold themselves accountable for their behavior.

One of the challenges with this model is that it can take longer to make decisions since it requires input from all members. However, proponents of the Aurocracy model argue that the benefits of having a decision-making process that is inclusive and engaging far outweigh the potential downsides. While Aurocracy is often praised for its democratic and decentralized approach to governance, it is not without its challenges. For example, the emphasis on individual responsibility can sometimes lead to conflicts between City members who have different ideas about what it means to contribute to the City. Additionally, the lack of a formal hierarchy can sometimes make decision-making more time-consuming and difficult.

Despite these challenges, however, many Aurovilians feel that Aurocracy is a highly effective governance model that allows them to live in a City that aligns with their values and ideals. By placing a strong emphasis on individual responsibility, self-governance, transparency, and accountability, Aurocracy has created a unique and thriving City that continues to inspire people around the world.

In addition to consensus building, another important aspect of the Aurocracy model is its focus on self-governance. In Auroville, there are an external authority of the Government of India which ensures the manifestation of the idea of Auroville. However, the City fully relies on its own internal mechanisms to maintain order to manifest the ideal of Auroville.

One example of this emphasis on individual responsibility is the way in which Auroville handles conflicts. Rather than relying on a hierarchical system of authority figures to mediate disputes, Aurovilians are encouraged to work out their differences through open communication and dialogue. This approach not only empowers individuals to take control of their own lives, but it also fosters a culture of mutual respect and understanding within the City. While handling the issues of conflicts and disputes, the self-governance model is supported by a system of conscious justice that emphasizes mediation and reconciliation rather than punishment. When conflicts arise, members of the City are encouraged to come together and find a solution that is acceptable to all parties involved. Often, the surface conflicts are the result of deeper issues, and in Auroville, we attempt to got the root problem and heal rather than provide superficial band-aids.

The Aurocracy model represents a unique approach to governance that places a strong emphasis on collaboration, collective decision-making, and self-governance. While it is not without its challenges, many members of the Auroville City believe that this model has been instrumental in fostering a sense of unity, purpose, and shared responsibility among its residents. The Aurocracy model represents a compelling alternative to traditional forms of governance. Its emphasis on collaboration, inclusivity, and self-governance has helped to create a strong sense of City and shared responsibility within Auroville. While it may not be suitable for all communities, the Aurocracy model serves as a powerful example of what can be achieved through collective action and distributed decision-making.