The principles and practices of trade, fair and equal in value, are the only rational ethical principles for all relationships, personal or business, spiritual or material, where each party gets their fair due in cooperative arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditionally, people with wealth were the ones owning the means of production and trade. To increase and maintain their wealth, they formed a symbiotic relationship with those with political power – or held some of their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fair trade carried with it the underlying principles of ethics, morals and justice. And the connection it brought, was considered the most valuable commodity than the transaction itself. It forged relationships that were open, fair, just, consistent, respectful, and enabled an equitable distribution of power. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The artisan, the dealer, the merchant, the broker, the agent, or businessman, who lived by these ethical codes were fair traders. And everybody valued fair treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But not everybody enforced this code. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before systems of monetary exchange, some may have bartered goods of inferior quality and with smooth talking got more than the object\u2019s worth, in the process, losing the loyalty of the user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So to enforce a fair trade, a more equal means of paying for goods were introduced by minting coins of silver and gold. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trading the right weight of gold or silver coins for an equal value of the good or commodity was considered a better way for fair exchange. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ethical dealings was a showcase of character, respect and courtesy that developed into propriety, meaning, conforming to accepted standards of ethical behaviour, morals, etiquette and decorum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was based on the rules, an unspoken code that described the accepted social, and expected personal behaviour in accordance with the conventions and norms observed by the trading elites. The Barons. The magnates. The artisans. The merchants. The traders. Some nobles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trading usually transpired in the form of ceremonies and rituals, following protocol, keeping with good taste, good form, good manners, maintaining respectfulness, courtesy, politeness, civility, modesty, and acting with the utmost refinement and social grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A trader was a man of justice. There was no conflict, as the trader did not desire the unearned or undeserved, he did not make sacrifices nor accept them. He only traded value for value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Off course not all conducted themselves to these unspoken laws and ethical behaviour. But they would soon work themselves out of the high respected circles of the elite, who were the ones wh controlled all means of production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ethical merchants who built honest relationships with the elite, were transparent about their supply chains by sharing information about the entire trading chain through honest and proactive communication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It had to be, to convey the true qualities of the product. If the item was of poor quality and inferior symbolic value, the merchant would look the fool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A trader, or merchant, was a man who earned what he received, and did not give or take that which was not earned or deserved. A successful, fair trade was his reward, the end payment for his achievements. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A trader saw each one as an independent equal, only interested in the deal he could forge. He dealt with men by means of an honest, voluntary, unforced, uncoerced exchange, an exchange which benefited both parties by their own independent judgement, and as inferred by the unwritten codes of professional practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The friendships, respect, and admiration forged, were the responses evoked by ethical character, and that value was a bit difficult to calculate or discern. Over time it became invaluable closed networks, not easily accessed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the silk trade routes opened up eastward with China, moving goods between China, Persia and Rome, these business network relationships gained a far more important implication for the Persians who were in the middle, the gatekeepers between east and west.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Goods were traded over vast territories, and the transportation thereof slow, and cumbersome. Worthy trades were paramount as the time it took to transport goods from here to there and there to here, would take years to recoup if it was not adequately utilised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The amount of camels and horses, the amount of goods these animals could carry and what goods were the most vital, became an intricate and strategic operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To educate oneself was essential to remain competitive. To know everything enabled one to identify opportunities and to act on that fast with new innovations and technology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Technology was the process of using knowledge to turn resources into goods and services that people needed, a new invention. It contained the set of means, the facts, tools and devices, the systems, methods and procedures created by the innovation process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it was first, the knowledge that made the entire process possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One\u2019s worldview, beliefs about things, the value of things, drove the process that made it all possible. And when people used this new technology and made it part of their daily lives, where it later became a necessity and not a luxury, that was the recipe of the wealthy man. