Prosperity
1. What Prosperity Is (besides wealth)
Prosperity = feeling of having more than required, with right understanding of needs, and the confidence that needs will be met. It is not just accumulating facility (
$$) — it is **right evaluation of required physical facility + its availability/assurance**.
- **Physical facility** includes **food, clothing, shelter, instruments** needed for body and for living.
- **Need for facility is limited** and can be **quantified** (e.g., how many kg grain, how many rooms). Beyond required quantity, extra does not increase prosperity feeling.
### 2. Two Components
| Component | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| **Right assessment of need** | Knowing how much is **required** (not imagined infinite) — via right understanding | One nutritious meal vs buffet; one functional phone vs five flagships |
| **Availability / assurance** | Having/ensuring that much is available (production, sharing) | Having 2 kg wheat when need is 2 kg ⇒ prosperous; having 10 kg but feeling insecure ⇒ not prosperous |
**Prosperity** = **required × available** with **psychological assurance**. Without right assessment, even rich feels deprived (needs seem infinite).
### 3. Prosperity vs Wealth
- **Wealth:** accumulation of facility (
$$), may be without right assessment — often leads to deprivation feeling despite abundance, and competition.
- Prosperity: wealth with right understanding ⇒ feeling of enough, leading to sharing and continuity.
4. Worked Checks
Do I need unlimited clothes? Need = maybe 10 sets for family for a year. Having 100 sets is wealth but not prosperity plus burden.
Check prosperity: "Do I feel prosperous if I have required facility now and am confident it will be available next month via work/nature?" → naturally acceptable.
Environmental link: right assessment ⇒ non-exploitation; over-assessment ⇒ over-consumption.
5. Exam Points
- Define prosperity as "more than required with right assessment + assurance" — 5 marks, very frequent.
- Distinguish need for physical facility (limited) vs need for happiness (continuous) — 5 marks, very frequent (often asked as difference table).
- Prosperity vs wealth — 3-5 marks, frequent.
- Give example of right assessment — 3 marks.