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wealth was thus a reflection of a man working at full capacity, dealing in fair trade, having the right connections, and an innovative mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the earliest written treatments of business ethics was found in the Tirukku\u1e5ba\u1e37, a Tamil book dated from 300 BC years and attributed to Thiruvalluvar. Many verses discuss business ethics, in particular, adapting to a changing environment and learning the intricacies of different tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Business ethics meant to conduct business in a certain way. The businessman was to give a regular supply of good quality goods and services at reasonable prices to consumers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They must avoid indulging in unfair trade practices like adulteration, promoting misleading information, cheating in weights and measures, black markets and counterfeits. They were to give fair wages and provide good working conditions to their workers. They must pay all their taxes regularly to the government<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some men toiled hard for wealth and power and made their wealth work for them, wealth begets wealth. Sustainability of wealth or longevity of wealth came from having an ethical long-term vision which took into account all stakeholders. The business could only be successful when they earned the trust from customers, vendors, suppliers, and shareholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But some businessmen, as they became richer, they did not work harder or smarter, but started to enjoy more leisure and pursued only pleasures. They became less productive and became decadent and weaker. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some lost their fortunes because they thought it would last without protecting and safeguarding it, and then later when it had been all lost, just borrowed more to keep the good times going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those who inherit it from their fathers, were less hardened, steeped in luxuries, and accustomed to the easy life and different values, which made them weak to challenges and caused their downfalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And others, like the Barons, used their wealth resources to expand their powers, able to influence political systems to their advantage and creating more privileges to those in their network group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which, as an aftereffect, caused gaps in society. The rich had, and the poor did not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
All people wanted fair treatment. And it rarely happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Naturally, lower and middle classes felt it an unfair situation, so resentment grew, and in some cases boiled over into conflict. But because the wealthy were untouchable, conflict took on different forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inner struggles that affected mental and emotional states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desire, or something the character wants<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Need, or something the character requires for survival<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Duty, that character feels is right or necessary<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fear, or a strong worry that drives the character<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Expectation, of a better life<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Obligation, something a character feels obligated to do because of someone else<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When a character experiences two or more of these triggers at a time, you have internal conflict, causing your character to feel doubt, fear, confusion, or distress, among many other emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That internal character rise up against the outside forces that created the conflict. The hierchy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hierarchy was a law of nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a natural system to which all organisms adhered to, not a man made one. That was why it was so difficult to change. Man couldn’t change their native character or nature. There was no solution to this condition as seen throughout history. It was the way nature intended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because of the advancement of the human race, progress was spearheaded only by men who developed the foresight for what innovations and technologies would be needed, and acted upon it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Others who sat at the sidelines and merely complained about how things worked and how things were and did nothing to change it, those were most often the poor. Those who blamed the rich for their own circumstance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They could not fully understand this natural law, and thus felt trapped in the system, feeling cheated and bound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because all men had the capacity to gain riches, to survive the deck of cards he was dealt with, it was up to the man to make it so if he wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He needed three things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Social mobility, to move up or out of his hierarchy level by some means, usually knowledge, opportunity, marriage or money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Access to the markets (society) he wanted to break into<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Build alliances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a poor man wanted to be treated fair. He had to play a fair game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most poor always wanted what the rich wanted,but did not want to work for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The closest fair treatment could get, was with trade, value for value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And if the merchants or traders became wealthy through this process then they\u2019ve earned the right to be so, because they understood this natural law, and followed trade codes and ethics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the trade in itself was not equal, and if the goods fell short of expectation, or if they did not adhere to the code, their reputation would be tarnished and lost, and over time, their riches would dwindle and disappear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To ensure a business\u2019 stability, longevity and sustainability, it had to follow the protocols of trade and social decorum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without trades, merchandry, and artisanry there would be no bread, wine, fruit, meat, flowers, clothing, or rugs. There could be no exchange between nations for valuable metals, gold, silver, iron, and copper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The native wealth of an empire, a nation, a province and a city, was measured by its agricultural land. Generally, monarchs, nobles and landowners owned all agricultural land, which was the most important source of wealth production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most disgraceful thing in the world, they think, is to tell a lie; the next worst, to owe a debt: because, among other reasons, the debtor is obliged to tell lies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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